Since We're Alone |NH|

Chapter 27

Niall's POV

When I initially asked her the question, I honestly wasn't sure what I expected to be the answer, but that wasn't it.  I dropped my food into the little plate and wiped my hands.

"Oh my god, Ophelia, I'm sorry."  Even as I spoke the words, I felt like they were inadequate.

"Don't be.  You didn't do it."  She scooted up off the wall and moved closer to me, crossing her legs. 

"I know, but still, that must've been scary."

"It was."

"I'm glad the bartender saw something."

"Me too," she whispered.  She looked down at the food in her hand, placing it in the little plate and setting it down.  "The guy I was with had turned around to look at something, I guess, and the bartender grabbed my arm, silently shook his head and raised his other hand up to his lips to quiet me as he took my drink from me.  He got security to come get the guy."

She paused and I could tell she was struggling with discerning how much she should tell me. I was quite shocked she had told me even that much.

"Ever since then, I've hardened up on my rule and have essentially refused to even give anyone a chance or an idea to even think I was interested.  I just kept replaying that night in my head about how it all could have gone horribly wrong."

"Sounds like this bartender is a great samaritan," I said.  Slowly reaching my hand around her, slowly enough for her to see what I was doing, and gently laid my hand on her back and lightly rubbed it.  "I'm glad he saw that and stopped you from drinking it."

"Well, next time you see him, you can thank him yourself."  I looked at her.  "That bartender was Matt."

"Ohh," I said. 

I hadn't much liked Matt.  The way he flirted with Ophelia had made me uneasy but Mully had kept telling me to lighten up; that she wasn't like Maggie.  I did my best to shrug it off because he was right.  She's not Maggie. Chatting with him at the bar while the girls finished up had been fun.  But I was still leery of him.  Now, I felt like an ass. Even if I was the only one to notice.

"Okay, my turn.  What makes you so nervous?"

"Nervous?"

"Yeah.  I mean, you now know what has made me slightly uncomfortable, at times.  Although, I promise you, it hasn't been because you've done something.  It's my head telling me to be more diligent.  So, what's your excuse?"

I looked at her a moment, debating on whether I wanted to get into that sordid mess.  I was glad she was honest with me but I just wasn't sure I wanted to open that wound.  I honestly wasn't even sure I was completely over Maggie.  But each moment I spent with Ophelia, I felt I was one step closer.

"I mean, do you just like me that much or is there another reason?"

I looked back over at her.  She had a slight smile on her face.  Cheeky.  Flirty.  The lights from all the food trucks shone on her face.  She was radiant.

She smiled at me.  I felt a smile appear on my face.  I couldn't take my eyes off her. 

'She's not Maggie,' I said to myself.

I placed my hand on her knee and felt my body lean in a bit closer to hers but before I could get much farther, I heard my name.

"Oh my god!  Niall Horan?!"

I turned to look over at who had said my name.  The moment now broken by bright lights and a teenage girl who looked more nervous than I was.  Except now my nerves were more about what this girl was going to put up on social media about me being out on a date.