Watching two of his closest friends share their first dance as a married couple was more bittersweet than Niall had anticipated. His...he didn't want to call it "loneliness," but his lack of significant other felt more apparent than ever as Harry spun Luz around in her big white gown, as she leaned in to whisper something in his ear that made his smile widen.
He didn't even bring a date. Luz told him that if he wanted to bring a plus one, he could, but he couldn't think of a single person to bring. It was all for the best anyway, he supposed. As a member of the wedding party, he and his date wouldn't have been able to sit at the same table for dinner. So he sat dateless at the head table with some of Luz's cousins and Harry's sister Gemma, which Niall had been grateful for when he saw her place card next to his, seeing as he'd known her for years now.
Only she had disappeared and he was left to watch his friends start a new chapter of their lives together, feeling very much like his own chapter had begun: Permanent Third Wheel. At least when they were dating, Niall could do things with Luz and Luz alone. Marriage seemed to mean that her and Harry were forever a package deal. She had promised him over and over again that that wouldn't be the case, but Niall wasn't so sure.
Maybe he could find Louis or Liam or Zayn after the first dance was over, they were at a table around here somewhere. It was the first time in a long time that all five of them had been in the same place.
Luz had actually been the one to suggest Harry and Niall's former bandmates to their wedding. Niall was obviously a non-negotiable because he was Harry’s friend and Luz’s best friend, but Luz thought it wouldn't be right if she and Harry didn't at least extend an invitation to people Harry had experienced a lot of monumental moments with.
Harry, who told Niall that he wasn't totally convinced that they would come, was surprised when three yeses arrived in the mail. When he saw Louis today, he told Niall that he couldn't believe Harry had found someone to put up with him for the rest of their life, and he had to see it for himself or else he wouldn't believe it. Zayn and Liam joked and said more of the same, but Niall thought they all saw this as a good opportunity to hang out together again without the pressure of media and prying eyes.
He'd find Louis and the others, even after so much time apart, they could always have a good time. Maybe they could even-
"Are you in love with her or something?"
Niall jumped in his seat, the beer he'd gotten from the bar sloshing out of the glass. Looking over, he saw Liliana...something. He didn't remember her last name.
He did, however, remember a couple of hours ago when they'd hooked up in the bathroom of Luz and Harry's house. Not one of his classier or more responsible moments, but he was feeling a little careless today and Liliana had been heavily flirting with him, and Niall had always been a sucker for heavy flirtation. He normally didn't do stuff like this, one, because it wasn't really what he did, and two, the media would eat something like that up. But he knew that this wedding was an extremely private event, which meant no one who was invited was even allowed near Harry and Luz's house.
Niall was also pretty sure Luz knew, and he would probably get an earful from her later, but she was pretty good at keeping secrets, so he wasn't too worried.
Muttering a curse to himself at being startled so easily, Niall looked up. "In love with Luz? God no."
Liliana hummed like she didn't quite believe him. "In love with Señor Styles, then?"
"What? No!" Niall said, his eyes widening at Liliana's line of questioning.
"You sound defensive," she said calmly, her eyes narrowing at him a little bit.
