To Begin Again (narry)

double date

"When were you going to tell me you're dating the Harry Styles?" Ellie places her hand on her hip and raises her brow at him.

"What are you talkin' about?" Niall hands over a cocktail to a woman with bright red lipstick, she has been flirting with him for the past twenty minutes now.

"You and Harry are dating, aren't you?" She stares at him until he turns his head to look at her, she rolls her eyes at his confusion.

"No," He walks over to the man asking for a refill of his drink, he tops off the beverage quickly. "Can you stop following me? Go do your job." He grumbles, walking around her to wipe down a spill.

"Niall, the whole world thinks you two are dating." Ellie follows him, ignoring the glares she's receiving from a few customers.

"What are you even on about?" Niall scans the people sitting around the bar.

"Will you stop for one minute?" She grabs his arm to stop him from walking away from her again. "There's photos and videos of you two leaving the movie premiere together, and other photos of you and Harry together at some pub in Ireland and-"

"Shite," Niall cuts her off, he should've known better. "They're just rumors, surely people don't believe that crap. Right?"

"You were holding hands at a farmer's market," She clears her throat. "You two looked quite close."

"Yeah, but... we're just friends. Friends can hold hands-"

"Calm down, yeah?" She frowns when he pulls away from her and walks to the back, she follows behind him.

"Calm down? You're telling me there's photos of me and Harry going around and people are saying we're dating when we're clearly are not and you expect me to calm down? Ellie, I can't calm down." He goes to walk back to the front of the pub when Ellie stops him.

"Here, these are the photos and videos going around." She goes to hand him her cellphone but he shakes his head.

"Rather not see that." Niall walks back to fill people's drinks and wipe spills. A little later he's finished with his shift, he starts to head up to his flat when he sees someone familiar outside. He steps out of the pub and smiles widely. "Curtis, did ya come to visit me?"

"No," The blond clears his throat. "Not really. I came here because Harry asked me to pick you up and bring you to him."

"Oh," Niall feels his face heating up. "Does he know?"

"Does he know what? You have to be more specific."  Curtis sees the way Niall slumps his shoulders, making himself look smaller.

"About the rumors." He says quietly, he didn't want anyone hearing him.

"Walk with me." The blond starts leading Niall towards the car. "Harry doesn't pay attention to that kind of stuff so no, he doesn't know."

"Do you?" Niall nervously bites his lower lip.

"There's so many different rumors about him daily, I can't keep up but, I'm assuming you're talking about the one involving you." Curtis stops walking when he realizes Niall stopped following him.

"What if Andrew has seen it?" He's starting to feel nauseous, and he hates it.

"Right, well I'm sure he has. It's all over the tabloids." The blond sees the panic in his face so he steps closer and sighs. "Why does it matter?"

"Harry is in love with him and wants to be with him, I can't... I can't ruin that for him." Niall chews on his nails and looks at Curtis in the eye. "I've got to do somethin'."