Someone Like You: A Niall Horan Love Story

Chapter 13: It's Complicated

Niall's POV:

"Whoa..." Piper says in awe as we pull up to the hotel we're staying at in a big tour bus full of contestants. She squeals and grabs my arm, grinning at me. "This is it! The X Factor!" I smile and peer out the window at the towering building.

Piper taps my shoulder and points at the flow of contestants going out the bus. We stand up and sling our backpacks over our shoulders, gathering our luggage. We're jostled inside and we're met by the gorgeousness of a hotel that can definitely not be found in a place like Mullingar. She grips my hand and pulls me up to the front desks.

"Last name?" A middle aged woman with clearly gray roots asks.

"Horan, I'm with The X Factor." She gestures with her head towards Piper.

"Are you sharing a room?" Piper's eyes widen and she shakes her head immediately.

"No no no. I'm Piper Bradley. Do you know who I'm rooming with?" She shrugs and hands Piper and me separate room keys, clearly indicating that she's done talking to us. On our keys are our names and room numbers so we don't forget. "Hmm."

"What?" I ask as we jam into the elevator with about a thousand other people.

"Our rooms are right across from each other," she says as she glances at my room number.

"Cool! I guess you can hang out in my room for awhile," I say as we reach floor 12. We squeeze back out of the elevator and wind through the hallways, looking for our rooms.

"I'm so excited," she says, grinning widely. "Are you excited?" She asks, looking up at me.

"I'm more nervous than excited," I reply as we come across my room. I pull my key back out and slip it in the slot until the light flashes green.

"Niall, don't beat yourself up. They'll love you, and you know it," she says as we walk in my room.

"Oh, hey! I'm Liam." A tall guy with a Bieber-esque haircut stands up from the bed where he was unpacking and looks up over at us.

"Oh my gosh! Liam, I didn't know you two were sharing a room!" Piper exclaims as she rushes over and gives him a hug. Yep, she's a hugger. He smiles and hugs her back.

"Hey Piper! Niall! This is cool!" He says as I walk over to him and Piper. I have to be honest, I'm still a little jealous that she seems so attached to him.

"Awesome!" I say with a bit of a forced smile. Don't get me wrong, Liam seems to be a great guy, but I don't want anyone to steal Piper.

"I should go unpack," Piper says after we chat for a minute. Before walking out the door, she gives me a quick hug, smiling at me. I practically feel myself melt into a puddle. I stare at her as she leaves when Liam snaps me out of it.

"Don't worry, I don't like her like that." My head snaps toward him, our gazes meeting.

"What? You don't?" He shakes his head.

"No, you've got no competition there. How long have you liked her?" I hang my head in embarrassment.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask, locking my eyes on the fraying carpet. Out of the corner of my eye I see him shake his head and chuckle.

"It's basically tattooed on your forehead." I sigh and sit down next to him on the bed.

"I've loved her for about seven years. I just-ugh, I just don't know how to tell her I really love her. We kissed one time, but she's convinced it was just us going with the moment, but I know it was more than that." There's a long pause before he breaks the silence.

"Are you sure she doesn't like you back?" I watch her wistfully as she bounds back through the door, apparently already done with her unpacking.

"It's complicated."