Given A Chance (1D Version)

12.

Niall's POV

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Maya. Happy birthday toyou".

Maya was sitting at the head of their table in the back of her favourite bar, her face only showing pure bliss. From the seat on her left side, Niall was watching her surrounded by all the lights of the place and he somehow felt far away even though he was right next to her. He couldn't explain it. This moment felt surreal.

Tearing his eyes away from his girlfriend for a moment, Niall looked around the table at all of her friends and their partners. Of course, Bailey was here with Sean and Harry was here with Josh but she had also invited Zayn and Liam because she had clicked with them immediately. Her friends from work were here as well, which meant Zayn's sister Zara and Louis' sister Emily were both here and apparently a couple. Her childhood best friend Chloe was here and some of her cousins.

Unsurprisingly, Louis had also been invited but he had work today, so he had to let her down but he promised to might stop by after work for a moment because the girls were with his mother. Niall really hoped he would make it later, although he wasn't sure if that was the best idea with Josh being here but he couldn't care less. Maya and Louis had hit off quite well when they met, so Josh would have to suck it up. Maya had even gone as far as admitting that Louis would have been a perfect boyfriend for Harry and that had felt like such satisfaction to Niall, he could barely describe it.

Of course, no one would mention this anymore but knowing that Maya agreed with him by now felt good. Especially right now when every time Niall saw Josh's face only briefly, he had to think back to the argument he had overheard a few days ago. He didn't think anyone knew he has been home but he has been there and had heard everything. He had heard Josh's outburst and the way he had treated Louis and the girls and how horrible it has been after Louis had left. And he had heard how the argument had ended. Niall wished he could forget about it but with Josh here, he couldn't.

Ignoring his best friend and boyfriend being overly touchy again, Niall focused back on his girlfriend, who was beaming under all the undivided attention. Watching her made him feel inexplicably wistful and he tried to shrug it off but the feeling grew stronger the longer he watched her, so he looked away and faced his friends.

"And then he was trying subtly to give me his number but he was doing such a horrible job with it that I started laughing" Zayn was telling Liam and Sean right now and Niall decided this was the conversation he wanted to partake in.

"Oh, the poor guy" Sean giggled into his drink.

"Yeah, A for effort but an F for execution. Fuck, it was hilarious" Zayn burst out laughing at the memory.

"Face it, Zayno. You're stupidly handsome and almost insultingly beautiful. Of course, people will hit on you all the time. He stood no chance" Niall piped in now. "His brain probably short-circuited".

"The man only speaks facts" Sean clinked their glasses together.

"You flatter me. Are you hitting on me right now?" Zayn fluttered his eyelashes exaggeratedly.

"I've been hitting on you for over two years and you're only getting this now? I'm deeply offended" Niall placed his hand on his chest for dramatic effect.

"Sorry. The girlfriend was a bit misleading" Zayn grunted sexily.

"I get that a lot" Niall took a sip from his drink.

"And did he leave you alone afterwards?" Liam asked squirmy.

"Oh, yeah. I think he felt humiliated and that wasn't my plan. He was pretty handsome, after all" Zayn pursed his lips thoughtfully.