He wasn't shocked, nor surprised by the girl's outburst. He wasn't insulted by her words at the restaurant, after their late-night adventures in bed, or in the car. She'd told him that he was an asshole, snapping at him every few minutes, but he wasn't intimidated by that girl, whose name was literally 'Flower'. Instead, he thought she was beautiful, although he found her stubborn nature annoying, she had a halo and a pair of wings in his head.
"She's never like that," Rochelle groans, her sleek black hair tied up in a ponytail to stop her from running her hands through it again. "You must've made the worst impression on her. She doesn't even treat her Dad like this, and God, she hates him."
Niall shrugs, still trying to blow it off like he felt nothing. So far, it was believable. By his all of his previous flings, including Fleur, at least. Harry, on the other hand, was busy snickering in the seat next to his, knowing exactly how he was feeling. "Cut the bullshit, Horan. Tell me, when have you let a one-night-stand stay at your place? When have you driven her back all the way to Bloomsbury from Hertfordshire? When have you even bothered to remember her bloody name?"
His tongue twists, unable to say anything. He knew it was true. Fleur was just different. See, his past flings would tell him how horrid he was in bed, how his lips tasted like alcohol and that he was a mess. That he was untalented and they should've done one of his bandmates instead. That his accent was a turn-off, that he would never make it far. He'd make them leave, shouting something incoherent. Or they'd leave on their own accord. It was mostly the latter. She was the first that he truly craved, the way she attempted to keep a little of her elegance as she raised the shot glass, even when she was alone in that booth. It could have been the way she giggled as she spoke to him, goosebumps lining her skin when his hands came into contact with it. It could have been many things that he noticed about her, but he definitely found what he was looking for.
She was fresh out of school, pale face and straight hair. Satisfied his needs, though. He didn't believe in love at first sight, but it was an attraction. She was the first to have her cheeks flushed from embarrassment after what they'd done in his room, the first to apologise about that fun little night. It was the first time he tried to be cocky, a little overly so. He had to get rid of that burning feeling in his chest about that girl the next morning, and didn't know how else to. He didn't want to find himself tangled in the mess that was yet another relationship, not when he was touring around the globe. That's precisely why.
"You feel something, Niall. We know that. You're never like this either. You just don't want commitment, isn't it? You're afraid. Afraid that it'll end up like you and your ex," Harry continues, and Niall begs for him to stop. "Fine. I'm a coward, tell the whole fucking world that I'm a coward. But we have no time, anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. Rochelle, just don't tell her anything."
"Hasn't my girl got you whipped," Rochelle laughs, watching as the car speeds past Fleur at the junction. Her hair becomes a mess, and her small face scrunches up at the sudden force. She had nowhere to go, and nothing to do. "But at a stage like this, even if you wanted her, she won't want you. I'll try to help."
* * *
Fleur rolls her eyes into an alternate dimension as Rochelle blabbers on about where her boyfriend was going on tour this time, waiting at the entrance of the departure hall. She was pulled along, yet again, to say goodbye to Harry. She didn't mind Harry, of course, but she didn't get why she was here. Until she saw that same head of blonde hair that infuriated her and made her blood boil.
"Fleur! Glad you could make it," Styles grins, pulling her into a hug. "Didn't have much of a choice, did I? Stay safe though, and please don't forget to call Chelle when you're there. She gets too antsy when you don't," Fleur says, and his smile diminishes into a smirk as he nods, moving onto Rochelle and whispering something into her ear that made her burst into a fit of giggles. She found herself standing right in front of Niall soon enough, but she didn't have anything to say. He did, but couldn't gather the courage to. All he could muster was a pathetic 'stay safe, I'll see you soon'. She bought it, though, nodding her head with a small smile. Probably the only warmth she provided him with since that night.
What she only found out later was that the cheeky devil known as Niall had slipped his phone number into her bag as he pretended to trip as he walked past her. She stared at the messy handwriting for a while, deciding between throwing it in the bin or saving it in her phone. Her decision was a little shameless, but she somehow thought it was the better choice. She ended up calling him to make sure he was okay. It was in her nature to care. She didn't hold a grudge against him any longer - she'd let that subside as time went by. All because she was intrigued by the boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.
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not the longest chapter ever but written in the third-person perspective! something different, hope you guys still like it. x
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dust; n.h.
Fanfiction"haven't you realised? our love has turned to dust." in which an estranged wife attempts to pick up the pieces of their love and goes on an adventure into their past to seek out the missing shards
