Maybe

04: Stupid Ideas and First Dates

[[ A/N: Updating because I am extremely excited to share the character portraits with you! You might have noticed the cast list: Marie Nasemann, Andrew Cooper, Demi Lovato - and, of course, One Direction (because what's a One Direction fanfic without, well, One Direction?). To save you from the labour of having to google them, I've looked up some attractive pictures, put Maybe and their names on them, and posted them for you. This chapter's portrait is Demi Lovato, aka Cassie, who is not yet introduced but will be in a couple of chapters. Hope you enjoy it! ]]

[[ A/N: UPDATE - LOGAN LERMAN IS NOW JORDAN FORREST INSTEAD OF ANDREW COOPER. ]]

Niall POV

"So what kind of date do you have planned?" Harry asks, munching on some crisps as I throw on a simple t-shirt and trousers. 

"We're just having dinner," I inform him. He takes a moment to process this, looks me up and down, then jumps up to his feet.

"You can't just take her to Nandos!"

"I didn't say I was going to," I say, but I actually was going to take her to Nandos. Am I really that transparent?

"Niall, you're made of money and you're going to take Tori out for a cheap date to Nandos? Unbelievable."

"She likes simplicity," I say defensively, though I didn't even know. I make a mental note to ask.

"Have you asked?"

"...No."

"Take her somewhere fancy, Niall, or I will."

"You can't do that!"

"I will if you don't treat her properly."

"Fine. I'll ask Mario to cook for us."

His eyebrows shoot up. "Mario shut his restaurant last year."

I grin. "Not for me he didn't." 

--

I wait outside of the address that Tori gave me. She'd mentioned before that she didn't want her parents to scare me away and so this wasn't her complex, but that was okay with me. It's a nice apartment building, with ungraffitied walls and shiny windows.

"Niall?" A voice which I distintly recognise as Tori - though it's clearer than that of what I heard through skype - asks behind me. I whip around and give a slight smile. "Oh my gosh you're hotter in person." Then she clamps her hands over her mouth. "Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yeah, but I was thinking the same thing," I blurt out. She does look stunning, though, in a bright blue boatneck dress which matches her eyes perfectly and her hair in a curls down her back. She blushes and takes my hand.

"So where are we going?" she asks as I lead her to to limo. "Are - are we going in that?"

"Yep," I say, smiling. 

"I feel underdressed," she says, eyeing my suit. 

"You're perfect," I say, opening the door for her. 

"So where are we going?" she persists.

"To a very special friend of mine."

"We're not going to Nandos, are we?" she asks after a moment of silence. 

"Has Harry been talking to you?"

"Kinda," she says, her cheeks going a bright shade of pink. "So, Nandos?"

"Definitely not," I say. "How much do you like Italian?"

Her eyes light up. "I love it."

"Too bad. We're going to an Irish restaurant. Potatoes and pints all the way," I joke. She punches me playfully. 

"Way to ruin a moment," she laughs. I wink.

"It's what I do best."

She thinks about this for a moment. "I don't think so."

"Is that so?"

Nodding, she says, "I mean, you're pretty good at singing, too."

"Oh, yes."

"And jumping."

"Oh?"

"And you have a nice sense of humour."

"You have a nice sense of humour, my dear," I say, nudging her. She winks, but there's a slight flush in her cheeks that makes me know I said the right thing. "I think we're here."

We stop in front of an old house overgrown with ivy and moss. To me, it's kind of off-putting, but Tori gives a little contented sigh and I know I've made a good choice. "This is beautiful, Niall," she says, gripping my hand tighter. The door opens, releasing the aroma of pizza and pasta. "And it smells amazing."

I smile down at her as Mario ushers us inside. "This is Mario. He'll be cooking for us," I say, motioning towards him.

"Let's see," Mario says as I pull a chair out for Tori. "Salad to start, pasta and pizza for the main course - fresh pasta, I assure you - and gelato for dessert." He turns to me. "Not too simple, not too fancy?"

"It's perfect," I say, grinning. "What do you think, Tori?"

"I think," she says, smiling, "that I would like some fresh pasta for once."

"Thanks, Mario." He walks off into the kitchen. "Mario shut his restaurant down last year, but he'll cook for me. He's like an uncle."

"That's great," she says. "How'd you know old houses are my favourite?"

"I didn't," I say, forcing my mouth into a wider smile. Cassie liked this place, too. I just had a hunch that Tori might. "Glad you like it."

She studies my face for a moment and then brushes it off. "So how good of an eater do you consider yourself to be?"

I hold her gaze. "I hold the record for most pies in two minutes in my band, so I think I'm pretty good."

She smirks. "Maybe you'll start doubting yourself by the time this date ends."