My Last First Secret: Niall Horan (ON HOLD)

Chapter Seventeen

"Where does your aunt always think you go?" Niall asked from beside me, swinging our in twined hands back and forth.

"She doesn't know, except that I am with you when I go there." I replied, looking up at the lightening sky. I watched the shimmering gold disk rise gracefully into the sky as if to own it. The dull morning was suddenly full of life.

"I am leaving tonight." I blurted nonchalantly. He turned to me and gave me a questioning look. "Darcey got me tickets to go back home for a couple days." I answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked in a thoughtful way.

"I was trying to, but you had a mini freak out on me." I sent him a friendly smile, silently telling him not to worry about it.

He smiled back, "I bet they are excited to see you."

I shrugged, "Not many people know I am coming."

"Well when they do. Who do you want to see?" He asked, seeming genuinly curious.

"My friends Wren and Rory, mostly." I said. "And my family of course."

"Wren?" He cleared his throat and looked away. I wondered why he reacted to his name that way. Wren was the closest friend I have ever had, apart from Niall. We lost contact of course, that's usually how the whole moving thing works, right?

As far as I knew, he was still upset at me for moving to Mullingar. He begged me for weeks to change my mind. He didn't think of it as being easier on me, he thought of it as me leaving him. I try to think of the situation in reverse, him choosing to leave me behind in rainy old Washington. Then I feel guilty. Which I suppose I should.

"Yeah, he's been a family friend for years. My mom loves him." I said. "Believe it or not, I did have friends." And that made him laugh.

"How could anyone stand that beautiful face?" He smiled. "Or that perfect laugh. And oh god, that smile."

"Yeah, I am just wondering how you have stuck with me this far." I played along, nudging his arm.

"This Wren," He said his name like it tasted sour in his mouth, he shook his head, looking out across the green land. It was beautiful, faint mountains barely noticeable. Hills behind hills were peppered with small flowers. But the beautiful part was the Irish blond, concentrating on it all. "...is a good guy?"

"Yeah," I answer.

He looks to me, an eyebrow raised. "Oh really?"

A small giggle escaped my lips. "Yeah." I repeated.

"Like the best?" He asked playfully, cupping my face in his hand. He gently pushed me against the car.

"Yeah," I giggled again. His cheeks were filled with air when he pressed cute kisses all over my face.

"Well he better keep his hands off my girl," He muttered. As if realizing what he said, he tried to back pedal. "You. I mean, he should keep his hands off of you. You're not my girl, we never established that or anything. I just meant-"

"It's okay Niall," I smiled softly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey sweetheart," Darcey burst my door open and wrapped her arms around me. I laughed lightly and hugged her back.

"You were out late," I noted, even though it was only eight.

"Wedding planning is a bitch," She replied honestly, plopping down on my bed.

"Hey, hey, hey, mind the clothes," I whined, shooing her off. I was met with a mess of clothes that I had spent tons of time folding...

"Sorry," She apologized sheepishly.