the coffee girl

Chapter 7

"Niall?"

I was being nudged. "What?"

"I'm leaving."

"Hmm?"

"It's late and I put Belle to bed for you, remember?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going home now."

"Stay."

"What?"

"Stay with me." I sang off key.

"You're kidding."

"No. I don't want you leaving this late. Stay here with me tonight. I can take you in the morning."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I sat up. "It's better to be safe."

"Ok. Where can I sleep?"

"You can take my bed. I'll take the couch."

Kat shook her head, "No way. I can't let you do that."

I sighed, "Kat, I have precisely one bed in this place because Lou decided I'd never need a second one. I insist that because it's the comfiest mattress ever invented that you sleep there. I can sleep on the couch. I've done it plenty of times before."

"O-oh." She stuttered out.

I quickly caught what I'd said. "Okay, that came out wrong. I'm sorry. I just mean that I have a lot of friends stay here when they visit and I always take the couch."

She nodded, "Got it. Okie then."

I got up and showed her back to my room. I picked up a bit as she sat down on the bed.

"Wow. This is really comfy. Holy crap!"

I chuckled, "Told ya didn't I?"

"Yeah!" She sat silent as I put my clothes away in the closet. After Lou's freak out over my room before, I have to keep this one clean. "Why are you doing that?"

I turned and gave her a look. "What do you mean?"

"You're fidgety."

"I am not. I'm just putting away my clothes so they're not everywhere."

"Well your legs are shaky, Niall."

I shrugged, "I still don't know what you're talking about, but I believe you. I am pretty tired right now."

"Well you don't have to finish doing that. You can sleep."

I shook my head, "I want to finish now. I won't in the morning if I walk away now."

I continued hanging up my shirts until I felt a hand on my arm. The touch made goosebumps appear. I turned and looked at Kat.

"Go to sleep, Niall. It's late."

I knew that look in her eye. My mum had the same one when she was serious. I knew I'd never win this fight so I put the hanger I had in my hand back on the rod.

"Okay."

She smiled and left a kiss on my cheek before going into the bathroom.

"Goodnight." She called out.

"Goodnight, Kat." I grabbed a pillow from my bed and left the room.

As I lay on the couch, I couldn't help but think about her again. She was constantly on my mind. There wasn't a thing about her that I didn't like.

I closed my eyes and eventually fell asleep, but I knew it wouldn't last long.

I sat up and sighed. The clock on the wall that glowed green said it was only 1:30 in the morning.