Falling into You

Chapter 2: The Worlds Worst Tour Guide

The next morning, Niall was standing at the corner of the same street, ready to give Sean the grand tour of Mullingar.

"You ready to see the best of the best?" Niall said, with a grin so wide it practically reached his ears. "Trust me, you're about to experience Mullingar like no one ever has." He raised an eyebrow and gestured grandly to the town as if he were presenting an elaborate stage.

Sean, who had barely just woken up and was still in the process of wondering what the hell he was doing here, crossed his arms and eyed Niall skeptically. "This better be good, Horan. I've been stuck in places worse than this. So unless you're taking me to a pub with cheap whiskey, I'm not sure how much I can be impressed."

"Cheap whiskey? Buddy, if you want cheap whiskey, you can take your ass over to the local shop and grab some off-brand firewater. But no, no. Today, you're getting a tour that's worth its weight in gold. And yes, you'll be impressed. If not, I'll personally walk you to the nearest train station and you can go back to wherever the hell you came from."

Niall gave a wink, before starting to march down the street. Sean didn't really have much choice but to follow. He had learned quickly that arguing with Niall was like arguing with a brick wall—pointless and likely to end with more sarcasm than he could handle.

First stop? The Royal Canal. "This," Niall said, arms outstretched as he led Sean toward the slow-moving water, "is the Royal Canal. It's as royal as a bloody tin can, but don't let that fool you. It's a must-see if you're into staring at murky water all day and wondering why you haven't left yet."

Sean snorted. "Sounds riveting."

"Oh, it gets better. We've got birds, mate. Birds that do nothing but float around like they've got all day, which, to be fair, they do." Niall leaned down to pick up a random rock and threw it into the water. "But hey, you can pretend it's an ancient waterway and that you're some kind of important person looking out at the water like it's some mystical river of life."

"Right, like it's some sort of magical destination for lost souls," Sean deadpanned.

"Exactly! You get it," Niall said, throwing his hands in the air like he had just solved a great mystery. "The kind of place where dreams go to die. And speaking of death, let's move on to the next exciting stop. Hold on to your hat, because this one's a doozy."

With a dramatic flourish, Niall led Sean down another street, passing more of Mullingar's finest landmarks. "Behold, Mullingar's greatest attraction," he said, "Belvedere House and Gardens. And by greatest attraction, I mean, it's a fancy house with a garden full of plants. I'm pretty sure the Queen would rather stick a pin in her eye than come here, but hey, it looks nice in the brochures."

Sean smirked. "So, it's just a garden?"

"No, mate. It's an estate with gardens. You know, for those people who think they can get away with calling a bloody garden an 'estate.' This place is so fancy it makes me want to take a piss on the gate just to piss off the owners." Niall paused for dramatic effect, then gave a playful wink. "But honestly, I think I'm probably the only one who appreciates the real beauty of it. It's a nice place to walk around and pretend you're important. But yeah, that's about it. Pretty, though."

"Wow, real exciting stuff," Sean said, clearly unimpressed.

Niall chuckled. "Oh, you're gonna love this next part. Hold on, mate. You're in for a treat."

The last stop of the tour was a local pub, where Niall insisted on stopping to "give Sean a taste of the real Mullingar." They didn't go inside, but Niall leaned against the doorframe and looked around.

"Now, if you want a real tour, this is where you get the full Mullingar experience," Niall said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Look at the old men arguing about their fishing rods, the lads with their pints in hand, and the smell of stale beer and regrets. If you're lucky, someone might even puke outside. It's a real cultural experience."

"Sounds like a bloody nightmare," Sean said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, but you can't say you've truly seen Mullingar until you've witnessed an old man shout at a seagull for stealing his chips." Niall gave a half-grin. "It's the kind of thing you tell your mates back home, and they'll think you're lying."

"Good to know," Sean muttered, looking at his watch. "Can we wrap this up soon? I'm losing the will to live."

"Alright, alright," Niall said, shrugging. "But before we go, I have one more thing to show you."

Sean raised an eyebrow. "What, more of Mullingar's finest scenery?"

"Nah, mate," Niall said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I'm about to show you something special. You might not know it yet, but you're in the presence of greatness."

Sean couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Oh God, here we go."

"Shut up, I'm serious," Niall said, grinning. "Wait here." He walked off, heading toward the back of the pub. Sean followed, curious but also a little skeptical about what Niall was up to. After a moment, he heard a faint sound. It was a hum at first, then grew into something more recognizable—singing.

Niall's voice was smooth, low, and effortless, like it belonged in a much bigger place than Mullingar. The song was catchy, though Sean couldn't place it. He stood there, frozen, as the melody filled the air.

"Jesus," Sean muttered to himself. "That kid can sing."

Niall's voice continued to echo in the alleyway as he sang, lost in his own world. Sean leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying to wrap his head around the fact that the guy who had been cracking jokes and mocking everything in sight had that kind of talent hidden away.

Niall finished the song with a soft hum, not even realizing Sean had been standing there the whole time. He turned to find Sean looking at him with a mix of shock and amusement.

"Oi, what're you staring at?" Niall asked, grinning like he hadn't just sung his heart out.

"You can sing," Sean said, his tone flat, still processing the surprise. "Like, really fucking well."

Niall shrugged nonchalantly, running a hand through his messy hair. "I mean, it's just something I do for fun. It's not like I'm gonna be the next big thing or anything. But, you know, it passes the time."

Sean raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Because I think you've got a hell of a voice on you."

Niall blinked, his cocky grin softening slightly. "Well, you know... whatever. It's just a bit of fun, right?" He shrugged it off, the self-doubt creeping in but only for a second. "Alright, mate. That's Mullingar for you. Welcome to the middle of nowhere. Now, unless you want me to show you more ways to ruin your childhood dreams, I think we've had enough of the tour."

Sean chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a piece of work, Horan. But yeah, I think I've seen enough. Not sure how much more my brain can handle."

Niall slapped him on the back. "Hey, anytime. Just don't forget to mention the award-winning tour when you're telling your mates about this, alright?"