Hard to Love

Chapter four

*Alexis’ POV*

Time felt like it was standing still. Here I am standing right in front of the guy I could not get out of my mind for the past two weeks. Thousands of girls around me are screaming his name, trying to get his attention, and I can’t even manage to say hi.

“Alexis?” he said with his think Irish brogue, snapping me out of my trance.

“H-h-hey,” I stammered out. God, he probably thinks that I’m an idiot. I’m standing here, looking like an idiot that can’t even talk. And the first time he saw me, I was hiding in the corner of Starbucks looking like a drunken homeless person.

“C’mon Niall, give Lottie her hug and get back up here, we have a concert to finish,” Liam said into the microphone and you could hear the laughter ripple through the crowd as Niall hugged Lottie and got back up on stage and went over for a huddle with the others.

The rest of the concert went well. The other boys smiled at me, and I think Harry even winked at me – which resulted in a dirty look from Niall. They boys were just finishing up their final song when Dez came over to pull us backstage.

“I hate you so much right now!” I hissed to him as we were walking back.

“What?” he held up his hands in defense, “I thought you would want to see Niall again seeing as you’ve been moping around the house for the past two weeks.”

“I never said that I wanted to see him, and I haven’t been moping, I’ve been bored. You won’t let me leave the house or do anything!”

“Oh yeah, maybe I got that wrong, it was Niall that said he wanted to see you.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at the back of Dez’s head. He had to be joking, why would Niall Horan want to see me? I didn’t even have time to ask Dez about it because I could hear the boys running down the hallway behind us.

“This is not the way I wanted to be reminded how worthless and inadequate I am,” I hissed at Dez just as the boys burst through the door and ran over to me.

“Hi, I’m Louis!” Louis hugged me, “thanks for bringing my sisters tonight.”

“Uh, no problem. Thank Dez for making me,” I chuckled.

“I’m Zayn, nice to meet you,” the boy to my left spoke up before embracing me in a hug. These guys must be a bunch of huggers. I smiled to him in return.

“Hey there love, I’m Liam, you must be Dez’s niece” the boy to my right said before yet another hug.

“Yeah, I am. I’m Alexis, but call me Lex,” I replied.

“Sexy Lexi,” Harry grinned, “I’m Har – ouch, what was that for?”

“Do. Not. Call. Me. Lexi!” I said through gritted teeth.

I looked around the room, completely ignoring whatever Harry was saying even though his arm is around my shoulders, trying to find Niall. I finally spot him in the corner strumming away on his guitar. I’ve always loved the sound of an acoustic guitar, and a smile crept on my face as I listened to him playing. As if on cue, he looked up at me caught me staring at him so he flashed me a shy smile. I ignored the butterflies in my stomach and walked over to him.

“Hey,” I said. I could feel my cheeks getting red and the butterflies were going crazy in my stomach. He looked up, startled, and a huge smile broke across his face.

“Hey!” I could feel myself getting even redder, “here, sit down,” he motioned to the floor beside him.

The rest of the night went really well. Niall and I were left behind with Dez as the others headed out with their girlfriends or family.