Chasing Pavements - A Niall Horan Fanfic

Chapter 7: Just A Kiss

Becca picked her phone off the table. Niall was texting her, but she wasn’t texting back. She wasn’t angry at the boy. It was quite the opposite. She was happy to meet up with him before the show. However, she had business to attend to; Jacob business. He’d ask her to coffee again, and Becca was hoping to finally get him to leave her alone. She used to check her phone religiously, hoping to see a text from Niall. Now she cringed when she heard her phone at all. Jacob just wouldn’t leave her alone. If he didn’t want her back, why was he trying so hard? Why was it so important they be friends? Sure she got he somehow made a mess of his life. She didn’t see why she was so important to getting his life back together.

“Thanks for meeting me,” Jacob said as he sat across from her.

“I’m not staying long. I just came to ask you, no beg you, to leave me alone,” she said. She hated to use the word beg, but Jacob knew her well enough that Becca didn’t beg for anything.

His eyebrows furrowed. “But…”

“No. I can’t be your friend. It has nothing to do with what happened between us. We just can’t be friend.” She picked her coffee up. “Lose my number and forget I exist. You did a great job of that before.”

He frowned and made a grab for her hand. “It’s that guy, isn’t it? The one you’re always texting?”

Becca’s jaw clenched tightly as she snatched her hand away from him. “He has nothing to do with this. Whatever is actually going on with you, talk to your family about it. Don’t put it on me to fix all your problems.” She got up and started to walk away, but she stopped. “I hope things work out for you, Jacob. You deserve to be happy.” She walked out of the coffeeshop to meet Bree at the apartment.

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Niall’s eyes searched the crowd for the last time that night. The girls were somewhere out there, but he hadn’t seen them. He would have given up if he wasn’t so determined to see Becca. Call it selfish but he wanted to see if she was enjoying herself. They were on the last song. He hadn’t seen either of the girls. He’d have to wait to get his answer, but as Liam started the second verse, he saw her. Becca was a few rows back from the stage on the right side. How had he missed her? He wasn’t sure, but he gave her a goofy grin. She smiled back at him. Before he knew it, the song was over. The boy were giving their final bow of the night, and then they were running to the backstage area. Paul mentioned going to grab the girls. They were told where to go so they could get backstage.

He stopped for a moment to catch his breath. His fingers quickly unbuttoned the white dress shirt he was wearing, having already discarded the tie. Running his fingers through his hair, he frowned. It was slightly damp from sweat, and he realized he was not fit to hug Becca. He grabbed a towel to dab away most of the sweat. He quickly reapplied more deodorant and spritzed himself with his cologne before slipping a clean t-shirt on. That would have to do until he could get a proper shower. He hadn’t realized how reluctant he was for the next day to come. They would have to say goodbye again. He wasn’t going to leave things like he did the last time. He and Becca were going to have a proper goodbye. Not him leaving her apartment and her not seeing him for months. The girls were to see the boys off the next day, and he wasn’t leaving without kissing her again.

Running his fingers through his hair again, he tried to make it lay flat. It wasn’t happening so he grabbed a snapback and placed it on his head. He hadn’t realized all the boys had changed too. As he turned, the girls were being let in the room. Bree practically jumped on Harry while Becca stood awkwardly to the side. Niall watched as Liam went up to the short girl, giving her a loose hug. He asked about the show, and she told him it was amazing; one of the best concerts she’d ever been to. Niall smiled at himself when he heard that. He watched Louis and Zayn chat with Becca. If the other boys didn’t already have girlfriends, he could picture her with any of them. He pictured the two of them together and almost laughed at how dumpy he would look next to her. Compared to her, he wasn’t anything really. He leaned against the wall, watching everyone interact.