Niall Horan Quick & Dirty One-Shots

Study Group (AU)

I stoked the fire and then set my books on the coffee table. Finals were in one week and my study group was scheduled to arrive any minute. I went to put on a kettle of water for some tea or hot cocoa.I felt my phone vibrate, so I checked the message.

Kels can't make it tonight. Got the stomach flu :( Macy

Shoot! Macy was the hardest worker in our group. She and I were the ones who kept everyone else focused. Things might get a little off track now without her.

I pulled mugs down from the cabinet and then I pulled the pan of brownies out of the oven. My phone buzzed and I groaned. I didn't want to know if someone else was canceling. I didn't check my phone just yet because I really had to go to the bathroom. I was just zipping my jeans backup when I felt my phone buzz again. I washed my hands and then I checked my phone. Two more text messages:

I can't come to study group tonight. My parents surprised me by coming into town and they're taking me out for dinner. Thanks, Jason

Hey, Kelsie, can't make it. My room-mate's boyfriend broke up with her and I have to keep her sane. Love U! Gwen

And as I was reading, one more message popped up.

K, Can't make it; taking my sister to the ER. <3 Jackie

"You've got to be kidding me!" I grumbled. So much for study group. The only people left were Niall and me, and I was definitely not happy about working alone with him. He was extremely cute, but he and I had a love-hate relationship, and for the past few weeks, we'd been going in the direction of hate. I was just about to text him to tell him that study group was canceled when I heard a knock on the door.

"Shit," I muttered.

I swung the door open, attempting to be polite, but Niall was anything but polite most of the time. We couldn't always get along in the same room together. Some times we worked in perfect harmony; other times, the rest of our group members had to become referees between us. When Niall and I got into it, which happened frequently, Jason always talked him down, and Jackie and Macy always redirected us.

"Hello, Niall," I said, giving him a closed-mouth smile.

"Hey, Kelsey," he said, pushing his way past me. "Where is everyone?"

"Why don't you come in?" I said sarcastically. "Everyone else canceled, believe it or not. So, you don't have to stay..." I was trying to figure out how to tell him to leave more directly, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, and he definitely didn't get the hint.

He plopped himself right onto the couch and threw his dirty boots up on my coffee table. "Do I smell brownies?"

"Niall, don't you have any manners?" I shouted. "Take your boots off and put them by the door. And keep your smelly feet off my coffee table!"

"Wow, touchy tonight, aren't we?" He sneered and took his boots off. He then threw them across the room and they landed somewhere in the vicinity of the door.

"Niall!"

"Oh, all right," he said and he got up and straightened up his boots."Now, where are the brownies?"

I rolled my eyes and waved him into the kitchen. "Hot cocoa?" I asked. He smiled big and nodded like a little kid.

Niall was really, really cute. But that didn't make up for the fact that we butted heads on just about everything. I poured the hot cocoa and brought a plate full of brownies into the living room. I pushed the coffee table closer to the sofa and then I pulled out my notebook.