That was the summer I met Niall

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

I watched as Niall chatted with the elderly couple from down the street. He was laughing and smiling, talking as if he had known them all his life. That was what I loved about him. He was so comfortable with himself.

“Ava, darling, please can you go and finish up the salad in the kitchen. I completely forgot about it.” My mom said in a rush as she walked past to greet more guests.

“Sure, mom.” I said to her back, as she headed for the door.

I dodged through the crowd of semi-familiar faces, greeting a few that I remembered from the previous summer, before entering the empty kitchen. I closed the door behind me and set to work on the salad my mom had half completed.

While I did that I began to think. I thought about all the people here tonight. This tiny coastal town was in the middle of nowhere, beautiful but isolated and all the people knew about the outside world was what they had read in novels, most of which were not true, such as Africa is absolutely packed full of lions.

I thought about my sister, outside playing with her many friends. She was so head-strong and confident and I knew exactly how she would be as a teenager. Strong-willed. A leader.

I also thought about Niall. As great as this party was, it was another sign that summer was coming to a close and my heart was breaking just thinking about having to leave him. He would go back to his small town and I would go back to mine. Back to the farmlands where boys thought it was still okay to be mean to a girl if you like her. I didn’t want to go back, I couldn’t!

I stopped thinking when I heard the door open slowly. I looked around to meet Niall’s blue eyed stare and immediately all the thinking done was forgotten.

“I have been looking everywhere for you.” He said, coming in and taking a carrot out the bowl and popping it into his mouth.

“Sorry, my mom asked me to finish the salad.”

“Need any help?”

“Will you take it out to the porch while I clean up?”

“Anything for you, babe.” He answered with a wink.

I watched him leave before starting to clean up. I listened to the many conversations that drifted into the kitchen and I put away the last bowl before walking out the kitchen to find Niall.

I finally spotted him out on the lawn playing with Ava and the triplets. They were taking turns jumping on his back and having a ride across the big lawn. Niall was jumping around making horse noise’s, causing me to laugh from my spot on the porch.

Running down to join them, I scooped Mia up in my arms and spun her around, causing her to scream in surprise then burst into fits of laughter. I met Niall’s gave as he watched me fondly, and when he noticed me watching him watching me, he mouthed a quick ‘I love you’ before being dragged away to give another ride.

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The house was a lot quieter as plates were delivered to the kitchen and leftovers were thrown away. Niall had insisted on staying later then everyone else to help clean up, no matter how many times I told him not to.

He had done his share of cleaning and was return back downstairs after helping Mia brush her teeth, as she was so exhausted, and tuck her into bed.

I was clearing up the last of the cutlery off the table when he came back outside.

“Yet another successful party this year, I think.” My mom said, sitting down on one of the lawn chairs and sighing.

“Well done, babe.” My dad commented, as he sat down next to her, holding her hand.

Niall took the clean knives and forks from my hands and began placing them in the drawer as I began washing the dirty ones.

“Did you have fun tonight?” I asked, tuning away from the dishes to look at him.

He smiled, looking tired but happy.

“I really did, Ava. Your family and their friends are amazing. So down to earth and normal.”

I laughed at what he had just said.

“And people is Ireland are not?”

He smiled sheepishly and laughed.

“Night, my Ava. I love you. Thank you again for tonight. I had fun.”

He kissed me on the cheek before walking out the kitchen door. I heard his goodbye’s to my parents before I slowly walked upstairs and fell into a deep, deep sleep