Like Before (Niall Horan)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: We Made A Deal

I slid into the driver seat of my car, Steph in the passenger seat, and Jaesin in the back once it was time to go. The ride over was quiet and I could almost feel the excitement in my two best friends. I should be as excited as them, but my nervousness was getting in the way.

I pulled into my designated parking spot and Jaesin ran ahead, probably to get Sarah. "Are you ready?" Steph asked as we waited by the doors. Everyone was supposed to be there at 6:30 and the boys were going on at quarter after seven. Sarah and Steph had chosen the song Niall and I were going to dance to and honestly I was pretty scared about it.

"I mean, I'm here so theres no backing out now." I told her.

"Great attitude to have." Sarah came around the corner and smiled at me. "Alix, you're so beautiful." 

"Alright, I'll be waiting in there." Steph called out and started into the club.

"Thats a beautiful necklace. Where did you get that?" Sarah asked me.

"It was a birthday present," I started and her eyebrows shot up. "From Niall." I finished and she nodded.

"Alix, things will work out." She told me and smiled. Pulling me into her arms, I pretty much collapsed against her. I let her hold me for a few minutes and when we pulled back she smiled. "Are you ready?"

"As ever." I told her and she started walking to the door. 

Alright, lets do this.

As soon as we walked in, everyone stopped and turned to look at me. There were definitely a lot of people from my school. More than I would have liked to be here, but Steph did invite everyone. And with the band we got, everyone wanted to be there. Plus we had a really amazing DJ.

"Hello everyone. I'd like to present my sister, Alix. As everyone knows its her eighteenth birthday and in my family, we have this tradition where we each have the first solo dance. Alix however, hates the spotlight so she's asked her best friend to join in through the second verse." Sarah's eyes slid to me and I felt my cheeks redden. "Steph and I have chosen the song together. So Niall and Harry, would you please come out here?" Sarah called out to them and the five boys came out on the stage. Harry and Niall walked down off the stage while the other three stayed standing at the edge. Harry stopped to put an arm out for Steph who put hers through it; Niall came over to me and put his hand out for me to take.

"Zayn could you start the song?" Sarah asked through the mike and walked back to the stage with it putting it in a stand. Niall led me to the middle of the room and I could already feel myself shaking. I put one hand on Niall's shoulder and left the other in his as he put his other arm around to the small of my back.

The first two notes rang out in the speakers and I immediately knew the song. I threw a glare at Steph and turned back to Niall as the first words came out. I miss those blue eyes, how you kiss me at night… I had to talk to Niall through this song? Really?

"Niall, can we talk?"

"Its your party, we can do what you want." His eyes didn't meet mine but he kept dancing.

"I got your gift." I told him and he looked down and saw the necklace around my neck. "It's beautiful." 

"I got it before you," he started and let the rest just hang there as he gulped.

"I know. Jaesin told me."

"Then why are you wearing it?" He asked and his eyes made it to mine.

"I made a mistake Niall. I never should have broken up with you." I told him and he was looking at me now. We were quiet for the chorus of the song and he kept dancing with me. He was leading because I had never slow danced in my life and I didn't know what I was doing.