Act Like You're in Love {Niall Horan}

Chapter 32: Both Real & Official

~Niall's P.O.V.~

My forehead is against Mariah's while we just look into each other's eyes. The tingling sensation from our kiss still lingers on my lips, and just thinking about it makes my stomach flutter to no end.

Her eyes drag me in. I can't tear myself away from them. They are like sleek mahogany and they dance in the moonlight. I could look into those eyes for the rest of my life.

Suddenly a wave catches and the boat bobs up, pulling us apart.

And I fall.

Real smooth, Niall, real smooth.

In the next moment I hear Mariah laughing hysterically and I let myself lay on the floor and laugh with her.

"That...was...hilarious," Mariah says in between breaths. Without looking I can picture her smiling widely struggling to breathe because of her laughter.

"I almost compare to what you did Saturday," I smirked from my comfy spot on the floor.

"Oh shut up," Mariah responds. She's holding in a smile but it's clearly visible and she knows it. "That was completely different."

"How? You were standing on a boulder and the next second you were on the ground." I grin, chuckling.

Mariah giggles. "Shush."

For a second I zone out on the ground, just thinking about us. Us. It finally fits.

Us.

"Niall?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry," I say breathlessly from my thoughts. I scramble up and brush myself off.

A smile plays on Mariah's lips. "What were you doing?"

"Thinking," I reply vaguely, and she rolls her eyes at me.

"About...," she starts for me.

"Let's walk, shall we?" I say, and she nods and gets up.

We start to walk around the edge of the boat. It slightly trembles from the moving water beneath it.

Finally I talk. "I can't believe that just happened."

"The...kiss?" Mariah says tentatively.

"Yeah. I mean, I never th-thought you liked me back," I stuttered.

"And I never thought you liked me back, Niall. The people who like each other are always oblivious."

"I guess so," I frown. "What about John?"

Mariah looks up suddenly and stares at me. "Well," she says suddenly, "I liked him a little bit. But now I really dislike him for obvious reasons, and also, uh," she stops.

"You, uh," I prod her, but she looks down like she's suddenly bashful.

"I think it was more of a thing to convince myself I didn't like you since I didn't think I had a chance with you," she admits.

"And I just sat in a pool of misery because I knew I liked you and thought I had no chance," I said and chuckled with her.

There's a small silence before Mariah's voice cuts through, and I look up at her. She's leaning against the silver, shining railing of the boat and watching the waves roll past the boat. A small but content smile rests on her lips, and I feel a flurry of happiness spread inside me. "Do you know how happy I am?" she says, still looking out at the dark water.

"Yeah, I think I do," I say softly, pulling her hand into my own.

She smiles and brings her forehead to my own. We look into each other's eyes and I can tell that we make each other happy.