“Bye Liam! Thanks for everything!” I shouted from the front doorway.
“Bye Martha! Happy Birthday!” Liam called as he climbed into his car.
Ally and Zayn agreed to stay later and help clean up the mess that was left behind. It took us a while, but soon the flat looked even better than it did before.
“So what now?” Zayn asked, pulling himself up to sit on the counter.
Niall gave a grin to Ally and nodded quickly.
“Uh Martha!” Ally began, “Why don’t we go spend those nice gift cards that Louis got you!”
“Excuse me it was my present too.” Zayn protested throwing his hands up in the air.
“Uh huh yeah okay babe. So let’s just go right now okay?” Ally said more than asking me, as she was already putting her shoes on.
“Oh okay sounds good.” I said walking over to get my coat.
Zayn plopped off the counter and reached for his coat.
“Whoa lad where are ya going?” Niall asked nervously.
“With them.” Zayn said bluntly.
“Oh no no no sweetie.” Ally laughed.
“What?! You mean I’m not invited? I’m not cool enough to hang with you all? Well listen here ladies I’ll have you know that I have loads of swag and the lot of you are just jealous.” Zayn said sitting on the couch and folding his arms like a small child.
“Mmhmm yeah I’m just jealous.” Ally said.
She grabbed her purse and opened the door.
“Bye!” Ally concluded, closing the door behind her.
“Well won’t this be fun! It’s like we’re going on a little date!” Ally smiled.
We both laughed and scurried to the car and got in. Ally started the ignition and pulled out of the driveway.
“But I’m just warning you,” Ally said, “I don’t kiss on the first date.”
**********
We drove for about 10 minutes until we finally arrived at the mall. We went into Hollister first. Then to H&M, and back around to Hot Topic. We were both loaded with shopping bags. The last store we went to was Forever 21.
I was holding all the shirts I thought were cute up to me. I was lost in the clothes until Ally interrupted.
“Hey so how are things with you and Niall?” She asked casually, as she moved from rack to rack.
“Fine. Great. Things couldn’t be better….. And with Zayn?”
“Perfect.” She replied.
Ally was up to something. I could feel it.
“So…,” Ally trailed off. “Are you happy?” She asked looking at me now.
The question took me off guard. She looked so concerned.
“Yeah of course I am! Why would you ask that?” I replied smoothly.
Ally stayed silent for a while until replying,
“Just wondering.”
Well that was weird. Ally and I usually told each other everything. I couldn’t help but feel she was hiding something.
We bought some cute tops and headed back to the car.
“Are you sure you’re not keeping anything from me?” I asked Ally.
She looked at the ground for a while, then up at the sky.
“Nope. Nothing at all.” She said, with a cheeky grin on her face.
Yep. Something was definitely going on here.
We got back in the car. Ally complained of being hungry so we stopped at a Pizza Hut on the way home. I called Niall to see if he or Zayn wanted something.
Niall explained that he and Zayn went out for dinner while the two of us were gone, and that they were at a bar. He said something along the lines of he didn’t want me to be home alone so to eat there and he would be home soon.
What the hell? I stayed by myself all the time. Why was now any different?
“Maybe he just doesn’t want you to be alone on your birthday.” Ally said cheerfully placing the box of pizza at our table.
We talked up a storm as we wolfed down our slices of pizza. Soon enough we polished our plates off. Ally was right in the middle of telling me the cutest story about a little boy that she babysits when Niall and Zayn came through the door.
“Hey!” Niall exclaimed. As soon as I stood up he embraced me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist and had the strange urge to cry. I had the feeling I get when he just comes home from tour, like I hadn’t seen him in months. This is ridiculous it has only been a couple hours why do I miss him so much?
“Well I think me and Ally are gonna head home.” Zayn said trying not to interrupt Niall and I’s PDA. “I took a separate car. So you two could go… straight home.” Zayn explained with a wink.
Ally and Zayn both gave me a hug and told me birthday wishes yet again.
Niall and I left after that. Niall pulled into our driveway and turned off the car. He quickly sprinted out of the car around to my car door. He opened it and took a bow.
“My lady.” He bellowed.
I laughed and got out of the car. I did a fake curtsey.
“Why thank you my most handsome prince.” I giggled.
Niall grabbed my waist and looked into my eyes.
“Yeah I’m your prince. And you? You’re my princess.” He smiled, kissing my nose.
He took my hand and led me to the front door. He looked at me with excitement.
“What?” I blurted.
Niall just smiled and opened the door.
And I couldn’t believe what I had seen.
