November // n.h

vii

               S E V E N

This is ridiculous. Me, running to the beach just because someone wants to walk around the island and has no one to show them around, is ridiculous. Plus, why did I even agree? I was supposed to stay as far from him as possible and not run as soon as I get a text from him. Like I said, ridiculous.

By the time I get to the beach, I notice a familiar person a little further. The fact, that his posture seems familiar to me, scares me a little. Do I really spend a lot of time with him? No, it can’t be. After all, he came to Old Grimsby on Friday and it’s a Monday. I’ve only seen him three times. And slept in the same room as him. As inappropriate as it sounds, we never even hugged so I am quite fine with that.

I stop beside him and without a word, I zip my jumper a little further. Winter is slowly approaching and it only means that not many people will come to the beach. So I believe that Niall’s today’s disguise isn’t really the work of art. A cap and a hoodie. Natural yet outstanding. Those clothes just scream that they’re not from the local shop.

“You disguise yourself well.” I tell him with a light chuckle.

“I also think that.” He looks at me with a smirk sneaking onto his lips. I laugh one of those laughs when you’re just yourself and you have no limits. One of those laughs when you just throw your head back as your body shakes a little. One of those laughs that I haven’t had in a long time and right now, I am not sure what made me laugh so vigorously.

Niall’s eyes are glued to my person the whole time. The smirks disappears from his face and worry exchanges it. I laugh a little more. It’s funny, how slowly the smirk started fading. Almost as if in slow motion, or in the movies to make it look a little dramatic.

“Are you alright?” He asks and I laugh more. I don’t know, what has made me laugh in the first place. Maybe it’s those hormonal girls whom don’t seem to notice Niall when all he does is wear a cap. Or maybe it’s the fact that Niall actually smirked when he doesn’t look like the type of a lad who smirks. Either way, something did make me laugh.

I look at him, holding onto my stomach as my laughter starts to calm down and fade. Nodding my head is the most I could do right now. When the fits of laughter finally stop and when my jaw stops hurting as much, I look back at Niall and smile. “Girls at my school are sure that they’ll find you.” I say, making him confused. He rises his eyebrows. “They know you’re here, although they can’t seem to find you.” I say, specifically underlining those two words.

“Well, they will be good at the Easter bunny haunt.” He says and for a second I just look at him, trying to understand what he means. And the irony in his voice, that I didn’t seem to see, shocked me. Niall was being sarcastic.

“That’s rude to say!” I tell him, pretending to be a little offended. Niall looks at me a little shocked and confused at the same time. Honestly, it seems funny to witness him with such a expression. Before, when he bought the vinyl and was looking at the guitar I didn’t even notice of how easy it is to confuse him.

“But I-“ He starts and I allow myself to cut him off with more fits of laughter. Yet what seems so funny? And even though it seems pointless for me to laugh, I still do, not worrying about how insane I must seem for him. Even if, why do I care? I don’t. I don’t care what he thinks of me because he’s still a stranger and sooner or later he’ll leave.

“I’m kidding, you’re not rude. In fact, you’re alright.” I tell him, as I calm down. My stomach aching and my jaw line hurting so much from the amount of laughter. With those words, Niall’s face beams and it is rather difficult to express how happy he looks. The grin attached to his face spreading with each second and I am afraid, that if it doesn’t stop now, Niall’s face will be ripped in half and a hell lot of girls would have the ability to kill for that.