every rose has its thorns. // niall horan

chapter nine.

Rosaleen fixed her glossy ringlets in the mirror one last time, finally satisfied with the way they cascaded over her shoulder. She was dressed in her cutest attempt at an adventure worthy outfit, which consisted of a red, black, and white plaid top unbuttoned over a tight white cami, dark wash denim short shorts, and a pair of black Converse. The only other shoes she had were flip-flops and something told her they weren’t right for this trip. So the Converse it was.

She hitched her overstuffed brown khaki knapsack over her shoulder and stumbled out the door. Even the fact her favorite pair of worn in skinny jeans were settled neatly in the bag on her back wasn’t enough to comfort her. Rosaleen could change her mind, all she had to do was turn around and step back into the kitchen. The only thing standing between her and normalcy was a tattered screen door missing its lock. She didn’t have to take the winding path through the trees to where Niall waited. But she knew she would.

Armed with only her backpack, three spare outfits, a camera, a diary, and less that 500 euros, Rosaleen took the steps that would lead her to discoveries far greater than she ever imagined. Five steps and the shade of the trees fell over her, five more and she could no longer see her aunt’s house when she turned around. The dark hush of the forest muffled her steps and the wild beating of her heart. Five more steps and she saw him.

The last five brought her straight into Niall’s waiting arms.

***                                                                                                                                                                                       ***

CiCi – you will NOT believe what is going on. Go ahead guess. Nope you’re wrong. Guess again. Wrong again. How do I know? BECAUSE NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD YOU EXPECT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME.

Know where I am? No I’m not in Mullingar living in my aunt’s spare bedroom like I’m supposed to. I’m in Dublin. Okay that doesn’t sound very exciting, but how does this sound? I’M THERE WITH NIALL. Yup, my cousin’s ex-boyfriend. If she finds out about this I guarantee I don’t make it back to MA alive.

Niall decided that as an Irish citizen, it was his duty to see everything his country had to offer. So we are on an adventure. Yes you read that right.

 I AM ON AN ADVENTURE WITH THE MOST GOREGOUS BOY EVER TO WALK THE FACE OF THIS EARTH.

ALONE.

 JUST ME AND HIM.

We’re starting in Dublin but over the duration of the summer we will make our way across the entire country. Niall didn’t map anything out because he wants it to be spontaneous. Like get on a random bus and see where we end up spontaneous. Like separate from the tour group for the fun of exploration spontaneous. (We haven’t done either of those things but since I’m new to the whole spontaneous thing this is what my mind has decided defines spontaneity).

Actually all we’ve done so far is take a bus to Dublin and drop our bags at his cousin’s house (which is where I’m writing to you from). Niall is eating lunch right now and then he said we could go into the city. I’m not hungry; I think it’s the stress of all this not knowing. Anyway, you told me to go to Ireland and live a little. You said to meet a cute boy. Well this is the start of the greatest adventure of my life.

I’m scared, but I’m also really, really excited. Like jump up and down excited. I’ve never done anything remotely like this. (I know what you’re thinking but no, this is not like when you and that guy you were dating at the time, Ronald?, hitched a ride in a tractor trailer to D.C. to go see the Lincoln Memorial. That was dangerous and stupid. This is fun, educational, and safe. Well I hope it’s safe.)

Maybe when this is all over with, I’ll be a little more like you and a little less like me. I don’t know if you were aware of it CiCi, but I’ve always envied you and the way you are never afraid of anything. You are always looking for an adventure, always up for anything that would get your heart beating. I prefer to know what’s coming, to be able to prepare and make notecards and perhaps a highlighted outline if there’s time.(BTW you can just toss that dos and don’ts of LA list I made you in the trash) I don’t just do things just to, well, do them. With me, I need a purpose. With you, you just need a starting point. For you, the adventures are endless. For me, I never thought there would actually be one.

And now here I am, in a cramped apartment with a beautiful boy, four outfits, and no money. If that’s not an adventure then I don’t know what is.

Next time I speak to you I hope to have accomplished what you have always told me I’m missing out on: life. As the old saying goes “life’s not about the breaths you take but the moment’s that take your breath away.”

And I’m about to have my breath stolen a million times over.

Love you more than you could ever know, your newly adventurous best gal

Rosaleen

PS NIALL HUGGED ME!!!! HE ACTUALLY HUGGED ME EVEN THOUGH I LIKE DON’T EVEN KNOW HIM. OMG HE SMELT AMAZING. BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.

PPS Wow I sound like a hormone crazed teenager. You would think I never saw a boy before in my life, let alone dated one for 3 years. But with Niall it was so different than with Tim. Tim was safe, Tim was known, Tim was expected. But Niall? Niall is my cousin’s ex who she’s obviously still in love with. Niall is a boy I’ve known for a combined total of less than 3 hours. Niall is foreign. Niall smells like rain, grass, and a hint of peppermint. Niall told me I was pretty. Niall gave me a nickname (Kat, though not really sure why he picked it). Niall is taking me on an adventure. Niall said there is no point to living if you never actually live. Niall started a chorus on the bus and we sang the never ending song all the way from Mullingar to Dublin.

Niall told me that every rose has its thorns, but that’s because the beautiful flower deserves that sort of protection.

Niall told me he’d be my thorn.