Our Little Secret {n.h}

chapter 7

"Oh my god, I'm so excited." Niall was practically beaming as we stood in line to get into the festival and I smiled a little at how pumped he was.

"Who do you wanna see first?" I wondered and we moved up in the line, Niall bouncing in his spot.

"The Lumineers are at the stage across that field and but they don't start til noon so we have like an hour." I nodded and looked at my phone to check the time.

"We could go ahead over and get a good spot." I suggested and Niall nodded, letting the person at the gate scan his pass.

We got through security and began making our way across the muddy field to the main stage where The Lumineers were gonna be. Once there, Niall grabbed my hand and we weaved through people to get a good spot. I tried to ignore the fact that he had intertwined our fingers as we walked and shook my head, momentarily closing my eyes. We stopped in an empty area towards the front but side of the stage. I let go of Niall's hand and pushed my sunglasses over my eyes from on top of my head, turning my attention to the stage.

"You never answered my question the other night." Niall said and I looked over at him in confusion. "How long have you been away from America?"

"My dad was in the army and we just traveled with him. For some reason, his platoon stopped in Ireland and my parents really liked it so we just stayed and I was like four. So almost seventeen years." I explained and Niall nodded, taking a drink from his water bottle.

"Do you remember anything from there?" He wondered and I shrugged.

"Not really. But my dad would always bring us back stuff when he would get stationed over there. Hence the Milk Dud obsession." I said and laughed a little.

"Have you been back?" Niall asked and I shook my head. "Why not?"

"After my dad died, I didn't really have a reason to go." I shrugged and Niall's face fell.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know." I waved him off.

"It's fine." I said quietly and offered a small smile to try and reassure him that he didn't have to feel bad about asking.

I was fifteen when my dad died. It was the middle of my first year in high school and to say that that was the worst year ever would be an understatement. Jake almost sent me to rehab because of how depressed I got. I barely passed my classes and during the summer, I stayed in bed all day, not making an effort to even eat or sleep. Louise and Alex were constantly trying to help, but I just brushed them off, not wanting to pity.

Before my second year of high school started, I decided that I wasn't going to mope around anymore and I picked myself up and started doing really well in school. I changed my attitude and put all my focus on school, wanting to pass and get out as quick as I could. And it worked. I graduated with a 4.0 and got into one of the best universities in London on a scholarship.

"Holy shit, I'm about to see the Lumineers." Niall said, breaking me from my thoughts and I smiled a little.

"I didn't know you liked them so much." I said and he nodded, smiling.

"Been my favorite since high school." He replied and I nodded, sipping from my coffee cup that I had from the hotel. "We should have been friends in high school. I bet you were quite interesting."

"I literally had two friends and didn't say a word unless I had to." I lightly laughed and Niall looked at me, shocked. "I'm serious." I laughed and he did too.

"No way. You seemed to be the complete opposite at that party." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"I was drunk." I was in a fit of giggles and I lightly shoved his shoulder when he was doubled over laughing at me. "Was that blow job really that bad?" I wondered and he shot me a look.