Five X's (One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter 11

I stared at my computer screen at my desk. I couldn't concentrate on work at all. I just had to email stuff to my boss, but I still failed to even start sending it. I looked to the corner of my screen where his note was, signed Lirry. I smiled, remembering how nice it was to find it on my refrigerator door.

"Hey," my desk partner called.

"Huh?" I responded absent mindedly, not really paying attention to him.

"I know you're busy, but I'd like to ask you something."

"You need me to give the boss something? 'Cause I'm, like, really busy. Sorry." I had been avoiding our boss as much as possible. If I could run away from my problems, why face them? The receptionist laughed.

"No, actually... I was wondering if you'd go out with me." I looked up at him. "On a date." I smiled slightly.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah. Sure. That-that would be great."

"Great. Tonight? I'll pick you up around seven?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Great." He grinned and I smiled back, quickly returning to my computer screen.

My hand stumbled as I tried to put the key in the lock. When it finally went in all the way, I turned it and pushed the door open. I dropped my bag onto the floor, and slumped over to the sofa. I dropped onto the cushions, ripped off my heels, and leaned back. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out deeply and repeatedly.

"What are you thinking about?" I nearly jumped off the sofa.

"Shit!.. Niall? What the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Thought you'd want someone to talk to after work," he said with a half-full beer bottle in his hand. He continued to stand as I leaned back again and sighed.

"That's very kind of you, but I need some time alone to relax and... I don't know, think about... stuff."

"What else do you have to think about? Besides the so much that has already happened?"

"Something else has come up, which complicates things."

"I thought what we had was complicated enough," he said with a smile, taking a sip from his beer.

"God and human. Five powerful personas, and a simple girl with more than she can handle," I muttered, taking his beer for myself.

"You're quite powerful yourself, for a simple, human girl." He wasn't taking this seriously. His cheeks grew slightly red as his smile quivering, attempting not to open.

"What is so funny? Everything is easy for you, is that it? Because you have magical powers, my problems seem petty? News flash, my problems are now your problems." His grin had dropped from happiness to empathy, his sky blue eyes widened.

"I'm sorry. I have a tendency to laugh things off. Makes things easier. You know, it's not any easier for me. In fact, it might be harder."

"How?"

"I--"

"Sit," I suggested, tapping the cushion next to me. He complied, sitting so our knees touched. It was so easy to notice, the tingles running up my thigh. The color of his eyes twitched to a deep brown.

"I, am not used to this," he continued, gesturing between us. "What you have, what normal human beings have, I never thought I could achieve it. Hell, I didn't even think about it. I could have any girl I wanted, and I'd only want each of them for the night. Until you." Our eye contact never broke as he continued. "After you, I couldn't even think of another girl.

All those games that lead to that day at Thorpe Park, when I wanted to kiss you so badly, maybe mark you a third time-- I admit it-- but I didn't. I never thought being just a friend to just a normal girl would hurt so badly. Never being able to have you again, even though you're all I want. Finally, I found someone to not just want, but to care about. Whether it was the X that had backfired on me or my actual feelings, it doesn't matter. It doesn't change that this is how I feel. And even if you did feel the same, neither one of us would be able to tell if it was because if I was a god or if it was real."