When Love Heals - A Niall Horan Fanfic

Chapter Three.

Lydia sat in the large Range Rover, feeling a bit awkward.

I mean, it wasn’t Niall that made her feel awkward. In fact, it was strange that she didn’t really feel at all awkward around him, even though they had only just met. She looked to her right, smiling at the boy who was driving and singing quietly and bobbing his head in time to the music all at once.

She had refused when Niall ran after her and said that he would drive her to pick up her younger sister, Carmen, from school. He had no obligation to do that and Lydia didn’t want to be a burden on someone that: one, she didn’t even know, and two, was most likely extremely busy.

But Niall wouldn’t take no for an answer. He insisted that he needed to drive Lydia, as an apology for bumping into her at the coffee shop the hour before. And he argued with her for so long that she missed her bus and had no other way but to say yes. Niall’s smug expression had been enough for her to smack his arm and warn him to wipe the smirk off his face before she walked instead.

“Do you not have anything better to do than to drive a girl you barely know around?” Lydia teased.

Niall only paused in his singing for a second to grin at her with a quick “nope”, before he carried on singing cheerfully.

Lydia had to admit that he had a great voice. It was just the right combination of raspy and clear and it sent tingles down her spine.

“Here’s the school,” Lydia pointed and Niall pulled up to the curb. “Thanks so much for the lift, Niall. Although it was your fault I missed my bus so I guessed you owed me.” She winked at him.

He sent her a playful ‘duh’ look. “Hey, I’m not leaving you here. I’m driving you home, too.”

“No, no, that’s fine. You’ve done enough.” Lydia said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

“Lydia, if you don’t come back to the car with your sister I’ll sit here all night.” Niall said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“God, you're so stubborn,” Niall heard Lydia mutter under her breath and he chuckled when she slammed the car door behind her.

Niall sat contentedly in the car for ten minutes before Lydia returned with a younger girl who looked just like her – pretty green eyes, dark wavy hair and long eyelashes.

“Carmen, wait a sec.” Lydia ordered her seven-year old sister, before opening the passenger door and leaning in to talk to Niall.

“I should have warned you, she can get quite excitable. And she’s a big One Direction fan so –"

Lydia wasn’t even surprised that Carmen had disobeyed her orders.

“Niall!” She squealed, interrupting her older sister. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god! It’s you!”

“Carmen, get in the back.” Lydia sighed but Carmen just whipped her head around to look at her sister sassily.

“Shotgun!” She yelled and giggled, ducking under Lydia’s arm which was holding the door open so she could climb into the front next to Niall.

“Carm, get in the back.” Lydia said, gritting her teeth at her sister who she loved to death, but could be oh-so-annoying.

“Don’t think so!” Carmen sang, poking her tongue out.

Exasperated, Lydia looked to Niall with pleading eyes, but the Irish boy had been sat chuckling to himself watching the two sisters’ exchange and decided that he already loved Carmen.

“Sorry, but I think I like Carmen better,” Niall winked at Lydia. “You’ll have to get in the back, Lydia.”

Lydia glared at Niall but couldn’t help but give him a little smile at his attempt to keep Carmen happy.