Magic (A One Direction Fanfic)

Louis

I watched Cassie walk away. There was something seriously odd about that girl. I mean, she clearly had a secret. Like, something she kept from the world, one of those? I wouldn't even have noticed it if I wasn't particularly experienced in that area, but more on that later. It wasn't just her secret that intrigued me; everyone has secrets. Cassie wasn't just different, either. I think that's why she facinated me so much.

She was familiar.

But anyway, I ripped my eyes away from her and turned to head back to Niall and Paul. I got Niall his damn chocolate, which earned me a hug when we met up to leave. On the ride back to the hotel, I learned that Ni had followed me around the mall so he'd know what he was getting for Christmas, and he had some ideas about Cassie. I wasn't surprised. He makes everything into a big deal.

"Why can't you just shut up and accept that you're wrong?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Because I'm not? You were staring at her when she was leaving, mate. That's just creepy."

I threw my hands in the air. "Says the boy who followed me around a mall in a foreign country for three hours!"

"That is completely beside the point! You already have a girlfriend! Who, as I recall, is getting a dress for Christmas because you actually know her and, I don't know, her last name?"

"Williams," I muttered quietly. I'm not even sure how I knew, but I did.

"Huh?" Niall was confused because I cut him off mid-rant.

"Cassie's last name is Williams. Don't ask me how I know, because I forgot. Niall, I don't like her like that. You know I love Eleanor more than anything, so don't imply that I don't. And don't imply that I would cheat on her, period, much less with a girl I met half an hour ago. Got it?" I glared at him, daring him to press the subject any further.

He gulped and fell silent. Around this time of year, the boys knew not to push me too far. They didn't know why-- no one did --but they knew not to. They'd seen firsthand what would happen if they did, and we'd all agreed not to go through it again.

I sighed, though, knowing that I'd gone too far. "Look, I'm sorry Nialler. It wasn't your fault. I'm just... a little extra on edge right now. Tomorrow's Chirsmas Eve and I'm stressed. Just don't... don't press things like that, yeah? I mean, How much do I really lie?"

He gave me a look like, Really? "You lie like a fuckin' blanket: over everything. But yeah, I gotcha."

*~*~*

A few hours later, after dinner (because Niall insisted that we eat at five thirty and then watch all three Iron Man movies), I just lay on my bed, thinking. Or, at least, trying to think. I was trying to remember whereI'd seen Cassie before. It had been on my mind all night, but luckily only Zayn had noticed.

"Hey Lou, you alright?" he'd asked quietly."You're even more out of it than me."

"Y--yeah, of course. Why?" I stuttered unconvincingly.

He shrugged and looked like he didn't believe a single word, but I guess he just didn't feel like talking (big surprise), because he turned his attention back to his phone, waiting for a text that would never come.

I was lucky that time, but what if one of the other boys figured it out? I didn't want another one of those conversations.

I had to figure this out before it killed me. It hadn't been a concert, that was for sure; I got the feeling Cassie really didn't like our music, and besides, we'd never actually come near here. No, it wasn't a concert, and it wasn't somewhere random, like on the street. I hadn't seen her at home, clearly, unless...