This Love (Niall fanfiction)

chapter 61

Niall's P.O.V -

Cleo and I had finished putting up Christmas decorations are around the house. Lights being twirled around the stair case and balcony.

She put lights everywhere. If she could reach it, she'd put lights on it. Our Christmas tree was already pre-lit whenever it was purchased. 

"Niall, can you help me put the ornaments at the top of the tree?" Cleo asked from the living room.

"I'm on the phone, hold on." I say to her, putting my hand over the phone, so they won't hear me.

She comes around the corner, looking at me. I'm sitting down on a stool in the kitchen. I get up and make my way upstairs.

"I'm ordering a couch cushion because of that damn cat." I say pointing at Snowball, who just looks around with a lost expression. It literally looks lost all of the time. I sit on the end of the bed and tell the operator what size cushion I need. I explain to her what type of couch it is whenever I look down to see feet in front of me.

"Cleo, not now." I tell her. She comes closer to stand between my legs, sitting on my knee. I can't tell her to get off of me because that'd be dumb of me to do. If I weren't on the phone right now, I would've taken her right now, right here on this bed.

"Dear, Santa," She says running her fingers through my hair. Stop fucking teasing me. I put my hand around her waist and continue talking on the phone.  The lady on the phone tells me that the cushion will be here tomorrow morning. I hang up and focus my attention back to Cleo.

"What did you want for Christmas?" I reply back to her. This better end with me on top of her some type of way.

"I already got my gift." She says smiling and bends down, picking up that fluffy ass kitten.

"That's not a Christmas gift, Cleo." I say laughing at her. She holds the cat to her chest, petting it softly.

"I like Snowball." She says giving the cat to me, to climb off of my lap. Cleo goes around to sit on the bed, taking Snowball away from me. The kitten starts jumping around from one end of the bed to another.

"She's getting fur everywhere. Put her on the floor." I say getting up, shaking off my pillow that has cat fur on it.

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At dinner, Cleo orders Chinese food and we sit at the table together, while Snowball is locked inside of her kennel.

"Niall?"

"What?"

"I thought about, um, finishing college. I mean, I am twenty. There's a college about 30 minutes away and um, I could still stay here at nights instead of living on Campus. I know now isn't a good time to bring it up, but-"

"I think that's a great idea." I cut her off. She looks up from her lap, smiling at me. I do college online, but I never told Cleo because I feel like that's embarrassing. I could never attend an actual college because I would hate driving such long distances. Soon, I'll have my diploma and I can get a real job, instead of the one I have now.

"I've been wanting to ask you, I just didn't know how. I just need one more class for a credit, then I'm finished. I've been in college for a long time I'm excited to graduate." She says taking a bite of her broccoli. I don't see how she enjoys eating that. I remember I hated them as a child. I still hate them, just not as much.

It kind of bothers me that Cleo is uncomfortable asking me things; I want her to be comfortable with me in every way possible.

"You can ask me anything." I honestly tell her. She smiles, but it fades quickly.