Two {n.h.}

Sleep is a Cruel Mistress

She laughed as cutely as she knew how, if that was even a thing. Niall is actually talking to me! As pathetic as it may seem, she was already completely in love with him. She might've been a bit too quick to judge all parties, maybe Louis' parties were worth some time? So far she'd learned that Niall was a bit more than just a pretty face. They were discussing music and she'd never heard such well thought-out answers from someone.

"The end of the album just pulls the entire story together, you know? All the war, fighting, and hate just ends at that song. The world is ending and it's so peaceful after it all and the symphony at the end taking all the energy from the rest of the album and gently putting it down. Peace in death; peace in love; that no matter what it's all ending eventually and it's all not even worth stressing. I'm sorry if I'm talking too much but I love that album so much." The passion in his voice made it impossible for her to tell him to stop.

"No, it's totally fine. I haven't even heard of the band but you already have me convinced that they're the best band in the world. I didn't know you were so passionate about music, what got you into it?" Adelaide just wanted to keep this boy talking. She couldn't stop staring at the way his lips moved, his grand gestures, the brightness in those blue eyes seemed to illuminate the small entrance he caught her in.

"My mom taught me and my brother how to play guitar. She used to play all the time for us when we were younger before her work got even more hectic. Since then I loved it and just music in general. I'm majoring in sound engineering." Holy shit, that was something she definitely did not expect. She pegged him as a biology major.

"Oh wow, I-" She was rudely interrupted by a hand snapping in between their faces. She followed the fingers up the tattooed forearm and onto the shoulders of the only guy who would ever act so rudely to Niall.

"Yea, I'm done here and so is Zayn. Can you drive us back?" Although it was stated like a question, his tone and attitude made it sound more like a demand.

The small smile Niall had during their conversation had been lost and replaced by a face Adelaide could only describe as the one a parent would have when patiently dealing with a petulant child.

"Sure, James. Do you know of the rest of the guys are ready to leave yet?" Niall asked politely. James shrugged in response and she decided to make it easier for Niall and less awkward for herself.

"I think I'm gonna head home now, so I'll see you later Niall." Adelaide tried to be nice as it wasn't Niall's fault his brother was an asshole.

"Do you need a ride?" She smiled and sighed internally. How is it that he can remain so calm and kind after his brother ruined our conversation?

"No it's fine, I don't live far from here. I can walk, thank you though." Niall smiled at her and waved her goodbye before turning to his brother and whispering in his ear. She turned and left, making her way down the dimly lit streets. It didn't take her long to get home and hop in the shower to wash off the smell of cigarettes and marijuana.

Wrapped in a towel, she left the bathroom and into her room to change into her pajamas. She dropped onto her bed in exhaustion. Adelaide was reaching the point where she was so tired she didn't want to sleep; a point she often reached at 3 in the morning when writing papers for class. Tonight, though, she had no paper due the next day and decided to read about Kian and Syssi's blooming romance in the latest novel she'd picked up. These novels often directed at women of a certain age were her guilty pleasure.

She was just getting to the height of their sexual tension when she heard a knocking at her window. She looked up and didn't see anything so she disregarded the tapping.