Imagines

Niall Horan Imagine - Wisconsin

For my main squeeze, Summer.

Oktoberfest in La Crosse, Wisconsin wasn't and isn't for the faint of heart. Either you're here to get drunk or see the parade. Or, like most college students, to do both. 

You don't go to UW-L to study; you go to UW-L so you can drink just because you can, without a reason. That was my motto anyways.  

As I sat in the slowly setting sun, cigarette in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other, I couldn't help but to feel like I was in heaven as I soaked up the last rays of the sun's warmth. The obnoxious fumes pouring off the ashes of the cigarettes and flowing into my nose, it reminded me of the past. I took a deep breath and put out the butt and took a swig of my lukewarm beer.

"What the hell ya doin'?" an Irish voice asked from behind me. 

I threw the cigarette to the ground and turned around. "Waiting on someone to say they want to drink with," I replied coolly, shading my eyes with my free hand.

"Come drink with me!" he shouted, gesturing me to get up and follow him. 

In my buzzed state, I stumbled off the picnic table I was sitting on and walked to Niall.

Niall was one of the coolest kids ever. He was a foreign exchange student from Ireland and the kid cracked me up. If I was feeling sad or down, and we had biology that day, he would some how manage to put a smile on my face. 

Like when we had gotten attached to our frog for basic dissection and he started sobbing when we had to cut it open. While it was sad, I managed to die from laughter and almost get kicked out of that class for the day. Or when he broke beakers for my amusement. 

"Come on," he growled, getting impatient.

He did a fake jog to him. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, as we walked towards downtown. 

He shrugged his shoulders. "I was thinking just a pub crawl. I hate drinking in just one spot."

I had to agree. As soon as I was legally able to drink, I did one of the biggest pub crawls of my life. My best friend thought it would be hilarious to let me drink in Milwaukee. It was fun, no doubt. It just don't remember much of it.

Now, to try and pub crawl with this Irish kid. 

The first couple bars went fantastically. We had a couple drinks between people bumping up against us and we managed to squeeze in dancing to a few songs. Niall nearly took out an older guy who was hitting on me. However, the bartender was a good guy and made sure the creeper got away from me. Niall told me if he was the one there, that guy wouldn't have peed for a week straight. I couldn't help but to laugh. It was somewhat nice to have Niall around. I wouldn't have gone drinking alone because that guy who have done something and I don't care to imagine what.

The next three bars, however, were when things got questionable. Niall had clearly had to much to drink by the time we stumbled into our seventh bar. He kept on throwing back the beers and not even caring that he could walk in a straight line.

I had stopped drink because if I became any more intoxicated someone could have taken advantage of me and, without Niall sober, that would be the last thing I needed. 

"Hey pretty girl," a drunken voice called. A portly, older man came stumbling to me, his hands beginning to fumble for my body.

"Excuse you," I yelled, trying to draw attention to the situation.

"What's wrong, baby? Don't you want it?" he asked, leaning in for a kiss.

A great force yanked him by the collar and pulled him off me. I took a sigh of relief too soon. Niall had the guy pinned to the wall, dealing repeated blows to the face. 

"Get...your...hands...off...my...girl..." he shouted after he each punch. 

The manager jogged from behind the bar table to Niall and my shocked face. "Hey, you three, get the hell out of here," he cried, ushering Niall, the other drunk fool, and me out.

I angrily took Nialls arm and pulled him down the length of downtown La Crosse until we reached the river. I threw him on a bench and walked to the next one over, totally ignoring the kid. I lit up and let all of my troubles go away with the smoke.

The river glistened in the early morning hours. For being such a small city, the lights sure did reflect beautifully off the ripples of the river. I wanted to dive in and pretend Niall never really beat that guy up.

How embarrassing.

"I did it because I like you," a soft, Irish voice said, clearly shamed by their behaviors.

"What?" I asked, looking up from my feet.

"I beat that guy who was feeling you up because I like you," he said, his teeth clenched together. "And I don't think you understand how much it kills me to see you with other guys and it makes me jealous," he confessed.

I was blown away. "You're jealous...because I talk to other guys?" I paused and thought for a moment. "Are you still drunk?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but sober or drunk I'd feel this way about you."