Climbing The Walls (Niall Horan Love Story)

Chapter 7

I was sitting on the couch watching a show about cupcakes when Louis, Harry, Zayn, and Niall were done getting ready. They stampeded down the stairs like a herd of animals. Well, boys, animals, same thing basically. "How do we look?" Zayn asked as they all struck a pose.

"Hot," I replied emotionlessly, still mesmerized by the tauntingly delicious treats on the TV screen.

"You didn't even look," Louis fake whined, sticking out his bottom lip. I turned to face them, and they looked somewhat normal. I mean Niall was wearing a purple sweatshirt, Zayn was wearing a varsity jacket, Louis was wearing stripes and suspenders with colorful pants, and Harry was wearing a blazer. When liam left the house he was wearing a plaid button up.

"You all look dashing," I said with a wink, playfully attempting to mimic their accents. They all flashed me four gorgeous smiles and returned them along with a roll of my eyes. I tried to go back to staring longingly at the cupcakes, but I was staring longingly at something else now. Well, someone else rather. It was embarrassing how I couldn't take my eyes off him, and equally embarrassed when he noticed and winked at me. I blushed and turned back to the TV, smiling uncontrollably like I always did when Niall smiled at me... or winked at me... or when he looked at me... god dammit the boy just made me smile all the time. I had smiled more in the time I'd known him than in the month before.

"Liam should be here any minute to pick us up," Harry informed me. "Are you wearing that...?" Harry asked questioningly. I rolled my eyes, getting up and heading upstairs.

"Don't worry, Haz, I'll go put in an outfit where my pants are visible," I replied sarcastically, walking up the stairs and into my room. I hadn't bothered to wear an actual shirt under my sweatshirt, so I stripped it off, searching my closet in my bra. I couldn't find a shirt I felt like wearing...

"Hey Halez, Liam ju-" I heard an Irish accent from behind me and I turned around, mouth hanging open, face reddening in sheer humiliation. "Sorry!" He exclaimed, covering his eyes and leaving the closet. Oh. My. God. Niall just saw me in my pink and yellow polka dot bra. U was legit going to die of embarrassment right there. "Uh, er, so umm just come down when you're ready," he finished awkwardly.

"Kay," I croaked as I heard footsteps leave my room. I snatched a random tank top and threw it on, fixing my hair into pigtails and rushing downstairs. The tank top was salmon with the word "love" written across it in black script. I'm not sure why I bought it, I hate love. (Yes, I realize how that sounds)

When I arrived downstairs, Niall and I couldn't look at each other. We were both blushing our faces off as we rushed out the door into the van. Liam was in the drivers seat and there was stuff in the passenger seat, making inaccessible. Zayn and Harry climbing in the back seat, and before Niall could join them Louis screamed "I WANNA SIT NEXT TO HARRY!" That left me and Niall, alone in the seatless back of the van. Thanks, Lou. I thought bitterly as he winked at me.

Niall and I climbed in, avoiding eye contact and sitting in silence for a few moments. He had sat across the van from me, but now he came and sat next to me. My heart started thumping like a rabbits foot, as usual. "Hey, you've seen me shirtless," he whispered in my ear so no one else would hear. The music was too loud anyways, so we were safe. His breath in my ear sent chills down my spine. That, and the pleasant memory of his lack of a shirt that night.

"True," I smiled up into his big blue eyes. I was glad he tore down the awkward barrier early on.

"And you loved it," he teased in a pretend flirtatious voice, winking and placing his arm around my shoulders. I rolled my yes, but didn't push him away, not even playfully.