I Like the Way You Smile. [ON HOLD]

The News.

<The News>

"Delilah could you come here for a moment please?" I hear my Mum ask, knocking politely on my door. I look at my calendar before stepping out, July the tenth, nearly five years since I left home. I’m half-packed for college at the moment, having multiple offers, still undecided between a school in London, a school in Ireland, and one in Madrid, all offering me practically a free education to become a primary school teacher.

“In a moment Mum,” I respond, running a hand through my, now long -a natural mix of curls and waves- blonde hair, and glancing in the mirror. Puberty had been nice to me, much as it had my mum. My chubby cheeks are gone, baby fat vanished, shot up a few inches, but I’m still the daughter of two short Irish parents, and not to mention I no longer have the smallest boobs on the planet, though to say that they’re better than average would be quite the overstatement. Sure, I developed early, but I sure didn’t develop quickly.

I open my door and see Emma, Phoebe and Amelia sitting on the sofa, Emma braiding Phoebe’s hair, Phoebe braiding Amelia’s. They’re the best sisters in the world. Snapping a photo, I tweet it saying that I have the cutest sisters in the world. A few rival back, but I leave them be and sit behind Emma and begin fishtailing her hair.

“Girls, I have some news,” my Mum’s Irish voice says above us, making all of us look up obediently. “You know that I’ve finished here as a teacher, and we’re moving back to Ireland, everything’s all set. All we have to do is pack and we’ll be on our way. Our flight is on the nineteenth.” I can’t help but smile at the irony of the entire situation.    

Tying back Emma's hair and standing up, I mention with a smile, "Well, let's get to packing!" The smile on my face is apparent to my mum as I walk into the kitchen and grab a glass to put water in.

"Are you excited to be going home?" Mum smiles as she enters the kitchen. Without really thinking, my hand goes to the thick, large locket where I keep a small picture of Dad and I, but also Niall's guitar pick. I nod with a smile. "Have you decided which school you want to go to?"

Looking at my mum makes me want to stay with her, comfort her, but she wants me to go. For me to live my life. "I really like the school in London," I pause, "but the one in Ireland's not bad at all."

Mum places a comforting hand on my shoulder, "Delia, ever since your father passed away, you've been the best friend that I've had, you understand, or you always try to. But you can't let that stop you from going to London like you've wanted to do since you were ten."

"Thank you, Mum," we hug. I live her hugs. Even better than Niall's. Her arms are home. "I love you so much." After a moment, I ask her, even if just for my own sake, "Do you think Niall would remember me? It has been five years since we've seen each other."

I've never told her about how I saw him in Barcelona, but instead I, for the first time to my mother, lied and said I saw it on the computer when on a music site. I honestly don't even remember how the topic came up.

"I think that Niall would be a fool if he didn't remember you. Albeit, he may not recognise you right away, but he's a smart kid. He'll figure it out."

"Thanks Mum," I kiss her cheek affectionately and go to my room, popping open my laptop -the present that my mom's sister, Aunt Loraine, got me for my sixteenth birthday. I see a request from one of my best friends here in Spain to video-chat with her. I accept, but use my phone for what I was originally on the computer for.

After looking at the screen, I see the signed One Direction posters lining the wall behind her, and decide to ask her instead. "Hey Sil," her real name is Silvana, Sil for short. "Um, quick question, when are One Direction's tour dates?"

Her answer is quick, but I take it as the truth, as it's coming from a crazed fan, "They don't start for another two months. Why? Suddenly interested in their music? Have I finally rubbed off on you?"

I've listened to a few of their songs, nothing too big. But I always stopped myself from typing Niall's name into a search engine because I didn't want to see him from the public's point of view. The only exception was when I typed Niall's name into a search engine to see why he was suddenly famous. He had tried out for The X Factor but didn't make it as a solo artist. The judges put him and four other lads in a group and they made it through to the final, not winning, but inevitably getting signed by Sony Music.

I laugh, "Not really. We get to go home. Back to Ireland. I'm so excited. I was just wondering if Niall would be there when I got there." Sil smiles at me. Ya know that smile people give you when they know something that you don't? Yeah, that's the look she's giving me. "What?"

"You two would be beyond perfect for each other," she states as if she's explaining that one plus one equals two.

"What?!" Sure she'd said it before, but this was the first time that she's said it as if it is a known fact. "We could never be together. He's my best friend. It'd be weird. He was my first kiss, year five. It'd be so weird to date him."

"But if you're best friends, that'd just make it so much better. Look at me." It's true. Her and her best guy friend dated for two years -Sil is two years older than me- and got engaged a few months ago. They are possibly the cutest couple I've seen. Ever. "Wait," she processes something in her head, "you kissed Niall?" I nod, thinking I'd told her before. "You kissed him?"

Once more, I nod, then follow up saying, "He was in year six and Séan was teasing him because he hadn't had his first kiss yet. So, he was telling me about it one day after school." I paused, remembering the scene with a smile, "Anyway, he just went on and on about it. I was kind of tired of his complaining. So I kissed him."

Sil is speechless, and I inform her that I need to help pack up our house. The screen goes blank and I stand up, after turning up some tunes on my computer, and finish packing up my room, leaving enough clothes out for all we need to stay here for.