The Fangirl // Horan [temporarily on hold]

Chapter 10

"Charlie!" Niall says, looking disbelieving.

Then he sees me properly. "Oh, my god, Charlie."

I sob as he gently pulls me in. The only thing I can manage to say is, "Hi."

Then I cry some more.

He doesn't say anything. He just holds me, and that says more than a thousand words ever could. He holds me, and that's all I need and all I will ever need.

My whole body shakes when I cry, but now I'm not just crying because of my dad but because of him, too. He's here. He's here.

He's here, and I don't need anything else.

***

"Here," he says softly, wrapping a warm blanket around my shoulders. I look up at him as he sits down beside me on the sofa.

"Thank you," I whisper.

It has been an hour since I arrived, soaking wet, at Niall's house. I have taken a hot shower, and I am now wearing a black t-shirt and grey pyjama pants that are both way too big and both belong to him.

Niall has made me tell him everything. I kept crying, so it was kind of hard to understand me, but he got it. I think.

Then he hugged me again.

It's been a month since I've spoken, or even seen him, but it's like no time has passed at all.

Oh, fuck. I promised this story wouldn't be cliché, and now here I am, reusing one of the most popular quotes ever to be used in a romance story (is that what this is? A romance story? It doesn't seem that way).

But it's true. He and I, we're like two halves of one soul.

Oh, there we go again. More fucking cheesiness.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Niall asks, taking my hand.

"Um," I say. "No. But I'm better."

"Oh," he says. "Is that a good thing?"

"I...I think so?"

"Um. Good."

I almost start laughing. This is crazy. He's nervous. Niall is nervous.

"I missed you," he blurts out. "So much."

"I missed you too," I sigh, looking down at my pale hands.

"Hey. Um, Charlie?"

I glance up. His arms are outstretched, his face hopeful. "Can you c'mere?"

I giggle and lean back, resting my head against his chest. He is so warm it makes me shiver. In a good way, I promise.

After a few moments of silence, I blurt out, "Do you like me?"

Wow, Charlie. Way to break the tension.

Niall seems surprised. "Yes. Of course, Charlie. What sort of a question is that?"

"No, but...do you like me that way?"

He looks taken aback, but answers, "I...I think so."

He thinks so? My face falls.

"No, I mean, I do," he adds quickly. "When I...kissed you..." Both of us go red. "It was to make sure."

"Are...are you sure?"

"I am. I wasn't sure at first, but I knew there was something. I found myself yearning to see you, even just a glimpse. And then, when you left, I...I woke up everyday wanting to call or text you, then I remembered we never even got each other's numbers, so I couldn't. I wanted to see you so badly, but I had to leave you alone. And just now, when I opened the door, and saw you, I thought, 'Wow, she's beautiful,' even though you were all wet and crying. And I got this weird feeling in my chest. Like...like I couldn't breathe properly. And then when you told me you needed me, I felt...I don't know how to describe it. But...to answer your question, yes, Charlie Ross, I like you. And I like you that way."

I crane my neck to look up at him.

"I like you too." I say it quickly, but truthfully.

"Well, do you like me that way?" he teases, bumping his forehead off mine.

"Y-yes."

"And can I kiss you now?"

"Yes. I mean I think so. I mean yes." I blush. "Please just kiss me so I can stop making a fool of myself."

So he does.

A/N: DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THIS CHAPTER. I PUBLISHED IT BUT THEN HALF OF IT DISAPPEARED, SO I REWROTE IT.

THANK YOU I LOVE YOU BYE.

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