Picture Imperfect (Niall Horan)

10 - Niall

10 - Niall

I leave the den with Cassie behind me, my heart still racing and my cheeks still flushed from when she climbed on top of me. If she knew what I was thinking about in that moment, she would have never spoken to me again, that's for damn sure.

"Did she kill you?" Parker asks when I return. Cassie isn't behind me like I thought she was. I know because she isn't in the room now. Where's Zayn?

"Almost," I chuckle, and pretend like I wasn't just thinking about kissing Cassie a few minutes ago. I wanted to, real bad, but I know that she likes Zayn and shit. Whatever.

Just then Cassie and Zayn come into the room, making a bee line for the door. Oh no. "Headed somewhere?" Liam asks.

"Yeah," Cassie says. "We're going out."

"Like on a date?" Parker asks.

"Yeah," Zayn answers.

Cassie smiles. "Like a date."

"What?!" I shout, my mind hardly processing what I just heard. Marley grabs my arm and struggles to make me sit down again.

"Calm down," she whispers in my ear. How the fuck can I calm down? My best friend is going on a date with the girl of my dreams!

"See you guys later!" Cassie calls and I desperately try to meet her eyes. I make eye contact for a millisecond before the door slams shut.

I sink down into the cushion and bury my head in my hand. This cannot be happening. That is supposed to be me! Parker rubs my back but it's not making me feel better. A part of me wants to chase after them and tell Cassie how I really feel about her, but I don't want to ruin her happiness, or Zayn's. I couldn't do that to my best friend. I thought we had a moment together in the den, but apparently, nothing's changed in her mind. Fuck!

"Are you okay, mate?" Louis asks. I shake my head back and forth. I am most certainly not okay.

"I'm really sorry, Niall. I know how much you like her." Marley offers me comfort but I don't want to talk to her right now.

I want to talk to Cassie.

*****

The next day, my heart still hasn't but its million shattered pieces back into place. As much as I want to drive over there to her house and scream at her for putting me through this new kind of pain, this unbearable kind pain, but I can't do that because I know it's not her fault, it's no one's fault. But fuck if it doesn't hurt.

Today everyone is busy but me, and they told me they wanted to go out and do their own thing, but I am too bummed to go anywhere. A million times I have almost called Cassie to see if she wanted to come to the bus and watch a movie with me, but for some reason I feel like I'm crossing a line with Zayn. But the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it seems. I'm not doing anything wrong; I just want to be around the girl that I can't stop thinking about. There's nothing wrong with that, right?

So, that being said, I text Cassie asking if she's busy. I literally jump up when she says she's not, and that I can come over if I want. In ten short minutes I am knocking on her front door. She answers, clearly surprised. "That was quick," she says and opens the door wider so I can come inside. "So where is everyone today?"

"Not sure," I say and stuff my hands in the pockets of my cargo shorts. "I was really bored."

"I was too," she smiles. "Who knows? Maybe today will be the day that you finally get to use the pool in the basement."

My hand snaps up. "We should totally do that!" I exclaim. "Let's go!" I make a run for the stairs and I hear Cassie behind me.

When I am through the double doors and staring at the small waves lapping at the sides, Cassie says, "I guess I'll go change then."