come closer || nh au

twenty-three

I call Wesley once again, realizing he won't pick up, so I just grab my small cross body bag and get out of the house. He was supposed to pick me up to go to the bus stop five minutes ago. I roll my eyes, as I walk up to the bus stop. Why is everyone ditching me today? I feel a little sad, as I walk down the pavement to get to the bus stop. Lil Peep blasts my ears, making me feel even sadder than I already am. I'm going to be late to the tattoo appointment, if I don't get this bus but I arrive at the bus stop right in time, arriving just as the bus turns the corner to enter our road. My eyes scan over the people waiting with me. It's not a lot but an elderly woman with crutches smiles up at me, so I smile back slightly. We get into the bus soon. I see someone stand up for the elderly woman to sit down. I have to stand and the guy that just stood up stands right in front of me, looking down at me with vivid blue eyes that I know from so many occasions. My stomach bubbles with excitement, as we have to stand really close and my face almost touches Niall's chest. He has his hand above mine on the metal bar. I take out my earphones and see him do the same.

"What are you doing in a bus? Don't you have a car?", I ask, smiling a little.

I look up at him, having to bend my neck back a little. He on the other hand looks down at me. I'm really short and he's really tall.

"I'm on my way to my job. The city never has parking places, so I like to take the bus", he explains, "What are you doing in the bus? I thought you and Wesley had something planned for this afternoon."

"Well, he didn't show up and he wanted to come with me to my tattoo appointment, so I just left. Otherwise, I'd be late to that appointment now", I tell him.

"Nice, so, who's your tattoo artist? I work at a tattoo shop sometimes after school."

"Dan Howell, he's amazing."

"I work for Dan. What a coincidence", Niall laughs, "What are you getting done? I mean, you just got your roses on your arm done a few weeks ago. Aren't you stilled with tattoos for now? I mean, you have the roses, the firefly and then you have that weird stick figure cat on your ankle."

"Hey, it's not weird", I chuckle.

"It kinda is."

"Well, I'm getting some lyrics tattooed. "Figure my heart out" is what I'm getting tattoed right on my left collarbone. And no, my stick figure cat is not weird", I grumble a bit, as the bus comes to a stop and he has to step even closer to me to let out some people.

I hold me breath, feeling like I'm going to faint, if he even touches me. I try not to look at him, so I look at our hands, seeing they are almost touching while holding onto the bar. Niall steps away from me soon enough, looking around the bus. There's still no seat left. I lean my shoulder against the window next to us and breathe deep a couple of times.

"Do you want to come over tomorrow? We still need to try out those songs we want to play at Homecoming", Niall smiles.

"I'll think about it. I was actually planning on rereading my favorite book. I mean, I could maybe book that appointment on a different night and get to you somehow", I speak.

"Great, so I won't be in school tomorrow because my sister is sick and my Mom needs to go to work and my Dad's on a business trip on Bora Bora. Let's just say you come over after school."

I agree. Our bus stop comes soon, so we both get out as soon as the doors of the bus open and we are released into the fresh smell of city. I hate being in the city itself. It's just so dirty and too much action going on. Niall and I walk all the way to Dan's tattoo shop together, seeing Dan in the far left corner working on someone. A young tattooed girl is currently sitting at the frong desk, throwing death glares at me. The bell above the door rings, as Niall pushes open the door. Niall leaves me, walking over to the desk, hugging the girl quickly before taking the seat she cleared him. Her eyes still throw daggers at me.