Picture Imperfect (Niall Horan)

15 - Cassie

15 – Cassie

“Sounds good to me,” Niall says, a wonderful smile on his lips. I’m really glad I found him here. To be honest, I had no idea he would be here. I just knew he was upset, and this place just attracts those who are lonely, I guess. Niall is my friend—I care about him—and it’s my job to talk to him and make him feel better. That’s what friends do.

It’s silent between us and the wind makes my hair flutter over my shoulder. I can see Niall look at me so I turn to him and meet his blue eyes. “Why do you like singing so much?” I ask. I know it’s about following your dreams and all, but I never liked to sing.

Niall sighs. “When I was younger I knew I wanted to do something with my life, besides working in an office. I had dreams to be an artist, and now that I have the opportunity to live that dream, I realize it’s so much more than I expected.”

“In a bad way?” I furrow a brow.

He shakes his head. “No, not always. Sometimes though.”

“I don’t think I could ever do what you do,” I admit to him, chuckling a little bit.

“And why’s that?” he asks, smiling. “Doesn’t everyone want to be famous and travel the world?”

I shake my head. “Nope, not me. I don’t want to be famous.”

“Why not?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I like my privacy. I don’t want strangers knowing everything that’s going on in my life.”

“Yeah, I think that’s the biggest con in all of this.”

“What is?”

“Having everyone know everything about you,” he answers, looking at me. “We need privacy too. But I love and appreciate everyone who supports us, so there isn’t much I can do.”

“Is it worth it? All of this?” I wonder, motioning around us.

Niall thinks about it before he replies, “Yeah. Absolutely it is. Some days are better than others, though. But when you’re up there, on stage, with all the fans, it makes it all worth it.”

I smile when I see him smiling to himself, seemingly lost in thought. “I want to make a difference, like you.”

He frowns. “A difference? How?”

“I want to remembered, but not by a million people that don’t truly know me. I would want to be remembered by ten people that know the real me, that know who I was as a person,” I say and ignore the way he is looking at me. I get goose bumps and I clear my throat, which makes him flush and look down. “I volunteer whenever I don’t have school or whenever I am free. But it’s just not enough. I want to go places and do much bigger and better things with my life. I don’t think volunteering at the hospital is enough for me. But I love it, I love helping people recover from accidents or whatever, but there is so much more to be done, things much bigger than me.”

I take a deep breath and finally look over at Niall. His blue eyes are shining and there is look on his face that makes me unable to look away. “You…Cassie Barnett, are one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.”

I laugh and blush, looking down. “I don’t know about that,” I whisper. A shiver rakes through my body, the breeze picking up.

“Cold?” he asks and I nod. “Here.” Niall scoots closer and wraps an arm around my shoulder. Immediately I am warmer with him touching me.

“Thanks,” I mutter.

“Can I tell you something?” he asks. “Something I haven’t told anyone else before?”