Its 1953... n.h.

Chapter 10

Sunday evening I ask Zayn to pick me up early and I can walk myself home after work. I plan to go in about an hour before opening, taking on some extra hours, and staying absolutely all day. Not that I need the extra cash, who couldn't use some extra coinage, but I'm avoiding Niall.

I'm avoiding the inevitable.

I'm trying to avoid being told from the bull itself that it's over because of the move. I don't want to hear him say it, so the best way, for me anyway, is to avoid him at all costs. Which works, Niall came in Monday around 3pm and is leaving Saturday at 7pm to start filming on Sunday afternoon for the show.

It's Thursday when Zayn comes in and walks straight over to me.

"Beth, hey, Niall is looking for you."

"I'm not surprised, but I don't want to see him."

"Beth, come on, he's leaving. He's leaving us too, his friends since, hell, he's known me since the fist grade."

"Then, by all means you spend time with him for me."

"I can't, he wants to see you."

"Well, I'm busy, okay? I can't just drop work and go see him only for him to tell me its over."

"No, Beth, don't act like this," Zayn shakes his head and grabs my wrist as I try to organize the cash register. "Come on, Liam is in Korea, Harry is working his tail off at college and Louis nearly got killed the other day at the docks down south. He hasn't seen any of us, except for me, and he really needs to see you."

Zayn is incredibly sincere and I almost agree to go see him. "No, no I'm too busy."

He sighs and releases his grip on me, "don't avoid Niall like this, he doesn't deserve it, he loves you."

"I know and I love him, but I don't want to hear him say we're through because he's moving."

"You're acting childish you know," Zayn sits on a nearby chair as I close the cash drawer and place my hands firmly on the counter.

"I realize that, believe me, but please Zayn. Please tell him I'm too busy to see him," I plead. He looks at me like I'm crazy, which I know I am. He looks at the ground and chuckles.

"You're the first dame he's ever acted this way to," he stands up and shoves his hands in his pockets, "At least talk to him on the telephone before he leaves."

Zayn exits the salon and as I watch him climb into his car I feel a blanket of emotion envelope me. I want to cry, to scream at the top of my lungs and run to Niall, to tell him I'm sorry. But at the same time I feel triumphant, like I'm doing the right thing by avoiding him the way I am. Which is crazy, because everyone knows that ignoring him isn't going to solve a damn thing.

>>>

The next day is one I definitely did not want to get out of bed for. I knew it was Niall's last day. His last day, last chance to see his friends, to see and eat at the restaurants that are only here, to see family that cares.

I knew today was also my last chance. My last chance to see him, to hug him and kiss him. My absolute last God given chance to tell him I'm sorry for how I was acting, it was his time, not mine, my time passed when I got my license, now is his time.

But I was not going to take my last chance.

Not today, not ever.

I cut a head of hair slowly, each cut reminding me how much closer I was to seeing the end of the day. I took a painstakingly long time cutting one chunk of hair, so long that the customer asked me to "hurry it along, I'd like to see my children by four."

By the time I finished, Janice threw another customer at me, this one looked mad as it was so I knew i couldn't take my time with her. She gave me a description of the cut she wanted, quite rudely to be honest, then I began. I heard more and more people enter the salon, one entrance caused a gasp from Janice.

"Uh, Beth, you're needed!" she called cheerfully. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"I'm kind of busy."

"Believe me Beth, take this. I've got her," Janice practically pushes me out of the way. I furrow my eyebrows and turn to the counter, expecting nothing exciting.

"Oh."

"That's all I get?" Niall asks with a wide grin.

"I wasn't expecting to see you."

"I was thinking you were avoiding me." I walk to where Niall is standing, he is practically beaming.

"I was," I tell the truth and his happiness fades slightly.

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I turn around and throw my hand up.

"But, Bebe, you know I'm leaving today don't you?" Niall follows me behind the counter and I walk faster to the back room still trying to avoid him.

"Of course I did, that's why I was here."

"Why dont you want to see me?"

"Because," I answer and finally face him once I reach the tiny, four by four break room.

"You think I'm never going to come back for you?" Niall asks with his hands in his back pockets.

"Obviously, I mean, you're moving to New York and I /have/ to stay here. You've got your whole like ahead of you."

"So do you, Bebe."

"Oh, just break up with me already. We both know that's what you came here for."

"Bebe," Niall says with a laugh.

"Just do it, please, I can't stand this."

"I didn't come here to break up with you," he takes a step to me and holds his hands only elbows, "it's actually quite the opposite."

I raise my eyebrow, "what are you talking about?"

Niall's smile widens as he reaches into his jacket pocket to reveal a tiny box. "It's what I could afford, it's not much," he opens it to reveal a tiny, very simple ring.

"Are you..."

"Asking you to marry me? Yes, I just can't get down on one knee in this supply closet of a break room," Niall chuckles and my hands fly up to my mouth in shock.

"Me? You want to marry me?"

Niall nods vigorously, "come on, move to New York with me, we'll get married there and live in the apartment, send money to Tom every month and..." I stop him there by throwing my arms around his neck. I kiss him passionately, tears streaming and I'm shaking vigorously.

"So yes?" Niall asks pulling away after a few minutes of intense kisses.

"Yes," I nod and hold the sides of his face, "yes, yes, yes."