Totally Not Me ( 1D/ N.H. / Niall Horan)

Chapter 9

Niall's POV

What in the hell could they possibly want from me? They never acknowledge my existence. I watch as they talk to each other, look at me, and get closer and closer. My heart is up into my throat...

"Hey, Niall!" Louis yells as he approaches with Deo.

I exhale the breath I wasn't aware I was holding. Louis and Deo reach me before Brent and Ryan do. Thank God!

Louis looks in the direction of our obscure visitors approaching. A confused and disgusted look washes over his face.

"What do the Tosser Twins want?" Louis asks out loud almost within ear shot of Brent and Ryan. I try to contain my laughter and swallow my smile. His nicknames for people are quite humorous.

As they approach, Brent only looks directly at me without acknowledging my friends. Ryan, on the other hand, looks Louis and Deo up and down.

"Can we have a word with you for a minute, Niall? Brent asks.

"Sure." I shrug. What in the hell could these guys want?

I follow them a few feet away from my friends. Louis isn't taking his eyes off the guys. I know that those guys have my back if I need them. Deo would wait for me to say something but Louis, on the other hand, would pounce the minute he could smell a fight brewing.

Brent starts the conversation, "Niall, we just wanted to make sure you knew that Cailin is not available."

"Available for what?" He appears to be talking in code and I'm not breaking it.

"Homecoming...well...just...in general." Ryan wedges his way into the conversation.

"Wait! What?!" Are they insinuating what I think they are? Cailin and I?! I continue, "She's a lovely girl and all but we are just friends. That's it."

"Friends?!" Ryan scoffs, "She is WAY out of your league even as 'friends'!"

What an asshole!...No!...a fucking asshole!

"Look, Niall, we just don't want you to waste your time on Cailin because it will never happen." Brent tries to explain in what I'm taking is the nicest way possible for him.

"You've got nothing to worry about, lads." I say with a fake smile hoping to get this bullshit over with as quickly as possible.

"I'm glad we understand each other." Brent responds.

I turn on my heels and walk back towards Louis and Deo as Ryan and Brent walk in the opposite direction.

"What was that all about?" Deo inquires.

"I guess they thought I had a thing for Cailin." I shrug.

"Barbie?!...You and Barbie?!...A thing?!" Louis doubles over laughing hysterically.

I don't see it as being that funny. I guess there's a glimmer of hope that the Cailin I got a glimpse of this past weekend is in there somewhere. I'm starting to think she wasn't lying. Why would those guys be so concerned about me talking to her?

I force myself to laugh a bit with Louis so he doesn't start drilling me about the thoughts that are swimming around in my head.

"Let's change out and get some practice in." Deo gets us back on track.

We were going to do some football drills. Out here they call it soccer. That is such a hard habit to break. I'd like to make it on the high school team here to keep in shape to continue playing when I get back home.

We head to the locker room and change into workout clothes. I keep hearing whistles being blown from the gym. As Deo and Louis talk to Sandy, who will be joining us, I peek my head around the corner to see what all the noise is about.

Oh yeah! Volleyball tryouts! I scan the floor for Cailin. I'm curious to see what how good she is. I catch Lou first. That girl has got some speed! I'd be shocked if she doesn't make the team.

I lean my head in a little further to find Cailin deeper into the gym. She keeps getting tossed a ball, hollered at on where to get it to, and another girl slams it over the net. They toss another ball at her and she gets it to another girl who slams it over the net, as well.

"It looks like Barbie has some skills. Who knew?" Louis says what I'm thinking in his own special way.

I look over my shoulder to see all three of my friends peeking into the gym with me.

"Gentlemen! You need to be somewhere else. The gym is closed due to tryouts." A booming voice echoes through the gym.

I freeze as all eyes look over into our direction. Lou smiles and mouths "Hi". I look towards Cailin and she smiles at me. I wink at her and her smile widens. I turn and leave the gym following my friends.

Cailin's POV

I hear the coach yelling at some boys in the gym. I look up to see who it could possibly be.

Niall?! What is he doing here? He's with a handful of his friends. Our eyes meet and I smile at him. He returns my smile and winks. I can't help but smile wider. He's such a bundle of positive energy. I wish I could be more like that.

I am snapped back by the sound of a whistle and instructions to another drill.

After tryouts are done, Lou and I make our way to the parking lot where Brent, out of the kindness of his heart, is picking me up.

"I'll call you later!" Lou says as we go our separate ways.

"Ok!" I yell as she climbs into her mom's car and waves at me.

I look up at Brent's car waiting for me and...Wait!...Are you fucking kidding me?!...Seriously?!

A/N- I am so surprised how many of you are reading this story! Wow! Please share, comment, and/or vote! Thank you so much for reading! :)