Affection | N.H

Chapter 21

("Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine." -Snow White)

My sleep is disturbed at the middle of the night by someone coughing beneath me. I open my eyes slowly to find Niall coughing while his eyes are still shut. His arms are loosely wrapped around my body while I lay on top of him.

Letting out a gasp, I roll off Niall. I am too heavy. Why would he want me on top of him?

He squints through his eyes and his lips part. "You okay?" he coughs again and sits up. I look around and find us on Niall's bed. The clock on the bedside table says it is 1am in the morning.

"I think my weight is giving you coughs, I am sorry-" I begin but he cuts me off.

"Whoa, hang on there, I have a cold, it is not you." he laughs rubbing his eyes.

"And you're not heavy." he frowns.

"When did we go to sleep?" I ask him, changing the topic.

"Before 8. We can stay up all night today." he giggles.

"We have college tomorrow and I have to go to work after one whole week. Dan will not excuse me forever, he will fire me!" I panic and pull my knees up to my chest..

"He is a nice kid, don't worry about it. If I tell him, he will keep you." he shrugs.

Wait, I never thought about that. A normal boss will fire his worker if she doesn't attend work for 5 days straight. Dan keeps on excusing me all the time. Does that mean Niall forces him to? I don't want Niall's sympathy like that. It is very unfair for Dan too.

"Niall, you don't have to pity me, you know."

"I didn't say I do. You needed money, and that's what I am helping you with. What is so bad about it?" Niall shifts on the bed to face me.

"I don't want to start a fight now." he shrugs.

I nod and get off the bed.

"And where exactly do you think you're going Tarisha?"

"Umm..it's kinda embarrasing." I bite on my lip and fiddle with my fingers while locking my eyes on the floor.

"Is-Is everything alright?" he asks, his voice full of concern. Before I know it, Niall is on his feet and making his way towards me, around the bed.

"Um.." My silence seems to push him even more. He takes my hands in his and starts stroking them gently.

"You can tell me you know." he lets out a giggle.

Why does he always close the space between us? It makes me feel strangely comfortable. It makes the hair on my skin stand straight and it makes my stomach churn. Only he has ever done these things to me.

His thumb finds its way to my cheek and his eyes rest on mine.

"I am on my..you know." I feel my cheeks burn. Niall still seems to confused by my explanation so he raises his eyebrows and encourages me to repeat my sentence.

"It is..it is..it is like that time of the month." I cover my face with both of my hands as soon as I finish speaking. This is so humiliating. I have never talked about menstruation to my dad, let alone a guy. Oh wait, I never had my dad beside me..

Lets just not go there.

Niall lets out his beautiful laugh and takes my hands away from my face. "Look at your face. You are bright red like a tomato." he laughs harder.

"Ha-ha-ha" I roll my eyes at him.

"I knew you were. I was just teasing you and moreover, I wanted to hear it from you." Niall continues laughing at my 'hilarious' joke.