everything I didn't say

six

My head lifts off the car window I'm resting it on and slams back down to it. We must have just ran over a bump in the road. I'm awake now. 

I look over to Niall. He has one hand, his left one, on the steering wheel, and his other is rested on the top of my leg. He's humming along to the song on the radio. I smile, he looks and seems so cute, so peaceful.

"Hey, you're up." He beams at me. "How was the nap?" 

I stretch my arms out. "Good, I guess. How much longer?" 

"We're almost there, I promise."

I grab and look at my phone. "Holy shit, I have a ton of texts." I laugh. 

"Yeah, it kept buzzing. It was annoying as fuck but I didn't want to wake you up because of it." I scroll through my messages, most are from Julie, and my mom. I check Julie's messages first.

The apartment is locked and empty, where are you?

Your car is in the parking lot, but you're not here?

Answer me, you're scaring me.

I frown at her worry and text her back instantly.

Calm down, I'm fine. Niall and I are in Santa Barbara.

 I tell her.

Why are you in Santa Barbara?

She replies very quickly.

Meeting some of his friends, I guess. I'll be back later, I promise.

"She worries about you too much." Niall says, he's looking over my phone from his seat. I laugh and open my mouth to say something, but don't.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask as we pass a 'welcome to Santa Barbara' sign outside.

"Sure."

"Why did you move all the way to Santa Barbara from Ireland?"

"Nothing triggered the move, if that's what you mean. I wanted a fresh start, and my brother offered America. He's wanted to live here for quite awhile, and he finally decided him and his wife were going to come here, along with their son. I joined them and here we are." 

"How many guys have you been with?" He changes the subject unexpectedly.

"Been with, how?" I ask. I hold in my breath, I know I'll try to lie but he'll see it, and probably call me out on it. Who knows.

"Interpret it however you'd like." He smiles. Oh. "Well, I've only had a few boyfriends, but in the way I assume you're thinking, only one." He lightly chuckles. 

"And yourself?" I try to relieve myself of the pressure. "I've had my fair share of girls."

The thought almost makes me uneasy. I wonder what he means. I shrug. I look out the window for a brief moment. "Don't like that, huh?" He chuckles. 

"It doesn't make a good first impression," I tell him. Something tells me he could care less. Guys don't think about those things the way girls do. 

"We've already met, you already had your first impression of me."

"Barely." I smile.

I check my phone one last time, and for the first time, I realize the date. September fifth. "Holy shit," I say.

Niall looks a bit alerted. "What?"

"It's already September, I didn't know that." I could've swore it was still August. Niall shrugs. "September is my favorite month of the year." He states.