The Irish Lad: A One Direction Fan Fiction

Chapter 24

Niall's POV

I smiled as the computer rang. I had a skype call from Katie. I accepted it and I was so happy to see her on the screen. She was smiling, sitting at a desk in her dorm. 

We had not been Skyping that first week and a half she was at uni. God knows why. We had been messaging each other, but otherwise, no face to face conversation. 

"OhmygodIloveyou." She said quickly, and then laughed. "Sorry, it's just not seeing your face in a week and a half, this is so amazing." I laughed.

"I love you, too. So, tell me. What has the first week and a half of uni been like?"

"Do you mind if I begin to, like overtalk about this?" She asked, and I just stared at her.

"You always overtalk, sweetheart." She smiled sheepishly, and then took a deep breath.

"Well, it's been positively amazing! I love my classes, well, I mean they're very hard, but I'm dealing, because it's not that bad. I've been to some really good pubs down here, and a few parties. I visited Colin, and his girlfriend, who happens to be Aileen's older sister, which is so cool, and they've been dating for almost a year and a half, and they are so cute together. You can be my date for the wedding that is not planned yet. Oh my gosh, I love living 24/7 with Aileen, and everyone on our floor is awesome. I have met a ton of girls, as well as guys, but don't worry, none of them are as cute as you. There are a lot of people who recognize me, and sometimes it's annoying, and sometimes,  it feels like some think that  who I am gives them the right to hate me for absolutely no reason--"

"Wait, what? They're being mean?" I interrupted.

"Well, yes, but they're just stupid mean girls. I don't think anything of them. I've had to deal with people like them all my life."

"Yes, but they hate you instantly because of me." I propped my elbows on the table and put my face in my hands.

"NIall, wake up" I heard her clap her hands."No, stop. Let me tell you what happened." I looked up at the screen and waited for her to explain.

"Look, we were all hanging out in the dorm lounge, and there was a group of maybe three or four girls. One girl said something about me being too tough or something, because I had joined in a boy's pickup football game the previous day, and she was mentioning that I was ugly, like really stupid stuff, my calves, my hair--"

"When does this get better?"

"Listen, Niall, it's nothing I haven't heard before. nothing I haven't dealt with before. Nothing I haven't given myself good reason to not believe. So, I heard everything she said, loud and clear. So, guess what I said?"

"What?" I was nervous as to what she would have said.

"I walked right up to her, held out my hand, ready for a handshake, and said: 'Hi, my name is Cathleen Elizabeth O'Neill. My boyfriend is Niall Horan, maybe you've heard of him, he's from One Direction. I'm a little tough because I grew up with two older brothers who were close in age and had me play football with them, my calves are deformed from dance, football and running. My hair, well, it's not perfect, but I love it. I feel beautiful, so it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, and my temper is shorter than I am, so if you've got a problem with me, I suggest you tell me to my face.' "

"Katie, you didn't."

"Oh I did. She wouldn't shake my hand, so I patted her shoulder and walked away."

"Oh, god, I love ya." I laughed, and she echoed the laugh. "So you believe me when I tell you you're beautiful now?" I asked.

She looked at me straight in the eyes and said, "No."