Forever and Always

Egg Casseroles and Secret Gardens

We went to a small, cozy breakfast pub a few minutes away called Splattered Eggs. The whole ride there, sitting in Niall's car, I couldn't push down the nerves floating around me like nausea. 

"So what's it like," I asked, trying to stir up a conversation. "Being like a worldwide star?"

He breathed heavily and smiled at me, like an elephant was lifted off of his chest. "Well, it can be overwhelming at times, but it's great, too."

I nodded. "That's understandable. Must be both loads of pressure and a brilliant time as well."

Niall nodded. "How about you? What are your interests?" He looked at me for a minute.

"Well," I said, "I'd say I'm fairly good at tennis, and I love photography. And music. Listening to it, of course, because I can't sing for my life. Aparently an amazing voice isn't a genetic trait."

Niall laughed, making me laugh back. Even if he laughed at the most stupid thing- which I considered what I had just said- I would've laughed to. It was so infectious.

We got to the restaurant and got a small table for two. I ordered the Belgain Waffles with strawberries- my favorite- and he got an tasty looking egg cassorole.

We talked and ate for a while, just talking about growing up and where we lived and such, but he knew most about me and my childhood from Harry. When we finished, he looked at me and said, "Do you want to go somewhere else? I want to show you something."

"Okay," I said, smiling. He reached out and took my hand, and I shivered, but in a good way. His hand was warm and strong.

We walked to a myserious place, leaving his car behind for now. I had no idea where we were going. We walked for a while, still holding hands and looking at each other once in a while. I never wanted to let go of his hand.

"It's right behind this house," He said as we cut behind someone's yard. My eyes widened. Standing in front of me was a beautiful garden. There were giant, green bushes that acted like walls around us, beautiful flowers of every shade of color you could think of, and a beautiful, white fountain in the middle that spurted clear, blue water. 

"What is this place?" I asked as we sat down on the fountain edge.

"It's a garden," Niall said, and I smiled.

"Well I can see that, but I mean, is it yours?"

"No..." Niall smiled. "But we found it and I thought it was pretty cool."

"So it's not yours," I said, raising my eyebrow. This seemed like trespassing. 

"No, but I don't think the people living here care. They have a tennis court and a swimming pool, so I think they're good. They won't notice people in this huge yard."

I smiled and looked around. Bright, yellow, red, and blue finches chirped around us, dipping their heads in birdbaths that were located at every corner. There was a small pond that I just noticed, with rocks surrounding it, with bright goldfish swimming around in it. Pastel painted flowers bloomed all around us.

"This is really cool," I told Niall as we sat down together- our hands were still clasped together, which I noticed- on a stone bench. "It's so beautiful."

"You're beautiful." He muttered.

I turned my head around to look at him, feeling a bit faint. "What?" My face was burning.

Niall smiled, looking a bit embarrased himself. "I said that you are beautiful. You are, you know, and people should tell you more often."

Okay, I agreed- I was the luckiest girl in the world. No one had ever said that to me, at least not in the way he did. And I felt like I was on top of the world.