The Boy Next Door- A Niall Horan Fanfic

Reunion

I scurried around the room, picking up left over coffee mugs and cups, tripping and slipping over the beige tiled floor. The lounge of the coffee shop was warm and inviting, couches and pillows filling up every empty space. Coffee tables were no exception, and windows from ceiling to floor facing the street.

Suddenly I felt my gripping on my shoes to the slick floor go from bad to worse. My left foot wobbled as my right foot slipped, and me and the entire bucket of china hit the ground. But not, of course, before spilling an almost full cup of coffee someone didn't drink on the guy in front of me.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" He asks, hand stretched out. His voice sounds oddly familiar, almost too familiar.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz." I apologize while he pulls me up. I look down at all of the chipped tea cups. I guess there goes my bonus for the next month.

"That was quite the fall." He agrees. "You sure you okay?"

"Um, I think." I answer honestly, looking up at him. The blonde-dyed hair. Those sparkling blue eyes. It all fit together at one. Niall Horan.

"Oh, hey. You're Mel right?" He asks, smiling slightly. My stomach knots and I clench my fists. Did he honestly not remember me? His nickname for me? The one who always popped his knee back into it's socket when he dislocated it during football? 

"Yeah." I mumbled, getting on my knees to clean the mess. More memories flooded back. Helping me ride a bike without training wheels. Water gun fights in our front yard. Those long night talks through the window about how stupid the math test was.

"Here, let me help you." He offers, crouching down and picking up a cup. He could be serious. After two full years of not talking, he is not going to act like things are all good between us. He will not pretend to not know who I am, with eight years of being best friends.

"I've got it, thank you." I spat, picking up the rest and snootily grabbing the bucket. I turned on my heel with my nose pointed upward and walked towards the kitchen.

"Wait! I have to ask you something!" He called. I stopped and put on my best poker face.

"What?" I fume. My heart beat a million millions per minute. Whether out of love or hatred, I didn't know.

"Maybe I could talk to you sometime? I could, grab your number or something?" He grinned. I had no clue how to answer. My heart screamed for yes, that everything would be okay. We could be friends again, maybe something more. It would return to normal. My brain refused, not wanting my heart to ache again. Until a few words popped into my mind. 'You need some fun! Be dangerous!'

"Yeah, okay." I express with a monotone. He smiles faintly.

"I kind of need your number to talk to you." He giggles. In my mind I had so many snarky remarks piled up. Remarks that would remind him and me of our past. 'Same as always, Nialler.'

"Oh, yeah." I sigh, while writing the digits on his arm. 

"Cool. So I'll call you tonight?" He asks. I smile and he turns to walk away.

"I miss you." I call without thinking, and a little too loud.

"Excuse me?" He turns around, raising his eyebrows in confusion. Rage shoots out of me.

Before I can stop myself, I spit fire."Just forget it, Nialler. Or should I say Niall? Forget this, forget everything!" I yell. The whole coffeehouse looks at me. Only, I didn't care at the moment. I'm on a roll!

"Mel, what are you talking about?" He raises an eybrow. I couldn't believe him!

"Like you don't know. All you've done for the last two years is push me away. You've had your turn ignoring me, Horan. This time, I'm ignoring you!" I shivered, tears welling up in my eyes.