Another World [ON HOLD] (in editing)

One Direction in Love

“Annie you need to see this- Oh my god! Oh my god! S-sorry!” Both of us gasped as our heads snapped up to see Claire standing at the top of the stairs clutching a magazine in one hand while the other was clasped over her eyes, but her jaw hung open. She began stuttering. “S-sorry, I just, oh god, I’m sorry. I was just...”

I felt my cheeks burning as I slid out from under Niall. I jumped off the couch and scurried to where our clothes lay strewn across the floor. I pulled my shirt on before throwing Niall’s at him. He sat up and quickly put his back on. His cheeks were flushed and his hair was a mess, obviously very flustered. His voice was raspy and shaky when he spoke. “I uh,” he cleared his throat. “Should I go?”

“Um, y-yeah maybe,” I said with the same hoarse sound.

“No!” interrupted Claire. “Niall needs to stay. Annie, you guys um, you should see this. Can I look now?”

I quietly laughed out of embarrassment. “Yeah.”

She hesitantly peeked through her fingers to check if we were both fully clothed. “Ok, um, so I went to the grocery store today, and that was really awkward,” she muttered, “and I saw this magazine so I just decided to get it.” She held up the magazine which was covered in photos of celebrities, including five particular boys in the bottom right corner.

“Just get on with the story,” I groaned. She ran to the couch and seated herself right in between me and Niall. He shifted awkwardly, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

Claire glanced at him. “You, um...” She pointed at his hair. His hand shot up to his head and he quickly smoothed his blonde locks back down.

Claire turned back to the magazine and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. “Here it is. You guys need to see this.” She held out the magazine. What I saw on the two-page spread was a complete and utter shock. I read the title in my head and scanned the page, absorbing every bit of information I could. At the top in big bold letters were four words every other girl would dread to read.

“ONE DIRECTION IN LOVE”

That wasn’t the shocking part, no. What was shocking were the pictures right below it. There was a picture of Harry in a black car with his arm around a dark-haired girl; that girl was me. The caption read “One Direction heartthrob Harry Styles seems to be getting cozy with a mysterious California girl who has been identified as Annie Brooks.”

The second picture was obviously of Niall, but the person he was with was harder to tell. It was a girl, almost the same height as him. They were pressed together and appeared to be kissing. All around them were twinkling lights strung throughout the trees. I immediately recognized the setting as my cousin’s wedding. The caption below the photo said “Irish member Niall Horan was seen the same night kissing a girl who appears very similar to Brooks. Could she be another girl, or is there something he’s not telling Styles? Read below for more”

My eyes immediately darted to the rest of the page. It was filled with “details” about the budding romances between me and Harry, and Niall and his mystery girl. Who also happened to be me. The last paragraph mentioned the relationships of the three other boys, finishing with a statement that would send girls everywhere into a frenzy. “Being the only two single boys of the group, it was certain that one, if not both of them would get swept up by a girl sooner or later. Apparently, that time was sooner for both of them. It seems that for now, Harry Styles and Niall Horan are officially off the 1D menu.”

I glanced at Niall, who stared at the page with raised eyebrows. A quick sigh escaped his lips. “Well... There’s nothing I’m not telling ‘Styles,’” he laughed, “but is there something you and Harry aren’t telling me?”

I looked down at my hands. “Actually Niall, there is.” This was it. The whole reason I needed him to come over to talk. Although talking quickly turned into something completely different, but that wasn’t the point. “That picture of me and Harry was when that guy was pounding on the car window, remember?” He nodded suspiciously.

“Well, that’s not what I needed to talk to you about.” I inhaled a shaky breath and prayed he wouldn’t leave me after I told him about... the kiss.

“H-Harry, Harry and I... we, um... he... at the beach, um...”

Niall’s eyes bore into mine and I felt a wave of anxiety flow through my body. I gulped and told myself to be strong. If I wanted this relationship to work, I had to be honest. Here we go, I thought.

“Niall, Harry and I kissed.”

His mouth dropped slightly open like he was about to talk, but he closed it before he said anything. He shook his head and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. He held his face in his hands, then looked at his feet and ran his fingers through his hair. He sat back up and stared at me. I wondered what he could be thinking. Oh know, I thought. I finally got my Niall back and now he hates me again.

“Say something,” I pleaded. He looked at me through narrowed eyes, full of hurt and betrayal. “Please don’t look at me like that, baby. I’m sorry, it was nothing. I didn’t want to, he just did it. Don’t be mad at me and don’t hate him okay? He’s your friend and he wouldn’t ever want to hurt you, it was just in the moment. Don’t leave me.” My urgent voice had dwindled to a whisper.

Claire still sat awkwardly in between us, not wanting to get up and leave and make things more awkward than they already were. She chewed nervously on her bottom lip, a tense silence thickening the air. She quickly glanced at me and then Niall with her nervous hazel eyes while her auburn ponytail swung from side to side. Finally with one deliberate motion she shot off the couch and sprinted back downstairs. Before I even realized it, I was alone with Niall. The atmosphere was much different than last time we were alone together, which was only mere minutes ago.

Finally, he spoke.

“Annie... It’s ok.”

My body went numb as I processed the words I was sure did not just come out of his mouth.

“Thank you for being honest with me.”

“But I, we-”

“Babe, you told me the truth instead of trying to hide it from me. I appreciate that.”

All I could do was nod. I couldn’t believe that after telling my boyfriend that his best friend and I kissed, he still wanted me. Soon I felt his strong arms wrap around my shoulders enveloping me in a hug. I melted into his embrace when he pulled me closer and closed my eyes. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and I looped my arms around his slim waist. He kissed my neck a few times and moved up to my jawline. I suppressed a moan when he moved back to my neck and started nibbling on my sweet spot, but my mind was not at ease. I opened my eyes and pulled away slightly. “W-wait Niall. Are you sure you’re not mad?”

He looked up at me and smirked

“I forgive you.”

“Really?”

His eyes darkened. “Let’s just say we’re even,” he breathed.

A/N: Soooo, I wasn't super happy with this ending, but things are going to get good very soon!! Comment and vote PLEEEAASE! Thanks for reading.

Ps- sorry for any typos