FOREVER [Niall Horan] ✔

Chapter 21.

"You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip." -Jonathan Carroll

Ana's POV

Niall pushes the club door open and leads us in. We push ourselves through the mass of bodies and I have to cover my ears because of the loud music I'm not too familiar with. The place reeks of alcohol and sweat and I internally scrunch up my nose. This is all too foreign to me. I do drink, but not much, only occasionally. Niall has his hand on my lower back and guides me towards the table, with Andy right behind us.

I am so happy to have Andy with me right now. I missed him so much. When he arrived at my house, I apologized to him multiple times, telling him how sorry I was to keep all this from him. He quickly told me that he has already forgiven me and that's why he was here. I told him about my job and he said that he was very proud of me. I also told him about Niall and I's relationship. At first, he looked skeptical and a bit worried, but I assured him that he's nothing like Tyler and that he's really very hot. I told him how thoughtful and helpful Niall was when I was going through the trauma of my miscarriage and how he is too generous to admit it. Andy seemed to like him when I continue to tell him bits and parts of our time together.

The table Niall guided us to looks private and it doesn't reek of sweat since it is the furthermost table, the music isn't too loud. It is occupied by three of his friends, of which I recognized the brunette with a lot of tattoos um- Louis, I guess, whom I met at the coffee shop a few weeks ago. They all look up from their drinks when we reach the table. I instantly feel a little conscious as their eyes stay on me. Louis' mouth parts a bit and he gapes at me as if he has seen a zombie.

"Stop staring!" Niall almost barks over the not-so-loud-music and wraps his arms around me. They shift their gaze towards him, except Louis. The other two laugh embarrassingly while the Louis guy keeps staring at me. I momentarily shift my gaze somewhere else to avoid his intense glare.

I feel Niall's hand draw small circles on my back and a small smile appears on my face at this gesture. He clears his throat and I look at him. "Ana, This is Liam," He points towards a guy with his hair coiffed back. His eyes are a shade of dark brown or it is what I see because of the light at the club. I wave shyly at him and he waves back with a smile. "Sean, Mullz as we all call him." He points to the guy that is sitting with Louis. He has the same brown hair like Liam's and has a square face and blue eyes. "Louis, my best friends." I wave at him, but he just glares me and does not acknowledge my greetings. Niall doesn't seem to notice his gesture, or lack of. I feel a little intimidated by him. Maybe he's just like this, a bit grumpy, but who am I to judge.

"This is Ana." Niall smiles fondly and looks down at me. "My girlfriend."

"We knew!" Liam smirks at me and heat reaches up to my cheeks. He does a weird fist pump in the air and laughs at us.

"Oh, my God!" Sean exclaims and laughs. "You look soft, Niall. All mushy-mushy." He teases. Heat rises my neck and I snuggle my face against Niall's chest. He wraps his arms around me and rubs my back. His chest heaves slightly as he chuckles at my shyness. I hear a chorus of 'Aws' which embarrasses me even further.

"Hi!" I hear Andy's voice from behind. "Since Niall's so whipped, I don't think he's gonna introduce me." He dramatically and audibly sighs. "I'm Andy, Ana's childhood best friend." They all greet him and I know that he spoke in the middle just to stir the attention off of me.

Louis and Sean are sitting on one side of the table with a seat vacant beside Sean and Liam are sitting on the other side. Andy takes a seat beside Liam, purposely, so that me and Niall are obliged to sit on either side. He just wants Niall to get pissed, I know, and he succeeds when I hear a low groan fall from Niall's lips.

I take a seat beside Andy and Niall takes one beside Sean. We order our drinks and chat for a while. My gaze shifts to Louis to see that he's already staring at me with the same hard glare and I sink slightly in my chair after moving my gaze from his. I don't know why is he looking at me like I killed someone. I didn't even speak to him, let alone offend him. I just shake my head at myself and turn towards Andy.

Andy and I catch up on the things at my house in Wolverhampton and his college and how's everything going on. I love the small time we have to ourselves. It feels so good to have a chat like the old times, as we wait for our drinks to arrive. Andy wraps his arms around my shoulder and gives me a pointed look, and whispers that Niall's staring me. He, purposely, leans to kiss my cheeks and I laugh and slap his arm to stop him when I feel Niall's eyes on me.

He stares at me with an unreadable emotion and I shake my head at him, telling him, that it's nothing, and cup my hand over his, on the table. He gives me his alluring smile and I smile back at him, blowing a kiss.

"Let's go dance?" Andy asks after I have finished my fourth drink and before I can answer him, he stands up and takes my other hand. I stand up realising that I wouldn't mind dancing.

"We'll be back in a few minutes, Niall," I inform him. I feel a little tipsy, but I think I can handle that. We walk towards the dance floor and I start swaying to the music, that I've never heard before, Andy following my moves.

"You've got a really hot boyfriend!" Andy shouts over the music. "And all whipped."

"Spare him. Do not look at him like that!" I warn him and chuckle.

"I wouldn't dare." He laughs, then amends. "I wouldn't dare when he's with you, at least. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee."

"You will not! And he's not whipped." I argue.

"Sure." Andy rolls his eyes. "He might be planning to kill me in his mind right now because I'm dancing with his girlfriend." He mocks. The music shifts to a sober one and Andy places his hand on my waist and I place mine on his shoulders.

"May I cut in?" I hear Niall's voice not even seconds later. Andy gives me a suggestive look and mouth 'Whipped' at me and I just shake my head.

Andy shortly leaves us and Niall pulls me by my waist and wraps his arms around me. "I think your best friend likes you, like really." He says with a frown and I chuckle at his stupid thought. His frown deepens and he looks at me with confusion. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're suggesting nonsense." I laugh. "And I think he likes you more than he does me," I say, move closer to him before wrapping my arms around his neck.

"What?" He looks at me bewildered.

"He's gay and he thinks that you're hot." I shake my head.

"He's gay?" He asks with pure amusement in his eyes.

"Yes." I laugh at the shocked look on his face.

"Oh!" He slaps his hand against his forehead and laughs embarrassingly.

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