Knock Me Down (AU Niam Horayne)

I always tended to be hungry at the most inconvenient times. Like right now, for instance. It was the middle of the afternoon, and I was in school. I groaned as I realized I had just over an hour before I would be able to find food, feeling my stomach growl.

After a particularly noisy growl, I heard laughter from the desk beside me. “You hungry, Niall?” my best friend asked.

“You know it, Harry. Do you happen to have any...?” I glanced at him hopefully and he sighed.

“Of course I do. I know you, and you’re always hungry at the most random times. Honestly, I don’t think I would be safe if I didn’t carry food,” he snorted. It was true; I became quite the obnoxious idiot when I went unfed for more than a couple hours. It was just my personal bad habit, I guess.

“Thank god.” I gobbled up the sandwich he handed me, rubbing my stomach as it finally stopped rumbling. “You’re the best, Hazza,” I smiled to my right, and he returned the gesture.

The bell rang and I jumped from my seat, stuffing my things in my bag and darting to my locker. Once I was unloaded with only tonight’s homework on me, I sprinted out front to catch the first bus to downtown Wolverhampton. As I plopped myself down in the first available spot, I heard huffing and someone sat beside me. I was about to ask who it was when I caught a glimpse of black hair and a tattoo.

“Hey there, mate!” I greeted another friend of mine, Zayn.

“Where are you off to so fast today? I’ve been trying to get your attention since you left your locker, but you’re really moving it,” he pointed out.

“I’ve got work tonight, and it’s karaoke night!” I exclaimed excitedly. I loved to sing and my friends told me I was good, but I preferred listening to others and learning things that way. I’d thought about asking Harry, Zayn, and my boss (who was more like a good friend) Louis to form a band so we could sing together, but we felt we were lacking a voice.

“Oh, that makes sense. You always love karaoke night,” he chuckled and relaxed as the bus began to move.

It was true; I had a passion for karaoke night. I would pick out the ones I wanted to listen to and talk to most of them after they were finished to get tips. It was actually fun to talk to other people who shared the same love for music as I did, and I’d met a few people I kept in touch with that way who were actually on their way to becoming popular in the industry.

I felt the bus come to a stop, and a quick glance out the window told me I was near Nandos, my favorite restaurant and where I was working. With a wave goodbye to Zayn, I hopped off the bus and made my way in.

There weren’t many people there at the moment, because it wasn’t exactly a time people normally eat meals. I threw my stuff in the staff room in the back and turned to find my boss in the doorway.

“Look who happens to be working, yet again, on karaoke night,” he smirked. “Trying to catch someone’s attention?”

I blushed, how did he know? “N-no, I just like hearing everyone sing…” I tried to cover for myself.

“Yeah, but I’ve noticed you’ve always got your eye on that same lad. What’s his name? Liam?” He chuckled at my expression. “It’s not hard to notice you come to watch him when he’s the only one you ever pay full attention too.”

“Hey, that’s not true! I listened to Cher, and Olly, and Justin, and that girl band that came in a few weeks ago, Little Mix,” I defended.

“That’s different, Niall. You look at Liam in a way I’ve never seen you look at anyone else. It’s like his music has you under a spell and you don’t want the spell to be broken. Seriously, mate, just go talk to him before he leaves tonight,” Louis encouraged me.