Voir Dire (N.H.)

twelve

Kelsey and Niall's friendship had blossomed quickly over the course of a week. The two found themselves texting constantly and Kelsey was surprised at the way they seemed to never quite run out of things to talk about.

Becca had noticed too, commenting on how attached Kelsey seemed to be to her phone of late. Kelsey knew it was just a "honeymoon" phase of their friendship. Soon Niall would be busy with his album promo and Kelsey would need to spend more time focusing on studying for her LSAT. But for the time-being Kelsey was choosing to enjoy the fact that she had someone to talk to that seemingly understood her so well.

"Are you ready?" Kelsey called out to her roommate, who had spent the better portion of an hour trying to figure out what to wear to Niall's party.

Niall had told Kelsey over and over that it was casual. Just a simple hangout with some of his friends, however, she couldn't shake the feeling of pressure that this was a big deal. It was the first time she and her new found friend would be hanging out in person. Well, the first time they would be hanging out in person strictly as friends anyways.

"Does this look okay?" Becca questioned, stepping out of her bathroom in a tight black v-neck bodysuit and high waisted skinny jeans.

"For the millionth time Becca, yes," Kelsey rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Okay Kels, but you can't tell me you aren't freaking out a little too. Like there are going to be celebrities there. Like people whose literal job is to look good day and night, and can't look like I just rolled out of bed."

"Of course I'm freaking out Becca. But they're just people, and honestly if they are anything like Niall, we've got nothing to worry about." Kelsey tried her best to remain optimistic. But a part of her wondered what Niall's friends would think of a bartender and her friend showing up at his party. They'd surely wonder how they got invited to the party in the first place.

But those were Kelsey's insecurities talking, and she had vowed to not let her insecurities get to her any longer. So for tonight, she was going to be someone that deserved to be at Niall's party. And she and Becca were going to have the time of their lives.

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Niall had felt a feeling of nervousness all day. He'd tried to push it off, but even Mully could tell when he arrived at Niall's house that something had gotten his friend nervous. Niall blamed it on the upcoming release of his new single. But he knew that releasing new music wasn't the reason he had meticulously shaved this afternoon or ironed his dress shirt three times to make sure there were no wrinkles in it. And his new music was most definitely not the reason his heart began to race when his doorbell rang and a certain brunette and her friend were standing on his doorstep.

"Kelsey, so glad you could make it," Niall greeted Kelsey with a hug, hoping she couldn't feel his heart beating through his chest.

Kelsey smiled "Me too." Becca cleared her throat from her place next to Kelsey, as if to remind her that she was still standing there. "Oh and Niall, this is my friend Becca, I think you've met before?"

"Yes, nice to meet you again Becca," Niall said, extending a hand out to give Becca, a firm handshake.

"Thanks for letting me tag along to this party of yours," Becca grinned. Kelsey gave her friend a quick nudge in the chest before she could say anything that would embarrass either of them.