Pen to Paper [N.H.]

1.3 - Initiation - Trips and Chips

Chloe's POV

Okay, I'm gonna have dinner with Niall in an hour. He's my boss, I work for him and that's about it. He's not the person I may or may not be in love with. That's a different person. This Niall is real, the other is just a character I created in my head because I was feeling too lonely. I can't go into this with those feelings so I'm gonna suppress them and forget they exist. I can do this! I'm great at ignoring my feelings, I've been emotionally numb for years before I virtually met Niall.

Now, what am I going to wear? Knowing him, casual means he's gonna be in a nicely cut navy or grey pants, with the white converse and either a T-shirt or a polo since it's warm outside. So I should maybe dress up more than my usual casual. Yeah, not gonna think too about this. It's a work meeting, not a date. I'm not trying to impress the guy or try to make him like me. I'll just wear black pants, a cute fancy top, and just regular flats or converse, not sure.

Niall's POV

Why am I nervous? I've seen her this morning. I shouldn't let Conor's rambling and crazy ideas get to me. We're gonna be good friends, she's gonna write my book and that's about it. Nothing else is going on. I have no feelings for her. No matter how pretty she is, how good she smells, how sweet she is, and how easy it is to get lost in her chocolate brown eyes. No! Stop it, you idiot! You're not going down that road again.

I pull over to the address she sent me and park the car next to the building where I guess she lives in. I get out of my car when I see her to greet her properly. Damn it! Why does she have to be so cute! Shake it off Horan.

'Hi! Nice to see you again!' I say, briefly hugging her.

'Yeah! Nice to see you again too!' She looks at me up and down and then slightly laugh.

'What? Something wrong?'

'No, just called it. Your outfit.'

'Yeah, I guess I'm a creature of habit.' I chuckle nervously.

'Nothing wrong with that. People might call it "Predictable" but I like it. I actually call it "Homey".'

'Homey?' I ask her.

'Yeah, It feels like home. I know what to expect, it feels like a safe space and it's something I love and even though it's expected, it's something I look forward to and get excited about.'

'Thank you!'

I open the car door for her, wait till she's inside and then quickly go back to my side, start the car and drive.

For the first couple of minutes, there's an awkward silence. I just suddenly don't know how to start a conversation. Seriously what is wrong with me. I turn the radio on, maybe the music would distract her from how awkward I'm being.

During the first two songs, I hear her silently humming. But not the "I don't know the lyrics" humming, it's a more frustrating humming. I can tell she wants to sing but she's too shy to do so in front of me. Then Shawn's new song comes on, so I thought, maybe if I'm singing she'd gain the courage to do so herself and join in. But it's not working.

'You know, I'd feel better if you just sing instead of frustratingly humming like that while looking out the window avoiding me.'

'I... just... okay?'

'I'm not gonna judge! I'm sure you're not that bad! My friends sing in front of me all the time, and not all of them are good. I've heard some horrific stuff. But I know how much they like singing their favourite songs and they don't even care about how they sound.'

'How long till we get to the restaurant?' She asks me with a shy smile.

'2 or 3 more songs, I guess.'