Picture Imperfect (Niall Horan)

38 - Niall

38 – Niall

“I love you!” I say, the words falling from my lips after all this time. “I love you!” I practically shout, and watch as Cassie’s jaw drops and her eyes widen. She closes her mouth, but then opens it again. After the months I have known Cassie, and loved her for that matter, I have finally told her I love her. It’s like a massive weight has been lifted off my chest and I suddenly can’t control the words coming out of my mouth. “Me, Cassie. I love you too. You think no one cares about you but you’re so wrong. You’re so fucking wrong. Angie, your sister, every single person you meet loves you and cares about you because they can’t help it. You’re so amazing in every way that you come into people’s lives and change it for the better, like you did mine.”

I’m slightly out of breath when I finish. I wait for Cassie to say something, I wait for her to say that she loves me too, but she doesn’t. She doesn’t say anything. Could . . . Could I have been wrong? Does Cassie not love me back?

“Cassie,” I breathe, continuing because even if she doesn’t love me, I’ve been waiting to say these things for so long, and damn it, I’m going to say them. “Cassie you’re so beautiful,” I tell her, grabbing her hands, “you’re so fucking perfect to me, in every way. I love the little things about you and I could honestly tell you everything that I love about you, but it would take an eternity. You make me feel like no one else has ever before in my life and I’ve wanted to say this for so long so please . . . say something.”

My heart breaks when Cassie pulls her hands from mine and backs away slowly. Her hands run through her hair a few times and she’s clearly deep in thought. I hold back tears and nod, accepting that she doesn’t feel the same way. This is the worst kind of pain I’ve felt in my entire life.

I start for the door, but Cassie steps in front of me. Her hand pushes against my chest, preventing me from walking away. I revel in the way she’s touching me, acting like it’s the last time I’ll ever get to feel her skin on me. I look down at her, my heart stopping. A frown is plastered on her face, and I can’t tell if she’s thinking or if she’s upset. She’s probably upset, upset with me. Cassie’s frown only deepens when I lick my lips and for a moment, I think she might hit me or something, but I’m wrong. Suddenly, Cassie’s frown is gone. Her expression is unreadable. I’m about to ask her what she’s thinking, but I don’t get a chance to, because she interrupts me in the most wonderful way possible.

Cassie puts a hand on the back of my neck, and pulls me down so my lips attach to hers. It takes me a few seconds to fully understand what’s going on, and when I realize the girl I love is kissing me, she is the only thing I can focus on, the only thing my mind can wrap it head around. My lips mold perfectly with hers and my hands slide down her torso, eventually finding her hips that I love so much, squeezing them. My fingers slide under her shirt and the pads of my fingers press into her soft skin.

Cassie gasps and I suppress a moan, wanting to touch every single inch of her tanned skin. One of her hands is still holding the back of my neck, while the other cups my cheek. Our tongues caress in greatest way possible and as I am standing here kissing her, it’s like I’m putting all the feelings I’ve held it out there. I can’t get enough of her, I can’t stop.

I walk backwards until Cassie’s back is against the wall. She pulls away first, both of us trying to catch our breath. Her chest is moving up and down and I don’t remove my hands from her waist. I take a few deep breaths before pressing my lips to hers again once, twice, three times. She literally takes my breath away. “I love you too, you idiot,” she breathes. I smile bigger than I ever have in my life and I can’t do anything but kiss her again, because it’s one of the happiest days of my life.

I flip us and slide down to the floor so my back is against the wall and I'm sitting on the ground. Cassie climbs on top of me so her knees are on either side of my hips and puts both of her hands on my face, bringing my face to hers again. Our lips fit perfectly together and I once again bring my hands to her waist. We kiss softly, passionately, taking each other in fully, unlike a few minutes ago when she told me she loved me back. Her words keep replaying in my head as she pulls her lips from mine, only to reattach them a second later. Our lips pull apart, then come back together. Pull apart, come back together.