Keep Me From Falling Apart [Niall Horan]

Chapter Twenty Three

“Michaela, I can’t believe you even attempted that,” Louis said shaking his head at me as Liam took the guitar, going up against Niall.

“You gotta try,” I mumbled sitting down beside Nicole.

Zayn and Emma decided to be ‘anti-social’ and disappeared to the back of the bus. Louis was controlling everything, making sure everyone was participating in the games. Liam willingly played, along with Harry and Nicole, but I wasn’t so much cooperating. I could tell Niall didn’t want to play, but every time he started to tell Louis, he stopped and played another game with him. Paul was at the front of the bus, talking to the driver.

“You’re right..” Nicole said looking at me as the new round started on the TV.

I looked up at her, nodding, though I didn’t completely understand why she’d just said that.

She glanced at the boys, whose full focus was on the game, then she looked back at me, her expression turning serious.

“At least try acting like you want to be here,” she said quietly, so the boys wouldn’t hear.

I didn’t have a chance to retort before Harry plopped down beside Nicole.

“Babe, you wanna play a round of Mario with me when they’re done?” He asked, burying his face in her hair.

She smiled at him, petting his curls as she replied.

“Of course.”

I didn’t take up another round of Guitar Hero, so the next half an hour consisted of everyone, but me, taking turns battling on hard. Finally, they all decided the race on Mario Cart.

“Where’s the other remote?” Louis asked throwing random items around looking for it.

I looked around me, knowing I’d just seen it. Me and Louis were the only ones looking for it. Liam and Harry were arguing over which player they get, Luigi or Yoshi, while Nicole switched the disks and Niall was looking at his phone screen at the other end of the couch we were sitting on. There. The remote was sitting in the middle, between us. I seemed to not be the only one that realized that either. I reached out to grab it, before I even noticed Niall has turned his attention from his phone, and our hands collided on the remote.
I reacted instantly, snatching my hand out from under his as my finger tips tingled, sending a chill down my back. He recovered before anyone realized anything and threw the remote at Louis, turning his eyes back to his phone screen, but not before he glanced up at me. I smoothed my face into a blank expression, trying to calm my pulse. Why was it even racing? I dunno, maybe because you touched Niall’s hand, a small voice inside my head said. I mentally slapped myself.
An uproar started with the first Mario race. Harry beat them all, as Yoshi may I add, and Liam (Luigi) came in second, Louis and Nicole following up. Me and Niall remained seated on the couch, watching halfheartedly.
Another half an hour passed and my phone vibrated in my pocket.

Call me - Whitney

Can’t at the moment, let you know when I can.


I stuffed my phone back in my pocket, looking up to meet Niall’s eyes. Realizing I’d caught him staring at me, he quickly averted his eyes to the Wii game on the TV. I sighed through my nose, wishing I didn’t have to keep me annoyance to myself. But, for Louis’ sake, I wasn’t gonna be the party crasher. 
Liam and Harry finally got their fair share of wins and offered to let me and Niall play. I accepted, ‘cause Louis looked like a giddy 10 year old.

“Right, well I’m gonna crash. See you guys in a bit,” Liam said throwing his remote on the couch.

He trumped to the back of the bus, disappearing into his bunk. We’d be in NY in a few hours so I don’t know why he even bothered going to sleep. But at the thought of sleep, my eyelids felt heavier. 
Niall grabbed the remote and started a game against Louis, Nicole, and I. I played, but I sucked and lost every game because I didn’t have much energy to put into it. Harry finally gave up and decided he’d take a nap before we got to NY, but Nicole stayed. I suspected that was because Niall and I were both still not totally speaking to each other.

“Michaela, will you play one more game with me?” Louis asked sweetly as he switched games out.

Nicole, Niall, and I had been piled on the couch, watching Louis play Tennis with himself. Now Nicole had went to the back of the bus out of boredom. Niall had headphones on, the volume on his iPod deafening, his legs taking up the rest of the space on the couch, his feet inches from my legs. His eyes were closed, but I could tell he wasn’t asleep by the way his eyelids slightly fluttered every few seconds and the rise and fall of his chest wasn’t as slow and deep as when asleep. He shifted his legs, crossing his arms and I realized I was staring. I turned my head to see Louis watching me, his eyebrows raised.