In advance, I love you too, babe.
***
Niall wiped his hands on his pants. They were slightly sweaty and that just made Niall all the more nervous than he already was. After all, he'd taken the time to set all of this up and get it just right. He didn't need it to be ruined by having gross, wet palms.
Oh my god, what if that did ruin it? What if she noticed and the mood was completely killed and then she walked away because she realized that she could do better than a guy who couldn't even controll his nervous perspiration and--
"Niall. Calm down, mate. It'll be fine." Niall turned around, letting Liam's hand fall from his shoulder. He was torn. Part of him wanted to be relieved at his best friend's confidencr, and another part of him wanted to laugh at it. How would Liam know? He was currently single, partying it up and taking a break from being Daddy Direction. He had no idea how things were going to turn out! The man wasn't psychic!
"But what if I've screwed up! What if I got the wrong kind of coffee or what if she doesn't open the book? What if I stop being able to talk and I can't get the words out? I'll be sitting there making a complete fool out of myself and --"
"-- and she would just giggle and comment on how adorable you are when you get nervous." The Irishman's ramblings were cut off by a curly haired boy as he walked through the cafe door. "Niall, Liam's right. Everything will be fine. She loves you to bits." Niall took in a deep breathe and exhaled into a sigh.
'You're right." He muttered to himself. "You're right," he said again, this time with a bit more confidence. "It'll be okay."
There was a little jingle of bells as the cafe door swung open, letting in some of the cool daytime winter air. In through the threshold walked the most beautiful girl Niall had ever laid his eyes on. It baffled him, how she managed to stun him every time he saw her. It was like he'd fall in love over and over again.
And he prayed that the feeling would never go away. He loved being able to see all of the little things that made her captivating.
The way her hair would be knotted in the morning as she walked out of bed, wearing cute little shorts and one of his old, beaten t-shirts.
The way she'd sing along to the radio in the car, not caring who heard her. And how she'd sing along to the tune when she didn't know the words.
The way she'd burry herself in a book, reading for hours, nose deep in the pages. How she would laugh out loud, yell in frustration, curse the authors, and cry and the text.
The way she would always try and make people smile, even if they were a stranger. "You can never have too many friends," were the first words that Niall had ever heard her say. And they had hooked him and held on tight.
He felt like the luckiest man in the world, watching her as she walked toward him. Her smiling face was flushed from the slight chill. She unwrapped her scarf and pulled of her beanie and she sat down in the seat across from him.
He noticed that the boys had disappeared, but only for a second before she drew in his full attention again.
"Hey babe," she said cheerfully. "Oooh" she said as she spotted ththe coffee set out for her. A small smile played at Niall's lips at the look of contentment on her face. Hazelnut coffe with French Vanilla and a splash of chocolate. "My favorite."
"I know."
"And a book? Is this for me?" She asked, picking up the least popular novel by her favorite author, Bee Devee. It was her secret favorite out of all of them. Of course, it was no secret to Niall.
She looked at it and her nose crinkled in confusion as she flopped the book over. "Niall, I already have this- Oh!" All of a sudden the book popped open. She stared at it in amazement.
Most of the inside pages were hollowed out. Written on the inside cover in glossy, silver ink was a message from Bee herself. "He's a keeper" it said. And hanging right above the chapter titled "The proposal", was a small, diamond ring.
She stared at it for a full minute, eyes starting to water, before looking away. And when she did, she found Niall on one knee beside her. He grasped her free hand gently in his, which weren't the least bit sweaty anymore. And gazing into her eyes, he laughed at himself for ever being nervous in the first place.
Clearly he said, "Cindy, will you marry me?"
And she dropped the book on the table, flinging her arms around his neck as he stood and saying "Yes, yes, yes!" into his coat.
And that's when he did laugh.
***
