Take Me Back

3 - Jenna

About a week later, Niall was over at my apartment, helping me move out my things. I still wasn't sure about the whole thing, but he certainly was. At least we're best friends, and not some couple moving in after a few days of knowing each other. I used to wonder all the time if we would make a cute couple. I'll admit, I did have a huge crush on him in middle school, but that's gone away. Sometimes, though, when he looks at me I see this look on his face like he's mesmerized. But, it's common knowledge that every guy has thought about being with their girl best friend at least once.

"Hey, come in here, I have to show you something!" Niall called from my bedroom. I walked in and immediately was flustered. He was packing my clothes up and must have found my undergarment drawer, because he had on my scarlet bra and panty set on over his clothes, laying like some Playboy model across my bed. He smirked at me and I covered my face with my hands.

"What the hell are you doing? Take that off and go pack the kitchen before you find anything else". I tried to sound angry, but couldn't contain my laughter.

"Fine, I mean, you probably look better in them anyways". He winked at me and I got butterflies in my stomach. This boy knew how to mess with me, but I could never tell if he was serious. I rolled my eyes as he exited the doorway.

I put away the rest of my clothes into boxes and came across a photo in the bottom of my drawer. It was a photobooth reel from our senior prom, when we went together. Obviously as friends, but he was still my "date". I missed those days, when life was so much easier. I walked over to my kitchen and saw Niall working. I wrapped my arms awkwardly around his torso, trying to recreate the photo. He looked confused at first, but laughed when he saw the picture in my hand.

"Ah, my hair! Why did I ever decide to bleach it, but more importantly, why did you let me?"

"It was cool...for a high school boy strictly wearing khaki cargo pants and zip-up hoodies over graphic tees. I don't know, maybe you should bring back the look".

 I pushed the piece of hair that was on his forehead away, and found myself dangerously close. You could cut the sexual tension in the air with a plastic knife. He kissed me on the forehead, but not anything more. That was just a thing we did to show we cared, and it's not like we were making out or something. If that happened, I'm afraid what it would do to our friendship.

"Let's finish up for the night and grab some milkshakes. If we take too long, the diner will close before we can get there and I won't be happy". Of course that was his immediate thought after what happened. Either that, or he was trying to break the tension and change the subject.

"Sounds great. I think all we really have left is the big furniture, and I hired movers to get that since I know you have to work a lot this week. Hopefully by Wednesday I can be fully moved in, unless, of course, you decide that I'm just too much for you".

"Oh, get over yourself. You'll never be too much for me. I think the thing I'm best at is being with you". Aw, that was sweet. Maybe he did care about me in a more intimate way after all. 

Thursday was my first day living with Niall, since the moving process went smoothly. He did have a lot of work for the company this week, but I had spent the last four years being away from him, so it was nothing. I decided to wander around the flat and explore the new place. After looking at the open areas, I found myself in his bedroom. It was a medium grey with navy linens and dark wood furniture. To the left was a huge window that opened almost like double doors. I walked over towards them when I rammed my hip into the corner of his desk. I looked up and saw an envelope in the open drawer. I looked a little closer and saw that it was addressed to...me?

My temptations told me to read it, since he never communicated with me after high school. Would that be an invasion of privacy? I mean, if you can recall his stunt he pulled back at my old place, this was rather tame. I held my breath as I opened the letter and read it. It was dated from 2016. Damn, this was old! I had no clue why he still had it, but I read on.

Dear Genevieve,

I miss you. You probably will never get this letter because I have yet to grow a pair and make a move, but at least I wrote something out. Baby steps. Anyways, I'm writing to tell you that I miss how we used to be so close and now we never talk. I admit, I should have called, but I'm afraid that you will have forgotten me. Or worse, you have some boyfriend that takes up all of your time. If you don't, I don't either so don't feel bad. Not a boyfriend, a girlfriend for me obviously, I haven't given up on women yet. God, even in letters I seem to be awkward. So, how's life? Mine's pretty dull right now. Just studying here with no friends can get pretty lonely. I hope you met people in London so you don't have to suffer like I do. Kinda snapped me back into the cruel reality that you're my only friend!! Yay!! Or maybe you aren't my friend anymore because you moved on, I have no clue. But I wanted to tell you that I never forgot you and I think about you all the time. Sometimes I look up to stars and wonder if you are doing the same. You probably aren't because unlike me you're a responsible adult with good sleeping habits, but it's the thought that counts. I have to stop writing because I don't want to say anything I'll regret and I need to stop embarrassing myself because I forgot how to communicate. Anyways, love you always and I hope to see you soon.

Lots of love, 

Niall

 My heart skipped a beat as I stuffed the letter back in the envelope. The whole time he just wanted to be with me, and I just ignored him. That same feeling of guilt piled up in my stomach and I felt terrible. Poor Niall has always been a sensitive guy, and I hurt him. At that moment, I heard the front door open and I raced out of his room and into mine.

"Oh, Honey! I'm home!" He shouted like some stereotypical man coming home to his housewife in the fifties. Of course, he was joking. Another one of my favorite qualities of Niall is that he respects me and all women. I chuckled and put down my phone when he walked in. "There she is. Did you do anything fun today or did you just snoop around through my things?" Shit. How did he know? My eyes opened wide and I looked at the floor.

"I'm only joking. Unless you actually were...were you?" I gulped. I couldn't keep anything from him, which was a real pain in the ass. I broke down and started talking quickly.

"I got bored and went in your room and saw a letter addressed to me in your drawer because it was opened, I wasn't opening your drawers like some creep, but I couldn't help myself and I read it and it was really sweet. I'm sorry, Niall...". He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"There was a letter to you in there? Huh, I forgot about that. It doesn't matter to me, petal. Payback for my modeling the other day, I guess. Besides, I knew you'd crack eventually. You can get a little stir crazy and look for things to do that could get you in trouble. So, where is it? I wanna read it". Phew, he wasn't mad. He never had a temper over little things, so I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that.

"Back in the drawer. Let's go!" I climbed on his back and he carried me to his room. He dropped me on his bed and I once again found my face inches away from his. He had to be doing this on purpose. I gave him a quick peck, expecting him to back off, but he stayed put. I saw his eyes turn into a darker blue, like the ocean during a storm. His lips brushed against mine, and I couldn't help myself. I grabbed the back of his head and smashed our lips together. I felt him smile as he kissed me back, like it was all he wanted to do. When we finally parted, he spoke first.

"That's been my dream since seventh grade. Felt right in the moment. Sorry if I scared you". Wow.

"It's okay, I think we both knew it was going to happen eventually. So, lets look back to your most desperate time and read this letter!" He laughed and grabbed it from the drawer. We read it over and giggled every line because it was pretty cringey. The rest of the night, we watched his favorite movies, the James Bond series, and fell asleep on the couch. Just like old times.