Seeing Blind |NH|

Chapter Forty Three

I got to the bar and ordered the strongest drink I could think of. Once it was placed in front of me, I downed it and ordered another. The second drink, I drank a bit slower than the first. I ordered a third and the bartender gave me a warning about drinking it too fast. So, I held it in my hand, took a sip, and turned myself around to face the crowd.

My eyes roamed the faces until they landed on her. She was talking with Kendall, Liam and Elijah. My stomach did a somersault before relaxing, remembering that Kendall had said he wasn't here to really hit on her.

"Why does the thought of someone with her make me sick?" I wondered, aloud.

"Isn't it obvious by now?" I turned, to see Louis next to me.

"Not you, too," I groaned.

"Harry just filled me in."

"I love her as my friend. I am not in love with her."

Louis coughed a little, "If you say so. But the whole damn world sees it. It's about time you did, too." He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Plus, don't you want to be that guy she deserves? I mean, you keep talking about him. Did it seriously never dawn on you that that guy should be you?" He patted my shoulder before walking off.

I watched her.  A moment later, she looked over at me and smiled, waving.  The way her face lit up my heart started pounding against my chest.  I finished my drink before walking over to them.

"Hey, you," she said, standing up and coming in to hug me.

I wrapped her in my arms, closing my eyes, I inhaled her perfume, instantly relaxing.  Looking over at Kendall and Elijah, both of them had a smile on their faces. 

"Dance with me, Niall?"

"Huh?" I said, snapping back to reality.

"Dance with me?"

"Uhh, sure," I said, shakily.

She took my hand and led me to the little makeshift dance floor.  A fun song had come on so she was goofily, and drunkenly, dancing around.  I laughed a little, but with everything that had just been said to me, I wasn't able to fully be in the moment.  I did enjoy watching her dance and laughing.  She definitely knew how to make me laugh.  And the smile on her face, it was genuine.  I thought back to what Patrick had said to me a week ago about how she picked the color she did because it reminded her of me and how I put a genuine smile on her face.  The memory put a smile on my face.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" 

The song had ended and had been replaced by a slower one.  Esta slipped into my arms almost effortlessly.  I gulped.  Thinking about what Harry and Kendall had said, I looked down at her and smiled.  I then had some sort of weird recollection of nearly every moment I had spent with her.  I then remembered the week before and everything that had happened and the way it had made me feel; how I couldn't put a finger on what it was that was making my heart beat the way it did.  And how nearly everyone seemed to be in on some secret. 

Patrick.  Miriam.  Zayn.  Harry.  Kendall.  Louis.  Fucking Elijah.  Shit, Jace probably saw it.  He hated me for no other reason than because we were friends. 

"Niall, are you okay?"

I looked down at her and my heart stopped.  'Oh, god.  I'm in love with her.'