Care for me (L. S.)

13

Monday the 21st of September | Niall

The man on the news was talking away, rambling about clouds and cardinal directions. Niall wasn't really listening anyway. He yawned and checked his watch. Seven thirty-four.                        Why did school even start this early? That's just torture for everyone.

He leaned to the left of the sofa bumping on something squishy and soft. He snuggled himself further into the pillow, closing his eyes for one more second, just relaxing when he still could. He yawned, exhausted as he was from getting as little as ten hours of sleep. It wasn't until the pillow beneath his thigh made a little protesting noise that he looked up to find Carl uncomfortably squished under his side.

Niall yelped, nearly getting a heart attack.
"I'm so sorry! Didn't see ya there buddy!" He stroked the dog's soft fur on his back, trying to comfort him.
Carl couldn't care less about the apology. He gave his owner a reproachful look by pointing his nose haughtily into the air.
Niall tried scratching him behind the ear but he rejected him again, jumping off the sofa and walking over to his little spot on the floor, next to the radiator.

"Oh come one now! It wasn't on purpose."
Carl just sat down on his blanket and ignored the Irish boy, showing more interest in the weatherman in the navy suit.
Niall sighed and turned his eyes back to the tellie as well. Apparently there was some storm in a part of the world. Hopefully not the UK...
He felt his heavy eyelids shut and wanted nothing more than to embrace the sleepy feeling completely.

"Ni, get up. We're gonna be late."

The soft silky voice was one he could recognise from miles away. It was the only one that could say what it wanted and still sound sweet and caring, like it only wanted the best for you.
She sat down on his lap and kissed his eyelids jokingly.

He opened them to see his blond-haired, angelic-looking girlfriend leaning over him. She looked really cute today; lips glossy, hair in a braid on her shoulder and eyes still a bit sleepy as well. Niall took his time, studying her beautiful features. Even now, he couldn't believe she was his and he was hers, although they had been together for a while: a year  and a half.
"Ni stop staring at me!" She covered her face with her hands.

"Hey! I'm allowed to look at you aren't I? Been doing it for as long as I can remember."
She chuckled in her hands, mumbling something that sounded a lot like "perv".
Niall smiled widely. How could he not?
He kissed her hands gently, slowly pressing sweet kisses to every finger and pecked her glossy lips when she finally pulled her hands away.

For their one-year anniversary, he gave her the spare key to his apartment. Ever since that day, Alice liked 'surprising' him in the morning by barging in, although he knew she had the key. It was one of those old-couple-jokes where you had to pretend to be totally shocked by something your partner did, even though it was part of the routine.

Their little walk to school together was one of Niall's favourite moments of the day. They usually held hands and Alice let him tell one awful joke after the other. She would always chuckle, (even though they were terrible and perverse) to make it less obvious that Niall himself was laughing hysterically.

They pulled their lips apart, ending their lazy snogging session.
"That colour looks dashing on you." She teased, looking at his now pinky lips.
He grinned: "I like it better on you." and placed one more kiss on her lips before pulling himself and Alice up and stretching his arms above his head.

"What's up with him?" Alice gestured to the grumbling Scottish collie.
Niall hung his bag over his shoulder and turned his head to look at his girlfriend.

"I kinda sat on him and now he won't talk to me." He bent over to tie his shoes.

"Fair enough. Poor baby." She rushed over to Carl to pet his back and feed him snacks, which he accepted, gratefully.