“Dance with me.” The blonde haired blue eyed boy reached out his hand, not asking it as a question. Gwen looked up at him, lifting up her long red dress before she took his hand, leaving her chair. He lead her to the middle of the dance floor, his spit turning thick in his throat. She wrapped her hands around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist, holding her securely. Everyone knew it was the last song of the night, the highlight of senior year would be over in a mere four minutes, and everyone took the opportunity. The sparkles on her one shoulder dress created small reflections on his face, their eyes locked, searching for what needed to be said.
Gwen let out a small gasp and her lips turned up at the corners, her eyes still slightly furrowed in desperation. Niall slowly closed his eyes and looked down at the floor before returning his gaze to hers, his eyes full of hurt and regret. He didn’t need to say anything for her to understand, and she laid her head down on his shoulder. The two of them swayed side to side amongst the other couples, only noticing each other.
When the thoughts had stopped running through her head, she pulled her neck back, looking him in the eyes again. It didn’t take more than two seconds for either of them to lean forward, letting each other’s lips come together. Their bodies leaned into each other, neither of them taking into account they were at prom and around their peers, to them it was just them.
They stayed close for the rest of the year, always together, happier together than they ever were apart. But when summer came and the two of them were forced to go to college, things changed. It wasn’t easy to stay in contact when they were both taking hours and hours of classes and Niall was still trying to pursue his singing career. When they had summer breaks they always talked about seeing each other, but among family time and spending time with their other friends, they hadn’t seen each other directly since the night before they both left for college, five years ago.
And as these thoughts ran through Sean’s head as they walked on the street after catching a short glimpse of her, he knew he couldn’t let Niall pass up the chance.
“Hey.” He hit him in the arm and pointed carefully in her direction, waiting until Niall finally found what he was supposed to be looking for. “Go get her, alright?” Niall was still shocked, standing in the same place with a surprised look on his face as Sean walked across the street, heading home. He didn’t know how Gwen would react, but he had seen Niall’s face over the last five years, and especially the last one. No other girls ever interested him and everything seemed to remind him of her. He couldn’t figure out why, but he was stuck on this girl, and he wouldn’t be happy again until he had her, regardless of how successful his band had become.
Niall stood in the same place, watching Gwen sit at a small table in front of a small cafe. He watched her drink her tea and throw her head back in laughter until a man came behind him in a rush, shoving him a step forward. He looked around and adjusted his sunglasses on his nose, sticking his hands in his jean pockets. As he walked towards her, everything about prom came rushing back and his breath caught in his throat. He reached her table far too soon and stood there awkwardly as she was writing in her journal, not noticing him standing in front of her.
“Hi, Gwen,” he said. His voice wavered slightly, yet was confident at the same time.
She gasped slightly after she looked up and took off her own sunglasses, squinting her eyes in the sun. ”Niall, how are you?”
“I’m good, real good,” he slightly nodded.
“Yeah, I’ve heard with the band and everything,” she awkwardly answered back. “Well, sit down!” she motioned toward the chair across from her and he took it, setting his sunglasses on the table.
“Yeah, things have been good.” He scratched his forehead, folding his hands across each other.
“So you, you haven’t moved from here since then?” She tried to keep the conversation going.
“I actually am visiting the family, we don’t always get a lot of time at home so. I was with Sean actually. You still live here?”
“I was just visiting the area, actually.”
“Where’d you move to then?” She didn’t answer but smiled at him, leaning back in her seat.
“What are you doing here, Niall?” She asked calmly, but he could tell she didn’t want to waste any time, no matter who it’s with. Things had become different from their summer together.
“I just thought..we could..catch up.” She nodded her head, waiting for more. ”Gwen, I haven’t stopped thinking about you.” He said it all desperately, leaning his elbows on his knees, using his hands when he talked.
She didn’t say anything in response, but the corners of her lips turned down, caught off guard.
“It’s been crazy and I don’t know why you came to mind, but we never even ended our relationship, Gwen. We just lost contact.”
“You..you never tried hard enough and I-“
“I tried harder than you did.” He cut her off and her eyes scattered back and forth frantically, the memories coming back unexpectedly.
“Well I, I just assumed with you trying to get your career going that I wouldn’t be that important to you, you know? Long distance relationships are always hard and I…I just, I didn’t think I was good for you…”
“Gwen, I haven’t seen you in five years, and you’re still the only person that I’ve thought about. Nothing would have been better for me.” She still couldn’t find any words to respond and she shook her head back and forth, not able to focus.
“Well, I hope everything goes well with you okay?” Niall got up frustrated, slapping his hand on the table and walking off. He was about to turn the corner of the street when he heard his name being called, causing him to grit his teeth tightly.
“Niall, wait.” He turned around, finally hearing her behind him, noticing she’s still slightly frazzled.
“Yeah?”
“I haven’t-I mean, I didn’t-I just-“
“What, Gwen?”
“When I had realized everything was over, I was destroyed for at least a good two months, and if you ask me, I just got myself picked back up. And now that you’re back, I don’t think..I don’t think I’ll be able to stop thinking about you.”
“Gwen, what do you want?” She looked up at him, her eyes searching back and forth between his. Before she could stop herself and before she thought too much, she stepped forward and onto her toes, leaning into him. She hesitated slightly just before she touched his lips and he finally closed the space, both of them letting out bottled up feelings from five years.
“I don’t just want you Niall, I need you.” He searched through her eyes for any thoughts of second guessing or being unsure, and he found none. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as they would go and whispered in her ear.
“It’s me and you, against the world.” As they stood there on the corner of the sidewalk, they slowly swayed back and forth, him humming the tune of their song from prom in her ear.
