A One Direction Christmas

Chapter One ~ Niall

December 24th, 2012

9:46pm

London, England

Niall ~ The Perfect Present

I had done it again. I had waited until the last minute to go Christmas shopping. You would think after the first couple years I would have learned, but I guess not. I sighed as I walked through the mall along with all the other procrastinators.

I walked passed shop after shop trying to think of the prefect gifts for the lads, my mom and dad, and Greg. I felt completely clueless. I had no idea what the people closest to me even wanted. After circling the mall I gave up and went into the quietest cafe I could find. I ordered a hot chocolate and sat down at a table. I had to figure this out quickly. A few minutes later a girl around my age came and sat down across from me shyly.

"You look stressed out," she observed in a quiet, yet confident voice.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask her.

"Very," she smiles. I nod and take in this mystery girl's appearance. Her light brown hair flowed past her shoulders and her green eyes, hidden behind her glasses, never broke contact from me. She was one of those girls who looked completely average at first, but when you really look at them they are incredibly beautiful.

"Don't worry though; you're not the only one by any means. I still need a few gifts for my family," she informed me.

"I see. You don't happen to have any extra gift ideas lying around, do you?" I asked with a helpless smile.

"Possibly, depending on whom you need to shop for. I'm Sam by the way," she held out her small hand and I took it firmly in mine.

"Niall," I said.

"Like the river," she giggled.

"Not funny," I spread a fake pout upon my face.

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"Fine, whatever you say," I said giving up. She smiled in victory and we walked out of the cafe together in silence. Standing up made it apparent that she was a few inches shorter than me.

"So, where are we going?" I ask.

"I don't know yet. You haven't told me who you need gifts for."

"That would be everyone basically," I said and she laughed. Gosh, she really liked laughing at me. I hope it was meant in a nice way. 

"You're quite the procrastinator."

"Hey, speak for yourself. You haven't finished either."

"No, I haven't, but at least I've already started."

"No one likes a bragger," I pout.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Now just name a person," she apologized with no actual sympathy or compassion towards my teasing.

"Um, I need a nice gift for my mom," I decided I should get something for her first. She did bring me into this world. Okay, that was an awkward thought.

"Okay, does your mom like anything in particular?" Sam asked. 

I shrugged, "She never mentioned anything."

"Well then we're going in here," she pulled me into a store for women that I didn't catch the name of. It looked like a nice, quality store. I mean, I've obviously never been in her before so first impressions mattered. Sam slowly walked around, scanning the racks for a nice gift. Eventually, she led me over to a rack filled to the brim with different scarves.

"Well, since you're not sure what to get her, I suggest a scarf. She can always use that in London," Sam suggested, "and I'm getting one for my mom too."

I decided it was a good idea, so I pulled a light blue patterned scarf out from the heaping pile while Sam took a red one. We walked up to the register and I took the scarf from Sam's hand.

"Niall! Give that back!" she exclaimed.

"No! Let me pay for it," I said, "as a thank you."

"Niall, I can pay for my own gifts. It wouldn't be right," she said, standing her ground. If I had learned anything about this outgoing girl in the fifteen minutes I had know her, was that she was immensely stubborn. I reluctantly gave her back the scarf and watched her pay for it. I then paid for mine and felt happy that I had actually got one person done. Only seven more to go. Great. My mood immediately changed from stressed to gleeful to stressed all over again.

Over the next hour Sam and I had gone from store to store getting gifts. I tried to pay for Sam a few more times, but she stood her ground. Other than the fact that Sam was stubborn, I learned a lot about her. She had dreams of being a musician or writer one day. Her favorite color was blue. She had an older sister in university who was studying to become a doctor. And pretty much everything else about her. Of course I told her about myself too. But there were some questions that I was dying to ask her. Like why did she come and talk to me? Did she know who I was? Did she want something from me? Did she have a boyfriend? Wait, what? Why did I just ask that? Okay, so maybe I've developed a little crush on Sam since we met. I did consider her beautiful minutes after I met here back in that cafe. I'm sure she didn't feel the same way though. There was no possible way a girl like her was even remotely single.

"Well that was interesting," Sam declared after we had finished our gift buying.

"Why did you decide to help me?" I blurted out. I blushed and covered my mouth at my rudeness.

Sam just laughed and said, "You looked really stressed out and hey, it's Christmas. Everyone needs a little kindness. That's what this holiday is all about."

"Oh, okay. I, I guess that's a pretty good reason," I shrugged.

"Since we're asking questions, why did you accept my help? You could have turned me down," she asked with curiosity burning bright in her eyes.

"I don't know. You just seemed like a life saver," I reasoned," Do you know who I am?"

"Of course, you're Niall from One Direction, but to me you're just another procrastinator," she said, "and a guy named after a river."

"So who I am didn't matter?" I asked, ignoring the river joke.

"No," she answered simply.

"You are a strange girl Sam."

"I may seem strange because I'm not one of your crazed fans. In reality, I'm the normal one. Your perception of normal has just been changed over the last few years," she states.

"So you're not a fan?"

"Well it depends on your definition of a fan. I don't stalk you in any way, but I don't mind your music," she explains. By now we were at the front entrance of the mall I know my time with Sam was quickly coming to an end. I don't want it to end though. Not now, not ever. I notice Sam start to zip up her coat, preparing for the cold weather awaiting both of us outside.

"Can I have your number?" I blurt out again. God, I've known her for only hours and she has a terrible effect on me.

"Um, sure," she says, clearly taken aback. Even though, she took out her iPhone and handed it to me and I gave her mine. I typed in my number and added a smiley face. Then I gave her back her phone. She gave me back my phone and I saw she had added a smiley face to her name too.

"Goodbye Niall," she smiled shyly.

"Bye Sam," I smiled back, "thanks for your help."

"No problem," she says and turns to go. I watch her small figure fade into the distance. I could tell this was not the last time I would be seeing Sam. And that thought is what made the hours of gift wrapping ahead me a lot more pleasant.