Postcards

Chapter 7 - 24/7

The next day I woke up. I had hardly been sleeping and all I could think about was my studies. I had been studying almost 24/7 for two weeks straight and I really needed a vacation. Alex was still in Sweden, and I didn't have anything better to do. I logged on my laptop and booked a cheep ticket to London. After that I called Niall. 

"Hey Ali! What's up?" he said as he picked up.

"Hey!" I said and smiled when I heard his voice. "So, guess what", I said and looked at my confirmation from the booking. 

"What?" he chuckled. 

"I'm coming to London", I said and waited for his reaction. 

"What, really! That's great! when?" Niall said sounding excited 

"Next monday", I answered. 

"That's great! we aren't doing much work that week, I'm all free for you", Niall said and I could hear he was glad. 

"Great. Well Niall... I'm short on money and..." I got interrupted 

"Yeah, of course! You'll stay at my place, you don't even need to ask, you're always welcome!", Niall said sounding as excited as before. 

"Thank you", I said and smiled. 

"What about ya boyfriend?" Niall then asked.

"Alex. Well, he's in Sweden at the moment, he won't be home for three weeks", I said.

"Okay. How long are you staying?"

"Only a week, I have to get back to my school", I said "I know it sucks"

"Yeah, it does, but...at least I get to see you", Niall said which made me smile."Isn't it possible that you can stay for a little longer? if you stay for three weeks, you can come with us and the lads to Wales, we've rented a house to get some peace and quiet"

"I wish I could, but I really can't afford taking so much time off, I have to do my studies. Besides, I wanna be home, when Alex get's home", i said. 

"Oh yeah. How's it going with you two anyway?" Niall asked sounding a bit dissapointed. 

"I'm glad you're finally asking", I said. 

"What do you mean?" Niall asked

"You haven't really said anything about it", I said and sat down in the armchair in front of the window.

"Yeah...I'm sorry...I just...Ali, I come home to Mullingar and you tell me you have been on two dates with this guy, and then you call me a week after and tell me that you're all of sudden a couple?". I sighed 

"Niall, he's just different from all the others I have dated. He's so sweet and caring and good looking, and he treats me just like I want to be treated. I really like him....besides, we have many things in common and...." once again I was interrupted

"Like what?"

"What?"

"What do you have in common?" Niall asked almost as he was interrogating me. 

"I don't know, there are many things" I said and all of sudden couldn't remember one thing.

"Like what? What do you have in common?" Niall said pushing on "Come on, you said you had many things in common, what?"

"Niall!" I said and felt really overwhelmed, my brain thinking on full speed.

"Ali! You just said tha...."

"FOOD!" I almost yelled into the phone cutting Niall off.

"What?" Niall said and I could almost see his confused face in front of me.

"Food....we both like food", I said and heard how dumb my words sounded.

"Food? Who doesn't like food? That's all you have in common? Food", he chuckled and it made me really  annoyed.

"Among other things. Niall, we both have dreams, we both wanna travel and see the world and..." I hestitated for a moment  "Wait, I don't even have to defend myself. You haven't even met him, so you don't have the rights to judge me", I said and raised an eyebrow. "What do you have to say to that, Horan", I thought to myself.

"Ali... I just think it sounds like you rushing...I just don't want to see you heartbroken again", he said and sounded apologising. 

"Niall, I promise you, he's the sweetest guy I have ever met..."

"Thank you"

"...Besiiiides you", I chuckled and got serious "Besides, who says we're going to break up, only time will tell" 

"Ali, I know you...you always think the best of guys, but then they end up breaking your heart to pieces"

"It happened two times Niall", I said with a sigh. Why was he all of sudden so judging?

"Yeah, and remeber how low self-esteem you had after, oh what was he called?.... Oh yeah, Conor broke up with you?" 

"Niall! It's a complete different thing now!" I defended myself.

"How's that? he was also 'the sweetest guy you had ever met' " 

"Alex's different...", I said and felt really annoyed. 

"I've heard that before", Niall said referring to my previous boyfriend Conor.

"You know what? I think I'm gonna hang up before I start yelling", I said with a stern voice.

"Yeah, good idea. Talk to you later", Niall said and we both hung up.

"Dickhead", I said and looked out of the window.

The good thing about I and Niall's realationship was, that we both knew, when we got on each other's nerve and when to stop talking and just cool off. Though, the things Niall had said to me, had made me really mad at him. Who was he to say, if I was rushing?