Happily (Niall Horan)

Chapter Forty-Eight: Feeling

Thursday, August 15, 2013:
Hayleigh:
"NIALL!" I yell, walking into his apartment. "Did you steal my m&ms?"
"Of course I didn't," he responds when I walk into the small living room. He's casually sitting on the couch, with a large bowl of my favorite candy resting in his laps. Crossing my arms over my chest, I stare at him until he looks up at me. "Oh, hi Hayleigh."
"Don't hi me, Ni," I snap, and he stifles back a laugh.
"Someone's PMSing," he mumbles and my jaw drops as I slap his arm.
"Give me my chocolate," growling, I reach for them but in one fluid motion, he stands and holds the bowl above my head. I whine as he just smiles down at me. He simply taps his cheek and I roll my eyes before I stand on my tip toes to kiss it quickly.
"Thank you," I say happily when he hands me the bowl, laughing as I coddle them.
Niall wraps me up in a hug before asking, "Wanna do a movie afternoon and eat rocky road ice cream?"
"Aren't you going out with some friends and the lads today?" I tilt my head, looking up at him.
"Yeah," he agrees, resting his chin on my head. "But you're my best friend and I can go out with them any time."
"But-"
He shushes me before scooping me up and running off to the kitchen. "What are we doing?" I giggle-something I due during my time of the month- as he places me on the counter.
"We," Niall pauses to bop my nose, "are making Everything But The Kitchen Sink Sundaes!"
We fist bump and begin working on our projects, laughing and playfully hopping along to music that Niall starts from his phone.
"And we danced all night to the best song ever,
We knew every line, now I can't remember
How it goes but I know that I won't forget her
'Caused we danced all night to the best song ever!"
I clutch my stomach as I chortle when Niall begins dancing and can barely contain my laughter when he grabs my hand and forces me to do it with him. He swirls me around and begins singing, our half eaten ice cream bowls left on the counter.

When the song ends, he dips me and smiles cheekily. "Nice dance moves, Haybear."
I chuckle, "I could say the same to you."
I hear his phone beep and he lifts me back up to get it. "Who is it?" I question with a mouthful of rocky road when I see him begin texting the person a reply.
"Just an old friend," he says with a small smile. He looks up at me, "Wanna watch a movie now?"
"As long as it's the Avengers," I result with a grin.
"You've got a deal," he high fives me.

"Get him, Stark!!" I yell, even though I've seen this movie only about a million times. I glance at Niall to see he's not even paying attention to the movie, something he's never done before, and frown. He's back on his phone again, this being the fourth time in the past forty-five minutes.
I glance at the clock, and sigh. "I should be heading home," standing up, I stretch before putting my cardigan back on.
Niall types for a few seconds before looking up at me. "Where are you going?"
"Home," I repeat, grabbing my keys from the coffee table.
"Awe why," he whines, grabbing my arm. "Can't you just stay longer?"
I smile, turning back to give him a hug. "I would but you have a busy day with the boys tomorrow, I mean the premiere is in like five days."
"But it's only three in the afternoon," he protests but I laugh again.
"Niall, I promised I'd hang out with Presley and Becca after work, which I might be late for."
His phone lights up and he glances at it, biting his lip before turning back to me. "I'll see you later then," he gives up and kisses my cheek before sitting back down on the couch.
I say goodbye and head out the door but not before looking back at him to see a wide smile as he texts whoever it is on the other side back.
---
"Am I overreacting?" I ask, eating my panini at Panera with Presley and Becca.
"No, you're not; something is definitely going on," Becca speaks her thoughts after I tell them what happened, sipping her Coke.
"God I feel like a girlfriend being suspicious of him cheating," I groan, running a hand through my hair. "It's just that the last time he didn't tell me something was when he dating Barbara."
Presley glares at her soup, "I hate that girl."
"Me too," I agree, and pause before saying, "I wouldn't care if he was dating someone, I mean he's been single for a while besides having a few dates."
"Really?" Becca raises her eyebrows in disbelief and I look at her curiously.
"What?"
"You seriously wouldn't mind if he dates someone?"
I pause for a second before saying carefully, "No."
Presley coughs, "Liar."
I glare at her but drop it when I see the looks they give me as if saying, you're lying, give it up.
"To be honest," I start, and they give me hopeful smiles as I continue, "I would mind. I mean, I'd be happy for him but when he dates, even if it's just for a few weeks, he barely acknowledges me. I don't know, I just don't like that feeling of hurt."
"Is it just that?" Pres pushes. "Or is it that he's with somebody that isn't you?"
"Huh?"
"Are you jealous that he's kissing, hugging, whatever it may be, someone that is not you?" Becca puts it in simpler terms.
"You two are crazy," I state, shaking my head.
"Which means that she is," Becca giggles, placing her hand over her mouth to muffle it.
"Do you know what you are basically saying?" Presley's dark brown eyes stare at me and I roll my own.
"What? Please enlighten me, Pres."
"You are telling us that you've never thought of Niall in any other way than a best friend?"
I bite my lip, looking anywhere else than my two friends. Becca's jaw drops slightly, "Oh my god, Hayliegh! When did you have a crush on him?"
"When we first met," I mumble under my breath, daring to sneak at glance at Presley.
"Wait a second, you used to like him?" Pres narrows her eyes, "I asked you the day you met, and you said you didn't."