(EDITING 2022) Don't Forget Where You Belong | morganehlenfeldt

Chapter 3

"So Louis and Eleanor live together in my apartment building, and you live with three other boys in that big house?"

"Yep," Niall says.  "It's easier for work."

I'm about to ask what he means when we pull into my parking lot.  He gets out of the car and hurries to open the car door for me.  "Thanks for the ride," I say shyly.

"No problem," he smiles, his beautiful blue eyes on mine.  "It's the least I could do after dumping a bucket of water on you."

"Ice water," I correct him, and he chuckles.  "It's okay, really.  Some of my best memories were created through embarrassment."  He beams.  "Do you want to come inside, so you don't have to wait out here while I change?"

He shrugs.  "Sure, why not."

We enter the lobby and ride the elevator up.  As we approach the door, Niall asks, "Should I wait out here, or...?"

"Sure," I respond.  "I'll be just a minute."

I hurry inside and grab a pink tank top and black shorts, then hurry to the bathroom, where I brush through my hair, fix my makeup, and return only minutes later.  I hear voices coming from the bottom of the stairs.  My whole body stops when I recognize my mother's voice.

Of course she's home now, I think.  She's probably asking him a million questions.  I know she'll have a lot to say, considering we've barely been in London twenty-four hours and I've already brought home a boy.

I hurry down the stairs and see Niall still standing by the door, talking to my mother.

"Why is your hair spiked up like that?" my mother asks Niall, her tone strict and judgmental.

"Uh..."

"Mom!" I say cheerfully, faking a smile and walking to where they stand, saving Niall from having to answer any more of her ridiculous questions.  She turns to me, her expression unhappy.

"Emma, why is there a boy standing in my house?"  Her eyebrows furrow in anger.  I'm so embarrassed I could puke, but Niall stares at me with an apologetic expression.

"Mom, this is Niall," I explain carefully.  "He's a friend of mine.  I needed a change of clothes, so he drove me.  We're about to leave."  I try my best to sound casual, like I bring people home all the time, like this isn't the third person besides Emily and the two other almost-friends I'd had during previous moves.

She watches me closely, her eyes firm and cold.  "A change of clothes?"

I shrug.  "They gave me a glass of water and I dumped it all over myself.  You know me, clumsy Emma."

She eyes my wet hair, but doesn't comment.  I decide it's time to leave.  I grab Niall's hand and pull him out the open apartment door.  Fireworks explode in my stomach at the thought of his hand in mine.

"Bye, Mom!" I call overenthusiastically over my shoulder.  I lower my voice and mumble to Niall, "Let's go."

"It was nice to meet you!" Niall calls, his voice kind and polite, as I pull the door shut behind us.  How perfect could he be?  I turn to face him.

"I'm really sorry," I say.  "My mom is... intense."

"It's fine," he smiles.  I can't get over how insanely perfect his hair looks, especially in the dim lighting of the hallway.  "Seriously, that was the first question she asked me."

I laughed, completely embarrassed and overwhelmed by everything that had already happened today.  "At least now I know how she's going to act when I bring my first boyfriend home."  My eyes widen as I realize what I said.  I look away, feeling my cheeks flush with pink.