More Than This

Chapter One

Chapter One       

Have you ever had that feeling of insane happiness? The kind that fills you up, and washes away all other feelings. The kind that exists in the tiniest of life’s moments. Where you find yourself smiling into an empty room, grateful no one is around to see how ridiculous you probably look. 

I was having one of those moments now, as I stood in the open doorway of Niall’s bedroom. My eyes flicked slowly around each corner of the open space,   taking in every detail around me. The king-sized bed was the first to greet my gaze, resting grandly against the far wall. The wooden bed frame sat low to the ground, and was painted in a rich black color, with crisp white sheets adorning the large mattress. I smiled once more, and took a timid step into the room. The cherry floors were chilly beneath my bare feet as I padded my way over to the bed. Ever so gently I lowered myself to the covers, sitting with my feet hanging over the edge, toes dangling inches above the hardwood. The tips of my fingers danced across the cotton fabric, conjuring up images of late nights, and body heat tangled between the sheets.  

My gaze trailed up the slate grey walls, settling on the three metal frames hanging in a row, displaying the covers of his first albums. Lining the wall beneath that was Niall’s dresser. I crossed the room without a sound, and let my hands run delicately across the smooth wood surface. My eyes  immediately falling to the watches, bracelets, and stray guitar picks that dotted its sleek surface. There sat two picture frames, side-by-side. Their shiny, chrome surface distorting my reflection back at me. A single white snapback sat forgotten beside a partially empty, bottle of Armani cologne. I let my hand hover above the bottle, fingers twitching with desire to smell its potent contents. The urge became too strong, and I snatched the frosted glass bottle carefully in my grasp. With one tug, the cap pulled away, and I let my nose rest contentedly against the lustrous, silver nozzle. My eyes fell instantly closed as the musky scent flooded into my nostrils, clouding my brain with nothing but the man I’d so come to love. Within seconds I was transported back to that very first day I’d met Niall. 

The memory was vivid. Almost as if it were playing back to me on a movie screen. I saw myself walking down the cement corridor of the arena, in desperate search of a bathroom. I hadn’t a clue where I was going. The security guard that had directed me might as well have been speaking a different language. All I knew was that the echoing screams of fans were still ringing in my ears, as I walked further on. With my eyes stupidly glued to my iPhone screen, I briefly glanced up. Unfortunately, at a moment too late. Seconds later I bumped head on into a lean, sandy-haired guy. Fixing my gaze upward I found two piercing blue eyes staring back down at me.  

“Holy shit, you’re Niall Horan,” I whispered, transfixed by the heat of his strong hands gripping my shoulders, and the amused grin now growing on his lips.

“Ha, that’s me,” he chuckled, “and you’ve got quite the mouth for such a little thing.” 

I took a tiny step back, squaring my narrow shoulders for all the gesture was worth, and narrowed my eyes playfully up at him, “I’ll have you know, I’m nineteen.” 

He let out another hearty chuckle, raising his hands in mock surrender. 

“My bad,” he smirked, “I didn’t mean to offend ya.”

“Well, you’re lucky I don’t offend easily,” I teased, fidgeting with the phone in my grasp. 

“I am lucky,” he agreed simply.   

My eyes softened, a giggle escaping my lips as he surveyed me, head to toe. 

“It was a definite bonus meeting you,” he stopped, furrowing his brow, “wait, I didn’t catch your name.”

I stood there, awestruck by this moment, and the intense beating of my own heart. Could this really be happening? Was I imagining all of this?

“Bryn,” I hummed, “I’m Bryn.” 

I watched as his eyes crinkled at the edges, lips twitching into an impressed grin, “Bryn. I like that. Pretty name, for a pretty girl.” 

I swear my heart skipped a whole beat, and I have no doubt that he saw the impact his compliment had on me.  

“At the risk of sounding like a major fangirl, I was wondering,” I whispered shyly, holding up my silver phone, “would you mind taking a quick picture with me?”  

“Of course not,” he smiled, hesitating only a second before squatting down to match my short height. 

I had a feeling that he was uncertain of how a nineteen year old girl could stand at only four feet tall. After all, most people were confused by that fact. I also guessed that he was too much of a gentleman to ever ask, and risk offending me further. So instead, he pressed his face close to mine, our cheeks brushing lightly against one another as I handed him the cell phone. My skin tingled, like a charge of electricity running through my every nerve ending. I peered out of the corner of my eye at him, watching as he expertly flipped the phone around, balancing it in one hand while simultaneously snapping the photo. 

Normally i’m not the best at having my picture taken. In fact, for every holiday of my childhood that I can remember, my mom used to struggle to get a decent smile out of me. Every tactic imaginable would have been used, ending with my older brother tickling a genuine smile out of me. Now, as I stood with Niall’s arm hooked around my waist, I found it impossible not to smile.    

“Looks good,” he affirmed, peering at the picture of our smiling faces squished together in the frame, but my gaze never left his face.  

Handing me back the phone, his touch lingered on mine a minute longer than necessary, and a shiver of pleasure ran along my spine. His gaze held mine, and I swear he looked as though he wanted to speak. Wanted to ask a question, but just couldn’t find the right words. I raised my eyebrows sweetly, silently urging him on. 

Instead, his hand fell away from mine, and he slowly rose to his full height, towering over me once more. He ran a hand lazily through his styled hair, blindly smoothing it into place. Matching his movements, I brushed a loose strand of hair from my face, tucking it securely behind my ear. Each of us glanced awkwardly at our feet, as if we were each waiting for the other to speak first. 

I should say something, I thought to myself. 

Come on, just say something. 

Anything. 

Speak.  

“Well, I should probably...” Niall interjected my rambling thoughts, letting his sentence trail off as he nodded his head in the direction of the stage, somewhere down the hall from where we stood. 

“Right, of course. You’ve got a concert to finish,” I quipped, raising my eyebrows once again at him. 

He chuckled, nodding his head as he turned to leave, “I really am sorry if I offended you before,” he murmured, walking backward as he spoke, “it was never my intention to make such a beautiful girl upset.” 

My heart leapt, pounding against my ribcage as he offered me one last smile before turning, and disappearing around an unseen corner. I found it nearly impossible to believe what had just happened, shock written across every inch of my face. Although, I didn’t dare wake myself up from what might possibly be, the greatest dream I’d ever had.