Serendipitous: Niall's Story

Bailando

“Surprise!” The whole room cried out just as Miranda Hanas entered the room, her husband in tow.

“Oh my goodness gracious,” The birthday person cried, her hand placed over her heart as she actually jumped a good inch off the ground.

Ara though could only watch Niall as he laughed.

“Oh you can definitely tell she’s Melina’s mom. Kinda country… aren’t they?” He grinned looking over at Ara, using the only word he could best describe them with.

“She’s Tennesse born and bred.” Ara offered, laughing as Niall’s face practically spelled ‘eureka’.

“Really?” Niall’s blue eyes widened.  “That would explain a lot- I mean its Chicago… we were all wondering from where Melina’s southerness came from.” He said as his eyes drifted over to their friends.  “Speaking of… what about you Ara Astor? What’s your story?” Niall asked, realizing at that moment that he didn’t know all that much about what made Ara… well Ara. His eyes bored into hers with that realization. It seemed that despite knowing Ara for over half a year, he really didn’t know her- it was always about him, or about helping Louis. He knew things here and there- about her family and her classes but aside from that, he really didn’t know the real her, the one behind closed doors, with nobody else watching.  Because it seemed that there was always people watching no matter where they went. And their friends always around or worse yet, when they had moments of just them and all they could seem to talk about were their friends. “What makes Ara Astor… Ara?” Niall asked in all seriousness.

Ara’s jaw dropped at both the intensity of his look and the seriousness of his tone.

“Uh,” She managed at a loss for words.

“Well first you have to at least know her real name.” An unfamiliar voice to Niall said before said person snatched Ara away. 

“Wait, Andrew? When did you get back,” Ara asked, walking with long strides to keep up with her best friend, one she hadn’t seen in weeks, or was it months now? He’d practically disappeared off the face of the planet after trying to set her up with Ryan.

“But- what?” Niall sputtered. “Who, who is he?!”

“Hi?” Ara just said looking up at her best friend in expectation for some kind of explanation. He did just drag her onto the dance floor and into a dance without an actual word to her.

“I leave for a few months and I come back only for you to dump my friend for some kind of blonde leprechaun?”

Ara’s jaw dropped before she purposely stepped on Andy’s toes in retaliation for his comment, making him wince.  “That was mean and really. Ryan and I are just friends, I did not dump him! You’re the one who tricked me on a date with him, in which I didn’t even know it was a date til he dropped me off!”

Andrew however didn’t look remorseful in the slightest, rather he laughed.  “I don’t know if you’re oblivious or too innocent.” He said thoughtful.

“I will step on you again.” Ara huffed though. 

“But that’s Niall Horan huh,” Andrew said looking behind her to the confused blonde singer.

“Mhmm,” Ara said before making a guilty face. She kinda just left Niall standing… whoops. “Let me just-”

“Later! I wanted to test him out,”

“What?”

“See what he’ll do… now tell me about what I’ve missed since my absence.”