One Direction [One-Shots]

Imagine 4: Niall Horan

One-Shot for FemaleNiall

Thank you so much for fanning, commenting and voting! :) That meant a lot to, You're my first official wattpad friend ;) Talk to you soon! xx

_____________________________________________________________________________

The loud cheering of the crowd outside can barely be heard from your dressing room. The various names that were chanted, including your own, did not help with the fluttering in your stomach. To think that you’ve done it so many times that the nervousness would cease but no, the feeling seemed to be amplified instead due to fear – fear to disappoint everyone; parents, instructor and the adoring fans. This fear caused you to miss doing what normal teenagers your age does – the gossip, dating and drama.

It’s funny the fear started with something you love to do. Horse-riding started out as just a hobby that your parents discouraged you to pursue. “How is it supposed to help with your future?” they questioned. You just shrugged, saying it was just for fun. Something you love to do. An escape. In response, they shook their heads and muttering what ‘a waste of time’ it was. That is, until you started getting good at it and your instructor suggested you to enter their farm’s annual riding competition. You did, and won.

After that, everything started to change.

Your parents began to support your hobby and even help you pursue it to a greater length by entering you in various riding competition that you exceled in. The beaming pride and joy in their eyes fueled your desire to be the best you can be just so they can be proud of you. But then, everything was just too much to handle and your parents became overbearing; pushing you to do competition instead of school (what they originally wanted), extra hours of practice instead of a leisure ride, encouraged you to drop out of school to pursue career in riding, forbidden social life and in the end, riding just doesn’t seem fun anymore. At last instead of an escape, riding became something you wanted to escape from.

At the age of thirteen, you succumbed to your parents nagging and made horse-riding as a career. Five years later, here you are; the youngest back-to-back champion of the states riding competition with five first state riding trophies, a couple dozens of blue ribbon and several features in magazines is about to compete for the 6th year. By now, everyone knew of the odds of you winning is high even with new hopefuls and old well-trained riders. You were no match for them. Exciting right? Unfortunately all you felt was indifference, horse-riding meant little to you now.

A knock on the door distracted you from your little flashback and saw a head poked inside the room. It was Matt, your riding instructor. He was just a teenager with a passion to ride and the older instructors looked down on him. Now everyone’s asking him for tips, help, anything. Just as you stuck with him, he stayed loyal to you. “You’re up in 10 minutes sweetheart, you ready?”

Taking a deep breath, you nodded and walked out of the room with him, heading towards the barn where Brownie awaits. She’s your beautiful brown horse, the one you’ve gotten for your first competition. A proven champion that’s priced at half a million dollars now but you wouldn’t have traded her in for anything. “Hey there girl,” you greeted her. “You ready? There’s a big crowd out there.” She made a noise and nodded her head in agreement. You giggled in response. The one thing that’ll never change would be your love for horses, especially your own.

“You know,” a stranger’s voice said from behind you, “people might think you’re crazy talking to horses. It’s an unhealthy habit.” Turning around, a blonde-haired guy stepped out from the shadows, a bag of chips in hand and a smile playing on his lips. “How about a human companion instead?” he asked, popping a chip into his mouth. You bit you lip to fight the smile from creeping onto your face at how cute he looked. Very, very cute. That term only apply to the super adorable Niall Horan from One Direction, you and your best friend’s favorite boy band.

“Well, my answer is usually never say never but this time, I have to make an exception,” I frowned a little. He disposed of the bag of chip and arched a perfect eyebrow that would’ve turn him from super cute to incredibly sexy in a heartbeat if he wasn’t frowning and looking a little hurt.  “I’m about to go on in 5 and I need to get ready before I make my appearance,” you explained, petting Brownie.

Niall stepped forward next to you and did the same. Brownie seemed to love the attention she was getting. From a hot guy nonetheless, I couldn’t blame her. “How about we meet after the competition then? I would really like to see you again,” he murmured, looking down and a pink blush on his cheeks.

“I would love that,” you beamed.

“It’s a date then!” he grinned.

Petting Brownie one last time, you place your foot on the side and lifted yourself to mount your horse. A pair of hands went to the sides of your waist and helped to lift you up as if you weigh nothing until you settle nicely on the saddle. You look at Niall with an appreciative smile and when you looked into his eyes, it conveyed emotions you never thought would be directed to you. His hand left your waist and tucked the strands of ginger hair that fell out of your messy ponytail. “Good luck out there,” he murmured, pulling at your neck so your forehead would lean against his. “I know for a fact that you’ll win.”

Niall let go of your neck and pulled away but stop and you can see indecision coming across his features. Then his eyes harden and the next thing you know his lips is on yours, tender and sweet. It was just a quick peck. Too quick in fact that you thought you’ve imagined it. But the lingering feel of his lips on yours and the hammering of your heart suggested otherwise. That and his thumb brushing your lips tenderly. You ducked your head to hide the blush but he had another idea. Lifting your chin, he brushed his lips on yours and whispered, “I’ll see you later.”

After Niall left you to prep, you couldn’t help but think: he just stole my first kiss.

*****

The gravel beneath your feet crunched as you walk across the lawn towards you family barn. The competition was over and Niall was right. I did won. But the feeling of disappointment flow through my veins as he didn’t fulfill his other promise to meet me after that. Instead, a bouquet of a dozen red roses was sent by his manager with a card attached saying that he couldn’t stay longer because he had other commitment, the reason why he’s there today, to attend along with a bunch of apologies that meant little to you. The excitement that came as you were about to compete, that you hadn’t felt since you started riding, diminished after you were informed of his absence.

Head high and faking smile, you went through the routine after your latest win before dejectedly returning home with an empty feeling in your heart when the realization occur that you would never see him again. Or if you do see him again, it’s unlikely he can distinguish you from millions of other girls that were just begging for scraps of his time and attention. Sighing at how bittersweet the meeting was, you entered the ranch and walked straight towards Brownie who’s getting a well-earned rest.

“Hey girl, you did great out there today, I’m so proud of you,” you cooed, caressing her soft brown fur. “Here’s a treat for you.” You took out the star-shaped carrots and feed them to her, while your other hand continued to caress her.

Gravel crunching outside the barn signaled you that someone’s approaching. Thinking that it’s only your parents, you paid no attention to it. “Now what did I say about talking to horses?” a familiar, amused voice asked and at the same time I felt a hand on my waist. “People are going to think you’re mad,” he whispered, brushing his lips against your ear. You whipped around to see Niall with an amused expression.

“What are you doing here? I thought you had another commitment.”

“Apparently my other commitment was your parents, they invited me here.” You gave him a pointed look. “They said they wanted me to meet you.”

“Really? Are you sure you’re not stalking me?”

“What gave you that impression?” Niall laughed.

And what a beautiful laugh it was.

You scoffed. “Oh I don’t know,” you said sarcastically. “Hiding in shadows, appearing out of nowhere… Tell me, you’re not an Irish vampire, are you?” He laughed again and you’re feeling gleeful that it’s because of you.

“If you want me to be, that I am, my love,” he winked. He reached out and pulled you to him. “Now, about our date…ride with me?” You nodded and spend the rest of the day and hopefully your life with the best guy a girl could’ve asked for.