Always & Forever (A Niall Horan Love Story)

15. I'll Change My Mind... Forever?

            Leah giggled. “At least it was empty,” she said.

            “Yeah. Well, it wasn’t when the trash man came through.”

            She laughed even louder, making me smile. “That’s not something I want to hear. You know I almost forget sometimes that you guys are so famous.”

            “Me, too, surprisingly enough. I mean, in times like these, when I’m talking to someone like you.”

              Leah didn’t comment on my obvious attempt at flirting. Most girls might have died if I told them they made me forget I was famous. Not that I was lying… it was just nice to forget about it all sometimes. Instead, she changed the subject. “What are Liam and Louis up to?”

            I sighed. “Liam is…” I glanced around the room and couldn’t spy him. “He’s on the phone with Lizzy,” I said, figuring that he was in his personal suite with the lights low, and probably the two of them were flirting like there was no tomorrow. It made me happy for him. “And Louis’ just sittin’ here, being… Louis.” Louis lay with his legs crossed on the couch in the TV room, flipping through the channels rather quickly. I wondered how he could tell what he was watching.

            At the mention of his name, Louis grinned. “Tell your little girlfriend I said ‘pip, pip cheerio’!”

            I opened my mouth to speak, but Leah was already laughing. “I heard him,” she said. “You guys really are… something,” she admitted. I almost cringed at her classification of us as a whole, rather than just me, but I chose to relieve myself of the worry. No need in dwelling on Leah’s every word.

            “Well, since I’ve only got about five more minutes, what have you been doing since we left?”

            “Well,” Leah paused, considering what to tell me. “I had dinner with Lizzy’s family last week. Her dad came home from overseas. And then, I went to church like usual. Oh, and Bethany and Cole are as sweet as ever. They hang out all the time. Cole even got upset the other day because Bethany happened to not invite him over.”

            I smiled at everything she said, remembering all the faces of the people she talked about. I hadn’t met Lizzy’s dad, of course, but I could imagine all of them gathering around the table and eating a nice warm meal. It reminded me of my family. “How is Lizzy doing? Liam doesn’t really tell me a lot.”

            “She’s doing wonderful. She was so happy when we had the dinner, because her dad’s return was such a surprise. She kept on saying how good God was. She even asked for me to cook for them that night.”

            My mouth shot open quickly, and I self-consciously closed it. “You cooked for them?” I remembered her telling me how little she’d cooked for everyone, and I’d assumed it was for fear of rejection. I guessed I’d been wrong, because Leah had made a meal for an entire family. It reminded me of my own choice to face my fears right before my X Factor audition. I’d promised myself that even if I didn’t make it, I would be satisfied that I’d been brave enough to try. It had worked, obviously, and I’d nailed the audition and made it this far with my friends.

            “Yes. I made my favorite meal- chicken parmesan with noodles, green beans, and rolls.”

            “My mouth is watering, Leah. Make it stop.” I teased her good-naturedly. “I’m glad you cooked for them. I never thought you would, since you got all timid whenever we talked about it.”