In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Eleven

“No, I can swim. I’m just taking my time, here. Is that cool?” she said, placing her hands slightly behind her on the concrete and leaning back as she swished her feet and lower legs back and forth. Jesus, she was fit. I sunk my body into the water up to my nose and slowly floated toward the edge where she was sitting, taking in the sight of her  while I had the opportunity. With the flick of her ankle, she sent a small splash of water directly into my eyes. I blinked them clear. In retaliation, I grabbed her foot and ran my finger along her arch. “Ticklish?” I asked. She shook her head no, but I could tell by her face that she was bluffing, resisting the urge to yank her foot out of the water. “No?” I asked as I gave the same treatment to her other foot. She squirmed.

 “Okay, okay. Yes, I am ticklish. You have no patience! Why do you want me in that water so badly that you have to come over here and disrupt my Serenity experience?” she said in an annoyed tone, but with a smile on her face. She inched her bottom closer to the edge. I took each of her ankles in my hands and gave a slight tug so that she was only being supported by her hands. She was doing her best to keep out of the water, just because she knew I wanted the opposite. Cheeky girl.

Roxy’s POV

It seemed as though my little game was coming to a rapid end, as I dangled above the water, Niall still gripping my lower legs. A final pull from him, and that would be it. For me, getting into the pool with him would change things. Sure, we’d probably just horse around and flirt as usual, but in the water, it’s a different context. We’d be buoyant. Our smooth wet skin would touch, igniting that little part of our brains, sending signals to the tips of our fingers and toes. Believe me, I wanted to be not innocent with him plenty, I just didn’t want to rush. Butterflies fade so quickly, and it was that that I was trying to delay.

My arms began to buckle, having reached their limit. I slipped off the edge of the pool and sucked in my breath, readying myself to go under. The warm water had enveloped me up to my belly button, when Niall’s arms caught me, stopping my descent. I let out my breath as he lowered me in the remainder of the way, and pushed off his chest with my hands, putting a little distance between us as I floated with ease. Being a girl sometimes has its perks.

We sat for a while on the bottom step at the shallow end of the pool. He was telling his best war stories from his various tours, and I recounted my adventures at University. How totally different our lives were, yet they ran exactly parallel until ten days ago.  As the conversation carried on, the distance between us closed. Our legs grazed. His fingers laced with mine. Each time my pulse quickened to a point that I knew the color in my cheeks would soon give me away, I backed off a bit, with a playful splash. 

“Why are you running away?” he said, pulling me by my wrist onto his lap, where I floated just above him. He placed his hands around my waist, which added just enough weight to sink me into him. I wrapped one arm around his shoulders and turned myself slightly so I could see his face, and ran my fingers through his wet hair.

 “I’m not much of a runner.” I said quietly.

“That’s a relief. I’m not much of a chaser.” He said, tucking a stray lock of hair back behind my ear, sending a chill down my spine.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” I said, and brought my lips to his; Just one gentle kiss.  

A moment passed and he said “I love today. What a day.”

Niall’s POV

Roxy noticed the movement on the other side of the frosted glass doors first. “Shit, Niall. We’re not supposed to be in here.” She said, ducking below the edge of the pool where she couldn’t be spotted should someone come through the door. I weighed my options for a moment and decided to take advantage.

“We better not get caught. It will be all over the internet.” I said, turning her to face me as I watched the door. “We have to be quiet. And don’t let the water move.” I pulled her in close and wrapped her legs around me. We both listened closely for the sound of the door opening, our breathing synched. I reached behind me, and tickled her foot again. Her reflex reaction to pull her foot toward her instead caused her to pull me in tighter. “Take it easy, killer.” I said, smiling wide. She laughed aloud, forgetting we were to be hiding.

The door to the pool opened, and in walked the remaining 4/5ths of the band, all in their bathing suits. “Dammit. How did you guys know we were in here?” I asked.

“Ah, you think you’re tricky, eh?” Louis said, as the lads pulled off their t shirts. “Your girl told us you were down at the front desk earlier, so I did a little investigating. You gave the woman there three signed posters and recorded her phone greeting in exchange for her putting up that little sign.” He said, pointing dramatically toward the door.

I caught Roxy glaring at me, and I started to laugh, knowing my plan has been revealed.

Louis continued on his rant. “As members of the band which you have pimped out for your own benefit, we feel as though we are entitled to part of the prize. You should be ashamed of yo…” he hit the water before finishing his thought, the other three not far behind him.

Roxy untangled herself from me and swam toward the others. “I just want you to know that I had no part of this foul plot. I am a victim here too.” She said.  

Roxy’s POV

I looked down at my pruney fingers and smiled as the six of us piled into the elevator and back up to the floor where the boys’ rooms were. It was only nine o’clock in LA, but the time change and the busy day have left us all pretty wiped. Niall reached into the hoodie pocket to retrieve his key card, and swiped it in the reader, as I said goodnight to the other boys. They’re a wild bunch.

The door clicked shut softly behind us, and then it was suddenly quiet again.  Niall watched carefully as I removed the hair band from atop my head and let my hair fall back to my shoulders. It was only slightly damp, which was impressive given the amount of splashing the boys were doing.

“I won’t be able to see you for the next few days. We’re booked in the studio and have a couple of evening appearances.” He said as I bent down to grab my bag with my folded clothes inside.

“I know. I’ve got a busy schedule too. It stinks having to work for a living, don’t you think?” I said, smiling about the idea of equating my job to his.

He stepped in closer. “Stay the night?”