In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Five

“Wet polish!” She answered, holding a fingernail close to the lens for me to examine the fresh paintjob.

“Cute.” I smiled. “How was your day?”

I wasn’t sure she realized how well I’d been studying her. She fascinated me. For instance, I knew that should would answer this question with some casual remark, as if nothing noteworthy had happened, but then she’d get carried away describing some aspect of her day, her words clumping together as she rushed to explain, as if there were some timer ready to go off at any second, potentially cutting her story short.  Each of her points would be punctuated by a hand gesture, and she’d look up at the ceiling if she started to lose her train of thought.  I would know that she’d finished when she said “you know what I’m saying?”.

“It was fine, I guess.” She said.

I waited.

“But remember how I was telling you about that…”

And she was off. I watched the way her lips formed the words, and how every so often she would look at her own face on the screen instead of directly into the lens. This girl, I thought. She’d kill me if I ever told her she’s perfect. She hated the word. But seriously, how much closer could you get? I’d spent my morning on the phone, getting things all set for when I returned. I had a few more things to set up before she could be let in on the plan, but I was growing more and more excited by the day. I was pretty sure she’d be pleased, but with Rox, there was always a little unpredictability.

“…just not something I give two fucks about. You know what I’m saying?” she finished.

I hadn’t been listening. “That’s nuts, babe.” I said, hoping it was an adequate response. “Any snow yet?” I changed the subject before she caught me.

“Nah. A little rain today, though.” She said.

“Rain?” I asked, the word reminding me about the little gift I’d picked up with Josh that same day I found those cheesy mugs.  Thankfully, I hadn’t left it tucked into my old wellies very long, knowing I’d probably forget all about it. Instead, I’d given it to her brother for safekeeping.  She was busy reciting the ten-day forecast as I slipped my phone from my pocket to send Ryan a text.

We exchanged a few messages, and soon enough, she stopped talking to me mid-sentence as he entered her room without knocking, and tossed the small yellow bag on her bed, gave me a little wave, and walked back out.

“What’s this?” She asked, looking at me in confusion.

“I’ve been saving that for a rainy day.” I replied as I waited for her to pull back the crinkled tissue paper.

Slowly she revealed the box, running her fingers over the hand-carved lid, holding it into the light cast by the computer screen to look at the vibrant paint colors and hopefully taking note of the tiny letter r I asked be added in one corner.

“It’s beautiful.” She murmured, lifting the lid. I could hear the notes of the SONG as it played. 

“I know it’s empty now, babe.” I explained. “But it won’t be for long.”

Roxy’s POV

The music box cycled through “Stand by Me” once again as I sat on my bed, replaying what he had just said. I couldn’t even put to words what I was feeling. I just stared back at him. Did he seriously just suggest that he was gearing up to propose?

“I wish you could see your face right now.” He laughed.

“Niall. I can see it. We’re Skyping, remember?”  I replied, looking at myself on the screen, my face displaying the same shock I felt in my stomach.

“Rox, you think if I was going to…do that, that I would be hinting about it at all?” He smirked, knowing he’d gotten me riled up.  “When that time comes, love, believe me, you’ll have no idea it’s coming.”

When.  I closed the lid of the box, and tried not to burst into a thousand pieces.

“Talked with the travel agent today…” he said, changing the subject, thank god. The thing about his schedule is that it’s never definite. We had an idea of about when he’d be home, but we couldn’t set anything in stone as far as plans for the holidays went.  The tentative plan was that he’d have a few days in London before we headed off to Ireland for Christmas. The boys had a small number of dates left on their tour, which would resume in January, and I was finally going to be introduced to life on the road.

Our best guess was that he’d be home in six weeks. As I listened to him excitedly describe what Christmas in Ireland looks like, well, more what it tastes like, I began to feel that ache inside. I missed him so much, and these Skype calls just weren’t cutting it. I wanted him here, in front of me. I wanted to touch.

I focused my gaze on the lens at the top of my screen. I undid the top button of my crisp, fitted dress shirt, making sure he took notice.

“Babe?” he said. “Are you even listening?”

“Uh huh.” I muttered, my fingers moving to the next button.  He licked his lips and I knew I had his attention.  He rested his elbows in the table in front of his laptop, and placed his chin into his hands, just watching as I slowly exposed more and more skin. I shrugged out of the shirt and stood at the side of the bed, repositioning the camera. I turned my back to him so he could watch as a I slowly unzipped my office-chic pencil skirt and let it fall to the floor.

Never in a million years would I have expected to be willingly standing in front of a camera in my bra and panties, let alone feeling so comfortable while doing so. He looked at me as if I weren’t flawed, and he somehow found a way to make me feel that way, too. I shook my hair loose as I turned back around to see his blue eyes taking me in.

Neither of us spoke.

I reached my hand around to undo the clasp on my bra.

There was a noise on his end that caused his eyes to quickly shift away from the screen. “Hey! What happened to knocking?” He yelled, the color in his cheeks flashing.  I darted under my comforter just as Louis rounded the table.

“Call ya later, babe.” Niall yelled before closing the lid of his laptop.  

And I laid there giggling like a sixteen year old .