In Other Words (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Fifty-Five

Chapter Fifty-Five 

Niall’s POV

I felt almost anonymous, and it was refreshing. I’d been in this town for three days now, and Rox and I have managed not to get publically recognized. Not even once. It’s like I was being granted a hall pass, and I had permission to move about the world without trouble. I just wasn’t sure when the damned thing would expire. I sipped my oversized beverage and slipped it back into the cup holder before sliding my hand inside her palm. She squeezed me loosely, not taking her eyes from the screen.

I was sitting within meters of probably at least a dozen people who knew my name, but the darkness of the theatre was my cover. I had lost interest in the movie twenty minutes ago, when I first became distracted with watching her. I focused on her eyelashes, trying to count the seconds between blinks. She had her leg curled underneath of her, and our coats piled in her lap. She was the same way when we watched movies at home, needing to be cozied up. I studied the fit of her hand within mine, dragging my callused thumb over the skin between her thumb and forefinger.

I knew she’d caught me staring when she moved her knee quickly, slamming it into my leg at the edge of the seat. She shot a small smile toward me. “Pay attention.” She mouthed.

“I am.” I whispered back, still not bothering with the screen. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and settled back into her chair. I turned to my right to find her parents still totally engrossed in the film. I fiddled with the stack of bracelets around her wrist, which sat gingerly in her lap over our coats; spinning them until they were all laid properly. I could tell she was growing at least a little annoyed by me fussing with her. She pulled up on the plastic handle that separated our chairs, tucking it away and scooting in closer. She shifted in her seat and leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. A clever compromise.

The credits began to roll and I quickly got to my feet, pulling my bulky coat on and holding hers open. “Psst.” She sounded in the direction of her parents as she slipped into her coat. “Gotta beat the rush.” They quickly stood and gathered their belongings and we trotted down the side aisle toward the exterior exit door, where we could get right out into the parking lot without having to endure the theatre lobby. The wind took hold of the large metal door just as soon as I pushed the handle, and we stepped back out into the daylight. Roxy squinted as her eyes adjusted, fumbling around her bag for her sunglasses. She pulled them on and stuck her tongue out at me, knowing I lacked my own pair.

“Thanks for the double date.” Her mom said as her dad unlocked the car doors. “We’re going to grab a bite at Rosie’s, care to join?”

I really was enjoying getting to know the Collinses, but I was relieved when Roxy declined the invite.

“You kids have fun.” Her dad said, ducking into the driver’s seat and out of the wind. Rox rolled her eyes and climbed in behind the steering wheel of my rental. I jerked the handle twice, waiting for her to hit the unlock button. She kept her eyes trained forward and clicked on her safety belt, slipping the car into drive and taking her foot off the brake. The car rolled forward a few feet and I tightened my grip on the handle, as if I could hold the damned thing in its spot on the asphalt. “Hey!” I shouted. I could hear her laughing as she unlocked the doors, not bringing the car to a halt, but instead picking up a bit of speed. I jogged along beside it, eventually matching my pace well enough to get the handle from the latch and jump into the leather seat.

“Ya little shit.” I muttered, the door slamming closed from the force of the wind, barely missing my foot.

“Seatbelt!” she shouted, pulling onto the street. “Safety first!”