Count On Me | Niam

Chapter Four

He pocketed his phone as he unlocked the door, looking over at Chloe to see that she had tied her laces in such a way that he was convinced would take several years and a knife to undo before grabbing her hand, checking that she had her swimming bag and then running with her down to the lift.

*****

Niall swore again as they finally reached the changing rooms, already noticeably late, and sent to Chloe in to change as he headed over to the poolside where the lesson had already started, the instructor and other members of the group already in the pool. Fumbling in his pockets for the lesson fee, Niall gave the instructor a tight smile, pulling out the latest health form Chloe required and leaving it with the life guard on duty before heading back to the changing room to find a nearly distraught Chloe fighting with a locker.

"Chlo? It's fine, I'll sort this. They've already started but you need to go in." The seven-year-old looked up at him with a wobbly expression and he bent down to her level so that he could give her a brief hug, wiping the tears already making their way down her face away before he took her bag from her and gestured for her to join her class.

He watched for a moment as Chloe climbed down the steps into the pool and joined the class, sighing as she stayed near the edge of the group and avoided the gaze of the other children as they focused on the technique they were being shown, and his guilt increased as he made his way to the changing area and realised Chloe's struggle with the locker had been because he'd forgotten to give her any change for a locker in the first place.

Making his way up to the viewing balcony with the other parents, Niall was aware of the judgemental looks being flung his way by some and shrugged them off, used to the glares after years of being that parent, dropping into the nearest available seat before looking down towards the pool and continuing to watch Chloe, who was now trailing behind the rest of the children as they practised the new stroke.

The other parents didn't seem to notice as the lesson began to finish and Niall got up before they did, making his way towards the stairwell so that he'd meet Chloe by the pool ahead of anyone else, only to bump into someone, knocking the bag out of their hands, swearing under his breath as he thought he heard something break.

Bending down to pick it up at the same time as whoever he'd knocked into did, Niall was about to mutter an apology as he glanced up to see that it was someone he's seen around for the past few weeks, only now realising why he'd recognised him and mentally kicking himself for missing who it was.

"Liam? Liam Payne?" Niall bit his lip as he handed the bag over, trying and failing to keep the shock out of his tone as the other guy straightened up and half-looked at him, lazily pulling an earbud out in acknowledgement and still looking down at his phone as he took his bag back.

Liam wasn't really paying attention, only vaguely aware that the person who'd run into him had recognised him though he didn't really care, his head still full of the latest results from his training session at the gym, not bothered enough about the collision to pay much attention to the guy he'd collided with, his tone sounding so similar to the tone of disbelief that he heard pretty much everyday that he spoke without thinking and automatically said, "Sorry, mate. It's my day off, no signatures or photos."

"Right. Sorry, then." His throat closing, Niall nodded, feeling like he'd just been punched in the gut and struggling to process that, as famous as he was meant to be, Liam, someone who had once been able to tell him by his footsteps alone, had so casually brushed him off without a second thought, almost feeling physically sick as he nodded once more. Walking past Liam, Niall continued down the stairs, pasting a smile on to his face as he saw Chloe already waiting for him.

Aware of a crowd of people beginning to head downstairs, Liam shoved his phone away, putting his earbud back in before he finally bothered to check his bag, glancing back for a final look at the guy he'd run into, with something about them seeming oddly familiar, his curiosity making him turn back. Still looking down the stairs, Liam moved to one side as the stream of people passed him, struggling to search through the crowd of people as he tried to catch a glimpse of him once more.

Not to be disappointed, Liam's breath caught in his throat as the guy turned around, an arm wrapped around some kid, looking so similar to someone he used to know that he thought it couldn't have been anyone else.

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And here we are.

This chapter is dedicated to @iceblueniam
because they came up with Chloerine...

They finally, actually meet (again). Kind of.

This story has been driving me mad, there is so much I want to write for it, but I have so little time these days. *sad face emoji-thing*

I suppose it's not an actual meeting kind of first meeting between Niall and Liam but at the same time it is, if you know what I mean. I have a whole chapter already planned that I really want to write, but my paper (that's due in like three days) keeps staring at me...

I would really love to know what you guys think of the chapter...