Girlfriend For Hire// n.h.

Chapter Ten

"C'mon Niall!" Paige exclaims, dragging him down the sidewalk as the girl does sprints towards the nearby Starbucks.

"What's the rush?" he asks her, catching up finally and wrapping his arms around her waist as they reach the entrance to the coffee shop.

"Danny!" she shouts, breaking away from Niall and racing towards a guy very unfamiliar to the Irish boy. Well, besides the fact that Paige identified him as Danny.

"Paige! Wow, you look gorgeous babe," he greets her, engulfing Paige in a hug which Niall finds to be too tight and Paige to be enjoying too much.

"Niall, this is Danny. Danny, this is Niall," Paige introduces them, grabbing Niall's hand in her own as he approaches them.

"Yeah, her boyfriend," he states, emphasizing the word as he eyes Danny up and down. The boy has dark brown hair and ivy green eyes, his cheekbones high, lips a perfect bow, and his dazzling smile a great way to make Niall feel insecure. He's wearing a plain gray t shirt and light blue jeans, finishing it off with black Converse.

"This is who I wanted you to meet Niall. Danny's an old friend, and we've kind of got something to talk about," Paige explains. "Let's head back to the flat, yeah?"

Niall's heart beats faster, the possibilities of what Paige has to tell him racing through his head as he prepares for the worse. This is her actual boyfriend? Oh no, she's not pregnant, is she? Is he her brother? Cousin? Or really just an old friend?

As they enter, Danny takes a seat on the couch as though he's a regular in Paige and Niall's shared apartment, which only aggravates Niall all the more. Paige takes a seat next to Niall, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

"Alright, Niall, Danny really is an old friend. One who I suggested to management... is going to be the guy I cheat on you with," Paige lets out, gripping Niall's hand tightly in her own. "They devised this thing that, while you're on tour, Danny here is going to keep me company."

"When I go on tour? Paige, that's only two months away! I'm not ready..." He stumbles for words, pacing the room and running a hand through his blonde hair.

"Niall, buddy, you alright? You seem pretty worked up over a fake relationship," Danny comments. Niall is about to spit back a retort that their relationship isn't, in fact, fake, but bites his tongue. That reality only exists in Niall's imagination it seems.

Paige stands up, wrapping her arms around Niall's torso as she brings him in for a hug. "I know, we've only been together for a little while, but won't things be better once we go our separate ways? At least there won't be a big break after you return, right? By the time you get back from tour, it'll be like I was never here." She attempts at reassuring him, but it's far from the reassurance Niall wants.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, it'll be better. I just, uh... I've got to meet Harry at the park. I completely forgot. I'll, uh, see you later," he quickly says, pushing Paige away from him and racing towards the door.

"Niall," Paige speaks up, causing him to turn around. She opens her mouth as if to say something, then closes it, shaking her head. "Uh... don't stay out too late," she simply tells him. Niall nods, exiting the flat and leaning back against the hallway wall.

His world comes to a stand still as he sends a text to Harry to meet him at the park, Niall making his way there himself. Considering Harry lives a fairly far distance away, Niall takes this time to ruminate over his situation on the swings.

Here, Niall decides he doesn't want it to end. He doesn't want Paige to just disappear from his life. Still, how can he tell her his true feelings? The way she looks at Danny... it appears that if Niall were to be rejected, that would mean Paige would run right to him. Then again, what was the point of having the feelings that he did if he never planned to tell Paige of them?

"Ni," Harry finally says, snapping Niall of his thoughts as he looks up at his curly headed friend. Harry takes a seat beside him in the next swing, glancing over at Niall with worried eyes. "Why did you need me to come?"

"I... I don't know," Niall confesses, placing his face in his hands. "Paige's friend is here for quite an extended visit."

"Oh, yeah. Mr. Edwards sent us all that message. Speaking of 'us,' how come you haven't been a part of it lately?" he questions, and Niall looks at him with pure confusion, so Harry continues. "You've spent probably two or three solid weeks with only Paige. I thought you didn't fancy her? What happened to your mates?"

Niall sighs, shaking his head. "Everything's changed because of her, hasn't it?"

"Only because you made it change. You got her involved into your life and ours, and that was a choice, not a requirement."

Harry's words strike Niall with the truth, and Niall shakes his head, just staring at his feet while they drag against the ground. The two sit in silence, until finally, Niall speaks.

"What should I do?"

"About what?" Harry asks him.

"About Paige. About this stupid relationship. About reconnecting with you and the lads. What do I do?"

Harry remains silent, staring over at Niall. "I think... I think if you really do fancy Paige, don't argue, you do, then you should bring her around us more, you know? And, as the relationship goes... I guess only time can tell, Niall. You've got to play this out how management wants I'm afraid."

"Yeah... Yeah." Niall says, almost to himself.

Not wanting to go back, Niall and Harry sit and just.. talk. They talk about management, the upcoming tour, Paige, and even a woman Harry has invited into his crazy life.

He goes on and on about this girl Brooke, whom he had danced with at Simon's party. After the whole fiasco, they got to talking, and he started to really fancy her. Harry seemed to be able to talk nonstop about her beautiful golden locks or green eyes much like his own. She was but a humble dancer, set to be on tour with them. Honestly, as Harry puts it, he couldn't wait for it to begin. All the while, Niall was dreading it.

When they finally part ways, Niall is still reluctant to go home. Against his better judgment, he does manage to make it through the front door, just as Danny gets prepared to leave.

"Where's Paige?" Niall asks, noticing the absence of his household companion. Danny points towards the bedroom, a dirty grin on his face.

"Shower. I offered to accompany her, but was shot down. Looks like she's saving that hot water for you big boy," Danny explains, giving him a wink. Niall rolls his eyes, stepping out of Danny's way as he exits. "Oh, and Niall?"

"Yeah?"

Danny stops in the doorway, leaning his shoulder against it and folding his arms over his chest. "I don't know what you and Paige have going on, except the fact that anything romantic is merely an act."

"Really? I think we've shared plenty of nice moments outside of the camera's view," Niall challenges, thinking of their "I love you's," or cuddling, or just... anything.

"She's a better actress than you might know. In grade eleven, she had to act in love with a guy she absolutely hated in the play Grease, so she can be deceiving. Even he thought she had a little crush on him," Danny tells Niall nonchalantly, while Niall's heart beats forty times faster. Danny's words couldn't be true, not about Niall and Paige.

"And how would you know the difference between her fake and real love?" Niall once again challenges, a bit scared for the answer.

"We used to have a... thing. Whatever you call it. She was head over heels for me, and still is in fact. I know Paige a little better than you do, having grown up with her. You, she's pretending. Me though, I think that thing we had may start up again after this," he says with finality, closing the door behind him. Niall stands dumbfounded, not sure exactly what to believe.

****

Niall lounges on the couch, intent on his confession to Paige. No way could he let Danny's idea of her "real" love stop him. As she emerges through the hallway to the bedroom, Niall pops out of his seat, almost instantly clasping her hands in his own.

"Paige, we need to talk," he explains, sitting her on the couch. Paige is confused, no doubt, but she remains silent, hanging on to Niall's every word.

Niall's probably gone through their conversation one hundred times in his head, but he still can't seem to find the words to say. Repeatedly, he opens his mouth and closes it, not exactly finding a way to start.

"Actually, can I tell you something?" Paige asks after Niall is silent for a while. He nods, glad to get out of his predicament. Paige, stares at her lap, brown gaze meeting Niall's intently. "I think... I mean... Maybe..."

"Go on," Niall urges, hoping maybe he won't have to confess his feelings if Paige does it first. She smiles, gripping his hands tighter.

"Seeing Danny today... it made me realize something," she continues, pausing again.

"What?" he asks, a smile spreading across his face.

"I think... I think I'm still in love with him," Paige confesses.

Suddenly, the world around Niall collapses, everything wanting to go black, but Niall fighting against it. Paige's eyes search his face for any trace of emotion, and as much as it pains Niall to do it, he smiles.

"Wow, those are some deep feelings for a guy you just saw, aren't they?" he questions. Paige sighs, shaking her head.

"That's just it. When I saw him, the butterflies returned. When you left... we started talking. Reminiscing about that past, I realized that I still had feelings."

"But love?"

"Well, one doesn't just fall out of love once they've fallen in, now do they?" Paige responds, Niall silently nodding.

"Yeah..."

"So... enough with my stupid little crushes. What did you want to talk about?" Paige asks, her smile returning to her face after such a serious moment. Niall wracks his brain for something, anything besides his previous words.

"Uh... I wanted to talk to you about Harry's new girlfriend. While we talked, I arranged for us to go on a double date. You know, if you'd like," he quickly replies, feeling content with his excuse.

"Sounds amazing. Tell them we're free tomorrow, and I can't wait to meet Harry's new lady," Paige tells him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go fix my wet hair," she jokes, planting a light kiss on Niall's cheek before scampering off. A kiss, Niall realizes, which is nothing but a friendly gesture.

****

Niall stands, his arm draped around Paige's shoulders as they stand and converse with Harry and Brooke, who can't keep her hands off of him. It seems that her hands are always planted firmly on his chest, their lips locked quite a bit.

The couples decided on a dance club, to which Niall can't recall the name. Then again, who could remember anything with the music blasting and about one hundred people on all sides of you? While Harry and Brooke sneak in through the dancing crowd, all Niall seems to be able to focus on is Paige.

She looks utterly bored, clinging to him, her eyes drooping. He takes her hand in his, gently caressing his thumb over her knuckles as he leads her to the dance floor. Paige seems confused, but goes along with it, a smile creeping on her face as the two dance to the upbeat music. People grind around them, though they don't seem to care.

"Can I get you a drink?" Niall offers after the pair finally get away from the dance floor, sweaty like the bodies around them.

"After what happened last time, I'll have to decline," she jokes, taking his hand in hers. "How does a walk in the fresh air sound?"

"Sounds wonderful," he replies, allowing her to lead him through the front doors. It crosses his mind that he left his best friend and girlfriend inside, but he does plan to return for them, right?

Paige entwines their fingers together, breathing in heavily to take in the London nightlife air. Oddly, it smells of nature, rather than the polluting cars that zoom by on the street. Niall stands at his feet as they glide across the pavement, a headache forming.

"So... why come out here?" Niall asks, his gaze traveling to his surroundings, rather than Paige.

"Quieter, Prettier, and a bit more easy to focus on you," she tells him, her arms wrapping around his bicep as she cuddles in closer to him.

"And why would you want to focus on me?" he next questions, his heart pounding in his chest. These kinds of things left him wondering about Paige's true feelings.

"When you think about it, our time is limited, you know? We need to spend as much time together as possible before you leave," Paige explains. "I'm gonna miss you so much Niall."

"I'm, uh, gonna miss you a lot too." A lot more than she'll ever know.

"I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too." A lot more than she'll ever know.

They find a bench, sitting down together. Paige leans up to kiss his cheek sweetly, laying her head down on Niall's shoulder.

"You know, I know that you kissed me before," she speaks up after a while.

"I did what?" he asks, completely baffled.

"When we got back from my parent's. You thought I was sleeping. I was, a little, but not enough that I didn't notice you kissing me."

"You didn't kiss back."

"I panicked, honestly." Silence rests over them again, before Niall speaks up once more.

"And, uh, what about now?"

"I, uh, I don't know," Paige answers, staring at her crossed legs. "I really am not sure... of anything."

Niall took her uncertainty not as a curse, but rather as a gift. Not only did Paige's uncertainty about Niall mean she was thinking about him, but it also meant she wasn't completely in love with Danny either.