The Bet // Niall Horan

13 - 20 Questions

"That's...so.....sad," he tried to say during his laughing fit.

"I actually turned around to my friends who watched me do it and said 'well he wasn't that attractive anyways.' Then I screamed after him and said 'if you were blind you wouldn't be able to run'," I laughed.

"You actually said that," Niall managed to get out once he calmed himself.

"No lie. I had to find a way to play it cool. I wasn't going to sit there embarrassed that my crush lied and told me he was blind in order to get out of a date with me!"

"Well I don't blame him, I'd be running for the hills too." Ouch. I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but his face looked so serious. Before I got the chance to question him he broke into a wide grin. "You should've seen your face."

"I hate you," I sighed as I nudged his ribs.

"Hey now, I wouldn't go that far."

"It's your turn," I glared at him as I tried to think of a juicy question to ask him. "What's the craziest thing a fan has done?"

"You don't wanna know," his eyes wide making me want to know that much more.

"Yes I do. Now spill," I demanded.

"Okay, fine. So about a year ago we were in Spain for tour and we were walking out towards the balcony of our hotel. Once we got to the edge of the balcony there was this one girl that had actually climbed a light post to be higher up in order to see us," he chuckled then continued, "I was the first one to see her so I pointed her out to the lads and apparently that's what she wanted. Once we were all looking she, uh, flashed us," he was blushing as I was in hysterics, barely able to breathe.

"No way!"

"It's true! The best part was that she lost her grip while, ya know, and she fell off the light post." Now he was laughing almost as hard as I was.

"Oh my gosh! Was she okay?"

"I think so, security dragged us back inside right after it happened so I'm not positive. I hope so. The boys and I were so shocked." Oh the adventures of One Direction. We sat there laughing at the fan for a good five minutes before a wave of tiredness washed over me and before I knew it, my eyes were drooping and I was out like a light within a matter of seconds.

**

It all looked so familiar. I've seen those curtains, that photo of us, that bed. I've seen it all before. But it wasn't in the place I had remembered them being. They weren't in his room; we weren't in his room. It was like I knew where everything should be, every single object and it's appropriate placement, but they weren't where they belonged.

This place wasn't what I thought it was.

Suddenly the scene changed and I could no longer see the disoriented room. All I could see was him.

"Don't touch me," I growled.

"Aw, a little feisty are we?" There was that wicked smile. A smile I once fell for. But now all I wanted to do was run at the sight of it.

"I would think you'd know me well enough by now. Guess I was wrong." I seethed.

"Oh, love. You were wrong about a lot of things."

You know that feeling in a dream where you want to run, or even move, but you're stuck in the same place, unable to free yourself from the situation? That was me. I couldn't escape his hold. He continued to glare and smirk at me, holding my captive to the position he was holding me in.

I tried screaming but no sound escaped. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream, and I was on the verge of not being able to breathe.

"Carter." He said. "Carter." A voice sounded again, but this time I could tell it wasn't coming from the person I thought it was. Someone was calling out for me.

"Carter!" I could hear them getting closer, more desperate.

"Carter! Eh, wake up!" My eyes flew open to meet a pair of worried blue ones staring down at me. "Hey, love, you okay?"

"Wha-what?" I stammered, my drea-nightmare still playing repeatedly in my head.

"I asked if you were okay. You were shaking and was mumbling 'no' over and over again," Niall asked, furrowing his brows in worry as well as some confusion.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. It's all good," I rushed, sitting up from my position. Somehow over the time that I had fallen asleep, my head had been resting on Niall's lap as he still sat, somewhat, up straight.

"You sure? A few tears came out," he added cautiously, as if I would attack him for saying it.

"Oh," I said simply. "Sorry."

"No, there's no need to apologize. Do you want to talk about it?" The look he gave me said 'I want to know but I'm not going to force you'. I wanted to, trust me I did, but it was such a long story and I didn't want to go into detail right after I had nearly relived it in my nightmare.

"Not really," I said quietly. Niall nodded slightly before speaking again, "it's pretty early, the boys will probably start to worry where I am if I'm not back soon. I should get going." When I looked back at him, he quickly continued, "If that's okay with you, of course. Because, I mean, if you need anything I can stay."

I cut him off from his panic rant, "Niall, I'm fine. Go," I laughed slightly and he let out a deep sigh of relief. He gave me one last worried glance before responding, "okay then."

Niall grabbed his guitar from where he had left it before falling asleep and started walking towards the back door. Before he walked out of the house, I was already on my feet heading towards my bed, but his voice stopped me. "Cookie," he whispered and I couldn't help it, I burst out into laughter as I remembered out 'argument' earlier this morning. It amazed me how he was able to make me laugh just minutes after I was supposedly crying at my dream.

"Nah, bro. Cream." Before he could even respond, I was bounding up the stairs towards my room. I heard a light chuckle come from the living room just before he closed the door, leaving me to try and fall asleep yet again.

-----

Niall.

I couldn't wipe the smile that was plastered to my face as I walked out of her house. Once again I was walking away from her with that feeling that left me wanting more.

Deep within me there was a battle forming, and I didn't like it. A battle between my heart and my mind. Basic and cheesy, I know, but that's exactly what was happening. I promised myself that I couldn't fall for a girl unless she was worth every little thing. My heart was telling me that yes, go for it but then my mind was screaming 'no, what if you hurt her'. Within time I guess I'll find out which one is talking louder.

---

I can hear Niall's laugh in that gif.

Save me.