linger // niall horan

three // a trí

"It's complicated."

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My fingers fumble with my CD case as I listen to the rings, my phone pressed to my ear. I toss in a random unmarked mix CD, hoping for the best. 

"Yes, dear?" 

"Shay, please come with me. Please. I can swing by your place right now and pick you up. I really don't want to do this alone," I immediately start begging, not something I do often. 

I merge onto the highway, ready to turn around at a moment's notice if Shay changes his mind. 

"There's no way in hell, sorry love," He laughs, taking a bit of amusement in my misery it seems. 

"I'll literally do anything, I'm begging you, Seamus," I use his full name to let him know I'm in no mood to joke around.

My palms feel slick against my steering wheel as I take the familiar exit. I take this exact same exit at least twice a week but today was different. I spent so much time disassociating my hometown over the years and in a matter of a day, he comes home and completely reattaches himself to it all. 

"You know, you're an adult," Shay's tone is much harsher now, "You don't have to go to this damn dinner any more than I do."

"My parents would kill me and you know it," I snap back, irritated that he thought I was just going for fun. 

"You're 22, Gus. Come on," I can just picture his beautiful face twisted up with bitterness as he spat the words at me. 

"Thanks, Shay." I spit back before hanging up. 

Though I would sooner crash my car straight into one of these two story houses than admit it, Shay was right. I am a grown woman no longer obligated to dine with my parents on a nightly basis. When my mum called and told me that the Horans had invited us over for dinner because Niall was going to be in town I had to run to the nearest trash bin. 

The last thing I wanted to do was sit down and eat dinner with Niall, yet here I'm headed. How masochistic can I be?

As I fall deeper and deeper into my thoughts, a heat rises in my chest. Why should I have to cancel dinner plans and hide in my apartment? Mullingar is my home, he chose to leave it all behind. I shouldn't have to go into hiding just because he decided to grace us all with his presence. 

My knuckles turn white as I grip my steering wheel. Whipping around the corner, I turn onto Raithin Rd. passing identical homes, each with a small front lawn where they chose to differentiate themselves. 

I pass the small sign that reads 'bus stop' and remember meeting Niall there every morning. And when we got off there at the end of the day, I remember the two of us walking to my front door, even though that meant Niall walked past his own house first. No matter how much I objected or teased, he refused to let me walk past the two houses that separated ours alone. 

I push that four foot little kid with the crooked teeth and freckles on his nose out of my head as I near my destination. Niall's house sticks out against all the others on our block for three large black SUV's are parked in the driveway. Mrs. Flannery across the street gossips about the vehicles with the mailman, one of her eyebrows raised in a look of judgement. She gives me a wave as I park in front of Niall's house, the look of curiosity peaking. 

"Hello dear, I see you're here to join the rest of Ireland at the Horans," She comments, unable to help herself. She was always the one to call my folks whenever Niall, Shay and I were up to no good. I used to wish this old bag dead once a week, but now that I've grown up, I couldn't help but to bite back laughter.