Larry Stylinson ~ Poor Little Rich Boy AU

20. :-)

Chapter Twenty:

AN: Final chapter :)

Hannah was wearing a white swimsuit with little embroidered daisies on it. Niall was doing his utmost to focus on the daisies rather than her body, but as a teenage boy, he was finding this no easy feat. Luckily, she had her back to him and had no idea that his blue eyes were roving hungrily over her still body, but he still didn’t want anyone else to catch him ogling – there was also the risk that she might turn around and spot him staring, and probably slap him, which he was also quite keen to avoid. Experience (and getting extremely drunk at the employees’ Christmas party at the shop where they both worked last year) had taught him that she had one hell of a right hook. It had also taught him that drinking a large amount of tequila and then falling off the top of the boss’s shiny new car after an attempt at dancing on top of it was not the most effective way of maintaining employment, but that was an entirely different story.

Her golden hair was hanging loosely right down to the small of her back; he’d never really appreciated how long it was before. It kind of made him want to touch it, to hold it out and examine all the ways the sun reflected off it, all the highlights and shimmering colours lost within the gold that came out in the sunlight. Still, he didn’t think she’d take too kindly to him pulling her hair, either, so he ignored the urge.

A clear laugh burst into the air, travelling across the pool, and Niall realized that it had come from Hannah. He followed her line of sight and realized with a clench of his jaw that she was gazing across the pool, meeting the gaze of one of the lifeguards she’d been making eyes at since they’d arrive, as well as several of his hooting, catcalling friends. One of them shouted out an obscene comment and Hannah giggled and twirled around in a circle on their command (Niall twitched in frustration; why wasn’t she giving them the finger and a mouthful of abuse like she would have back home to anyone who had tried to treat her like some token blonde bimbo?) and as she twirled, she caught sight of Niall, rooted to the spot and staring darkly at her. She faltered for a moment mid-spin, and then watched in surprise his gaze darted back to the small group of twenty-year-olds, whose eyes were all glued on her and thoroughly enjoying the rear view.

Her mouth tightened into a small smirk, like a challenge. Turning back to the guys, she placed one hand on her hip and tossed her hair in the way that everyone knew made Niall weak at the knees, and that, thatwas the final straw.

His first step was hesitant, but after that, he decided there was no going back. She should have expected him to pop up behind her, they’d stared right at each other after all, but no – she was unsuspecting, too busy giggling and waving. It was aggravating, so much so that he almost wondered if she was deliberately exaggerating the whole scenario to the point of ridiculousness. He knew Hannah. She didn’t do all the giggly, wiggly eyelash fluttering stuff (she preferred to bash you over the head and affectionately call you a wanker and then make her move, if her past relationship with Louis was anything to go by) so he couldn’t understand why she was acting in this way. He figured he’d put an end to it.

His hands landed on her shoulders, the feel of warm, smooth skin underneath his fingertips sending sparks dancing right the way up to his knuckles. He felt her breathe sharply in underneath him, flinching in shock, and before she could properly steady herself Niall was jerking her forward, as if he was going to throw her straight into the pool. He had a firm hold on her as he yanked her towards the water; she wasn’t going to slip, but Hannah gave a little squeak of surprise and grabbed his leg, the fingers of her left hand grabbing a handful of fabric as she seized him by the leg of his Chinos and held on for dear life, biting down so hard on her lower lip to keep herself from squealing that all the blood was fading from it, leaving it pearly white. Niall’s hands slid carefully down her shoulders to her waist, pulling her safely back from the edge – her hair flicked over her right shoulder like a curtain, and he carefully pushed it back out of his way as he leaned over to murmur against the curved shell of her ear, “Saved your life.”