He Could Be Mine

Chapter 9: Progression

Hey guys! Sorry for the late-ish update! Hope you enjoy!

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It always happens. A large part of friendship is fighting, and Niall hated it. Usually so did I. But this argument was different. I crossed lines that I didn't realize were there and said things that I didn't know that I felt. And I hurt him.

But unlike me, Niall had other friends.

I spent the next week alone. It was times like these when I realized that I'd allowed myself to become too attached to Niall. Everyone I knew, I knew through him. My "friends" were just people that hung around me when I was with him.

I didn't miss my "friends"; I missed Niall. A lot, actually.

I decided to apologize. I knew that I went too far. The truth hurts, but it doesn't have to. I could have kept what I said to myself. Maybe I should have.

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When I finally got Niall alone, it was the end of the day. He didn't seem happy to see me, but he didn't seem extremely angry either.

"Niall, can we talk for a minute?" I said softly as I walked up to him.

He was at his locker. He closed the door and looked at me.

"I have practice," he frowned, "you know that."

I did know that. I knew his whole schedule, just like he knew mine.

"I know, I just really want to apologize." I explained, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Harry, relax." Niall sighed, "You're the one that's mad at me, remember?"

I shrugged and followed him as he started down the hall.

"Niall, I'm really sorry about everything. I didn't mean what I said. I know you didn't mean any harm I just felt really protective-"

"You don't need to apologize. I already told you, I was never mad. I'm sorry for acting like everything was Louis' fault." Niall said quietly.

I pulled him into a hug.

"I missed you a lot, Harry" he whispered.

"I missed you so much more." I smiled back.

I walked him to practice and then stayed to watch.

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Niall decided to invite me into his house after I dropped him off. I was tired but our friendship was just barely alive and with Louis out of the picture, I was all alone.

Some people can do that. They can be alone and enjoy their own company. They look down on people like me and call us "needy". I don't care. I needed my best friend.

As if the universe could sense that I was happy again, everything changed. In the exact moment that I sat down on Niall's bed, I got a text. From none other than Louis Tomlinson.

It said, and I quote, "Hi Haz, I'm ready to talk if you're ready to listen. How about I take you for a drive and I'll tell you along the way?"

I could have died in that moment. Niall stepped out of the shower and had I been a lesser man, or one who hadn't just received really good news, I would have stared.

"What are you looking at?" Niall mumbled as he took off his towel.

"A text," I mumbled back, "from Louis."

The second I said it, I regretted it. I partially regretted it because Niall looked upset, and the other part was because he walked over to me and took my phone. Mind you, Niall was still naked.

"Dude," I groaned, "put on some pants."

"What is he talking about?" Niall asked, ignoring my request.

"Pants." I replied, still avoiding looking at him.

"He's talking about pants? Hmm that's weird? You're gonna take a drive for some pants?" Niall asked in mock confusion.

"Oh my gosh, Niall" I laughed. Nothing was necessarily funny, I just realized that our friendship was weird.

Niall started laughing too and then he fell forward. He landed in my lap, which is where my hands were. He was still naked, just in case you forgot. And I found myself screaming while Niall just laughed harder.

"It touched my hand oh my gosh, Niall, get off of me" I screamed.

Niall was red from laughing so hard and eventually I started laughing again. I didn't stop laughing until Niall's mom opened his door and screamed. I kept laughing all the way back to my house. Then I remembered Louis's text, and that I didn't respond.

When I finally responded to Louis it was after midnight. I told him that I wanted to know. And that I as more than happy to go on a drive with him. On the inside I was a bit scared to hear what he had to say, but I knew that if I didn't know, there would be no chance for our relationship to progress.