Strong (A Niall Horan Fanfiction)

Chapter 42~ Attention

Within a couple seconds the door swings open revealing all the young teenage girls and several guys that were spying on us through the front window.

The blonde girl who opened the door for us keeps staring at Niall, trying to get his attention. Some others are gawking at our entwined hands as if they don’t believe it. The guys all walk off, unamused, while the girls crowd the doorway blocking our entrance.

“Umm… excuse us.” Niall says as he takes a couple steps forward. The crowd splits down the middle as they allow space for us to pass through. I squeeze his hand tightly as he walks through because once he passes they start closing in and I have to be pulled out.

Niall sends a quick disapproving look to the group before directing me to a large room. The music’s blasting and there are people everywhere. Some we know, some we don’t. They all cover the couches and many are standing around with cups in their hand.

Once we decide that there isn’t anybody in here worth talking to we move into the kitchen. His hand still tightly wrapped around my smaller one.

It’s a comforting feeling to have some type of physical touch at the moment. It relaxes my mind from all my thoughts. We have been preparing for him to leave and it is getting so close now. Only about a week and he will be on a plane to start his next tour. I miss him already and he hasn’t even left yet.

“Grace! Niall! Over here!” Our heads turn to see Bella jumping up and down across the room as she tries to get our attention. I smile her way and pull Niall with me.

We approach her and notice that she is standing with James, Emma, Aaron, and a few others unknowns.

“Hey guys!” I giddily greet them.

Several “hey guys” erupt and smiles are exchanged before Niall and I are pulled into the conversation.

“We were just talking about you two,” Aaron informs us. Emma quickly juts him in the side with her elbow making it obvious that he wasn’t supposed to say anything.

I raise my eyebrows. “Really? About what?”

“Aaron…” Emma groans because their cover was blown.

“I’m sorry,” he defends, “I didn’t realize it was a secret.”

“What’s a secret?” I ask trying to get somebody to answer. I glance around the group waiting for a reply. Most of their eyes are diverted and trying to avoid my look.  “What?” I’m starting to get annoyed at their secretiveness.

“It’s nothing.” Bella pipes.

“It’s not ‘nothing’ if you are all avoiding the question. Tell me.”

“We were just talking about next week.” Emma’s voice barely reaches my ears.

“Oh…” I look away embarrassed that they have been thinking about when Niall leaves too.

Niall is looking at the floor unsure of what to say. He has been planning to tell them all goodbye tonight and this kind of makes it awkward.

After a few seconds of silence James finally says something. “It wasn’t anything bad. Just about how we are going to miss him and how we feel bad for you Grace.”

I just nod my head without saying anything. I don’t really like how people are thinking about me having to say goodbye to Niall. It makes me feel as though I will be watched once Niall is gone, like everyone will be waiting for me to break.

I look around the room, trying to show them that I don’t care if they were talking about us. It’s not fooling Niall though because he gives my hand a comforting squeeze.