She's Not Afraid

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO: SWEET DESPAIR

"Niall, what are you doing?" Oh my God, it's my cher-bear in the flesh!

"Uh... I was just... singing... yeah, the 'Care Bears' show is on TV." I lied just so I could hide my embarrassment.

"But your TV's off..." She noticed what I failed to notice.

"It just finished, Cher." I said seriously, hoping that she'll buy it.

"Too bad, I wanted to watch it too!" She pouted.

"But that's not the real reason why I came here though..." She added.

"You know, when you put your clothes back on, something ALWAYS feel so wrong. You get me?" She asked and I quickly scrambled up to my feet.

I stripped from my shirt then carelessly tossed it on the floor.

I hope we're on the same page here.

Wait, now I'm starting to wonder if that's the chlorine talking.

"Sorry, Cher. I can't do it." I picked up my shirt on the floor and put it right back on me.

"Do what?" She asked.

"Take advantage of a girl who nearly drowned tonight. Perhaps too much water intake messed up your head a bit?" He contemplated.

"Um, yeah, I guess you're right. Must be the chlorine." She sounded taken aback by what I just said.

*CHER'S POV*

Just when I thought no one would pass the test, Niall miraculously did.

Now that's what you call 'respect'.

"All of them failed, right?" Marshall clarified.

"Niall passed." Now what should I do?

"Follow your heart." It's like Avril was reading my mind.

"Don't follow your heart." Eminem contradicted.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to elope with him just because he didn't succumb to me." I rolled my eyes.

That would make me pretty shallow.

And besides, I can decide things on my own... the testing thing was just a trial which doesn't really affect me.

Or maybe it does affect me a bit?

Niall's a really sweet guy but... he's not the only one that I like.

I don't mean for it to happen but it just did! Stupid feelings...

"Here. This blindfold will help you decide what to do with the boy who may or may not be your soulmate." Avril blindfolded me from behind.

"Soulmate? You make me want to gouge my eyes out." Marshall nearly gagged.

"What? I'm just saying..." Avril guided me to someplace.

"You kids have fun now!" That was the last thing she said before I heard her leave out the door.

"Cher? Did you forget something?"

When I removed the blindfold, I saw Niall again who just came out from the bathroom...

Oh no she didn't! I quickly rushed to the door and found out that my intuition was right.

"We're locked in for the night." My eyes widened in an alarmed way.

"Oh." Was all he had to say.

And then a long pause of awkward silence followed.

"I need to tell you something---" As I approached him, I bloody tripped out of nowhere!

I landed on him and he fell backwards on the bed in the process.

"This is... um..."

"Nice?" He finished for me.

I was just lying there with my head on top of his chest like a lifeless being so you can say that I did find it nice.

He wasn't trying anything, I wasn't trying anything... we were basically just lying around without doing anything about it.

I could hear his heartbeat too loudly but it didn't really bother me that he was nervous because I was sort of nervous too.

Just then, the door burst open and guess who caught us in that moment?

Liam.

He just stood by the door and gawked at us with an unreadable expression on his face.

And then he stormed off after five minutes passed by which made me get up right away.

"You should probably go after him." Niall said.

"I know." I then ran after Liam.

******

"Tell me, what do you see in him?" Liam asked when I caught up with him.

"Because I've been living in sweet despair..." He looked anywhere else but me.

"Niall and I are just friends... like you and me." I tried to explain.

"It didn't look that way from my point of view."

"Are you jealous?" I asked.

"That's a stupid question, Cher!" He surprisingly yelled at me.

I got pissed at his sudden behavior that it made me want to turn my back on him then walk away and so I did...

"Wait, please stay. I didn't mean to shout at you." He hugged me from behind.

"I'm going crazy over here." He sobbed.

"Then let me put you out of your misery." My tears started falling for no reason.

Or maybe I'm too overwhelmed right now with all of our emotions all over the place.

"No, please don't... I need you." I could feel his tears drop on my shoulder.

"What do you suggest that I do then?" Because I honestly don't know what to do in this situation.

"Pick me." He turned me around so that I could face him.

"Or anyone else... it doesn't matter as long as you're happy. I worry about you too much and you deserve to be with someone." He wiped my tears away.

"Why are you so afraid to fall in love, Cher?" He looked straight into my eyes with his beautiful brown ones.

"Aren't you?" I spoke.

"No. I already fell in love with you a long time ago even though I know how strongly you affect me but did I ever stop?" He shook his head.

"Now it's your turn to be true to yourself." He placed both of his hands on either side of my shoulders.

He's right.

I know what I have to do now...

Choose.