Cold Water (Dark Niall)

16:"Oh wow, you're so full of yourself."

I follow Zoe down the stairs to the improvised beer pong table that has been set up on the island counter in the kitchen.

"So who are we playing against?" Zoe asks, smiling at Harry who's arranging the red cups.

"Well the three of us just played a game." he answers.

"I'll play." Jed says, and for some reason his voice makes my skin crawl. "I just need a partner."

"I'll be your partner."

Rey's voice comes from behind me and three seconds later she's standing beside Jed with a hand around his waist. I try to ignore the feeling in my stomach as I fill the cups up with beer while also trying to listen to Zoe's story.

But I can't. The only thing I can focus on is Rey's laugh whenever Jed says something he thinks is funny.

"What does the winner get?" Zoe asks.

"Well we have to buy Jake and Max some burgers." Harry says. "Because Louis and I lost."

"Okay then, the loser has to buy burgers tomorrow!" Zoe excitedly says and even though I like her because she's always positive about everything, I know that Rey and I both know it's the worst idea in the world.

I know what I just told her five minutes ago made things even worse and confusing, but how can I tell someone I am not able to love them the way they deserve to be loved without hurting their feelings?

"Okay, let's start." Jed laughs and takes the ping-pong ball from Harry before taking the first shot.

Fifteen minutes later, we have one cup left, and so do Rey and Jed. Thankfully, I'm lowkey the best at getting the ball into the last cup, but I don't let it show by missing in the first two times.

"Not as good as you look hm?" Rey says, looking at me with a smirk on her face.

"We'll see." I tell her, mocking her expression before I get ready to throw the ball. But then I see her expression, like she hopes I won't make the shot, so I miss on purpose again.

And what do you know, Rey actually makes the shot and we lose.

I know I shouldn't be happy, but seeing her smile and making faces at me makes me happy.

Fuck.

"Now we have to buy them dinner." Zoe laughs and congratulates them on winning the game.

I can't even imagine how awkward it will be if we actually go through with this, because I for one am not in the mood for dinner with Rey and Jed.

Someone plays a new song in the living room and Zoe screams, saying that it's her song.

"I'll stay here to help clean up." I tell her and just my luck, Jed and everyone follows her out of the kitchen, leaving Rey and I alone. Again.

We throw the empty cups in a giant garbage bag without saying a word.

"You're not going to actually let her keep the promise with the dinner and everything right?" Rey asks, interrupting the awful silence.

"I don't know, if she sets her mind on something, I can't really talk her down."

She rolls her eyes. "If I was-nevermind. Just do it, because it's a bad idea."

"If you can what?" I ask.

"What?"

"You said that if you can and then you said nevermind."

She waves it off. "Nevermind."

"Tell me." I say, kind of knowing what she was about to say but I'm not sure.