Playing Hard to Get - A Niall Horan story

Part 10

So far no one had really said anything bad about you on any of the posts. Not that it bothered you. If they didn't like you then they didn't like you it was as simple as that.

You and Willie had escaped the office at 6pm that day and made your way to the pub for some dinner. You'd found a quiet corner so you could talk without being heard. After ordering drinks and food you turned to Willie indicating he needed to start talking.

"Not much to say, she just said she wanted to be friends."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you" you said as you reached across and held his hand.

"Oh sweetheart it's ok, honestly I'm fine. I'm obviously gutted, I really liked her but it just wasn't meant to be."

"How did it end?"

"She came over a couple of nights ago and told me."

"Well at least she had the decency to tell you to your face instead of texting or something."

"Yeah, she said she was sorry she just wasn't as ready as she thought she was and that she wanted to be friends."

"As long as she doesn't think she can take the girl best friend spot that's fine" you replied laughing and squeezing his hand.

The waitress brought over your drinks and you released Willie's hand. You took a sip of your wine as Willie asked you about your trip. You'd text each other a bit while you were away but you filled him on on some bits.

"Well, he may have told me he loved me" you said a bashful smile appeared on your face.

"Thought that might happen." He said smiling. "So how did he say it? Did you say it back?"

"Well we were....in bed..........."

"Oh Char, you weren't in the middle of having sex were you?!" He whispered across the table smirking.

"No, we were laying there just cuddling, talking, kissing and he just said it...............I said it back."

"Am so pleased for you both. He's back on the 26th isn't he? 12 more days without him."

"Yeah, leaving him was seriously the worst thing I've had to do. But I know work will keep me busy."

You chatted throughout dinner catching up on the past two weeks. You normally spoke everyday, even if it was just for a few minutes at work or a hello text. Willie was and always will be one of your favourite people.

You crawled into bed that night slightly tipsy from the wine and aching from your long day, you drifted into an easy sleep.

You were first in the office the following Friday, with Niall on a flight home and him arriving that evening you wanted to be away from the office on time.

You were in the break room making coffee when Willie walked in.

"Morning babe, you want a coffee?"

He looked a bit lost. "You ok?" You asked slightly concerned about him.

"Um, yeah are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh........"

"Oh what? Willie what's wrong?" You quizzed him.

"Don't go all Charlotte shit crazy on me but there's a picture of Niall in the news with a girl."

You instantly felt sick. "Ok." You replied realising you were shaking.

"He's just giving her a kiss on the cheek, just saying hello it's not that sort of picture. He was out to dinner with a big group of friends and the press have failed to show anyone else. They cropped the picture so that it looked just like the two of them."