Voir Dire (N.H.)

six

"Another beer coming right up," Kelsey smiled and headed back to the tap. It was only when she felt the foam begin to overflow from the cup that she realized she had been staring at Niall.

This was out of character for Kelsey. She didn't get intrigued by cute guys talking to her at the bar. After all, that was part of her job. And she certainly didn't stare at them from across the bar. The people at this bar weren't the kind of people that were interested in bartenders. And quite honestly, Kelsey knew that if an average guy could break her heart, it was even more likely with this clientele.

Kelsey tried to shake the feeling in her chest as she approached Niall and set the beer in front of him. "Long night?" she asked.

"The longest," Niall said with a sigh, taking a sip of his beer. "Red carpets and awards shows aren't really my thing if I'm being honest."

Kelsey raised her eyebrow.

"Oh no, I'm not complaining about it. I mean I am...ahh dammit," Niall said, running a hand through his hair. "Now you think I'm one of those people that's ungrateful to be in the position I am. I'm grateful, I really am its just..."

"A bit too much sometimes?" Kelsey finished his sentence for him.

"Ya something like that. What ever happened to it being about the music anyway?" Niall spun his glass in a circle in front of him before shaking his head. "Sorry, look at me just being like any old grump at the bar telling you about my problems. Tell me about you Kelsey."

"Me?" Kelsey asked with confusion. People rarely asked Kelsey about herself at the bar. Niall nodded to confirm, that he was in fact, asking about her.

"I'm Kelsey. I've been in LA for three months and I'm a bartender here at Manhattan."

"That was a bullshit answer if I've ever heard one," Niall said with a laugh, taking another sip of his beer.

Kelsey crossed her arms over her chest and feigned offense.

"Why'd you come to LA? We both know no one comes here to be a bartender," Niall asked, his eyes scanning Kelsey's face in a way that sent her stomach in knots.

"Bashing on bartenders now? It just so happens that my life aspiration is to become a world renowned bartender," Kelsey answered with a smirk. She sighed and rested her elbow on the bar in front of her, leaning a little closer to Niall. He shot her a smile of amusement.

"I came for a fresh start. Plus, I'm hoping to get into Stanford law in the fall so I figured might as well move to California sooner versus later."

"You want to be a lawyer?" Niall said with an incredulous look on his face. Kelsey wasn't sure if it was him being impressed or mocking, in her experience it was often the latter.

"You think I'm crazy right," Kelsey said, shaking her head.

"Not at all," Niall replied. "I think it's brilliant." He offered her a sincere smile and Kelsey felt her mouth move to mirror one. She caught herself, and quickly returns to a neutral expression.

"Why do you want to be a lawyer?" Niall questioned.

Kelsey knew that was a loaded question and a complicated answer. One that boybander Niall Horan likely didn't care to hear the explanation to.

"I like to argue," she said with a shrug.

"I can see that," Niall laughed. "But seriously."

"That's not a simple answer," Kelsey said, grabbing a strand of her brown locks and twirling it in her fingers. "Guess I like the idea of building a case. Seeing all the aspects of something and using it to put together an argument. There's also a lot of psychology involved, a lot of personal relationships. You have to be able to integrate a lot of complex skills at once and I like the challenge."