Keep Me Warm (Niall Horan)

Chapter 1. Welcome to my life.

"Hey Maddie, Harry already told us about your encounter!" Dougie said, making everyone else laugh.

"I was asking for Harry Judd, not Harry..." I said, trying to remember his surname.

"Styles."

"Yes."

"Don't you know who they are?" Danny asked.

"I work at a music shop, I'm always hearing people talk about some new boyband called One Direction, but I've only heard one song of theirs, don't expect me to recognise them."

"You've only heard one of our songs?." Niall said.

"Yes."

"Not even I want? I wrote that one!." Tom said, kind of proud of himself.

"I've heard your version with your sister, not their version." I said, pointing at the five lads.

"You're unbelievable." Dougie said.

I punched him on his shoulder and everybody laughed.

"Jones, I was just coming to pick my present up."

"This is it!." he said, pointing at the boys.

"Sure, you brought me my favourite band for my birthday! Yay!" I said ironically.

"Well, relax, I've forgotten it, but Georgia's home, just go and get it."

"Alright." I sighed.

"But somebody has to go with you."

"I will!" Niall said.

"Alright kid, calm down." The one whose name was Zayn said.

They all laughed again and we left. Danny’s house wasn’t so far from Tom’s, so it didn’t take us too long to get there. Georgia opened the door, with a big smile on her face and she hugged me.

"Hey Maddie, Danny’s not here."

"I know, he just told me to come and pick my birthday present."

"Oh yes, he left it round here." she said, giving me a box, and that’s when she saw Niall.

"Oh, Niall Horan’s with you."she said, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"You all seem to know these guys."

"‘Course we do, it’d be weird not to know them."

We talked for a while until we decided to go back to Tom’s.

"Take this."I said, giving him the box.

"Okay, do you know that thousands of girls would die to be you right now?"

"Do you know I don’t care because I didn’t even you who you were?"

"Well, now you know. By the way, how old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Cool, I’m turning 19 in September."

"Good."

"Everybody thinks I’m the youngest of us 5, but it’s Harry. He’s 18, you know? I’m the only Irish in the band."

"What’s the point of all that?"

 "I’m just trying to start a conversation."

"You’re not very good at it." we both laughed.

"We were put together on the X Factor, in 2010."

"What are you talking about?"

"About the band, so you know who we are. We auditioned as solo artists, but we didn’t get through so they put us together in a band. Harry chose the name. We released our first single in September of last year, and the first album too. Now we’re recording the second one."

"Oh."

"What about you? What’s your story? How did you get here?"

"You must be crazy if you think I’ll tell you my life without knowing you."

He shrugged his shoulders and kept on walking.

"Fine. I’m from Bolton, Manchester. I have an older sister and I’ve been living in London for 2 years now. That’s all, you happy now?"

"Yes, I guess. But, just one more thing, what’s going on between Dougie and you?"

"Between Dougie and me?-he nodded- we’re just friends, why?"

"He called you ‘my love’ earlier."

"Dougie’s just like that, anyway, what do you care?" 

He didn’t answer. We arrived at Tom’s and came into the room they were. Niall gave Danny the box.

"Did you make him take it?" he said.

"If you hadn’t forgotten my present at your place, nobody would have had to take it anywhere."

He shrugged his shoulders and gave me the box.

"Go on, open it."

I opened it carefully and I saw a guitar. I beautiful guitar; I’d always wanted to have one of those. It was dark brown, with some bits in black. I looked at Danny.

"Thank you so so so much!" I said, hugging him.

I smiled and took the guitar off the box. I sat on a chair and put it on my lap.

"But that’s nothing compared to my presents!" Dougie said.

"Sure, you gave me two Saint Kidd t-shirts, which they casually give you for free."

We all laughed.

"Why don’t you play something?" Harry said.

"No, it’s been a while since I last played and…"

"It’s been just a week. Show these boys what you can do."

I sighed and played a few chords; then I smiled. I started to play a song I’ve always loved, Welcome To My Life by Simple Plan. I really felt like singing right then, but didn’t do it. After not longer than a minute, I stopped.

"You’re great." the five boys said.

"She has a great teacher." Danny said, placing his arm on my shoulder.

I laughed and took a look at my watch; my shift at the shop would start in 15 minutes.

"Well, it’s been fun, but I gotta go now. My shift starts soon."

"Alright."

"I’ll walk you there." Niall said, getting up, while everyone elses looked at him, confused. "well, if you don’t mind."

"No, there’s no need to."

"C’mon Maddie, let him go with you." Dougie said, winking at me.

"Honestly, there’s no need to."

"There is. Niall’s going with you."

I sighed while putting the guitar back on its box. I said goodbye to everyone and thanked Danny once again. Niall and I left the house and headed to the shop, which wasn’t too far from there. We walked in silence ‘til we got there.

"Well, I should come in." I said.

"Would you give me your number? Just in case one day I feel like calling you to hang out together or something." he said, looking to the ground.

I couldn’t believe it. Was Niall Horan asking me for my number? I didn’t even know who he was until today, but I couldn’t believe it anyway. Thousands of crazy girls would die to be in my place right now. I smiled politely.

"Honestly, I don’t think you need my number; you can call any other girl if you want to hang out with somebody."

And then I waved goodbye to him and entered the shop, leaving him standing there.