Keep Me Warm (Niall Horan)

Chapter 6. Brighter than the Sun.

"C’mon Maddie, you told me you’d written a song last night" Tom said. 

"Yes, but I don’t want to play it for so many people."

"C’mon, we’re sure it’ll be great."

"But guys, I…"

We finally convinced her. She took her guitar and went into the booth. She sighed and then started playing.

 'Stop me on the corner
I swear you hit me like a vision
I wasn't expecting
But who am I to tell fate where it's supposed to go with it?
Don't you blink you might miss it
See we got a right to just love it or leave it
You find it and keep it
Cause it ain't every day you get the chance to say'

I was impressed with her voice, once again, and with the song she’d written. I noticed how somebody placed his arm on my shoulder. It was Danny.

"You like it, don’t you?"he asked.

"It’s great."

We stayed there in silence until the song was over.

'Oh this is how it starts, lightning strikes the heart

it goes off like a gun, brighter than the Sun

oh we could be the stars, falling from the sky

shining how we want, brighter than the Sun.'

Maddie went out of the booth and looked at us, smiling.

"So, what do you think?"

"It’s just great" we all said at the same time.

"Thanks."

"Do you want to have lunch with us?" Danny said.

"Liam, Zayn and I have plans with the girls already" Louis said.

"Giovanna wants me to go shopping with her" Tom said.

"Lara and I are meeting some friends today" Dougie told us.

"I already have plans with some friends too" Harry said.

"Niall, Maddie, are you coming?"

"Sure" we both said.

Maddie’s POV

Danny, Niall and I went to have lunch together. We talked about music; I was feeling quite comfortable with them two. Danny took us to a restaurant he knew near the studio. We sat at a table and ordered what we’d take. 

"How was yesterday at the bar Maddie? I couldn’t go" Danny said.

"Cool, Leigh, Nate and One Direction themselves came to see me playing."

"So you went there, didn’t you?" Danny looked at Niall, and he nodded  "and how was she?"

"She was great."

"Yesterday you said you’d seen better" I said.

"I changed my mind."

"Did I miss anything?" Danny asked, his eyes wide open.

"No, you missed nothing."

Niall and I looked at each other and started to laugh. Danny looked at me raising his eyebrow and I shook my head, still laughing. When we finished out lunch we went for a walk. Danny received a text from Georgia, so he left, leaving Niall and I alone. We kept walking in silence.

"Do you want to come to my place to watch a movie or something?" he asked.

"Sure."

We arrived and came into his house. He told me to wait in the living room while he was preparing a bowl of popcorns. I nodded and did as he said. I stood there and had a look around. He had a picture of himself and his brother, who looks just like him, on a shelf. Next to it there was a pile of cds. I took them all and sat on the sofa to have a look at them. The first one was the cd he bought the other day at the shop. I was surprised we had the same taste in music, Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé, The Script, Jason Mraz, The Eagles, Take That, The Kooks, Kings Of Leon, The Killers… But it caught me by surprised to see the last two cds of the pile. Justin Bieber. I couldn’t help but laugh. I noticed he was behind me.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I was just taking a look at your CDs when I found these two" I said pointing at Justin Bieber’s albums, still laughing.

"What’s wrong with that?"

"Do you like Justin Bieber?"

"Yes."

I laughed even louder.

"I can’t believe it. You like The Kooks, The Script, Take That and Kings Of Leon, but you also like Justin Bieber."

"Exactly."

"Oh, I just didn’t expect it."

"Well, stop laughing at my taste in music and leave the cds where they were" he said, laughing.

I left the cds back on the shelf and sat next to him on the sofa. We were watching Scary Movie 3 while eating popcorns and laughing. When the movie was over, I helped him clear the room and we spent some time talking in the kitchen.

"I think I’m going home, it’s getting late" I said as I went out of the kitchen.

"Stay a bit longer."

He took me by my arm and turned me around.

"What for?"

"We could listen to some music."

"Yeah, sure, and we’ll listen to Justin Bieber, right?" I said, laughing.

"No, we’ll listen to whatever you want to."

"Alright then."

We went back to the living room, I took a cd and put it on. The Kooks. Inside In/Inside Out was one of my favourite albums. We listened and sang to every song, and then I decided it was time to leave. Niall didn’t stop me this time and said goodbye to me. We stood at the door for a moment.

"Maddie."

"Tell me."

"Yesterday you said you’d have to give me something in return for what I for you, and I know what it could be."

"Do you? And what is it?"

"Your number."

"Niall, I told you I wouldn’t give it to you."

"C’mon, I deserve it. I promise I’ll just call you from time to time, not every day."

"Okay then"  I said, sighing.

I took my phone and gave it to him so he could note his number down, and he did the same with his. When we were done we looked into each other’s eyes, not knowing how to say goodbye.

"So, see you Niall."

I turned around to open the door, but he took me by my arm once again.

"Maddie."

I turned around and saw him leaning in. And he kissed me, just like the other day. I didn’t part from it this time either; even though I couldn’t tell anyone, I did love those kisses. When we parted from it we both smiled.

"Niall, don’t ever do that again" I said, trying to sound serious.

"How come do you want me to take you seriously when you’re laughing?"

"I’m not laughing."

We laughed again.

"I’m leaving now" I said, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"Bye Maddie" he said, still laughing.

"Call me whenever, but don’t insist too much."

"Don’t worry, you know I’ll call you. See you."

"Bye."

I opened the door and left. That afternoon had been perfect, and the kiss, it just left me speechless. But I couldn’t let him kiss me ever again. There’ll never be anything between but a friendship. I needed to convince myself I didn’t like Niall. No, I didn’t like him, I didn’t even feel attracted to him. But what was I saying? I liked him since we first met. That’s why I needed to forget about it, I couldn’t fall in love, and least of all, with him. Niall and I would be just friends from now on, nothing more.