Mirrors

Chapter Eighteen

As Niall did what he was doing, Edie took a look around her. "So this is how the better half lives," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing," she said, looking back at Niall as he made his way back to her.

"Want anything to drink?  Water, tea, beer, liquor?"

"Um, I'll take a water."

"Coming right up."

She remained glued to the entrance, unable to step forward or let herself relax.  She heard him making noise in his kitchen and then saw him as he came back out. "You can place your bag there if you want.  And come on in, just, uh, take your shoes off first, if you don't mind." He said as he handed her drink to her.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to take a quick shower.  I'll be five minutes.  The remote's right there if you want to find some entertainment.  I'll be right back."

She could only nod as he headed up his stairs.  Once she heard running water, she slowly placed her bag down and took off her jacket and her scarf.  She took her water and sat down on the couch.  She didn't much feel like watching TV so she just kind of sat there listening to the sound of running water and an empty house.  She heard the water stop and him fumbling around upstairs.

"You still there?" he shouted down at her.

"Yes!" she shouted back up at him.

"Okay, got worried.  It was so quiet.  I'll be right down."

She waited and after a minute she saw him walking down the stairs, his hair all tousled from the towel he must have run over his head.  He had his beer in his hand as he plopped himself on the couch next to her.

"This is a lovely house, Niall."

"Thanks." More silence. 

"What was it that you were going to say?"

"Huh?"

"Last week, before all the chaos, you started to say something to me." She looked over at him.

"Oh, uh, it was nothing.  Don't worry about it."

"Please?  Tell me."

"I don't really remember.  Are you cold?  I'm actually kind of cold.  Think I'll start a fire."

Never had she seen someone get up so quickly.  He started the fire and dimmed the lights so the main source of light was from the fire.  Edie curled up on the sofa as he went into the kitchen to get another drink.

"Would you like to play a game?" He asked upon his return.

"What kind of game?"

"I don't know.  I've got several.   Take a look  in there and pick one." He pointed to a closet so Edie got up and went through his options.  She came across a classic.

"How about this one?" She asked making her way back.

"Clue?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Okay, works for me."

"Cool.  I'm Miss Scarlet."

Edie and Niall sat down on the floor and placed the game on the coffee table.  They played several rounds, both winning but it was Edie who prevailed.

"Muahaha!  I beat you again!" She said, a smile on her face as she began to set up the game again.

"Do you think we could just hang out?" Niall asked her.

"Isn't that what we're doing?"

"Yeah, but I'm tired of the game.  We've played eleven rounds.  I'm good with not finding out if Professor Plum killed someone in the library with his pipe."

Edie shrugged, "Okay."

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Niall watched as she began placing the pieces of the game back into the box.  She had seemed to relax quite a bit since she first stepped into his house.  She actually looked comfortable.  He watched her as she got up and put the game back. 

When she settled back onto the couch, she scrunched up into a ball, with her knees pulled to her chest, but in a comfortable way, not a nervous way.  She looked so cute, in that moment.

"What?"

Niall came back to reality as he realized she must have seen him staring at her.  "Oh, sorry, nothing.  Been awhile since someone has been in this house, is all.  Feels odd."

"Oh, okay."

"But, it also feels kind of good.  I'm glad you're here.  It is nice to have someone else here." He smiled up at her from his position on the floor.  And now they were back to being awkward for a few minutes.

"So...uh...can I ask you something?" She said after a few minutes of silence.

"Fire away."

"You don't have to answer, if you don't want.  This is basically me prying and being nosy, but, uh, there are obviously numerous reports of what exactly happened to you.  What's...um...true?" She said all this while fiddling with her shirt but glanced up out of the corner of her eye to see what his reaction would be.

Niall sat upright and began to fidget. He momentarily debated not telling her but he then remembered that he had swore he would start working on this and if he wanted to know more about her he would have to also open up to her.

"Well, the basics are all true.  I was shot three times, once in my arm, and twice in my chest, one nearly missed my heart, the other my lung."

"Oh, wow." She stared wide-eyed at him.

"Yeah," Niall ran his hand through his hair and started playing with it as he leaned back a bit. 

"What about the stories where you essentially died for a hot minute?"

"Those are partly true.  I went into cardiac arrest twice, once in transit to the hospital and once during my initial surgeries."

"Damn," Edie whispered. "What was that like?"

"I don't know.  I don't remember it.  I don't recall any bright lights or weightlessness or ascent...or descent, for that matter." Niall let out a small laugh at his corny joke.  "But the reports of the bullets still inside of me are false.  The arm was a graze and landed in the wheel of the car behind me and the other two went straight through and were lodged in the concrete where I fell."

Niall took a sip of the remaining beer in his hand and placed it on the coffee table.  Edie just looked at him.

"That's insane," she said after a minute.  "I'm, uh, glad you're alright, though.  At least, alive and all.  Don't know how 'alright' you really are." She gave him a half smile.

"Yeah, I guess.  Haven't quite been myself lately, obviously."

"Yeah, about that...how so? You know, besides freaking out at loud noises?"

"Just lashing out at everyone.  Not wanting to leave my house.  Similar to you, as far as that goes.  I thought that I would be able to handle it since I do realize I'm lucky to be alive.  But apparently, I haven't, as we both learned last week."

"Yeah, that part wasn't so fun but I did enjoy everything up til that moment." Edie smiled at him and Niall couldn't help but feel an affinity towards this girl.  They were connected now.