Mirrors

Chapter Fifty

The party was held at someone's swanky house. She was immediately uncomfortable, and her anxiety began to kick in; something she had never really suffered from until this year. Niall had run around to her side of the car to help her out.

"Such a gentleman tonight, Niall," she said, smiling awkwardly at him. They began walking up the path to the house when she felt Niall's hand on her back and his voice say, "Don't worry."

"I feel inappropriately dressed. I feel I should have chosen something more sophisticated."

Niall laughed a little before saying, "Sophisticated is not the word for tonight. Trust me, you will be one of the classier people here tonight. This crowd, if anything like his past parties, gets a little rowdy. Not even in the slightest are you inappropriately dressed. I promise. You look stunning." He smiled at her as the front door opened to let them in. And Niall wasn't lying. Most of the other women there were in similar outfits to hers. She let out a breath of relief on that part, at least. And another for having the good sense to change.

Niall went to put their coats up while she hunted down something alcoholic. She passed a guy carrying a tray of shots, so she grabbed two, acting like she was going to give one to Niall when he returned but instead, she quickly downed both. She did the same thing once more before she spotted him coming towards her. She seriously couldn't take her eyes off him.

She could already feel the alcohol taking effect, especially since she hadn't eaten anything all day.

'Damn, Edie, forgot to have the most important meal of the day - the meal you have just before you get drunk, so you don't get too drunk too fast,' she cursed herself as she saw Niall grab two drinks and walk up to her, handing one to her. She took it from him and downed it.

He looked at her, "What?"

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Niall shook his head and smiled, "Nothing."

He drank his drink about as fast as she had done.  He had missed her and had felt a little hurt when she had been too busy to spend time with him the past two days.  He did, however, notice that she had clearly slept in his bed while he was gone.  He admits, he was jealous of his own damn bed, in that moment.

The entire time he was home, his mother kept bugging him about her and whether she was still in the picture and if he asked her out yet.  'No, ma, I haven't because I turn into a sputtering idiot when I'm around a girl I like.  And thank god she hadn't noticed.'

But when he got home, saw that she had been in his house, he knew he couldn't keep up this charade much longer.  So, he had told himself that he would tell her tonight, but as soon as he saw her, he wasn't so sure he could.  She looked amazing; took his breath away.  He hadn't been able to manage even small talk in the car, he was so nervous, and he sensed she was nervous about something, as well.  He had kept looking at her out of the corner of his eye as he drove.  But once they got to their destination, he put up their coats, took three shots and began making his way back to her where he saw that she had two shots of her own. He grabbed two champagne glasses off a tray and handed it to her.

He placed his glass down and grabbed her hand, "Got anyone on that dance card?"

She smiled at him as he remembered her joke from months ago, "Not a single one."

"Well, then, I guess that makes you mine for the night," he said as he twirled her onto the makeshift dance floor that had been created, bringing her close to him once she had spun around to face him again.  He could feel the alcohol coursing through his veins, warming him up and making him relax.