Masquerade || Niall Horan

15 ♥ The Night Begins

"Can I ask you something?" I said to Ida as she entered our dorm. Ever since Niall dismissed my question the other night, the curiosity was eating me alive.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"So...Jackson and Niall..."

"Oh, God, here we go."

"Wait," I laughed. "I really need an answer."

"Go ahead."

"So, I asked Niall the other night, but he wouldn't tell me. You know why they hate each other, right? The whole cheating thing? Well...what was the girl's name?"

"I don't know Alisha," she said, unsure.

"Oh, come on! You know. You have to tell me."

"I do know, but there's obviously a reason Niall didn't want to tell you."

"I think I should know."

"Why? It's in the past. It doesn't matter anymore."

"Gosh, you sound just like him."

"I'm sorry, but it's not your place to pry. It's knowledge between him and Jackson. Ask one of them."

"I will," I retorted, praying Jackson wouldn't mind telling me.

On the other hand, she had a point. Was it wrong of me to go behind Niall's back like this? Snooping through what's been put behind him? I could ask Emma or Taylor, but maybe that's wrong. And Jackson...the subject still seems raw to him, like it happened yesterday. Maybe asking him would be a bad idea too. The only person who could tell me the answer to this question is Niall, but how could I get this out of him?

The next night, he insisted we do something. All we ever did was hang out at the apartment, but now he wanted to take me out.

"Won't we get mobbed?" I asked through the phone.

"Don't worry about it."

"Niall, I can't have our relationship on the news. My parents sent me here to focus on school. We have to keep it a secret or they'll ship me back home."

"Yeah, I understand. Trust me, I don't want our relationship getting out to the public either. Glad we're on the same page. But don't worry about it, I'm taking you somewhere cool. No papparazzi or anything. It'll be fun."

I hoped he wouldn't be upset about me keeping us a secret, but somehow I was the one who ended up feeling hurt. Trust me, I don't want our relationship getting out to the public. Glad we're on the same page.

I wore something especially nice, not having a single clue where he planned to take me.

"Hey," Ida said smirking as she walked in. "Strip. You're wearing this."

She hung up a dress on the door of our closet, but it was covered with a bag. I was slightly confused.

"What's this?"

"It's an article of clothing," she spoke slowly. I rolled my eyes, smiling. "He gave it to me to give to you. He said it was for tonight. Just put it on, I want to see it!"

"Okay, okay!"

I took off the outfit I had originally planned to wear and pulled the dress out from the bag. I held it up while we both admired it for a moment.

"Damn. That blond kid has good taste," she commented. I smiled and silently agreed.

It was a simple dress made of expensive white fabric. It almost reminded me of my gown from Ida's party, except this one was much shorter. More casual.

I put it on and wore the same shoes from the party. I couldn't believe all the trouble Niall had gone through for this, whatever it was.

"He said he's picking you up by the fence," Ida said. "You don't need to go to the apartment first. How nice is that?"

"Very nice."

I couldn't wait to see what Niall was planning.

"He'll be here soon," I realized, glancing at the clock.

"You should get your ass down there. Tell me everything."

"I will."

And so I snuck out by myself in my pretty new white dress, and I saw his car parked right by the side of the road where the hold in the fence was. He looked just as dressed up as I did in his button up shirt, and he held the door for me with a happy smirk on his face.

"You look beautiful," he complimented.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I replied, kissing him quick before getting into the passenger seat. He rant around to the drivers side, and I just took a moment to appreciate this. When was the last time a boy had done something like this for me? Never. And here I had Niall, the sweetest man alive, doing all this just for a night out. I couldn't help but feel lucky.

He used one hand to hold mine and gripped the steering wheel with his other. He smiled at me before pulling out onto the road.

"And so the night begins."

AUTHORS NOTE

What do YOU think Niall has planned?? ;) thanks so much for reading and being SO patient! I love you so much<3 thanks again<3 I know I take FOREVER to update, but ill try to get better with that :) x