Awkward (Narry)

xviii.

"Do you not trust my automotive skill, Niall?" Louis looks back at me, and I shrug.

"Just a suggestion. It's a four hour drive."

"We'll be fine, sunshine."

"Let's get your car, then."

Louis leads the way to the desk where we checked in his vehicle, and the woman behind it is nice enough to have someone drive the car to the entrance. Louis thanks her a thousand times, and she waves us off to help the next person in line. We wait for his silver Porsche to make an appearance, and when it does we book it outside. Louis tips the man who hands him his keys, and shoves his bags into the back seat.

"It's windy as fuck out, dear God."

"S'not raining though. That's good."

"That's very good. Thank you for the observation, Niall. Get the fuck into the car." He shouts to be heard over the wind, hopping into the driver's seat and turning the car back on. I follow suit, getting into the passenger's seat.

"Music?"

"You can pick it." He says, driving us out of from under the overhang and into the turning lane.

I grab the case of cd's he has in the glovebox and shuffle through them. He picked on the way down to the airport, and we listened to pop punk trash from the early 2000s. Now is my time to shine. I find a mixed CD I made him two years ago. Reading the track list, I bite my lip on a grin and slide the CD into the player.

"What'd you put in?" He asks, turning right out of the parking lot.

"Nothing in particular." I say nonchalantly, turning up the volume a little.

"Just tell me what you- Oh my God!" Louis let's out a laugh. "Not this CD, please no."

Hannah Montana pours through his speakers, and I lip sync to the beats of Hoedown Throwdown.

"Turn this shit off, Jesus Christ, Niall." Louis presses the eject button, and I laugh as he takes the CD and tosses it into the back. I choose another CD, The Heist. "What's you put in now?"

"Macklemore."

Louis bounces in his seat. "I met him, Niall. I met him."

"I know, Lou." I say, half laughing at his reaction.

"Macklemore is the High Priest of Please Bend Me Over."

Choking on air, I fight the prick of sudden tears in my eyes. "That's a new one."

"Hey, if you can tell dead baby jokes, I can discuss my feelings for Ben Haggerty."

"I have new Princess Diana jokes. Wanna hear those?" I ask, slipping off my shoes and bringing my feet underneath me.

"Not really, but you're going to tell me anyway, so go for it."

"What do French wine and Princess Diana have in common?"

Louis sighs. "I don't know... What?"

"They both come home from France in wooden boxes." I see Louis fighting back a smile. "Why did Elton John perform at her funeral?"

"Why?"

"Because he was the only queen that cared."

Louis laughs, frowning and flicking on his blinker to get us onto the highway. "That's awful."

"What do Princess Diana and red wine have in common?"

"Didn't you just say this one?"

"That was French wine."