Show Me Your Heart [Niall Horan AU]

Chapter 49

CRC

It was a week before Christmas and I had closed the company due to the Christmas holidays. Niall and I decided to go out so that we can have a little date.

I was wrapped up in a thick coat with a scarf around my neck. My head of hair was covered with my beanie. Niall could apparently endure cold better than me, because he's Irish he defended. He just had a jumper on with a jacket on. He had a beret on his head to protect his hair from the falling snow.

My hands was locked with his as we walked down the street. It was a very white winter. The streets were covered in thin sheets of snow. I personally was not a fan of cold climates. I did enjoy rains and snow falls every once in a while though.

"Baby," I said and he turned his head to looked at me.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"You're very pretty," I said. He rolled his eyes but his already pink cheeks turned even more pink after my comment.

"You're very very veryyy beautiful," he returned. I leaned up and kissed his cheek as a thank you. Just as I was walking ahead I bumped into a man who spilled his coffee all over the ground.

"Oh my god sir I'm so sorry," I said. He just looked at me in disgust.

"Watch where you're going lady," He said harshly.

"You're the one who bumped into her," Niall said, standing up for me, and the man rolled his eyes. Niall's eyebrows furrowed and he looked ready to throw a fight. I held him back and apologised once more. Just then someone, who I assumed was wife showed up next to him.

"Dan lets go. Why are you fighting with little gir-," she stopped miss sentence and stepped closer to me with a perplexed look on her face.

"Umm..." I trailed off and stepped back.

"Ciara?" She said and I was a little alarmed. Not because she knew my name but because of the way she was looking at me.

"Uh Yeah?" I said in a questioning tone.

"Oh my god Ciara where have you been?" She cried.

"Excuse me?" I said and huddled closer to Niall who wrapped his arm around me.

"Ciara you don't remember us? Daniel And Anastasia. Your parents darling," she said.

It took me a second but everything finally processed.

"Oh," I said before tugging on Niall's coat, dragging him with me.

"What're you doing?" Niall asked. I just shook my head. I didn't want to deal with them. Not today, not ever.

"Ciara! Ciara!" My parents ran after me. I didn't want any attention on me so I stopped and turned around to face them.

"Do not come behind me. I don't want to see you, talk to you or associate myself with you. You stayed out of my life for almost eight years. Let it remain that way," I seethed in anger. This time, before I can run, my father stopped me.

"We made a big mistake Ciara. Please let us redeem ourselves," he pleaded.

"Ciara," Niall said so I turned to face him.

"One second Sir," Niall told him and pulled me aside.

"It's the holidays, darling. It's all about family. I understand that seven years ago they were a dick to you but time changes people. Invite them over to your house tomorrow and if you think they're still the same then kick them out and never see them again. But you'd never know until you give them a chance. At least for me, baby," he said.

"Only because you called me baby," I said and he laughed, pulling me in for a hug and a kiss before releasing me.

"One chance," I said to my parents with a stoic face. Niall offered to give his number which they took down without any hesitation.

"You want to go home darling?" Niall asked me and I shook my head.

"We're here to enjoy. Come on," I said and dragged him into a cafe.

"Can we get two hot chocolates?" I ordered and the cashier nodded. We went and sat down in a table facing the street.

"Tell me Cee, how is your work going?" Niall asked. I laughed loudly.

"You're asking me about my work?" I asked and he nodded. "Well it's going fine I suppose. It's the same. Nothing's gone up or down. Uhh I want to improve it and I'm not sure what to do."

"Hmm. I'm sure you and your company will come up with great ideas. After all that's what you guys do best," he complimented.

"Thanks honey," I said and leaned into him. The waitress came back with our drinks and we thanked her as we would.

"This is not as good as yours but it'll do," I said.

"That's rude," Niall laughed.

"Meh. It's true," I shrugged.

"This is hot chocolate mix. That's why it tastes... bland," Niall noted.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Babe I run a coffee shop. I think I should know the difference between hot chocolate mix and made from scratch," Niall chuckled.

"How would you know though?" I asked.

"Well can you, say, differentiate between your buildings and others?" He asked and I nodded.

"Why is that?"

"Because I've seen the floor plan like two thousand times?"

"And similarly I've tasted all kinds of hot chocolates. But honestly speaking, it's not completely because I'm a barista but also because I have an unhealthy obsession with it which makes me a hot chocolate connoisseur," He laughed.

"You're cute," I commented and pinched his cheek.

"You're annoying," he whacked my hand away.

I laughed and we continued to drink our beverages. Even though seeing my parents in the street was the last thing I expected I genuinely had a good day, all thanks to Niall. He works magic with my happiness.