Rosie
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Niall asks carefully from the driver's seat. He knows better than to pry me for information after I just spent the last two hours talking to Andrew about...well, everything.
I simply shake my head, unable to form a single sentence that wouldn't end up in my voice cracking and me breaking down.
I hate being weak.
Whenever I'm forced to open up I feel like I'm the same weak little girl I was back in Hungary. I wish I could say that girl died and I buried her before I came to England but every time I have to talk about the past, I'm reminded that I'm still the same person I was. I'm still just as weak and fragile.
"I'm gonna stop at Maccies, and get you your favourite ice cream." He exclaims, notifying me why he suddenly changed the route. Maccies is the opposite way from our house so he has to turn back around. He doesn't seem to care though. He just wants to make me happier.
Taking a deep breath, I stare out of the window, watching the buildings pass by. London traffic is an absolute nightmare. I remember once Niall complained about how it took him 45 minutes to drive 1.8 miles.
Times like this I'm glad he doesn't push me to drive.
After a few minutes of driving, he pulls up by the restaurant, parks the car and cuts the engine off. Unbuckling his seat belt he shifts his body to look at me, his soft, blue eyes looking into mine. I know he wants to ask if I want to go inside or if he should just go get our usual order while I wait here.
I give him a small nod to say I'm gonna go in with him and slip out of the car. It's surprisingly warm today even though it's only the beginning of April. So warm that Niall being Niall is only in a shirt and shorts.
I dressed casual, wanting to be taken seriously by Andrew, even though the lack of makeup on my face and my red puffy eyes certainly do not compliment my dark green dress. I have a black leather jacket on because my top half was starting to get cold.
Walking in by Niall's side, I'm swarmed by the smell of greasy, unhealthy food that makes my mouth salivate. I haven't eaten anything today other than breakfast before I left home so I've been dealing with a rumbling stomach all afternoon. I found myself apologising to Andrew a couple of times whenever my stomach made a noise that sounded like an alien.
Niall walked up to the counter, flashing the girl a flirty smile before telling her our order.
I wasn't even listening to what he was ordering, I trust him enough to know he'll get me the right things. He knows what I hate and what I like since I'm quite picky when it comes to food.
While Niall waited for our order to be packed and we could leave, I stepped aside to a less busy corner so other people could order.
"You know it's scary how I didn't bump into you for two years and now we meet twice in less than a week."
I'm startled by a deep voice that comes from behind and makes me turn around. I mean, who am I kidding, I already knew who spoke just by the voice but the tingling feeling I get in my stomach surely gives it away.
He stands behind me with a smug smirk on his lips, giving me a subtle once over. I can see how his smile falters for a second when he notices the look on my face but he's quick to bring the smile back as if he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
"I'm starting to think you're following me, baby honey."
"If I would have that much free time on my hand, you'd be the last person I followed around." I scoff, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
"Humble me more. I need to work on my narcissism." God, why is he so...charming? I don't know what adjective would fit him better honestly.
I take a minute to study what he's wearing, and what he looks like.
He's in black skinny jeans with his usual Chelsea boots, a loose button-down that was only halfway buttoned on him, exposing the chest tattoos I haven't been able to get out of my head for the past three days.
I wish I could say I'm surprised I slept with him but I knew the thought of him inside me has been orbiting my head for the last two years. I don't regret a second of it. It was definitely the best sex I've ever had and he's probably the hottest guy I've had sex with. Not like the list is very long.
It consists of three people and one of those three is Harry. The other is Niall.
Yes, Niall. The Niall, who drove me here to get me my comfort meal. The Niall, who is the son of the man I live with. The Niall, who's obsessed with music, golf, football and Guinness beer. The Niall, who's on his way to us right now.
I snap out of my thoughts, my cheeks reddening at the thought of Niall seeing me talking to a guy. I know exactly what's gonna happen now and I'm internally planning my escape.
However, plan A fails as soon as Niall greets Harry with a handshake and a thrilled smile.
"Hello, mate. Good to see you again."
Hold up.
Again?
"Pimp daddy. It's been years. How have you been?" Pimp what-
I'm in utter shock as I stare at the two guys in front of me, just having a casual conversation to catch up like they've been mates for ages.
What the fuck?
I'm unaware the sentence actually leaves my lips and wasn't just a thought. But when the two boys look at me with equal confusion on their faces I know it was more than an internal thought.
"Rosie this is H-"
"Oh, we know each other," Harry announces making me want to sink six feet under from how red I must look. I should just paint my fave red from now on to make it less obvious he gets this reaction out of me.
Niall looks at Harry with a confused frown before he flicks his blue eyes to get answers from me.
I'm silently begging Harry not to tell him we slept together. Please, anything just not that. I can't be in front of Harry when I tell Niall I had sex with him.
"We met a couple of years ago. It's a funny story really." A wave of relief washes over me, making me exhale deeply. "She came to our gig last Friday."
"You went to see Hazza and didn't bring me? I'm considering eating your nuggets now."
"Well if Hazza and you are such good friends you should've known about his concert." I'm being salty. Why am I being salty? I can tell my reaction only confuses them more.
The waitress calls Harry's name and hands him a bag of food which he thanks politely.
I hate how much of a gentleman he is. Why can't he be an asshole? I wouldn't have to try and get him out of my head if he was a jerk to begin with.
"Do you wanna eat this together? There's an empty table there." Harry offers, pointing towards a table in the corner of the restaurant that's not taken.
Niall looks at me for an answer. He suddenly remembers what brought us here in the first place and now I can tell he feels guilty for wanting to stay and chat with his friend for a little longer.
It wouldn't be fair if I forced him home with me, especially after he got us food to make me feel better. The least I can do is stay with him and let him catch up with Harry.
Besides, I'm kind of curious how they know each other.
"So how do you know each other?" I chew on a nugget, silently sitting next to Niall while Harry sits across from us.
"We live together. Been best friends since she came to London." Niall answers Harry's question knowing full well I wouldn't want to talk about it. Especially not today.
"That's crazy. You never mentioned her."
"You never mentioned that she was the girl you met that night."
"How do you even know each other?" I query, trying to stop them from talking about me. I feel like the more Harry asks the more Niall will reveal to him accidentally.
"We were in a band together back in high school."
"White Eskimo," Niall says with an over-exaggerated smile. "Good times, good times."
"I should've guessed it had something to do with music," I mumble, dipping the nugget into the sauce and popping it in my mouth.
Since I've known Niall he's always been around some kind of instrument. It's either the piano he plays in the living room or the guitar, anywhere in the house.
When I say anywhere I mean anywhere. I once saw him walk out of the bathroom strumming the guitar.
That's probably why I got him a guitar for Christmas as soon as I had the money for it. It wasn't anything fancy. I found a music shop and the old man who owns it was selling his guitar. It looked really cool, he played me a few chords to show how it sounds and I was sold. Niall fell in love with it as soon as he opened his gift. He said I shouldn't have bought it. When I told him it didn't cost much he didn't want to believe me. He said it's vintage and apparently one of a kind so I was surprised the man sold it to me, and for such a price.
Ever since then, it's his favourite guitar and he never goes anywhere without it. We once went back to Ireland to his grandmother and he brought it to show her. It warmed my heart to see how much he loves what I got him.
It'll be a reminder of me when I'm gonna be gone.
"Wrote a couple of tunes when we were boys, played them at school parties, some weddings. It was fun." Niall explains furthermore and I see how his eyes light up when he talks about playing music. He loves it more than anything.
"Don't tell Mitch but Niall's probably the best guitarist I ever met. He taught me how to play too." Harry looks at me, popping a fry into his mouth.
"How is it going with the band? I heard your album, it's fucking amazing, brother."
"Thank you. It's all good, we're doing a few gigs here but we wanna extend it and maybe do a UK tour. Not sure if anyone would wanna come, we only ever played in London before."
Listening to Harry and Niall I realise how lucky they are to be able to do what they love. I'm not sure if Harry works somewhere other than doing the band but either way they love music and I can tell playing and making songs makes them happy.
I wish I could do what I love. But I can't. Not because I'm unable to or don't have the opportunity. I just can't get myself to do it again. It's been too long.
"I'm sure the shows would be sold out. You did great on Friday." I speak up for the first time in a while. I think they might have thought I wasn't listening to them so they both look at me a little surprised.
"You guys should come this Saturday. We're playing at the same place as last Friday. I can get you in the VIP section." Harry says, flicking his eyes between Niall and me.
He wants us to see them again? He wants me to see him again? Surely it wasn't enough of a red flag when I called his dick small. Not that it's small, I was sore for two days after.
"We'll see," Niall says, looking at me as he answers. He doesn't want to say yes immediately because he wants to hear my response. This is why I love him.
God bless Bobby but he can be pushy sometimes. I know he wants the best for me and I'm so grateful for everything he does but sometimes I just need a break. Niall gives me that. He didn't push me to talk today after he picked me up from Andrew's office. He knows when I'm ready I'll open up on my own. Eventually, it will happen, I just need time.
"You look beautiful, by the way. Forgot to say it earlier then Niall interrupted us." Harry leans over my shoulder from behind, speaking against my ear. His closure makes my body shiver.
I mumble a faint thank you to his compliment, trying to hide my shudder from him. He does not need to see the way my body reacts to him.
"You left this at my place." His arms snake around my waist from the back, one of his hands holds mine with the flat side up while his other one places a bracelet into my open palm.
As soon as he does that, his arms leave my body and he takes a step back just watching me.
I look at the bracelet in my palm. It's a thin gold chain with a simple pendant on it that's the letter H.
I'm pretty sure I snorted once I saw the pendant but it turned into laughter soon as I turned around to face him.
"This isn't mine." Stupid Harry thought I was the one who left the jewellery at his place when it was one of the girls he's fucking.
"Hm, I think it's yours. Pretty sure it says R there." He says looking at the jewellery in my hand and I scowl, looking at it closely.
At the end of the clasp, there's a tiny label that has an R engraved into it.
"You-"
It all hits me then and there. This idiot got me a bracelet with his initial and engraved mine into it!
"Do you want me to put it on?" He doesn't even let me answer he just takes it from my hand and clasps it around my wrist.
I stare at the bracelet now on my wrist, completely frozen in my spot.
What the actual fuck?
"Why would you do that?" It takes me a second to force myself to speak and my voice sounds nothing like my own.
"Saw it at the shop the other day. Thought of you." He shrugs.
"You got me a bracelet." He nods. "After meeting me twice." Another nod. "With your initial on it."
"Could be that but I was thinking H for honey. You know, the band. And you're baby honey." He takes a step closer, brushing his thumb against the bracelet on my wrist, making me shudder again. "Just. So. Sweet."
I'm pretty sure I look just as dumb as I feel right now. I'm in utter shock. Nothing seems to work in my body except for my stupid heart because it's beating ridiculously fast inside my chest.
"Alright, ready to go, Posie?" Niall steps out of the restaurant after taking literally ten minutes to pee.
Harry drops my wrist, takes a step away from me and pulls Niall into a bro hug, patting his back twice before releasing him.
"It was good to see you, brother. Text me more often." He says, looking at me and I see the shift of expression on his face. He has a smug smirk on his lips, making his dimple pop on one side of his cheeks. "See you soon, Ro."
Was that an invitation? Or a challenge, I'm not sure.
What I do know is that I've been holding my breath for a while now so I gasp for air as soon as he's out of our sight.
"Alright, wanna tell me about him?" Niall pipes up from the driver's seat.
I should've expected he'd wanna know. He knows everything about me just like I know everything about him. There's nothing we hide from each other.
"Remember the horrible date I went on two years ago? When I ditched and took the pizza and a bottle of fancy wine." I start from the beginning of the story and Niall nods, remembering that day well. It was the worst and funniest date of my life, it's hard to forget.
"Well, Harry's band was playing there and he found me in an alley smoking. He offered me an escape and I took it. We ended up at the zoo, sharing the pizza and the drink. We talked about pretty deep stuff, mainly just his life and what he wants from the future."
"I didn't know I was going to see him on Friday, it was a total coincidence. I bumped into his drummer, Sarah. She's incredible and so nice." I find it easy to talk to Niall, I always have. The words just flow out of my mouth. "She invited me over to their place. The entire band lives together. I went and we talked..a lot. Not really about me because I avoided most questions but it was still so...freeing. I felt so relaxed."
I look over to Niall, watching as he keeps his eyes trained on the road ahead of us while driving.
"Harry and I had these heated moments sometimes. I'm pretty sure I cuddled up to him while we were talking." I admit, not remembering clearly if it was me cuddling up to him first or him pulling me against his side.
"We slept together..."
"Figured."
"Huh?" I ask, staring at Niall dumbfounded.
"C'mon, Posie, it's as clear as day. He gave you those eyes, you kept blushing. Ya only did that to me ages ago before we became so close." He glances over at me when we have to stop at a red light, studying my face for a long second. He can read me so easily it's not even funny anymore.
"Oh no, you're bringing up the sex talk..."
"The sex talk." He nods, saying it at the same time as me and once the light turns green he starts driving again. "You have to admit, it was one of the, if not the best sex either of us had. Spontaneous and hot."
"Sometimes I wonder why I ever slept with you and then in moments like this, I realise how hot you can be. I guess I just don't look at you that way anymore." I admit, knowing it doesn't hurt his feelings. Like I said, we're honest with each other.
"That's a compliment." He says with a small smirk on his lips and glances to the side, catching my eye roll. "So what about him?"
"What about him?" I repeat, not exactly knowing what he's implying.
"How do you feel?"
I take a deep breath. Then another one. "I don't know. He's the first person who gets me all worked up. And I mean the butterflies in the stomach type. But I don't want it to be anything serious. He's fun to be around, he's a gentleman, he's perfect, I just-"
"You don't want to tell him." He nods his head, understanding what I wanted to say and I press my lips together, looking down at my hands on my lap. "It's okay, you don't have to. It doesn't have to be serious, you can just hang out and have fun. If he's fine with that."
"Yeah... Yeah, I can do that. Fun. Hang out. Not serious." I repeat the words again.
"Do you wanna talk about what happened with Andrew today?"
Here it is. The other dreaded question. My mood got slightly better this past hour but now I just know it's gonna be ruined again once I talk about it.
I just have to suck it up and do it. It's not like I can change what happened. I'm not Doctor Strange with the infinity stones, ready to change the past. Though that would be cool.
With a deep breath, I nod my head and begin explaining everything that happened today with Andrew.