Olivia Allen
"I still can't believe it," I told Niall.
We just woke up. I'm snuggled into his side, his arm around me, my head on him, and my ring-clad left hand resting on his bare chest.
"Me neither. What the hell is wrong with us?"
"I wonder that myself. We're twenty-one and twenty-two and I haven't even graduated yet."
"We're adults! We can do what we want. And I couldn't help myself," he defended.
"Were you nervous I'd say no?"
"Not really. But I was a little worried you'd think it was too soon. Until you thought I was proposing over Thanksgiving weekend and then I quit freaking out so much."
"You had no reason to be worried." I leaned up and placed a kiss on his cheek, causing him to grin and pull me closer.
"I don't want to leave this bed," Niall said.
"Me neither. When do we have to?"
"Let me check." Niall reached for his phone. "Harry was supposed to text me the details. He said, "Be at 30 Rock at 2. Congratulations.""
It's half past ten right now. So we have another couple hours to lounge around before we should probably shower, get ready, and head to the studio.
"So he and the other guys know?"
"Yeah, I had been talking to them about it yesterday all during rehearsal."
"How long are we going to keep it a secret?"
"Well all of our friends and family know. Or they will know soon. So it's just about how long we keep it from the fans."
He looked at me expectantly and I shrugged.
"I don't really care one way or another. But avoiding rumors would be nice."
"I would say I could talk about it in an interview but we don't have any coming up for awhile."
"Are you worried about how people will react?" I am when it comes to their fans. I'm already not anyone's favorite person.
"Worried? No. Some might be a little bummed. And there will be the older crowd saying "they're stupid kids" and "they'll be divorced within a year" but we can take it."
"I know we can. But I don't exactly want to," I admitted.
"I understand. Let's just see how long it takes for the word to spread."
"I like that plan."
"Good." He kissed my forehead.
"Oh my god!"
"What?" He looked startled.
"Getting married means having kids!"
He started cracking up. "You just now realizing that, babe?"
"Well it wasn't the first thing that crossed my mind last night!" I defended.
"Which is ironic considering what we were doing last night is exactly where babies come from."
"Don't jinx us! I am not accidentally getting pregnant before we're married."
"We won't. We're smart."
"I know."
"But it's crazy to think about. Within, say, five years we could have a kid." He pushed his hair back like the thought was stressing him out.
"Well don't lose sleep over it," I said as I laughed at him. "No one's forcing us."
"No, it's exciting! Just crazy."
"Have you changed your mind or are you still set on two kids?"
"I'm set on two." He gave me a challenging look.
"Well I'm set on more than two."
"You'll change your mind when you see how damn exhausting they are! Theo wears me out."
"You'll change your mind when you see how wonderful they are."
Niall let out a sigh. "We'll see. Do you want boys or girls?"
"Both," I said with a smile.
"I knew you'd say that."
I just shrugged and grinned up at him.
He yawned causing his eyes to go squinty and then he said, "I want boys."
"I figured. Should we get up and get ready to go?"
"We still have some time." He turned his face towards mine.
I feigned oblivion. "What did you have in mind?"
"Oh, nothing much." He reached for my hip to move me onto my back and then he was towering over me. "Just this."
He kissed me and it felt just as good as the first time.
...
We rolled into the Saturday Night Live studio a minute till two, a coffee cup in my hand.
My eyes immediately went wide. The studio was incredible. It's way smaller than it looks on television but it's filled with years of history. Some of the greatest actors ever got their start here. I grew up watching SNL so this is really cool.
"Oh great, you're here!" A thirty-something year old woman with a pencil skirt and a clipboard came over to us.
"Hi, Stacy!" Niall introduced me as well. I guess he already met everyone because he had to be here for a rehearsal yesterday. She is the show's floor manager.
"Liv and Niall!" Harry appeared through a doorway and was followed by Louis and Liam. "Congratulations!"
The boys literally tackled us. Literally tackled us. I barely had enough time to set my coffee on the nearby table before the impact. We were suffocated with hugs and Niall was cracking up as loud as ever.
"I'm so happy for you guys," Harry said as he gave me a tight hug.
He pulled away, looked at me in a scrutinizing way, then looked at my coffee. "Getting a late start today, I see."
"Well when you get engaged, you get to do what you want for a little while," I joked as I over dramatically showed off my ring.
"Can't believe you two," Liam said. "Engaged! Soph and I have been together over two years."
"I couldn't wait," Niall said casually as he threw his arm around me.
"Clearly," Louis chuckled. "You sure there's no, um, other reason?"
I realized he was asking if I'm pregnant.
Without really thinking, I let out a retort. "That's awfully hypocritical!"
"I know, I'm joking! Just making light of my situation." He chuckled and Niall burst into a fit of laughter.
I love how Louis can laugh at himself and make light of something that could be extremely awkward. But I do hope he's ready for a child. I worry about him a little bit.
I asked where Sophia is and Liam told me she's at home with her family for Christmas.
The afternoon for the boys was going to involve a little bit of rehearsing their skit, some waiting around, and then rehearsing their songs.
Considering I'll get to see the show tonight, I decided to go do some last minute Christmas shopping. Niall suggested I get my nails done "or whatever shit girls do when they get engaged" and so I did.
I wanted to wear my ring everywhere, all the time. But considering I'd like to keep this under wraps for awhile, I tucked it away in my purse while I shopped. I doubt that anyone will recognize me without Niall but I figured why risk it. If someone gets a picture of me wearing it, there won't be any question that we're engaged.
...
"I had an idea," I told Niall when I got back. We're an hour from the show starting and he's currently in Lou's chair getting his hair blow dried.
"What's that?"
"We should do like our own Christmas morning tomorrow since we're spending Christmas apart with our own families."
"That would be fun. Yeah, let's do it!"
The show was absolutely hilarious. Ed Helms hosted and he did a funny skit with the boys. As always, their songs sounded amazing.
The most fun part was the after party though. We all got to go out drinking with the cast afterwards. I can honesty say it's the drunkest I've seen most of the boys.
...
"Merry Christmas!"
Niall groaned sleepily from his side of the bed. He was lying on his stomach, facing me with soft snores coming from between his parted lips.
"Good morning." I tried to coax him awake as I scratched his back.
I feel bad waking him but he's going to have to get up within an hour for his flight anyway. His brow furrowed a bit and he yawned before opening his eyes.
"Mornin' beautiful."
"Merry Christmas," I repeated.
"It's not Christmas, it's the twentieth." He yawned again.
"I said we could have our own Christmas morning today. Remember?"
He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before sitting up and finally looking around. "Christ, Liv. This place looks awesome!"
"I've been playing Santa."
"When did you buy all this?"
"Yesterday."
"That's why it took you so long!"
I bought a mini tree and some strings of lights to put around the place. Christmas music played from my laptop, which was also serving as a fake fireplace thanks to Netflix, and Niall's presents were wrapped up under the tiny, fake tree.
"This is going to be fun! Let me go brush my teeth and get dressed." He gave me a quick kiss and climbed out of bed to get ready.
"Just put your pajamas back on," I told him. I was wearing mine.
A couple minutes later, he had his plaid pajama pants slung low on his hips, mug full of hot chocolate in hand, and we were leaning against the bed by the mini tree.
"I know these gifts are all going to seem dumb after you gave me the best gift ever," I motioned around meaning that the trip to New York (which included a perfect engagement and a ring) was my gift, "but still, I wanted to get you something."
He opened the little things: an OU t-shirt and a button down I thought would look great on him. Then the big gift I got him was a GoPro.
"Sick! I've seen these things before, they're awesome! You're the best, Liv." He kissed me.
"Not really. It's nothing compared to this," I said as I held up my left hand.
"That ring isn't a Christmas present," he grabbed my hand, "it's because I want to marry you. Stop thinking you owe me or something."
"I know, I know. It's not that. You're just so good to me all the time. I want you to know that I appreciate it."
I leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around me.
"Let's curl up by the fire," he joked. It's funny because the fire isn't real. "Where did you find this, anyway?"
"It's a Netflix show called 'Fireplace,'" I explained.
"And this is all it does?"
"This is all it does."
"That's hilarious. Only you," he laughed.
"My roommate and I used to set it up in our dorm room freshman year."
"Can we roast marshmallows over it?"
"I wish."
He pulled me closer to him and we sat silent for awhile.
"I wish you would just graduate already," he said.
"Only one more semester."
"This last one was so long though. I don't want to wait another."
"I'm so close to getting my degree. I can't quit now."
"I know. I'm just whining."
"I know."
"I almost forgot!" He popped up from our spot on the floor and went to his suitcase.
"Hm?"
"I have something for you." He rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a couple boxes covered in Christmas paper. I could tell he'd taken the time to wrap them himself.
"No! No more gifts. This trip was already so much."
"Olivia, just open the damn presents."
"Okay." I laughed at him.
"Don't worry, they're mostly gifts for me."
I questioningly raised an eyebrow at him as I untied the bow on the first one.
"You'll see," he explained.
It was a Derby County F.C. jersey.
"Oh! Thank you!"
"You hate it."
"No! I needed something to wear every time we went out to watch them play. That's so thoughtful of you!"
"Well this next one isn't quite so thoughtful. And you might be mad at me."
"A gift that makes me mad at you?"
"Just open it."
I ripped at the paper, took the lid off the pearly white box, and cautiously removed the tissue paper.
"Oh my goodness." I held up the lacy lingerie. "You didn't."
His face turned bright red and he just kind of shrugged.
I burst out laughing and hugged his neck.
"You're not mad?"
"I'm blushing! But it's nice of you. Why would I be mad?"
"Because it's Jesus's birthday and I gave you panties."
"True. But we can think of this as a "just because" gift."
"Deal." He kissed me real gently and said in a low voice against my lips, "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."
...
A half hour later Harry, Liam, and Louis came in our room to hang out while we finished packing.
"Did you think you'd leave this trip engaged?" Liam asked me.
"No, I definitely didn't! He pulled off the surprise for sure," I said as I tossed my straightener in my bag.
"Well I thought Niall would never shut up about it," Louis said. "He'd been planning it for awhile."
"I had pictures of engagement rings sent to me every other day," Harry added.
"Why would you think Harry knows what I like?" I asked Niall.
"I just wanted lots of opinions. Sent them to Mum and Denise too. But Grace was my go to person."
I looked at Harry at the mention of Grace to see if he reacted to her name at all. If he did, he concealed it well.
Soon we were all done packing and ready to leave for the airport.
"Well everyone have a lovely Christmas with your families! I don't know when I'll see y'all again."
"Oh. Well we'll all see you New Year's Eve for your engagement party," Liam said.
"Huh?"
"Yeah, huh?" Niall echoed.
Louis laughed at us. "Oh, could you two really not stop having sex for two seconds to check your email?"
"What are you talking about?" I asked, ignoring his snide comment.
"Maura already sent out an invitation. They're having a party for you guys in Ireland to celebrate. Your parents are on the invitation, Liv."
"What the hell? They don't tell me anything!"
Sure enough, I checked my email and there it was. Can't wait to ask my parents about that.
We kissed goodbye, boarded our separate flights, and parted ways for the first time as an engaged couple.