I reached for the handle, turning it and opening the door.
"Hello Mel--h-holy shit." Niall stuttered, looking me up and down. "You look absolutely stunning," his jaw hung open.
I don't look good.. I look shitty, just better than normal.
"T-thank you, you clean up quite nice yourself." He was in a classic black and white suit and, to quote my late grandma when I asked about her wedding day, 'He looked pretty damn sharp if you ask me.'
I was blushing beet red, and now Niall was too.
"Alright is this going to be awkward or are you guys gonna leave?" Alyssa cut in, causing is to laugh, slightly releasing the tension, which you could still cut with a knife.
"That's probably a good idea," Niall scratched the back of his neck, then extended his arm out for me to take. I intertwined my with his, and yelled "Bye Al Pacino!" Shutting the door.
"So, uh, where are we going?"
"You'll see, Melanie." He smiled, turning and meeting my eyes. "You look beautiful, by the way."
"You said that.." I giggled.
"No, I said you looked absolutely stunning first, now I'm saying you look beautiful."
"Yeah but--ugh same difference."
"THAT MAKES ZERO SENSE AT ALL!"
"It makes sense to me."
At that point, we had made it out of the Waldorf and at the door of the limo. The limo.. What the hell?! "Whatever, let's get to dinner I'm starving." He says, chuckling at my stubbornness and slipping into the car casually, as if he did this every day. I stood, gawking for a moment. "You coming?" He asked, I replied my nodding apologetically and blushing, jumping in the car.
For the most part, we listened to the radio. We were on a station that played things like Fall Out Boy and Nirvana, two bands I loved.
The song 'goner' by twenty øne pilots came on as we pulled on to the Brooklyn Bridge--I had never been on a bridge before, and this is absolutely terrifying; being up so high, with barely anything but concrete and pillars holding you up. How the hell is this safe?
My breath hitched and my face turned red. I was holding my breath, praying that we'd get safely across the bridge. I tensed, and Niall grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together.
Just friends. Just friends.. Just friends...? I kept mumbling the same damn words over and over in my hand. Maybe I don't want just friends...
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just scared. This bridge is r-really high u-up.." I stuttered, lowering my head to hide my face. He raised my chin with his forefinger, looking in my eyes.
"It's okay to be scared.. You don't have to be embarrassed. Fear is a natural thing! Plus, you're adorable when your scared." This only caused me to blush more.
"Sorry. I've n-never been on a bridge for a af before.." I mumbled quietly.
His eyes widened. "Never? Really?" He inquired, I nod, he gasps, I chuckle, he does as well.
We pull off the bridge and I realize that Niall distracted me from being scared. He actually managed to make me forget my fear.
Once we're off the bridge, we take a right, arriving at a restaurant. It was beautiful--the front was completely windows, as was every other side, the sign was lit up bright-The River Café, written in cursive-and standing out next to the falling sun. "Wow." I croaked out, earning a slight chuckle from Niall, who grabbed my arm and took me inside.
"Niall!" The waitress yelled when we walked in.
"Roberta!" He replied. "Why, I haven't seen you in some time! How are you?"
"I'm good," she smiled and they continued a small conversation. She's gorgeous, long red curly hair, blue eyes, adorable freckles-she's perfect, and her and Niall get along real well. What if he likes her? Oh my god, what if I lost him because I said 'just friends'? Nononono...
"And this is Melanie!" Niall announced.
I smiled and she seemed to light up. "You're Melanie! Oh I've heard so much about you." She smirked, giving me a hug. "I'm Roberta. Do you guys have reservations?"
"Yes, actually!" Niall said. Roberta found our reservation am brought us to our seat. She gave us our menus and some water before going to help other customers.
"She was nice."
"She's my cousin." He laughed, looking at me.
"Oh! Oh.. Oh my.. I was so wrong." Embarrassing yourself yet again, Melanie! Great job!
"You got so flustered when we were talking.. You're adorable."
"Alright that's like the thousandth time you've said that tonight alone." I laugh, looking up at him.
"Well, it's true!"
////////////////////
Niall ordered-actually I don't know what he ordered. I didn't pay attention. I ordered shrimp Alfredo, it's supposedly amazing here. Ni suggested it.
It was good, very good. Niall said his was as well. When the waitress, Jessica was her name, I think-she was so nice, took up our plates, we sat there for a while, not leaving, just watching the sunset--which, by the way, was gorgeous.
"It reminds me of you," Niall spoke up.
"What?" I replied.
"The sunset. It reminds me of you."
"How?"
"Well, no other place in the world has a sunset like New York City. No sunset compares, in my opinion. Just like no person in the world compares to you. You're unique and absolutely breathtaking, much like the sunset lying before you. You both deserve the world to see you and be stunned. I've never seen anyone or anything shine as bright as this sunset, also much like you. You stand out in a crowd--in a good way. You're bright and fun and, just like New York's sunset, you're my favorite thing about traveling."
My heart was throbbing, filled with love and light--something only Niall could inject it with. I was astonished, wide eyes, tearing up, staring at Niall. He hasn't even known me that long, a few days, and he's already saying things like this to me. I have never had someone seem to care about me this much.
"Niall I.. I don't know what to say. That was.. Beautiful."
"Well yanno I was hat thinking it and I was like 'just tell her how you feel Ni' so I-uh-did." He said, scratching the back of his neck. I leaned over the table and pecked him on the cheek before looking at my phone.
7:45.
"Shit." I mumbled under my breath, "Niall we've gotta go, I'm leaving for home in 15." With that we were in a rush to leave, Niall leaving 2 $100 bills on the table and sprinting for the door, hand in mine. I followed close behind, hoping not to lose him somehow. We jumped in the car and Niall told the driver 'To the Waldorf, STEP ON IT!"
We had about 5 minutes in the car.
"Listen, Niall, I really like you--"
"But?"
"huh? No, no buts. I really like you, and I think I'd be okay with being more than 'just friends', if you don't want to that cool it's fine I jus--"
He once again interrupted. "NO! I mean yes! I mean I'd love to be more than just friends." He blurted out, stumbling on his words.
"Yay! Uh, well.. I'm going home today though.. But we have each other's numbers, we can text everyday I guess?" I was rambling, hoping to find a way we didn't lose touch.
"Yeah yeah, and we can FaceTime every once in a while, too!"
"Yes! So are you staying in NYC?"
"No we're leaving for London tomorrow."
"London, wow. Oh, I never asked, what's your bands name?"
"Um.. One Direction." He murmured, almost too soft for me to hear.
"W-w-what?" I asked, confused.
"M'am, we're here!" The driver said.
"I'll call you, Niall, thanks for an amazing evening.." I managed to croak out and I kissed him softly on the lips.
"Um, okay, no, thank you, bye Melanie!" He rushed out before I closed the door. I sprinted in the lobby and towards the elevator, only to be stopped. "MEL! Melanie!" Alyssa called, I turned. "Hi Al, I gotta go get my stuff. I'll talk to you in a bit."
"But Mel, I have it already, I packed you. And I know I got everything, I searched every nook and cranny to make sure nothing was left--and I may or may not have stuffed the travelers lotions and bath supplies in your luggage.." She smirked.
"Agh, thank you!"
"We leave soon.. How was the date? You'll HAVE to explain on the ride home!" She rambled, smiling as we walked to the bus to load.
On the way home, I told her everything. The river, the food, the bridge, the limo, everything.
Almost.
(A/N)
Hello
It's me
Here's a long chapter, hope you enjoyed it! Hmm.. What do you think Melanie didn't tell Alyssa?
What do you think of Mel and Niall--more than just friends?
Was it a good chappie? Lemme know in the comments!
Love you guys<3
~M xx