This chapter is dedicated to a really good friend here, Lauren. I really enjoy talking to you.
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Chapter 2 ― Truth or dare
I looked at myself in the mirror and wanted to cry. Why? Why me? I looked like a clown and I refused to go out. Phebs and Belle were laughing hysterically at me. Why wouldn’t they? I was dressed up in a blue navy dress with white dots, a belt around my small waist. I had boobs and I liked to wear large t-shirts so I could dissimulate them, but with this dress it was impossible. I looked like a real hourglass and I hated it. My friends loved my curvy figure, but I hated it for the same reason I hated bright colours: it brought unwanted attention on me. Men looked at me when I used skinny clothes and I hated it.
“Don’t make me do this,” I begged one more time but I just got laughter as a response from my friends.
The night before we were playing truth or dare, quite drunk, I must add, and, of course, Belle dared me to wear a girly dress the next day and go out with it. I should have accepted the consequences instead of this. I was even wearing high heels! I already missed my combat boots.
“You have to, Alex. Stop moaning and let’s go,” Phebs said smiling and taking my hand. I sighed, resigned that I was going to humiliate myself in public. Note to self: never play truth or dare with the girls again. Run away from them if I’m drunk.
My ponytail bounced as I walked with my friends to the car. We were going to a restaurant were many people were going to see me in this… this… this costume! Oh, just kill me now. Yeah, I probably was exaggerating. Okay, I was exaggerating, but it was really hard for me to do this. I wasn’t used to this, I wasn’t the kind of girl who enjoyed shopping, or wore dresses, or high heels –God, I hated those. That was why my friends enjoyed making me do such things so much.
“You’re gonna pay for this,” I promised as we got into the car. Phebs drove to the restaurant whilst I was still mumbling curses in the back seat. “At least I could have gone in the front!” I complained but my friends just laughed and turned the radio louder with another song from this boy band. That day I wasn’t in the mood.
In the restaurant it was worse than I thought. I saw the looks men gave me, those disgusting and lustful looks that gave me the creeps. In moments like that it was when I thought it would be a great idea to stop doing exercise. I liked eating, I liked it a lot and I wasn’t the kind that could eat tons without adding a few pounds; no, I had to do some exercise: jogging, bicycle, even yoga twice a week in order to keep being able to pass through the door.
We went to a table and soon a young waiter came to take our order. He looked at me flirtatiously and I just rolled my eyes. I meant, he wasn’t exactly looking at me, he was more looking at my cleavage. Stupid dress. But his look when he took my order was priceless. I knew that just the day before I ate like a thousand burgers, but I couldn’t help myself and ordered as much as I could.
After a while, I went to the restroom trying to pass unnoticed but failing miserably at it. I even heard some whispered from a table with five boys but didn’t turn around to see them. I didn’t want to pick a fight in a dress.
I looked at myself in the mirror still hating what I saw. My dark makeup was gone, my green eyes looked bigger thanks to the clear makeup that Belle put on me. With the tight ponytail my features were more exposed and I felt really uncomfortable with that, but the only good thing about my aspect that day was that the snake tattoo right down my left ear that crept to my neck was pretty visible and I loved it. I had a few tattoos but this one was my favourite, also the most special because it was my first.
After a few minutes for myself, I went back to my friends humming this song from the band that my friends liked and that I couldn’t get out of my head, but in the way I bumped into a blond guy a few inches taller than me. I backed away apologising immediately. I looked at him and when I saw those blue eyes I felt my heart skip a beat. He seemed so familiar but I was sure I hadn’t seen him before. He was dressed in these bright and clear clothes, beige trousers, blue polo shirt, a white jumper and trainers. He was looking at me eyes wide open, I could see recognition in his eyes.
“Alex?” he asked and I froze. He knew me? Did I know him? I frowned looking at him again, trying to figure out if I had seen him before. Then he smiled and it hit me. Of course I had seen him before!
“Niall!” I said gleefully. “What a surprise! I didn’t recognise you dressed up like this,” I added with my own smile. “I must say, you look better this way. Yesterday’s look wasn’t your thing.”
“You look different, too,” he commented still smiling.
“I know,” I snorted. “I look like a clown. This is nothing like me but my friends dared me to wear this,” I explained grabbing my dress. He chuckled and I felt my cheeks burning.
“I think you look gorgeous,” he said and I felt like all my blood bumped to my cheeks.
“Um… Thanks,” I said awkwardly. I wasn’t used to compliments, or at least, nice compliments besides the ones that my family and friends gave me. “So… what are you doing here?” I asked casually because I didn’t know what else to say.
“Just eating with my friends,” he replied. “What about you?”
“Same thing. It was part of the dare to go out with this.” Again, I grabbed my dress and he chuckled.
“They sound nice, your friends, I mean. Hey, the song you were humming before, what song was it?” he asked casually and I made an effort to remember.
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “A song from a band that my friends like. Not my style at all, but the damn song is catchy and I have it stuck in my head.”
“You know what?” he said with a special bright light in his eyes. “I think you and your friends should meet my mates. We’re over there.” He pointed a table not too far away from mine. I thought about it a few seconds and ended up nodding.
“Sure. I’ll tell them and we’ll go to your table. See ya, Niall,” I said passing next to him, my ponytail still bouncing.
* * *
“I thought you were done with boys, Alex,” Phebs commented whilst we were walking towards Niall’s table.
“I am! This has nothing to do with that. He’s a nice guy and he said we all should meet his mates. That’s all,” I justified myself, head held high. I saw Belle rolling her eyes at what I said. “Oh, come on. We’re just gonna say hi and leave.”
We kept walking till we got to Niall and his friends’ table. They were all eating and laughing until they saw us. The blond guy smiled brightly whilst I looked at each one of his friends. They all looked so different from the day before, colours and jackets and plaid shirts and stripped t-shirts. Nothing like that attempt of I-wannabe-tough from the other day. And I had to say it: they looked way hotter like that. Not my style, again, but it suited them better. One had curly hair and pretty green eyes, he had this flirtatious smile on his face whilst his eyes were fixed on Belle. Next to him was Niall and next to him was a black-haired guy with piercings and a tanner skin. I liked his style, though. Next to him was the one with a plaid shirt, brunet and warm chocolate eyes. Next to him was another brunet, messier, with the stripped t-shirt, cute smile and blue-greyish eyes.
“Hello there,” I said smiling. “I’m Alex, and these–” I turned to face my friend and saw them with their mouths open and expressions of sheer incredulity. “Girls?” I called out. “Girls? What’s happening?” I shook Phebs’ shoulder but she remained with the same expression.
“It’s One– One– One Direction,” Belle mumbled and the five boys grinned.
“Who?” I asked very confused. That seemed to wake them up because the two girls looked at me shocked. One Direction… hmmm… it sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite put a finger on it.
“One Direction, the band we were listening to before?” Belle asked and I frowned deeper. “For God’s sake. The band that we like, Alex!”
“Ah!” I exclaimed then looked at the boys. “So you are One Direction. Am I right?” They all nodded. “Hmm. Well, One Direction, meet my friends Belle and Phebs who, as you may see, like your music. I have nothing against you, though,” I added.
I didn’t know why my friends were so shocked by meeting these boys. I meant, they liked their music, but weren’t huge fans of them. Probably was just the surprise of meeting them.
“Wanna sit with us?” the curly boy offered and before I could say that we were leaving, Belle took a seat next to him. I looked at her in disbelief that grew bigger when Phebs sat next to her. They left me without any other option than to sit next to the guy with the stripped t-shirt.
“Okay. My friends probably know your names, but I have no idea, so please, enlighten me,” I requested putting my elbow on the table and holding my head with my hand.
Each one introduced themselves. The curly one was Harry, the one with piercings was Zayn, the one with the plaid shirt was Liam and the one next to me was Louis. They chatted with my friends without any problem and I looked at them calmly, my eyes met Niall’s now and then. I remained silent for a while, until I saw something in Zayn’s wrist: a tattoo. “You have a tattoo!” I almost screamed and they all looked at me surprised. I knew I blushed, but I couldn’t help myself.
“Yeah,” he replied letting me see his tattoo better. It was a yin-yang and it looked bloody amazing.
“That’s great! I think I love you,” I said offhandedly still looking at his tattoo. He chuckled. “I love tattoos. I have a few myself.” I turned to my right so he could see my tattoo. I heard murmurs of appreciation and I felt myself being filled with pride.
From that moment, I kept talking about tattoos and piercings to Zayn, sharing our experiences. At the beginning I didn’t like Zayn, I didn’t know why, there was something that bothered me about him, but after talking to him, everything was different.
“So, Alex,” Harry focused on me after discovering that Belle had boyfriend. “Do you have boyfriend, too?”
I saw my friends moving uncomfortably in their seats. The thought of Marcus still hurt, of course, but I wasn’t going to let my friends see that, nor these lads I just met. “No. I just broke up with my ex a few days ago,” I said as casually as I could. “The arsehole cheated on me.”
“The arsehole doesn’t know what he missed,” Harry stated and I smiled gratefully.
“We can take care of him, if you want,” Niall offered and I looked at him realising I had been avoiding his gaze all this time without even noticing. My smile grew wide.
“No offence, lads, but I don’t think you could take care of him,” I commented. “Marcus is a big and bad guy.”
“But we have bodyguards,” Louis reminded me and I laughed.
“I’ll think about it,” I promised smiling.
“So, you like bad boys, uh? Not to brag or anything, but I was drinking before turning eighteen,” Harry said examining his nails. I burst out laughing.
“Oh God, I think you’re too tough for me. No one dares to drink before turning eighteen in this world! I couldn’t handle you,” I said playfully. He smiled and winked.
We stayed with them talking for another while and when we were about to go home, Niall spoke: “Would you like to come to one of our concerts? VIP pass and front row.” I saw my friends’ expressions and I knew I couldn’t say no, so I nodded with a smile. I wasn’t fan of One Direction, but I liked them. They were funny and sweet and even a bit insane. The things Louis said and did during that time left that very clear. Niall smiled wildly and I felt that going to their concert couldn’t be a bad idea.