"So, where are we going?" Roxanne asked as I drove.
"Just be a little bit more patient. We're almost there," I promised.
Sighing, she picked up some CDs that were chilling on the side door pocket. I noticed her staring at the Michael Bublé CD. "You like him?" she asked.
"Yeah, he's great. Do you listen to him?"
Roxanne nodded, "Of course, I even have a Pandora station just dedicated to him."
I laughed, "I didn't think you would like him."
"Why? Is it because I'm all rock and roll when I'm working at the Crown? I actually am very open minded when it comes to music."
"Good to know," I parked the car. "Alright, we're here."
Roxanne frowned. "We're in a parking lot with the view of the London Bridge."
"Wait here for two minutes and close your eyes." She did what I told her to do. Quickly, I got out of the car and grabbed some of the stuff in my trunk. I set up a little picnic for her. For food, I bought a box of pizza and some crisps. "Come on," I guided her down the small field that was in front of the parking lot. She smiled at the little picnic I set up for our little date. "Nothing fancy, just simple."
She giggled, "This is very sweet of you." I opened the pizza box for her and she took the first slice. She stared at it and then looked at me. "This is my favorite pizza combination. How did you know about it?"
I shrugged, "I called Harry and asked what you liked in your pizza. So I got you the three meats and added the green peppers."
"Because that's not creepy or anything," Roxanne said, taking a huge bite from her pizza.
I laughed and leaned down on the blanket. "I was hoping to impress you so that you can allow me to take you on another date."
"Slow down, Niall, this date hardly began."
I set my pizza down and stared at her as she ate. Her lips pursed out as she took a bite and chewed her pizza. It was extremely attractive. I've never seen someone eat like that. Due to the light wind, strands of her hair blew on her face. My hand leaned against her cheek and swiped the hair away from her face. Roxanne looked at me as I did this gesture.
My eyes lingered on the tattoo on the back of her right shoulder. Five birds were flying up to her neck, but I frowned when I noticed a scar slightly diagonal and under the tattoo. My fingers traced the scar, making her shiver.
"Where did this come from?" I asked, still touching the scar.
She shrugged without meeting my gaze, "I hardly remember." Before I could say anything else about her scar, she asked, "So, what do you do besides college? Do you have a job or something?"
I cleared my throat, "Yeah."
"Where do you work?"
"A small business," I drank my soda. "It pays pretty good."
"Do you do it to pay off your classes or just to earn some money?" she asked. I raised an eyebrow at her. Roxanne looked down embarrassed for asking that question. "Sorry, that's too personal. You don't have to answer that."
It won't hurt to answer that question, I thought. "I do it to pay off my classes," I answered, "And to earn some cash. My parents were struggling with money for me to go to college, so I got my own job to pay for it myself."
"What are you studying?"
"Sound engineering," I answered. "What are you studying for?"
She looked down, "I dropped college. I didn't have enough money for the classes."
"Is that why you're working at the Crown?"
Roxanne nodded, "Yeah and Ryan pays me extra for dancing on the bar. On Wednesday, he made a deal to give me a raise if I danced more provocatively that night."
"That explains a lot," I muttered. My fingers trailed up and down her arm. Her skin was so soft. "I honestly don't like you dancing up there."
"Why?"
"So many men stare at you," I explained. "Sometimes, I just want to grab you by the waist and pull you off the bar."
Roxanne giggled and smiled at me, "Men will always stare. There's nothing you can do about it."
"Are you sure about that?" I asked, making her look up at me.
She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to the side, "Niall, if you never met me at the party and went to the Crown, you probably would've cheered me on like every other guy there."
I slid my fingers down her face, "Either way I would've met you, I'd still want you the same way I do now."
My eyes traveled down her lips. They were such a perfect shape and the color was beautiful. I leaned towards them and kissed her. A moan escaped from her, making me slide my fingers through her hair. Her hand ran up my side and found its place on the back of my neck. I leaned towards her so that I was now on top of her.
I pulled away from her and started kissing her jawline and then moved down to her neck. She tilted her head to the side so that I can have more access to her beautiful neck. Under my lips, I felt her pulse racing. Her pulse quickened when the front of my fingers glided down her side and hip. My fingers touched a little bit of bare skin due to shirt being slightly up. I continued kissing her neck and moved back to her lips. She wrapped one hand around my neck and the other in my hair. I moaned softly when her fingers trailed up my hair.
Getting too heated for her again, Roxanne pulled away. I leaned back on the blanket too because I was just out of breath as she was. My heart was pounding fast and I felt unsteady. God, what is she doing to me? I never felt like this with any girl before. She's so...special.
I glanced over at Roxanne. An arm was placed above her head and the other on her mouth. She was avoiding eye contact with me the whole time she was trying to catch her breath. Finally, Roxanne calmed down and rested her hands.
"That kiss gave you an interesting reaction," I laughed. She bit her lip and turned away. "Oh, come on, Rox, I was only kidding."
She tilted her head towards me, "What do you see in me?"
I leaned forward and caressed her cheek as I talked. "I see a beautiful girl with hair as dark as raven feathers, pretty brown eyes, golden skin, and dark pink lips with a beautiful smile. I feel like she has a lot of secrets and can't trust anyone, especially one that she knows is a perfect match for her."
"And who is this perfect match?"
I cupped her cheek in my hand and stared deep into her sad and concerned eyes. "I know you already know who I'm talking about."
"Niall," she sighed and looked away from me. I could tell that she was sad. Whatever it was that she was hiding, it must be serious. "Getting involved with me isn't a good idea. I don't like anyone holding me down. I like freedom. No, I need freedom."
"I won't take that away from you," I promised, holding her hand.
Roxanne slowly pulled her hand away and shook her head. "Yes, you will. I don't understand why you chose me. It doesn't make sense."
"I chose you because you were different. I know that sounds cliche, but it's true. I hooked up with some girls before and they are so different compared to you. They were easy and they never challenged me. You challenge me every day. I feel like everything is an adventure with you. You're ruthless, compassionate, mean, nice, and so much more. You drive me crazy by just being around you."
"You don't know anything about me," she whispered, looking down. The shakiness in her voice was making my heart crumble.
I placed my fingers under chin and raised her face up. Her eyes were glossy due to tears forming in her eyes, "You don't know me either, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to get to know you, Roxanne." I held my arms out to her and hugged her tightly.
My phone started to vibrate, making me pull away and look at it. Hector was calling me. Clearing my throat, I told Roxanne that I would be right back and walked away from her hearing distance. I didn't want her to know my job.
"Hello?"
"Niall, what are you doing right now?" Hector asked.
"I'm on a date right now. What's up?"
"Well, end the date. I need you to go and pay a client a visit. He owes me some money and I need you to let him know that I'm getting impatient."
I didn't want to end my date with Roxanne. "Can't you ask someone else to go?"
"Nope, I need you to handle it. You're the best man I got for the job. That client owes me eight hundred pounds and I don't want anyone getting ideas that I'm getting lenient with debts. Tell you what, you can go fuck the brawd real quick before you talk to the client. I still want the job done, got it?"
My jaw tightened at what Hector said, but I couldn't say anything about it. He was my boss. "I got it. Consider it done, Hector," I answered.
"I know you will, kid."
I hung up the phone and sat down on the blanket. "Sorry, my work called. I'm needed, so I need to cut this date short. I hope you're okay with that."
Roxanne shrugged, "I'm fine with it."
We got up and started to the car. I placed all the items back in the trunk and drove Roxanne home. I stole a few glances at her. Her eyes were focused on the window, but her mind was probably somewhere else.
When I pulled the car over, I stared at her and she looked at me. "I want to take you out again, but this time no disruptions."
She shook her head, "Once was quite enough. Goodnight, Niall." Roxanne got out of the car.
I couldn't let tonight end like that though. I got out of the car and grabbed Roxanne, "Roxanne, please."
"You said you would leave me alone after one date."
I glared at her. My anger was taking advantage of me. "What's wrong with you? Are you too chicken shit to admit you are just as crazy about me as I am with you? Why don't you fucking get over yourself and admit that you and I would be one hell of a match? You are one fucking bitch."
Roxanne refused to look at me. Her eyes were facing the door, but I was able to see the side view of her angered face and angry tears getting ready to fall down her eyes. "Let go of me, Niall. Stick with your easy hit it and quit it girls and I'll stick with being a bitch."
I scoffed, "Whatever." I walked back into my car, slammed my fists against the steering wheel, and drove off to the warehouse.
Hector gave me the address of where to go and I headed there immediately. I pulled out my gun from my glove compartment and tucked it behind the back of my pants and pulled my shirt over it. I never used my gun before, but that doesn't matter. As long as the victim doesn't know that and is scared, then it works out.
I knocked on the door to a man around my age. "You owe Hector some money. I'm here to either collect it or make you pay for it another way," I said in a deadly tone.
The man cleared his throat, "I don't have the money right now. Tell Hector I will give it to him next week."
He tried closing the door, but I stopped him. I stepped inside the room. The place was a pigsty and garbage was all over the place. "What's your name?"
"Ronnie," he said nervously.
"Alright, Ronnie, I've worked with Hector for a very long time. Hector is a pretty good guy and usually is patient when it comes to debts, but he's getting a little too impatient with you." I clenched my fists together. "So, an example needs to be made tonight."
"No, please, I'll get the money! I need a little more time!"
I grabbed Ronnie by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. "How much time, Ronnie? You know, if someone owed me eight hundred pounds and still didn't pay, I would've done some serious damage to the prick by now."
"Look, I only have two hundred right now! I'll get the rest by next week, I swear!"
"Not good enough," I punched him in the jaw and kneed him in the stomach hard. He groaned and dropped to the ground. "Do you think this is a game? Do you think Hector shouldn't be taken seriously?"
"I do take him seriously!" Ronnie cried. "Please, I swear, I'll have the rest this coming week!"
I slammed him against the wall harder and punched him a few more times. "Why should I believe you? You little scum, you think you can just get a loan and not pay it back? Give me the two hundred."
"Yeah, I got it!" Ronnie scrambled away and handed me the two hundred. "I think you broke my nose, Man!"
I chuckled darkly and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. I rammed him back into the wall and pulled out my gun. "If I have to come back here to collect the rest of the money and you don't have it, believe me, Ronnie, you'll need to worry about more than a broken nose."
I walked out and handed Hector the two hundred and told him what happened. He wasn't happy that he didn't have all the money, but at least he got some money. I was about to leave and go home, until Hector stopped me and made all of his workers come around in a circle.
"In about three weeks, my brother will be coming to visit. All of you better respect him when he gets here or else I'll deal with you myself."
I didn't know much about Hector's older brother. I only knew that he was in jail for about ten years, but it hasn't been ten years. I shrugged, thinking that he probably got out for good behavior and going to be on probation. When Hector was done, I drove home.
Finals were coming up and I was soon going to graduate. Harry and Liam were studying their butts off when I arrived. Zayn and Louis were chilling on the floor, also studying. I looked at the calender and cussed, "Graduation is in two weeks?"
Liam nodded, not looking up from his textbook. "Soon, we won't be living here anymore. It's kind of sad. We have a lot of memories here."
"At least all of us are graduating together," Louis added. "It would be a boring one if all of us weren't together."
"We all better keep being mates after graduation," Zayn piped in.
"There's no way we can't be," I told them. "I mean, we had four years together."
Liam smirked, "Do you want my email or shall I give it to you after graduation?"
We all laughed at Liam's comment. I sat down on my bed and looked at Harry. "So...your sister," I began.
"I heard you had a date with her," Harry nodded. "How did it go?"
I winced at what I said to her. I was pissed off at her, but I did take it overboard. "Is there something about her that I should know about?" I asked him. "She keeps acting like she has some big secret that makes her think we can't be together."
Liam stole a glance at Harry, but then looked down quickly. I knew that Liam something, which made me mad. Still, Liam knew Roxanne before I did. Harry cleared his throat and tapped his pencil against his notebook. "I'm not allowed to tell you," he sighed.
"But you told Liam?"
Liam raised his hands up, "Leave me out of this."
Zayn and Louis looked at us in confusion. "What's going on?" Zayn questioned.
"The walls around Roxanne are made of steel, Niall," Harry said to me. "It's going to take a lot more than flirting and kissing to get to her. She's stubborn and doesn't like letting people into her life. She loves freedom."
I sighed, "I know. That's what she's worried about. The thing is, I'm not going to take it away from her."
"Will you make her stop dancing on the bar?" Louis asked.
My eyebrows furrowed, "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Answer the question, will you or won't you?"
I shrugged, "I probably will-"
Louis interrupted my answer, "Are you going to always hang out with her?"
"Of course, that's what boy-"
"Final question," Louis said, cutting me off again. "If you get in a relationship with her, are you going to fall for her?"
I was already falling for her. I know so little about her, yet I was, "Most likely, yeah."
Louis smirked and extended his arms out, "You'll take away her freedom."
"No, she'll still be able to do stuff," I began.
"We're not talking about you hovering her, Niall," Liam started. "Roxanne likes to have freedom of not settling. She likes going place to place and she isn't afraid to leave. If she has you, then she can't leave. Roxanne will be stuck to you."
Harry added, "As soon as Roxanne graduated high school, she left. She went to New York to go to college there. She came back after her freshman year to visit me. I had to convince her to stay here. Honestly, I'm surprised she didn't pack up and go yet."
Her bedroom, I thought to myself. That's why her bedroom is practically empty and why the flat was practically empty when Mercedes moved in. I cleared my throat, "Why would she want to leave?"
"If you really like my sister, I will tell you something. Even though her exterior is tough and seems unbreakable, it really is. The thing is, when she knows that her barrier is about to break, she does one thing and one thing only."
"Which is what?"
Harry looked me dead in the eyes, "She'll run."