I wasn't sure how it was almost Christmas, It crept up on you every year. I had a month to sort everything out, presents, cards, and helping my mother with her infamous Christmas dinner.
In truth I despised Christmas, it was a holiday turned in to a circus show, matching knitted jumpers, men in giant suits asking for money, products unnecessarily rising in price, and people singing cheesy songs out of tune, once again for money.
It had all become so fake, of course when I was younger, Christmas still held the magical sense, but growing up with a mother who insisted santa wasn't real and a father who then insisted on dressing up as him every year put you off a bit.
Nonetheless I played along, put on a happy face and bought the ridiculously priced items in order to give to people I only saw once a year, while wearing an itchy jumper that would end up in a charity box afterwards.
...
"I'll buy it" Niall said shoving his card over to the cashier as I snatched it back shaking my head.
"Niall its not even for me, I can get it" I said giving the cashier three £10 notes as he took it grumpily pushing it in to the cash register. Niall sighed beside me as I looked up at him grinning.
"You're not paying for presents for my family" I laughed quietly as he rolled his eyes snaking his arm around my waist.
"fine, but if you want anything for yourself, I'm buying." Niall stated raising his eyebrows as I nodded, despite the fact I wouldn't let him pay even if he did say so.
We walked out the department store as Niall snatched the bags from me, smirking as I glared up at him.
Despite the freezing weather, and the fact I was bundled up in a scarf, padded coat and gloves, Niall refused to wear anything more than one of his normal t-shirts and a thin black jacket, although I couldn't say he didn't look good, I didn't want to think about how freezing he was.
"Where next?" he sighed trudging down the cold street guiding me along as I tried to move a bit of hair out of my eyes using my gloves. Niall glanced down at me when I didn't answer and laughed pulling me aside from the crowd and standing in front of me, tucking my hair behind my ear and laughing even more.
"Dork." He muttered fixing my coat as if I were a child before moving his arm back around my waist and continuing to walk.
"Primark" I shrugged pulling him down a street to the shop. "And im not a dork" I retorted glancing up at him as he rose his eyebrows cockily.
"Are" he muttered as I shoved him with my shoulder, causing him to hit the wall. The road was more like an alley, a side street leading to the other part of the high street.
"Im not!" I whined trudging forward before Niall grabbed me, tackling me against the wall, trapping me both sides with his arms as his lips lingered too close to my ears, sending shivers down my spine.
"Prove it." He bartered as I pressed my hand against his chest, his warm breath tickled my skin. His lips moved next to mine as he eyed me carefully, slowly.
I pressed my lips forcefully against his as one of his hands dropped to my waist. Nialls tongue instantly entered my mouth, dancing with my own as his teeth grazed my bottom lip. I fought for dominance but Niall won, and I let him, too hypnotized by his lips, the taste of him, the cool sting of his lip ring, even more powerful in the cold air.
I ran my fingers through his hair, tugging gently as he moaned quietly against the kiss. I knew what I did to him, as much as he knew what he did to me.
His tongue glided along my bottom lip as his hand dropped once again from my waist to my hips, pulling my closer to his body, the warmth that radiated off of him.
"can we get pa- Oh god" Niall pulled away from me as we looked in the direction of the voice. I felt my stomach plummet as I saw Ben standing in front of us, with Danielle and Liam equally as shocked.
Niall remained close to my body as he pulled away staring ben directly in the eyes.
"That's not like you Sophie," Danielle laughed as I glared at her, we still weren't on good terms from when she was rude to Niall, we were talking, but I was still hurt by her actions.
"Hi Ben" I mumbled staring at the ground, I didn't want to look at him, be reminded of all the memories, lying to him, sneaking with Niall. This was the worst possible way to run in to him, in a claustrophobic alley, half way through kissing Niall.
"H-how are you Sophie?" I met Bens eyes as I looked up at him nodding.
"im good." I whispered keeping the talk short, nonetheless Ben smiled warmly at me nodding, as a result, Niall instantly pulled me in to him causing Ben to glance at him. Niall was already looking at Ben steadily.
"Alright Niall?" Ben smiled, not as warmly or as heartfelt as his smile to me had been but nonetheless he tried. Niall nodded, no words left his lips. "Good." Ben mumbled looking back to Danielle and Liam who were watching like two people at a cinema. "Well we have to be going" ben added clicking his neck on either side before smiling softly at me.
"It was nice seeing you Sophie." He mumbled before walking past us, Liam and Danielle following, turning the corner and disappearing.
Nialls hands brushed over my cheek as I glanced up at him staring down at me softly, sympathetically.
"I love you Sophie." Was all he whispered as I nodded, pushing myself up on my tiptoes and pressing my forehead against his.
"I love you Niall." I whispered, reassuring him as he smiled pressing his lips briefly against mine before nodding.
...
"That sucked" Niall laughed as he carried the many bags I had accumulated throughout the day, through my front door, smiling at my father before following me upstairs with them, dumping them in the corner of the room before collapsing flat out on my bed.
I laughed, walking over to him, standing by his knees, which were hanging over the edge of the bed.
"You cant be that tired" I teased before Nialls arms extended from his chest, wrapping around my waist and pulling my down on to the bed, trapping me on top of him as he kept a steady grip on me.
"Exhausted" He chuckled, lifting his head up and kissing my nose as I blushed resting my head on his chest.
"I love you, you know?" he whispered, despite the fact he had told me this several times today, I hadn't tired of hearing it, I didn't think I ever would.
"Niall my doors open." I whined glancing towards my bedroom door to make sure my mother wasn't there, to see me lying on top of Niall, giving her the wrong impression.
"It doesn't matter, you're my girlfriend." He smiled, cheekily, almost proud of himself as he swung me beside him, resting his head on one of my pillows facing inwards to look at me.
"Take a nap with me" he demanded gently as I shook my head.
"I cant, my mum could walk in, or, anything." I said quietly facing him, laying inches away from his face.
"Sophie, we're sleeping, not having sex, or even making out" He laughed before hooking his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him pecking my forehead gently.
"Now im going to go to sleep, if you care to join me, you're more than welcome to, otherwise you'll just have an overgrown 17 year old sleeping in your bed" Niall smirked before closing his eyes and pretending to go to sleep.
I started calling his name quietly, poking his arm before moving up to his cheek, poking it softly as I laughed to myself.
"Niall!" I whispered moving my finger to his little dimple, poking it before he moved his head, trapping my finger gently between his teeth, as I squealed retracting my finger as he smirked, somehow managing to keep his eyes closed.
I gave in, resting my head on the pillow space beside him and closing my eyes, I felt Niall relax beside me, softening his grip on my waist.