CHAPTER FORTY- Intoxication & Secrets.
“Open your eyes…Open your eyes. This is the New Year Ashley. Make it last my love!”
Harry’s husky voice ridden with intoxication slurred into my ear, his arm slung lazily around my shoulder. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and his curls were droopy tight swirls falling around his face slightly damp with sweat as the house had got pretty warm after the party, they had only just managed to kick everyone out, while being pretty drunk themselves.
“Harry get off the girl and get to the fucking loo, I can just tell you’re gonna throw up any minute.”
Liam whined as he pushed a giggly Niall back up and off of his lap. I instantly leapt up and out of him at those words putting appropriate distance between us, Harry faked hurt as he looked at me.
“Get the fuck away from me if you’re gonna throw up!”
I hissed, Harry smirked idly falling back into his seat on the sofa a cushion falling onto his lap, and then he closed his eyes and began to dribble, nice.
“Ashley do you want me to go and check on your sister and you stay here and um…watch him?”
Liam proposed smiling sheepishly as he gestured to a now tired Niall his head slowly caving onto Liam’s shoulder.
“Sure.”
I shrugged and he flashed me an uneasy smile and then propped Niall back up and hurried off upstairs. Sighing I looked around the living room, although it didn’t even look like the living room anymore. There were bottles; cups and cans everywhere, crisp packets, CD’S, hair grips, cans of…body spray? Were cluttering the sofas and floor and a picture was hanging limp on the wall, it was one from a photo shoot from last year, although I’m not exactly sure what I can say now, so the year before last, god this is confusing. Louis was asleep his head lolling on Harry’s shoulder who I think was about to crash too, his curls were wispy as they hung around his face, unkempt for and flat, not the usual, hair flicking, bouncy ones they usually were. Zayn had coincidentally fell asleep about an hour ago when Liam and I (the most sober ones) asked him to help us clean up since he was not as out of his head as Harry and Louis were and Niall was just basically going through phases of bouncing off the walls to completely possessed by fatigue, so he was useless.
I picked myself up from the plush sofa the springs creaking as it bounced back up no loner indented with my body weight. The carpet was warm and soft as it massaged out under my bare feet, I had ditched my heels and I did not know where they were, they’ll turn up some when. As I sat down next to Niall my presence made him jolt to an awoken state and he looked around him and then smirked as he looked at me placing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer to him. I could only just smell his cologne over the bittersweet aroma of alcohol that was practically radiating off the whole house. He leaned down his lips indolently brushing my ear as he began to run his fingers through my hair knotting out all the tangles that had caught in my usual blonde waves.
“Have I told you…” He breathed into my ear. “That you look really hot tonight.”
I rolled my eyes pushing him away as he began to kiss my neck in a not so chaste nor gentle kiss.
“Go to sleep Nialler.”
I brushed him off but he pouted nuzzling closer to me he shifted my body slightly to face him and I rolled my eyes heaving a sigh.
“B-But…I wasn’t planning on us sleeping tonight…”
He frowned leaning closer to me and brushing some hair from my eyes, he ran his fingers through my bangs curling them around his fingers a few times before letting them fall slack in front of my eyes, I just stared back at him as he did this like it was the most entertaining thing in the world. Finally, he tucked them behind my ears and rested his forehead against mine slowly pushing me back onto the sofa.
“Niall stop it. You’re drunk.”
I giggled unable to supress the blush emitting onto my cheeks as he began to let his hands glide up and down my thighs, hitching at the skirt of my dress. But he just came closer his lips making their way onto mine in a rather apathetic fashion. Even through his drunken state, in which I could taste the alcohol on his lips as he somnolently kissed me his hands making their way up past my hips exploring my sides.
“What you on about Ash….I aint’ drunk…”
He moaned waving a hand dismissively and I rolled my eyes giggling slightly at his behaviour. Seeing that he wasn’t going to give up any time I reached my arms up wrapping them around his neck I let my fingers play with his hair and he smiled leaning back down he pressed his body flat against mine dropping a kiss onto my forehead before moving his lips to my jawline and neck and then to my ear.
“Fuck. Me.”
He whispered huskily, I felt my cheeks heat up slightly as he resumed his lips to mine but I could feel him getting more and more tired by the second, within the next hour he’ll be out cold.
“No Niall, not now.”
I scolded but I was still blushing slightly, but he was too dazed with alcohol to notice. I brushed my fingers through his hair swishing it from side to side while he just stared back at me. I allowed myself to slip into the dreaminess of his eyes, even when he was intoxicated he was still beautiful, I ran my fingers over his jawline as we just stared back at each other a smile curling up at his lips I couldn’t resist smiling back as he closed his eyes pressing his lips to the tip of my nose.
“Spoil sport.”
He chuckled I just smiled as I looked back at my drunk boyfriend who was a lot calmer now than he was an hour ago. He had gone past the hyper and dizzy stage and now he was just switching between trying to be seductive and lazily lolling on top of me.
“Baby…I love you.”
He slurred now rolling off of me so he was beside me his eyes flickered shut before opening again to meet mine, he licked his lips as he hugged me closer to him encircling his arms around my body he let his hands rest on my hips as he pressed his forehead against mine.
“I love you too Nialler. Go to sleep, you’re out of it.”
I instructed but I wasn’t even convinced he heard me as he un-tucked and re-tucked my hair behind my ears and continued to hug me closer to him.
In the end, I think he fell asleep and a while later I was out of it too, falling asleep to the feel of his chest rising and falling with each bated breath he took against mine.
-
It was still dark when I woke up and as I slowly detangled myself from Niall who was breathing heavily and had some when in the time I had been asleep took his top off, I have no idea when or how. Harry and Louis were passed out on the other sofa still and Zayn was asleep on the…floor? From experience, I would know that’s not very comfortable. Stepping over his sleeping body I brushed my hair from my face I pulled it all into one tangled mess and piled it on top of my head, I slipped the hairband from my wrist encircling it around my hair I pulled it through into a loose pony-tail and raked my fingers through it a few times. I cracked open the kitchen door the strong smell of alcohol instantly greeting me, I screwed my nose up and as I padded across the benumbed tiles I found the cause of the stench where a spilt bottle of what was probably beer led in a puddle on the tiles by the sink. Holding my breath I ripped off several pieces of kitchen roll and placed them on top of the spillage, they immediately lapped up the cool brown fizzy liquid and fell slack of their moderate thickness demeanour. I peeled them from the tiles feeling the dampness of the liquid stinging against my skin I rolled them up into a ball and chucked them in the bin replacing them with some more while I searched for some tile-cleaner.
Locating the white plastic bottle I found a dishcloth and poured a generous amount onto it before squatting down onto the floor and mopping up the leaked alcohol and then dried the surface with kitchen roll again so a tried me, or someone else didn’t slip over on the slippery surface. After this random act of cleaning I pried open a cupboard and felt my heart speed up as instead of being greeted by the glasses that were behind it. The now slightly rusty, gold piece of metalwork lay in front of it. So this is where Niall put it. I thought to myself. My fingers were shaky as enclosed them around the key, it was so cold. I gently brought it down from the cupboard my hands still aquiver as I did so.
Bang!
The sound of somebody thrusting open the kitchen door made my heart beat instantly quicken and in all panic stations I dropped the key and it landed with a clang as it’s noise drummed against the cool tiles sounding throughout the kitchen. I slammed a hand to my heart as I felt my breath catch in my throat and I dared myself to look in the direction of the door, looking rather tired and like this was a completely normal situation was Louis, running an idle hand through his hair he was wearing only his boxers which I swear he had been fully clothed when he went to sleep.
“Fuck me Louis you scared the shit out of me!”
I yell whispered hesitantly bending down again and folding my fingers around the key and then enclosing it inside my palm. Louis gave me a confused look as he looked from my hand to me and then shook it off raising his eye-brows he turned around and opened a cupboard sifting through the many boxes of cereals.
“Sorry Ash, but what are you doing creeping at four in the morning?”
So that’s what the time is.
“Getting a drink and allowing myself to stretch, this dress is uncomfortable to lie on a sofa in you know. What are you doing creeping about and scaring the shit out of me?”
He chuckled brining a box of Rice Crispies down from the cupboard and reading something on the back.
“Getting something to eat, I’m hungry...” He looked me up and down a small smirk making it’s way onto his lips. “Do you…Want something else to put on?”
He offered and I bit my lip watching him as he carelessly began to shove his hand into the box and chuck the oddly shaped yellow ‘crispies’ into his mouth.
“No it’s fine. I’ll just go find something of Niall’s or something…”
I trailed off fumbling with the key in my hand.
“Right.” He nodded slightly stiffly. “…So I heard um that you and Niall are moving in together?”
He asked me throwing another handful of the kiddie cereal into his mouth and chewing noisily. I shot my gaze to his, they know? They know. Or at least Louis does. Then again, Niall had probably spoken to them about it before he asked me; he does that a lot, unsure of himself and us ourselves, whether it’s right or not.
“Uh huh. Some when, probably not just yet though.”
I replied as casually as possible as I turned my back from him and this time I did bring a glass from the cupboard placing it on the worktop.
“So you guys are pretty serious huh?”
He inquired now finished with his early morning snack he closed the box slipping it back into the cupboard he closed the cupboard door and leant against the worktop looking at me with a serious and somewhat wistful expression.
“I guess, yeah.”
I smiled but he didn’t, he bit his lip as he just stared back at me. And then he finally quirked a small smile running his fingers through his hair again.
“So he gave you that?”
He questioned gesturing to my hand. I looked down at the promise ring sitting pretty on my finger it glinted slightly as the artificial light caught it.
“Yup.”
I popped the p making my way over to the sink and pouring myself a glass of water. I filled it to about halfway, the clear liquid distorting the image my eyes emitted as I looked through it weighing up whether it was too much or not. At this thought that I didn’t want to be cleaning up another spillage I downed about a quarter of it. The cool liquid slammed against the back of my throat, flooding my body and half empty stomach since it had been a considerable amount of time since I had shared that pizza with Niall. I felt slightly peckish, but I wasn’t about to follow in Louis’ footsteps and shove down a few handfuls of cereal out the box at four in the morning, no, I would wait until breakfast.
“And I trust you said yes…Right?”
I spun on my heel to face him square giving him a bewildered look.
“Of course I did, I love him. Gosh Louis what’s with all the questions today?”
I questioned adding a light giggle on the end to seem more joking than it first came out as. He wasn’t acting as weird now, but there was still something off, but it was still something I couldn’t put my finger on, however hard I thought about it.
He shrugged sucking up his lower lip behind his teeth and then letting it go again.
“N-Nothing. I’m just curious.”
“Okay.”
I shrugged taking a swig of my water. I was about to walk out when he began to talk again.
“I’m-I’m just you know, kinda, concerned that you’re taking things too I don’t know, quickly?”
He stammered and I turned back around to look at him and his nervous demeanour again.
“Oh really, how so?”
I quirked an eye-brow feeling myself, that Niall and I weren’t taking things too quickly at all. In fact I think it was at exactly the right pace for both of us, it was perfect, just because we’ve made decisions it doesn’t mean we’re going to enforce them as quickly as we made them because we know that these things take time.
“I-I don’t know. I mean you only; you only got back together a few months ago. Is a few months of a relationship really enough to promise a long time on?”
I raised my eye-brows. What was his problem? Surely this is only mine and Niall’s business.
“Louis it’s not just a few months though is it? We dated for almost eight months last year and it…and it only ended because it had to, not because we wanted it to. We’re serious, Lou, we wouldn’t do anything if we didn’t see a future for ourselves.”
I assured him getting a little more assertive now. I didn’t see it affecting him. I could see him looking out for Niall, as his friend and band mate but surely he would be talking to Niall then and not me? I don’t know. He’s just being nice, I suppose, a little too nice, but it’s better than nothing, right?
“Fine.” He mumbled. “I’m just-I’m just saying, be careful, okay?”
He raised his eye-brows. Was he getting grumpy with me? In return, I quirked an eye-brow back, I had always loved doing that to people, holding the talent of being able to raise a single eye-brow I found it very useful in situations such as these. Aside from the times when I did it to Niall and he found it rather hysterical, I however, did not, I found it a very useful way to vent the mood I was trying to get across.
So, judging from his slightly grumpy demeanour towards me I walked closer to him and I think he thought I was going to hit him or something as he slowly backed up against the counter, I almost laughed at that, he should know I’m not exactly a very violent person. I slid onto the stall by the island and slammed my glass down onto the counter making him jump. Oh I’m enjoying this. The water leapt up to the rim of the glass, doubling back on itself in a fickle plop sound for a few seconds.
“What exactly,” I began, my tone was accusing and I could tell he was worried. But so had Niall and I been the past few months, about him, ever since he totally blew up on us about not telling him we were back together in September he hasn’t been acting the same. One day he’s totally fine and by the next he’s totally off with us and doesn’t speak to us, it’s weird though because when he’s just with Niall he’s totally fine, but when Niall and I are with each other and he’s there he goes off again. “Do we have to be careful about?”
He gave me a small shrug and then began chewing furiously on his lower lip running his fingers through his hair.
“Geez Ash you can be an intimidating bitch when you want to.”
He scoffed and I smirked. This isn’t a side of me I’ve had to use very often with these boys (apart from Harry but we all know how Harry and I roll.)
“If you would just tell me what you’re so freaking apprehensive about I wouldn’t have to be.”
I reasoned pairing this with a shrug, this wasn’t how I wanted to accuse him of being anything but himself lately but it felt kind of necessary, like it had been going on for so long this was what it was going to take. To just get some sense out of this, not just for my sake, but for everyone’s sake who’s been worried about him.
“Ashley,” He started hesitation ridden throughout his tone, I raised my eye-brows. “I’m just; look; you and Niall are both my best friends, alright? So I’m just looking out for you guys, that’s all.”
He tried and I heaved a sigh. I rolled my eyes around the kitchen and suddenly it hit me how ironic it still felt to be back here, in six months’ time, it would be two years since I met Niall. Wow, I guess time really does fly. I suppose after suffocating myself in guilt after the horrible break up with Niall I never thought I’d see the inside of this house or anything to do with him again, let alone be taking his hand in the very steady light that is our relationship. But we all know that light is always set on some kind of darkness, just like the moon for example, so bright, glowing and pure but we can all see what overhangs the backdrop of it’s glory, sinister and dank, there’s always a flip side to something.
“But it’s not just that is it Louis?”
I blurted out and his eyes widened before he closed them tipping his head back. He must know he’s been off lately and now he can see it coming for him, everyone else has been so quick to brush it off, saying that he’s just going through a phase or something. Telling me not to worry, but the reality is, I do worry, about other people more than myself. And I am worried about Louis. Every time I bring it up with Niall he brushes me off too, since he’s fine when he’s around Niall, he’s clearly fine, right? Wrong. He’s not fine and I intend to find out why.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I’m talking about…These past few months Lou. What’s-What’s been going on? What are you hiding from me? From us?”
I was getting a bit more assertive now, but my tone was gradually turning into desperate. We had been here throwing the same pointless remarks back at each other for almost half an hour. I just want my answers; I’m fed up of secrets, even though I’m the hypocrite who’s been so keen to keep them the past few months. He slammed his palms over his face heaving a sigh as he buried his face in his hands and then ripped them away giving me a pointed look.
“There’s something…There’s something I need to tell you Ash.”
He stammered. He was so nervous I found myself getting nervous, what was so bad, that he was this nervous to tell me? And so bad, that he had been worked up over it for a matter of months? It had me beat, completely and utterly beat.
“Mmm,” I hummed hoping my voice wasn’t about to crack. “I figured.”
He rubbed at his eyes and for a surprising moment I wondered if he was going to cry, but then he composed himself pushing himself off of the counter he ran his fingers through his hair.
“So-“
“What are you guys doing in here up this early? You woke me up.”
Niall burst through the door groaning; he ran his fingers through his hair and then gave us a confused look as we both just looked at him.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that, it’s scary.”
He whined frowning he wrapped his arms around me dropping a kiss onto my temple as he eyed up Louis suspiciously.
“Well actually Louis was about to-“
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Louis cut me off rather curtly and I narrowed my eyes at him a bit bewildered by this. What on earth is going on? Niall simultaneously tightened his arms around me resting his chin over my shoulder he gave us both a confused look.
“Louis was about to what…”
Niall echoed confusion ridden throughout his tone as he continued to eye Louis. Niall was getting suspicious now, so am I, Louis just looked at us both and then bit his lip and shook his head.
“Nothing. I wasn’t about to do anything, I’m going back to bed. Night guys.”
He stuttered and then forced us a small smile which quickly dropped as soon as he turned away.
“Lou!”
Niall shouted after him but he kept walking and then the kitchen door swung shut behind him channelling a waver of air over the kitchen before settling back into a stationary state leaving us in the bleak and hollow silence that I first arrived here too.
“What was that all about?”
Niall queried he let me go and proceeded to the medicine cabinet and took out a pot of Advil. I absentmindedly passed him my glass of water for him to swallow the pills with. I shrugged chewing on my lower lip as I studied the marble worktop suddenly finding it very interesting.
“I have no idea.”
“You must know something.”
He leaned across the counter nudging my head up further with his as he gazed into my eyes, a smile was quirking at his lips but I could tell he was suspicious of Louis and whatever had just occurred before he entered. I think everyone was suspicious in some way or another about his behaviour, was I right to confront him? And was he actually about to tell me before Niall walked in? I suppose I’ll never know.
“I just asked him why he’s been acting so weird and he was about to freaking tell me and then you walked in!”
I yell whispered in case they could hear us.
“Oh, well I’m sorry that I can’t see through doors.”
“Yeah, me too.”
I mumbled and he smirked situating himself in front of me and standing in between my legs he rested his forehead against mine running his fingers through my loose and tangled bangs.
“You know you can just ask him again, right?”
He suggested still smirking. I rolled my eyes shaking my head vigorously.
“I can’t just ask him again. It’s not that simple, you know it took bloody half an hour to get him to come out with it and then you just waltz on in acting like it’s a crime that we woke you up.”
I complained, and he laughed. Laughed. Everyone seems to find this amusing, this isn’t amusing.
“Well it is, I was perfectly happy led on the sofa and you had to go and get up, do you know how warm you were?”
He frowned and I rolled my eyes.
“And do you know how warm I was to finally finding out what was going on with Louis?”
He just smiled and instead of replying he pressed his lips against mine murmuring an “I’m sorry.” Against them, I was about to reply but instead I absentmindedly kissed him back unable to pull myself away however hard I tried.
“You coming to bed now? As much as the sofa has been good to us these past few hours, I still prefer a proper bed.”
He chuckled and before I could answer he had slid me off the stall forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist as I hugged myself closer to him already beginning to feel myself tiring as I led my head on his bare chest.
He flicked on the light in his room, it hastily cloaked over the darkness, concealing it for when the source of power was halted. I tutted as I observed his open curtains as he set me down on the bed I immediately jumped back up and ripped the curtains across, he rolled his eyes as we watched me.
“What? It just doesn’t work okay?”
I mused as I made my way over to his drawers and pried the pyjamas shorts of mine that were forever present in there, I slipped them on underneath my dress and then shimmied out of that grabbing a t-shirt that Niall chucked at me that came to about mid-thigh, oh well.
“Okay babe, I understand.”
He chuckled grinning up at me as he extended his arms out taking my hands in his before I had even sat down.
“So what are you doing tomorrow?”
He breathed against my lips letting his hands slide to my thighs.
“Going out with my sister and probably nursing you and your hangover, how’s that going for ya now anyway?”
I smirked running my fingers through his hair pushing it back off his face.
“Oh it’s okay. Care to be a distraction?”
He asked smugly letting his skin brush softly over mine as his fingers moulded to cup my face and then slid along my jaw to my chin tilting up and bringing my lips closer to his. I smiled caving in to the cheeky suggestion as I let him gently place his lips on mine kissing me softly. Clearly sobered up now it was slightly more innocent than earlier.
-
“No, no it’s not okay. I had no idea where you were!”
I retorted down the phone to Ellie. Who, had decided to venture back home sometime this morning without telling me, so, I had no idea where she was or what had happened as she had also managed to leave her phone in the middle of the stairs. I was tempted to look at her call logs to see who she had been so busily and gleefully calling so often at the moment but when I did she had put a lock on that and her messages, it might be just me, but she’s getting even more private than she used to be.
“I told you, I’m sorry. You know I’m okay now. So, where are you now?”
“Where do you think I am? At the house.”
“So-rry.”
She mused, I rolled my eyes although I was well aware she couldn’t see me, but her sarcasm annoyed me, especially in situations like this.
“Yeah, you better be.”
I taunted and I could just picture her raising her eye-brows, she didn’t have the single eye-brow talent that I have, that was the one thing I got that she didn’t. Figures, I guess.
“Uh huh, whatever. So just meet me at the corner by the café bit, alright?”
She proposed and then a scratchy bang sound came from the speakers, and I assumed she had set her phone down on some kind of surface and had it on speaker.
“Yup, and you better be there. I’m not waiting any longer than twenty minutes.”
I warned.
“I will, I will. Stop stressing Ash, gosh. Aren’t you glad I got out of your way? You and Niall seemed pretty cozy when I left.”
She remarked smugly and I felt my cheeks heat up a bit, and she wasn’t saying this to my face. Not that I doubted she would later.
“Shut up.”
I retorted my standard and she snorted.
“Oh and men’s Jack Wills is so perfect for you, you looked hot, babe.”
She snickered, sisterly love.
“Well would you have slept in that dress all night?”
I shot back silencing her for a second. I could see Zayn eyeing me out the corner of my eye now, I brushed him off with an eye-roll and he shook his head as he went back to his phone smirking slightly.
“Of course not. I was complementing you. In fact maybe you should just start shopping in the Men’s section.”
“Ellie shut up.”
She giggled.
“Awh I’m sorry. Whatever, I’m leaving now, see you in half an hour!”
She chirped and I rolled my eyes again, she couldn’t see me.
“Hmph.”
I snorted with a lot less enthusiasm and then ended the call. Cheeky so and so.
“I’m going now!”
I hollered my voice sounding throughout the house. I got a bold round of see you later’s and bye Ash ‘s I was about to clamp my hand onto the door handle when I felt someone else’s body slam into mine. I heaved a sigh as Niall saved me from falling chuckling as he secured his hands around my stomach.
“Niall I could have broken my arm then.”
I grumbled impassively and he continued to chuckle.
“Awh baby I’m sorry. But did you really think you were gonna get away without saying goodbye?”
“I did say goodbye.”
I mumbled and he raised his eye-brows, I, only retorted by raising one and he broke out into laughter again.
“Not properly…”
He breathed lifting me up slightly and claiming my lips with his for a few seconds. As I pulled away I caught a glimpse of Louis over Niall’s shoulder rolling his eyes as he crossed the foot of the stairs and stumbled into the living room, what is his problem?
“Talk to Louis for me?”
I whispered into Niall’s ear and he stared back at me and I could tell he didn’t want to, he bit his lip looking to the floor.
“Do I have to? I mean why can’t-“
“Pleeease.”
I pleaded frowning and giving him the face he stared at me for a few seconds and then sighed shaking his head at me.
“Fine,” He mumbled. “Geez Ash I wish you never discovered you could do that expression. It’s like, better than mine.”
He pouted and I smirked as I leaned up wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I love you.”
I whispered into his ear and he smiled brushing some hair from my eyes with his thumb.
“I love you too, although I wish you weren’t so good at getting what you want.”
It’s far from it, actually, Niall. But I didn’t say that just simply smiled as I pressed my lips back to his for a few seconds savouring the taste of them against mine.
“I’m going now.”
I informed Niall smiling as slung my bag over my shoulder and let my fingers brush against his.
“Come over tonight?”
He asked me placing his hands on my hips so I couldn’t go anywhere, I stared back at him smiling as he stared into my eyes with that adoration I had grown to love so much. He began to trace circles in the side of my stomach with his thumbs tickling my skin lightly.
“Okay. I’ll text you.”
I giggled leaning up to kiss his cheek.
“No, ring me.”
He demanded and I quirked an eye-brow.
“Why can’t I text you?”
I frowned and he smiled.
“Because I wanna hear your voice.”
“You know you’re full of cheese.”
“Well I do like cheese on pizza, hey, wanna get pizza again?”
He proposed and I rolled my eyes but couldn’t supress the giggle that accompanied that remark. Idiot.
“Right cus that’s healthy.”
I commented and he shrugged.
“I know right, just think of all those tomatoes, better than salad.”
He nodded proudly pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Fine.”
I gave in and he beamed smashing his lips to mine for a few more seconds before I pulled away and stepped out of his grip only for him to pull me back and hug me to his body, I sighed as I absentmindedly gave in connecting my arms around his waist in a tight hug. At this moment Harry walked past to go upstairs and then did a double take on us.
“Geez I swear Ashley said she was going like ten minutes ago?”
He grumbled but still smirked at us rolling his eyes playfully as he stalked up the stairs. I flipped him the finger and he faked shock clutching his hand to his heart he gave me some colourful hand gestures back and I shook my head at him as he trudged back up the stairs. Oh I love mine and Harry’s friendship.
“I’m going now.”
I announced pulling away and Niall smirked.
“You said that like five minutes ago.”
He commented smugly and then slammed my body back into his, I shook my head as I wriggled out of his grip and as he went to hug me again I held my hands out in front of me keen to not be pulled back again by his (as he calls it) Irish charm.
“Come on baby, you know you can’t resist me.”
He wiggled his eye-brows and I rolled my eyes.
“Nope.”
I popped the p beaming proudly. He rolled his eyes.
“You know that-“
He cut me off by grabbing my hip and pulling me close to him and smashing his lips back to mine instantly kissing me with a lot more want and passion than before. I was trying to pull away to finish my sentence but the words weren’t even in my mouth or brain anymore as he basically kissed me senseless.
“Guuuuys.”
Zayn’s accent whined and after letting it linger for a few more seconds I pulled away to look at him.
“Disgusting children.”
He spat and Niall and I laughed as he shook his head and then stalked into the living room. At this precise moment my phone buzzed with a text from Ellie.
I’m here, where are you?
Shit.
“Bye Niall, love you!”
I chirped pecking his cheek and before he had time to reply I just heard him utter a stuttered love you too as I slammed the door behind me and ran down the driveway.
-
“And where exactly do you think you’ve been? I know I went a little too far earlier Ash but really, half a fucking hour.”
Ellie tapped her foot impatiently frowning at me she crossed her arms over her chest looking at me expectantly as I fell into step with her along the busy streets of London.
“Sorry, I got um, held up.”
I stammered and she rolled her eyes and as I observed her outfit I realised she had a new Louis Vuitton bag…
“Is that-“
“Uh huh.”
She grinned proudly turning so I could see it better.
“I hate you.”
I muttered and she smirked.
“What? Finders keepers. And get this, it was reduced to £500 from £800.”
She gushed brushing her hands over the leather. I narrowed my eyes at my sister.
“I know, I told you it was.”
She shrugged.
“It wasn’t my fault I got it before you, you can still get it.”
“Not really. You know I’d be fashion slammed for having the same handbag as my sister.”
“Oh, shame.”
She shrugged carelessly again and I scowled. It wasn’t that not getting the handbag bothered me, it was just a handbag, but my sister and I had been competing in fashion since she could talk and the media loved to compare us and make the most out of our competiveness on the area. It was just one of those things, she loved to out-do me and I would out-do her back. Lesson learnt, never inform of her of bargains.
We turned into the restaurant that we were planning on having lunch in and immediately I saw a group of people start whispering and pointing at us. Brushing this off I followed my sister to a secluded table in the corner and set my bag down on the spare chair.
“So are you gonna tell me or what?”
I questioned as I began sifting through my bag attempting not to smile at a text from Niall. By the time I looked back up at my eerily silent sister I had re-arranged my whole bag and gave her an expectant look.
“No.”
She retorted bluntly and my face fell. I furrowed my brow sliding my phone back into my pocket. I had figured she probably just didn’t want to tell me last night because it was so hectic, it was the middle of a party and everyone was there, including a drunken Niall who was apparently beckoning for my presence as soon as I left him to attend to my tearful sister.
“What? Ellie I thought you were going to tell me today, that’s why we were here for lunch. If this was for nothing, I could have been with Niall.”
She looked up at me and something flashed in her eyes, I could almost feel her blood pressure rising. What is up with her? She stared straight at me narrowing her bright blue orbs at me, I could almost read her, but not quite. She was a mash up of envy? Anger and hurt.
“Will you just stop talking about you and Niall for once?”
She snapped and I raised my eye-brows. We had bickered before and there was a time where we were the classic sister to sister at each other’s throats for about a year but I thought we had grown out of that now, obviously not. Suddenly I felt defensive, just this morning she was teasing me about him and now I’m being told to shut up about him? I was hardly talking about him, I was just saying that I could have been with him if this was for nothing. I could see her anytime, I couldn’t see Niall anytime.
“Well I’m sorry Miss disrespectful. Geez I was just saying.”
I scoffed and she sighed running her finger through her hair.
“I’m sorry. I’m just stressed out.”
“Don’t tell me that if you’re not gonna tell me why.”
I stated coolly and now as I looked across the restaurant I noticed a fairly young and bubbly waitress work her way up to us a notepad in hand her brunette ponytail was bouncing when she finally stopped flashing us a winning smile.
“So what can I get you ladies today?”
She asked still beaming.
“I’ll just have a Latte and an egg and cress sandwich please.”
I reeled off and she nodded as she scribbled it down.
“White or granary bread?”
“Granary.”
I recited and she continued beaming as our gazes slipped to Ellie.
“Um I’ll have a sprite and the cod please.”
She stammered and the waitress nodded and then her eyes widened as she looked between us.
“Oh my gosh aren’t you the Dawson sisters?”
She gushed and Ellie kicked me underneath the table, kicking her back I forced a smile at the girl.
“Uh huh.”
We both chorused in unison resulting in sending each other death glares.
“Oh my god I love your music,” She complimented Ellie. “And I love your clothing line!”
She said to me, I smiled politely back and so did Ellie.
“Thanks.”
We both said slightly out of sync. Stop it.
“Aren’t you supposed to be romantically linked with Niall Horan?”
She questioned and I felt my heart speed up as she looked at me expectantly. Ellie looked at me too looking rather smug she raised her eye-brows to see how I was going to handle this. Thankfully, this wasn’t the first time so I decided to play the card I did last time.
“Is that what they’re saying now? God you get pictured a few times and rumours start flying.”
I tutted rolling my eyes pretending as if I wasn’t half an hour late to my lunch with Ellie because Niall kept on kissing me and telling me not go (although I might add the main road was gridlocked resulting in a ten to twenty minute delay) she seemed to buy it, which was always good, so I took it as she hadn’t seen the um, kissing pictures that were leaked the other day. Niall and I are remaining unspoken about these pictures and I don’t know for how long we’re keeping that up for. If he’s asked in an interview or whatever he claims he’s going to stick with “No comment.” I told him that made it even more obvious than saying yes but he just brushed me off telling me it’ll be fine, they’ll figure it out on their own in the end anyway. This seemed to be Niall’s answer for everything; it’ll be fine, it normally is but I know our run of good luck isn’t going to last forever.
“Oh, I so think you should be. You two were so cute. Anyway, your orders will be right up.”
She smiled and then after we thanked her she shimmied off.
“So,” I said sliding my phone around on the metal of the table and raising my eye-brows at Ellie, who looked up at me through her fringe. “You’ll never guess what happened this morning.”
“What’s that?”
She asked trying to sound enthusiastic. I raised my eye-brows again at her lack of cheeriness but continued anyway.
“So Louis was giving me this massive lecture about whether I’m ready to move in with Niall yet or not and all this shit. So then I asked him why he’s been acting so weird and he was so about to tell me and then Niall freaking walks in and Louis totally backs down, like what’s that all about?”
Her gaze to snapped to mine so quickly I swear I didn’t even see her eyes twitch. I made a confused face at her and her sudden tenseness. She bit her lip and folded her arms on the table.
“He was about to tell you?”
She clarified, I nodded slowly.
“That is what I said…Oh my god Ellie do you know what’s been up with him? Is that why you’re acting so weird?”
I accused and her eyes widened.
“What? No, of course I don’t. I hardly…I hardly speak to him, what the hell Ash don’t be ridiculous.”
“You sure…Cus it seems kind of coincidental that you’re both acting weird at the same time and then the second I mention his name you tense up?”
I shrugged, this just all seemed so coincidental to be two completely different things, it just did.
“Yes, of course I’m sure. I know nothing and that’s it. Gosh Ashley I think all your love fests with Niall and whatnot are going to your head, that’s ridiculous to suggest that I would know something about Louis that nobody else does. Ridiculous.”
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A/N.
hehe hey bbz
Because this is all about secrets yo.
awh I've missed you guys:')
but I'm here now.
so omg lol we were in the garden in the middle of the night watching the meteor shower (which was amazing shiz) and a bat flew into my sister's head omg it made my night.
The closing ceremony yesterday;o what did you all think?:o
My nan was reading out of the newspaper who was gonna be peforming and she read Tinie Tempah as 'Tinny Temp-half' like wth haha. Me and my Mum found it hilarious and my Dad was just sat there like that's not funny. I was laughing about it all day;3 And then she was like who's this now then and I was like "Taio Cruz." and she's like "Tyre Cruise?! Oh my gosh Tony there's someone called Tyre Cruise, what a name!" oh my god
anyway, see you tomorrow baby:)
-Emily.