C11 Chapter 11

“And that is?”

“The type of girl who would make me work for her time and attention, and who wouldn’t take shit from anyone.”

I unwillingly smile. “That’s…nice of you."

"Yeah, well. That's what I meant when I said what I said, so sorry to disappoint you if you were looking for another answer.”

I shake my head. “How can you go from being nice to being rude?” I roll my eyes.

After a few moments of silence, I add in a whispered tone:

“I actually like this answer more than the one I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know. Something along the lines of ‘I was drunk and wanted to take the piss’.”

Niall shakes his head, nearing closer to me. “Why do you always expect the worst from me?”

“Because that’s how you are with me. And right now it’s confusing, because you just said that I’m your type, and yet you’re still…you.”

“Don’t take it so personally.”

I make a face at him. “You said that I’m your type! How am I not supposed to take it personally?”

“Because I don’t want you to think that I’m infatuated with you or something.”

“Oh please, your ego is bigger than your dick.”

He raises an eyebrow, smirking. “And how would you know how big it is?”

“Just assuming.” I shrug.

“Oh believe me princess, if you were to find out, you wouldn’t walk for two days.”

A shiver runs down my spine, and I look at his lips for a few seconds, before I look back up at his face.

“You’re so full of shit, God. This was a mistake.” I say and stand up from the swing as tighten my grip on my bag.

Niall stands up as well, and takes a hold of my arm.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to pull my arm away from him.

“Look.” He starts, letting go of my arm. “I just want you to say that I’m sorry for being a jerk. Now, and in the past, okay?”

I look at him, astounded. “Are you apologizing to me right now?”

He nods. “Hating each other can’t go on forever, so let’s just be civil okay?”

I lick my lips and nod. “Okay.”

I make a few steps towards my car, but then turn my head. “However, I don’t know how I’ll be able to act normal around you when I know I’m your type.”

He flips me off, coming closer. “And I’m your type.”

This time I turn around completely. “Excuse me? My boyfriend is my type.”

“Oh please.” He snorts. “You’re with him out of habit, not out of love.”

I look down at my feet. “People always end up being with each other out of habit, not because they love each other.”

“So you agree.” Niall says, coming to a stop a few inches away from my face. “And for once, we agree about something.”

“But you still can’t assume that you’re my type. I’ve got a boyfriend.”

“So? Is it cheating or something?” he asks, inching closer.

I can feel his breath on my face, a mixture of mint and cigarettes, which sort of turns me on, so I have to abort this. But for some reason, I can’t and also sort of don’t want to.

“No…but you’re not my type. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh, come on. You want someone who will keep you on your toes, just like I do. Face it, Nicole, your boyfriend is a routine now.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I tell him, making a step backwards. “And you have no right to assume things.”

“Then tell me that all I’ve said so far about you isn’t true. Or that you don’t feel that way. Because I promise I’ll leave you alone.”

I go silent, and I can feel my heart beating in my throat. He’s so right, I can’t even find something to say.

He lifts my chin up so I am looking into his eyes. “You know I’m right, and it kills you.”

I swallow and nod. “Yeah.”

We’re so close to each other, that if I lift my head up just one more inch, I’ll be kissing him. A small part of my mind wonders what he’d do if I did that. The rest of my mind wonders whether I should. The worst part is, that not a single piece of my mind thinks about Jasper.

“But you’re not my type.” I add, trying to save the last bit of my self-respect.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night.” Niall says, and lets go of my chin, but I place my hand on his chest, my fingers softly gripping into his shirt.

“I can sleep just fine, thanks.” I tell him, not letting go though.

He places his hand on my wrist, so I let go of him. “I should go home. It’s getting late.”

“It’s not even nine, but I appreciate the effort to make an excuse.” Niall laughs.

“I’ll uh…I’ll see you around school.” I say and turn around for good this time, walking away without looking back.

After I get into my car, I sit ten minutes just staring at the steering wheel, wondering what the fuck just happened, and why it just happened.

As I start the car and pull out from the parking space, I think about a parallel universe where Niall would take Jasper’s place, wondering how that would even work, because Niall and I are so different, and yet, in a weird way, quite the same.

***

I fill Jake in about Niall on Monday during lunch, before the others join us. His conclusion is that I should dump Jasper and sleep with Niall, or sleep with him and not tell Jasper. So basically he wants me to sleep with Niall.

“Are you crazy? How would that even work?” I ask.

“Well, his penis goes into your-“ he starts, but I don’t let him finish.

“I know how sex works.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “I meant, there is no way in hell that will ever happen, and we’ll probably end up choking each other to death.”

“Kinky.” Jake says, winking at me.

I spot Sophia and Jade, my cousin, with corner of my eye, so I lean my head towards Jake. “People are coming, just promise me you won’t tell anyone, okay? Especially Jasper or Poppy.”

“You know I’m on your side bitch, I’d never betray you.” He says, and dramatically places a hand on his heart.

I roll my eyes and then smile up at Sophia and Jade, who sit down next to us.

"So what are we talking about?" Jade asks, and I shrug, hoping, but also knowing, that Jake won’t say anything.

“Nothing important.” Jake waves it off, but then Sophia changes the subject anyway.

“Sooo, we’re gathering at Kyle’s this Friday.” She announces as if it’s nothing.

“When did that happen?” I ask right before I stick a fork full of salad in my mouth.

“He just told me to invite you guys because his parents are going out of town.”

“So we’re not gathering, we’re going to a party.” Jake concludes.

“Well, he said that he only invited a few people, but you know how that can get.” Sophia sighs. “Anyway, we’re going, because I need an excuse to stick my tongue down his throat, okay?”

I roll my eyes but agree nonetheless, because I’m tired of having to take part in such ‘gatherings’ just to set my friends up. But then again, a year ago, I used to be just like that when I wanted to get with Jasper, so I shouldn’t be complaining.

As I continue to eat my salad, Niall passes our table and when he makes eye contact with me, he nods, unlike the usual nose scrunching he does when he sees me.

“What was that about?” Sophia asks, shocked, and I just shrug it off.

***

I look at myself in the mirror, ten minutes before I have to be at Kyle’s. We’re supposed to go to Kyle’s, and it just so happens that today is mine and Jasper’s one-year anniversary. And since he didn’t show up to school today, I told him we’d celebrate at Kyle’s anyway, and he didn’t complain.

I’m not planning on taking the car since I want to drink, so I requested an Uber that’s supposed to arrive in five minutes.

I’m wearing pink Balenciaga skinny jeans, a matching fringed top, along with my nude leather Zanotti sneakers and a Mulberry handbag.

I get the notification that the Uber is right outside my house, so I rush to grab my phone from the desk, and then hurry downstairs.

I pick up Jake, Zayn and Sophia on the way, and fifteen minutes later, we’re in front of Kyle’s house. I can hear music coming from inside, and judging by the four cars lined up in the driveway, I think it’s safe to say that this won’t be a ‘small gathering’ as Sophia had predicted.

I look for Jasper as soon as I get inside, but I can’t find him so I send him a text. As I wait for his reply, I walk to the kitchen where I find Kyle and Niall talking about something as they’re pouring themselves drinks.

“Have any of you seen Jasper?” I ask them as I place my bag on the island counter and grab an empty cup.

“I don’t think he’s coming.” Kyle tells me, and my face falls.

“What do you mean? He told me he’d come yesterday. And he wasn’t in school today?”

“He told me he’s going somewhere with his parents, I don’t now.” Kyle shrugs, and I frown.

What the actual fuck? I explicitly told him that we’d meet at Kyle’s to celebrate our one year anniversary, and he agreed??!!

I get my phone out just as it vibrates, and I read the message from him.

Jasper: sorry babe, something came up. but I’ll make it up to u tomorrow ;)

I roll my eyes and don’t even bother answering, before I turn off my phone and throw it in my purse.

“What’s wrong?” Kyle asks, genuinely concerned.

“He said that something came up, but that he’ll make it up tomorrow.” I mumble, taking a gulp from my cranberry Vodka.

Niall snorts, so I turn around to face him, feeling the anger bubbling into my stomach. Kyle must feel like he’s extra, so he just leaves, without saying anything, leaving Niall and I alone in the kitchen.

“Do you have something to say to me?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest.

“No, I just find it funny how your boyfriend left you on your one year anniversary.”

“You think it’s funny?” I ask him, shaking my head.

Niall shrugs, coming closer to me. “No, because he’s a jerk. And you should have realized it by now. I mean, you’ve been together for one year.”

“You have-“ I start, but then get interrupted by Chris coming into the kitchen, looking for something to drink.

He’s soon followed by Louis, who seems to be doing the exact same thing, and accidentally bumps into Chris, who blushes and mutters an apology.

“It’s fine bro.” Louis says, and I cringe, because I’m sure that’s the last thing Chris wants to be called by Louis, the guy he has a crush on.

They leave separately, and as soon as the door closes, I mutter:

“Pathetic.” Niall says at the same time, so we look at each other in awe.

“Do you know something?” I ask him, pointing my finger in his direction.

“Do you know something?” he retorts.

“Maybe.” I trail off, squinting my eyes at him. “I may, hypothetically speaking, know, that Chris has a crush on Louis. What do you hypothetically know?”

He thinks about it for a second. “I may also hypothetically know the same thing about Louis.”

I smirk at him, and he looks at me surprised. “We should get them together. Or try to.” I suggest, thinking about a plan.

“How good of a friend are you with Chris?” he asks me.

“I’m pretty good friends with him.”

“Would it be weird if you asked him to come to the mall with him?”

I nod. “And you bring Louis? And we coincidentally bump into each other?”

Niall smirks, nodding. “Sure. Tomorrow?”

I approve.

I find it weird, that we both agreed on meeting up at the mall tomorrow, but I don’t say anything about it. What’s even weirder is that Niall is so close to me I can smell the Vodka on his breath, and once again, I find myself not wanting to pull back.

“You’re really close.” I say, and he shrugs, looking into my eyes.

“So? I don’t see you pulling back.”

I swallow and he leans even closer that our noses are brushing, and I can feel the blood pulsing through my veins from the adrenaline.

Our lips touch, just as the kitchen door swings open against the wall, and two guys come in yelling and laughing.

Niall and I look away from each other, and I excuse myself as I grab my bag from the counter, saying that I have to go and put it in a safe place.

I don’t hear if Niall says anything else because I’m out of the kitchen in a matter of seconds, already ordering a taxi because there are no available Ubers.

I say goodbye to Jake, telling him that I don’t feel good and that I’m going home.

My cab is outside on minute later, so I rush to get in and greet the blonde lady behind the wheel. I tell her my address and she nods, starting the car.

I bite my lip as I think about Niall, and what I just did (or was about to do), but then my thoughts get interrupted when I see the driver’s ID on the dashboard.

Katherine Harrison, 37

I frown, wondering whether it’s Niall’s mother, but then I see the small photo next to it, with her and two small, blonde kids, that look just like Niall and Leah.

And for the rest of the trip, I’m silent, the only thoughts going through my mind being the fact that I may have just cheating on my boyfriend, and that I wish I had gone through with it all the way.