Bad Habits

18

"Annie I am so sorry I'm la.." I stop mid sentence when I see brown eyes looking back at me.

I can't believe I forgot he would be here today. I'm hoping he didn't see Niall get out of my car but the look on his face is telling me otherwise. It's an awkward silence for what seems like eternity before I smile and point toward my office.

"I'm here now, shall we?" I say.

He turns and walks into my office. I follow behind him closing my door and hanging my purse up. I walk behind my desk and look for my notepad and a working pen. It's hard to seem cool and collect when my heart is racing a million miles a second. I can feel his curious eyes on me. I hope he doesn't bring it up.

"So Niall?"

"It's nothing." I respond instantly.

"You were only forty-five minutes late to our session and then you show up and he gets out of your car."

"It really is nothing. I was too drunk to drive last night he took me home and I woke up late this morning..that's it." I finally look up at him.

He sits on the couch one leg over the other, his arms spread out across both sides of the back of the couch. I can see the clear curiosity behind his eyes. A small smirk forms on his lips.

"It's ok I'll keep your secret, since you're keeping mine."

"Liam, there is nothing to keep secret because nothing happened!" I snap a bit.

He throws his hands up in surrender, "Ok, ok."

I sit down in the single seat across from him. I glance out the rain-speckled window drinking in the site of the drops splattering all across the pavement. I haven't seen rain in quite sometime. I've forgot how much I love it. The quiet peace it brings. The simplicity and beauty of the drops of water falling out of the sky, it's magical.

"All I'm saying is, I don't ever remember a time Horan stayed at a girl's place." I hear Liam say.

"He didn't have a car." I nearly whisper not looking away from the rain.

"It's never stopped him before Mia."

I ignore the small surge of happiness along with his statement. "Have you been sleeping since the last time we spoke?"

I stay inside of my office the rest of the day. I can't begin to say how many emails I have responded to or phone calls I have made. I welcome the distraction. Before I know it the sky is turning black. A knock sounds at my door.

"Come in." I call out.

Annie walks in slowly. I check the time on the clock, six-thirty.

"What are you still doing here?" I ask.

"Just finished setting up your appointments for next week." She says smiling.

"Thank you." I continue to finish up my notes.

"Um Dr. To..Mia.." she corrects herself. "So last night was..interestin.."

I look up from my journal, "Annie it's Friday night. You should go do something fun." I say ignoring what she was about to say.

I don't understand why this has to be a bigger deal than what it really is. Nothing happened. Ok something happened but its nothing. I have put it behind me; it's over with. People have one night stands all the time. What is wrong with me doing it?

"So you're not coming then?" She asks.

"Coming where?"

"It's karaoke night at the tavern..everyone will be there." She smiles, "come with me."