Mistletoe [nouis]

Three

Niall

I grab my box of decorations from the cold basement and brought them upstairs.

"You ready?" I asked setting down the box." She nodded and clapped her hands.

"You know how to check lights?" She nodded and walked over to the box.

"Good. Check these three and I will check these."

"Yes sir!" She said in a fake military tone. I let out a laugh, she really has a good relationship with her father and is beautiful. You don't see that to often.

"Silly girl." She smiled and laughed. She grabbed the lights and walked to the closest outlet.

After a while we checked all the lights and wrapped them around the tree. I got all the baubles laid out on the couch and coffee table, for a quick way to set the tree up.

I haven't been a big fan of Christmas. I mean yeah its my favorite holiday but when your alone and think about it whats there to look forward too. I love Christmas back home, where I had a family and friends to give and get presents. But because I am alone that's why I didn't have a tree.

"Niall where do you want this, it looks special." She held up a heart shaped bauble, it had a big M in it for Maura, my mothers name. She gave it to me before she left yesterday saying

"If you change your mine and want to celebrate Christmas I got you a house warming gift for your tree." She left and I opened it. She even had a card explaining why she gave it to me. I remember it said-
Here is a bauble to remember me. No I'm not dying but it's your first time away from home and I noticed it was close to the holidays so I thought why not. I hope you actually set up tree and celebrate Christmas. I love you Niall never forget that.

"Um here I'll take it set these up." I handed her the small box of plastic sparkle baubles. I took the heart and set near the top, next to where the star is going.

As we were putting the last of baubles
I started some small conversation.

"So what did you ask Santa for Christmas?"
"Nothing really. My birthday was last month I got what I wanted then."
"But you still had to have something." She seemed to think her words out before she spoke again. Most adults don't think before they speak so it must have been personal.

"I just want my dad to find love again. I don't remember my mom and he seems lonely at times. He had a boyfriend last year, some guy named Harry I think. But he said it wasn't working and they stayed friends."

My heart broke for the little girl. Maybe I have a chance with Louis. I mean she said boyfriend, plus she likes me so far, if you like someone with a kid before you know that person likes you the kid has to first. Now the only thing holding me back is confidence.

"Wait Harry as in long hair green eyes?" She nodded.
"Yep that's him. They looked cute but I could tell they weren't in love. I'm kinda glad they broke up." I looked over at her.

"Why?"

"I want my dad to be in love. I do want to be a family with two parents like normal. But my dad needs to be happy for that to happen."

As if on cue the doorbell rang after she finished talking. I handed Bea the candy cane I was about to put up and went to answer the door.

"Hey Niall." Louis said small smile on his pink lips.

"Hey we are finishing up my tree. You wanna come in?"

"Sure." I opened the door so he could step in. As Louis got to the living room you could hear Bea yell
"Daddy!"

I walk in from behind Louis.

"So I heard you guys are setting up a tree." She nodded and pointed to the tree.

"I put up the last candy cane just as Niall left."

"You call him Mr.-" he turned to me looking for my last name.

"Horan, but no I told her to call me Niall. Mr. Horan sounds to weird, I'm not a teacher." Louis chuckled at me making my face turn a light shade of pink.

Louis looked over the tree.

"Your missing something." Bea gave Louis and I a confused look.

"What is it?"

"The star." I look up to notice the star wasn't there.

"Oh yeah." I went into the box and found my-fake- crystal star.

"I use to have a light up one, but we broke it so my mom thought it be nice to get one that wasn't fun so we didn't think about breaking it." I said mostly to Bea because she looked at the star in Aww.

"Can I put it on?" She pleaded. I nodded and Louis handed her to me after I handed her the star.

Now I gave him the confused look.

"It's your house." I didn't question it further and lifted the little girl up near the top. She set the star on and she clapped her hands.

"Yay!" She said smiling at the twinkling star.

"Okay sweetie we have to go." Louis started to pull out his wallet.

"I don't want to go."

"Oh at first you don't want to leave me and now you don't want to leave him? I see." She giggled as she hugged my neck.

"You will see Niall again." she smiled wide.

"Really!" Louis nodded and handed over the money. I handed him Bea and walked them out.

"Thank you again."

"Stop saying thank you." He slightly smiled and chucked again.

"Well see you soon."

"Bye Niall." Bea said as Louis walked away.

"Bye." I waved to her and then shut the door.

I checked the money and made sure it was all there. She was here for 3 hours and it was just her so it would be 20 pounds.

"5, 10, 15, 20, 30." 30?
He gave me an extra 10. I slipped on my shoes and ran out the house, his car not in my driveway and I look down to see it pulling into his own. I ran down to his house and caught my breath when I first got there.

After I did I walked up to the door and knocked.

"Oh hey."

"You gave me an extra 10." I handed the extra money over.

"No I did that on purpose." He smiled at me and leaned on the door frame.

"Why?"

"Merry Christmas." Louis winked and went to shut the door.

Then my confidence kicked in.

"Would you like to come to my house Saturday night and have dinner?"

He stopped dead and looked at me.

"Like a date?" I nodded. My face turning pink, I looked to my feet as he thought.

He took forever to answer. I felt my heart slightly cracking as I was so sure he was going to say no at this point.

"Sure."