Serendipitous: Niall's Story

A Regatta to Remember

~~

"Wait which one is Ara, they all look alike." Louis said as he tried to find Ara amongst the rowers on the water. 

"I think that's her." Niall pointed only seeing the front of the familiar uniform. 

"That girl's hair is too long," Melina mentioned offhandedly. 

"They all look alike!" Louis exclaimed with a groan. 

"Then shush and listen for her name or her team," Melina shushed him with a look that told him to have some patience. 

"Why didn't we bring binoculars too?" Louis asked instead, pointing to a random person also in the audience. 

"Because I don't own any!" Melina exclaimed with a huff and a look of exasperation, her lips slightly parted, eyes narrowed.

"Why don't you own any?!" He yelled right back, almost in a demand on why she would dare not own any binoculars.

"Louis," She said his name with a tight lipped smile. 

"I mean really, how do you expect me to enjoy Ara's meet if I can't even find her-"

"Found her! She just got hit by someone's paddle!" Niall chimed in the middle of their argument, finally spotting the spring green ribbon, grinning in triumph at himself at his ingenious idea.  "Ouch, that's gotta hurt."

Melina rubbed her eyes as she tried to not hit Louis for being so high maintenance.  Feeling another tug on her braid she looked up only for her lips to be captured in a long and slow kiss. 

"Ah, come on, I'm still here!" Niall whined with a huff. 

Both pulled apart slightly, Louis laughing as he pressed his lips to her temple while Melina tried not to smile but failed and ended up having to hide it against Louis' shoulder.  "I like being here with you, it's nice." Louis whispered against her temple as he twined his hand with hers. 

"Me too," Melina whispered with a smile before leaning into his chest.

Rolling his eyes Niall just went back to watching Ara, grinning when he watched her yell something and glare at the girl who had accidentally hit her.

~~

“Hey, congrats girls,” Ryan said as he led the way to Ara and her teammates once more.  “And you, how’s the head?” he asked as he side hugged her, squeezing her arm briefly. 

Ara’s eyes rolled up, as if to try to look at her head.  “Haven’t thought about it till now.” Ara touched her head.  “Thanks,” Ara sarcastically said as she began to feel the slight pain roll over her just remembering how in the middle of their scrambling into place, a competitor’s oar hit her smack across the head. 

“Always,”

Scratching the side of his head, Niall just watched the two converse like old friends. Which maybe they were… However Niall tried not to mind it as Ara turned his way, smiling at him. 

“Hey,”

“Ello,” He grinned back, looking only at her,  only for Ara to look behind her as a teammate of hers sighed at Niall’s accent.  Niall’s grin just grew as Ara hid a smile when her teammate muttered something about Ara being a lucky duck as they all left them alone to carry the quad shell, with Ryan’s help.

“So how are you feeling?” Niall asked, hands in his pockets, a grin on his lips as he heard Ara’s teammates say his name and remind each other to take a picture with him before he left, even if they had to hold Ara hostage to get it.