hoodie || nh au

Twenty-three

I give Niall a hug. His hand strokes my hair. Sam and Miranda aren't at our meeting point yet. Luke's with his team. I get the book Niall's mom gave me from my bag and give it to him.

"Did you already get it done?", he asks.

"Yeah, had it done on Thursday. Your mom has a good taste in books."

"Nice. My parents are keen of you. They think you're really nice and really want this job. I think they're going to take you."

"I don't know. Your mom and I really got along well. Your dad seemed like he didn't like me", I tell him honestly.

He shakes his head and gives me a pat on the shoulder.

"He likes you. It's just hard to read it from his face", he explains.

"Okay."

"You say 'okay' a lot. Especially when I compliment you. Does that have a reason?", he smirks.

"I can't work with compliments. They overexert me a little."

"We can work with that."

"Okay."

"Especially today. Your eyes look beautiful. I like their colour", he compliments me.

My cheeks turn a dark shade of red. I just stare at Niall in awe. If he only knew how I feel about him. He won't find out. When he's married to a beautiful girl and I'm just one of his employees, he'll probably forget me. I'll just be another worker.

"That was actually the moment you had to thank me", Niall laughs.

"Oh. Thanks", my cheeks turn a shade more into red, as he says that.

He smiles. Just then Sam comes walking towards us with Miranda. He has his arm wrapped around her waist. I give both a high-five and pull around on my schools hoodie.

"So, are you coming to Homecoming after the game?", Miranda asks me.

"No. No one asked me to go to the dance and I don't even have a dress", I answer.

"Oh man, that's sad. You could come with us as a friend group. I probably still have a dress from last year for you", she tells me.

"No, it's okay. I'll just stay home and watch some movies."

She nods. I hide my hands in my hoodie sleeves. It's so comfortable. We walk into our gym and sit down pretty far in the back. I'm not a fan of pep rallys. Ususally I just go to the games. Niall sits next to me. His smile is bright, as the pep starts.

*****

I cheer with the others, as the game ends. We actually won. It's been two years since we won a game. It was a pretty exciting game. We almost lost. It was pretty scary, as some guy threw himself on Luke. He looked really in pain but he went back to normal quickly. Niall was cursing through the whole game. I had to smile the whole time. Sam was quiet and observant the whole time. When Miranda danced, he started cheering for her and he literally got a boner, as she did a split. Niall and I laughed about that a long while.

"I have to wait for Luke at our car. I'll see you on Monday", I tell the two boys.

"Bye, Alex", Sam smiles and runs to Miranda.

They give each other a long kiss and leave the field soon. Niall hugs me and then I leave. Luke comes soon. He hugs me for a long while. I kiss his cheek.

"Congradulations on winning the game", I smile.

"Thanks", he kisses my cheek.

We sit in the car and turn on some Bring Me The Horizon. I sing along to the songs and don't really look where Luke drives us to. We usually get some ice cream after the game. Dairy Queens is our favourite place to go. I usually get an Oreo Sunday with extra Oreos. Luke always gets a Caramel Special with whiped cream. I look out of the window and see the huge glowing sign of our favourite ice cream place.

"I'll get it. You want your usual?", Luke asks.

"Yeah."

He leaves the car. I put my phone on the aux-chord and turn up some Eskimo Callboy. Luke hates this band but he has to live with it. I sing along a little and close my eyes. I hope the others have fun at Homecoming. I went there once with Liam. That was the time before he abused me. I loved dancing at school dances. It was so much fun. After therapy I hated everything I loved before. Things like dancing, swimming, camping, hiking and much more. I should finally start living again. Luke soon comes back with our ice cream in his hand.

"Thanks, Luke", I say and turn the music down.

"No problem. You still like that band?"

"Yes."

He shakes his head smiling to himself. I start eating my ice cream. I loved eating ice cream before Liam abused me, see another thing I liked. After we both finish eating, Luke drives us home. I see the light in my room is turned on. My mom is probably just cleaning up. It's getting darker earlier at night. It's already end of September. Our Homecoming is always this late. It's weird. We get out of the car and enter the house. Dad sits on the couch and watches some TV.

"How did the game go, Luke?", he asks.

We sit down on the couch next to him. He's watching the news. The IS killed people in France again. I swear these people are about to let World War 3 begin. They're ruining the peace we had before. I'm so happy Luke won't go to the Army.

"We won. It's been about two years since we won a game. Alex and our friends were a big motivation", Luke explains.

"That's very nice of them to go watch you. Isn't Homecoming tonight? You guys should get ready", Dad exclaims.

"I'm not going."

My dad shakes his head.

"It's your last Homecoming and you won't go. I don't think that's okay", he tells me.

"I've been telling her since Monday", Luke exclaims.

I shrug and follow Luke up the stairs. He enters his room quickly. Just as I want to open the door, Luke comes back with his phone. The recording button of his phone makes a sound. I flip him off and enter my room with my head hanging low. Luke used to make videos of me when we were younger. We watch them sometimes when we are bored. I lift my head up and see the light is turned off. My mom wasn't downstairs. Why is the light turned off? I turn it on and see someone standing at my bed. As soon as my eyes are used to the light, I see who it is. Niall stands there with a huge smile on his face.

"What are you doing here?", I ask quickly.

"Turn around."

I do as I'm told and see one single balloon hanging on my closet. I take it and read what's written on it.

Pop me.

I take a pencil from my desk and poke it into the balloon. It pops loudly. A piece of paper falls out of the balloon. I open it and read.

Open your closet.

I do as the note tells me and open my closet. There I find something new hanging in my closet. I pull it out on it's hanger. It's a black dress, just simple black without anything special to it. It has a spandex thing under the breasts and then falls a little wavy. Niall is not asking me to go to Homecoming with him. Just as I want to turn around, I see a note on the dress.

Homecoming? -Niall x

I turn around with a smile on my face.

"Yes, Niall. I'll go with you", I say.

"Good because it was a pain in the ass to find that dress in my sisters closet", he laughs and hugs me tightly.

This is so sweet of him.