Lights (Niall Horan)

thirty-one

Anna Holden

"Anna, you ready?"

"Umm... Yeah."

I take one last glance at the closed bedroom door, wondering what is happening inside. I tried to get ready as slow as possible to see Niall before we leave, but I guess it will have to wait.

I grab an olive-colored jacket from my suitcase and walk towards the door, wondering where Eleanor went. She's certainly not here.

"Okay, one last thing." She says, holding up a finger and rushing into the bathroom again.

Waiting for her, I play Doodle Jump on my iPhone. As I die again, I can't help but smile.

I played this game before I met One Direction. And I'm still playing now.

"Here, take this."

A flat object is flung onto the table by no other than Harry Styles, roughly knocking over a glass of orange juice in the process.

"Smooth, Styles." I roll my eyes at him, getting some paper towel to clean up the mess.

Identifying the rectangular object, I instantly toss it back to him.

"Harry, there is no way I'm taking your credit card."

He just looks at me. "Why not?"

"Because. I'm just not."

If only he knew that I don't like to let Niall pay for me either, maybe he would understand, but for now--

"Yes, you are." He continues to insist, and I shake my head.

"Anna, we all know that Harry got you an uncreative birthday present, so you might as well just take the card." Zayn smirks, finishing the puzzle. 500 pieces and he's completed it in 10 minutes.

Wow. Boredom can do strange things to people.

"Alright, sorry for the wait." Eleanor runs a tube of lipgloss over her already-moist lips and grabs her coat off the sofa.

"You both look perfect." Harry comments, winking. I roll my eyes at him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Perrie?" I ask at the last minute, silently hoping that she will. I haven't gotten to spend as much time with her as I'd like--I barely know who she is.

"No, I think I'll go to the interview with Zayn." Perrie smiles. "Thanks, though!"

"See you! Have fun and good luck!" Eleanor chirps.

"Oh, we will." Zayn says, earning a playful smack from Perrie.

We take Eleanor's car, clicking our seatbelts into place. I'm still not used to European cars, so El drives. The whole time we're jamming out to music, making careful note to skip anything by Taylor Swift, The Wanted, and Ellie Goulding.

I know, we're such dorks.

By the time we reach the small shopping center, it's already three. We study the mall map and decide to go into Jack Wills first.

I have never been there, but the clothing is just incredible.

"This is the first time you'll see me doing this, ever." I tell Eleanor, grabbing everything in my correct UK size as she does the same.

"Niall has this shirt." I smile, admiring a t-shirt with the Jack Wills logo.

"Louis has this one." El giggles, holding up a blue striped one. Typical Louis.

I grin evilly. "Do you know what I'm thinking?"

"No, what?"

"We're gonna dress up as them. C'mon." I head to the nearest dressing room, slipping the shirt over my head and leaving on my skinny jeans.