Turning Pages (Niall Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Danielle’s POV:

I woke up thinking it was Niall’s heavy arm around me. I thought it was his hot breath on my neck. I turned over and found Cat sound-asleep lying next to me. She must have been a cuddler; I then remembered slipping into her bed late last night and falling asleep. She must have come back early in the morning and crawled in right next to me. I didn’t mind. It just shocked me when I didn’t see a blonde-haired boy lying next to me. It wasn’t what I was expecting.

I let her sleep and tiptoed to the bathroom. I grabbed my things and began to get ready. I tried to be as quiet as possible; I was lucky that she was letting me stay with her. My phone started chiming with texts from Niall. I quickly ran out of the bathroom and took it off of its charger. It was ringing all morning but I was too lazy to get it. Now I regretted it. “It’s okay.” Cat mumbled after I shushed my phone.

“I’m sorry.” I pleaded. “Go back to sleep.” I paced back towards the bathroom.

“Will do.” I heard her turn over onto her other side.

I finished getting ready and checked all my messages. Today I was on a mission. I was sick of bumming around. Breaks are nice. Honestly, getting out of my hometown, moving here, and having a break was what I needed. But I was the kind of person that needed to do something. I planned on getting started on Niall’s apartment. I had slept on some ideas and I felt good about many of them. He told me to stop by, grab a key which would be on the top of his door, and swap some cash which would be lying on the kitchen counter. To be straightforward, I wasn’t all too happy that Niall wanted me to grab an extra key. I already knew that he wasn’t the type that was prepared for these kinds of circumstances. He must have gone out and got a copy of the key to his apartment, just for me. I didn’t know if I was ready. He apparently was.

I finally got out the door and started walking. I knew the general path and where to turn by now. I was good at remembering directions. I figured that I would hail a cab when I felt like it. It was noisy outside but not as noisy as Connecticut. We lived in a small town just outside of Hartford. It was definitely noisy in Hartford.

Since it wasn’t all too loud, I called Niall. I figured that he could keep me company if he wasn’t busy. I had a lot of other decorating thoughts and ideas to mull over in my head but I needed a break.

The phone rang so many times that I thought it was going to go to voicemail. “’ellow?” His accent made his greeting sound bent. “Please tell me this is a booty call… ‘cause I’m definitely ready for more.” I heard him growl through the phone.

“Niall!” My mouth shot open. I then followed with, “It’s not even night time! Please tell me you’re alone…” I couldn’t hear much background noise.

“Eh, I’m waiting for the lads outside. We just finished our promo and we’ve got to head to a radio station. Tag along?” He asked.

“I can’t. I’m fixing up your apartment, remember?” I dodged a group of businessmen walking and chatting vigorously.

“It’s a flat. A flat. Are you walking there?” Static filled the other end of the line.

“Yeah. I’ll get a taxi when I get tired or feel like it. I was thinking of stopping and getting a coffee on my way too…”

“Why don’tcha take my car? Harry picked me up this morning. Zayn says thanks by the way. He thinks Cat’s real fit.”

“Well, yeah she is. I don’t know why you like me. If I was a guy, I would be in the same place Zayn is; except if I was him I would pluck my eyebrows a bit.” He snickered. “I can’t take your car. I’m already taking the key to your place.” I heard him grunt.

“Babe, I’ve got to get in the car. We can keep talkin’ but I don’t know how well you’ll hear me.” I heard familiar voices greeting him.

“It’s fine. Text me if you want an update. Have fun.” I ended the call.

I shot down a taxi about halfway to Niall’s place. I figured it would save me some major shopping time. I had the driver wait for me while I ran inside. Someone came out of the door just as I was heading for it and I grabbed onto the handle before it closed and locked tight. I ran up to his room and got what I needed. I shoved the bills into my wallet and stuck the key onto my old keychain.

-

“Can I paint your place?” I didn’t even give him a hello.

“Wait, what? No ya can’t. It’s a flat. You can do almost anything except paint it.” He waited for me to respond while I glared down a lady in her mid forties. “Why? Are you in some sort of hurry?”

The lady rudely interrupted my conversation with him. “Well, are you going to take the paint or not?” It was the last of its color. There was no other brand that carried that shade of red.

“Just one wall? In the bedroom, maybe?” I begged.

“I can’t. Sorry. I’ll be kicked out. What’s up, babe?” He was trying to make this better but he wasn’t. This lady was going to win and I didn’t want her to.

“Take it.” I said to her. She rolled her eyes knowing that I had wasted her time. I knew she was beaming on the inside. When it came to shopping, I was serious.

“Babe, what’s up?” Niall asked again.

“There was just this color that was perfect for your room and it was the last of its kind. I was kind of in a fight with this lady who thought that she had it first; when really, I had it first.”

“Wow. Serious stuff.” I could tell he was only listening to half of what I was saying.

“Busy?” I walked out of the store.

“Almost finished up for the day.” He returned.

“Pick me up in an hour?”

“Sure thing. Be outside of the shops. I’m sorry about the paint.” He ended the call. He was listening.

It was nice being able to call him. It was nice being able to call someone. He listened. He actually cared. God, this is nice.

He picked me up an hour after that just as he promised. I piled into his car with all of my purchases. “I thought Harry had picked you up.”

“He dropped me off. He had some party to go to after the radio show.” Niall sped off and smiled at a group of girls who had pieced together his identity. They were now jogging down the sidewalk and screaming. “Tell me what ya got. What’s the plan?”

“You’ll have to wait and see! I mean… some of the larger things you’ll probably see because I’ll have to use your credit card and get it shipped to your apartment… but I found some cool stuff. Here in these bags is what I would like to call, Niall Horan. Singer, dancer, drinker, and… eater?” The last word didn’t even sound like a word to me. He just laughed.

“Yeah? What else am I to you?” His hand rested on my knee.

“Well, you’re touchy.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “But I like it. You’re funny but you don’t even really have a sense of humor. You’re just stupid and that’s what makes you funny.”

He just smiled. “Anythin’ else?”

“You have this tiny little snore and it’s really cute.” I kissed my fingertips and placed it on his cheek. He instantly blushed.