Real

Chicken

Tessa’s POV

At around three forty-five, Niall came through the door. He went and started walking around, searching. When he peered into the kitchen, I took my chance. I went up behind him and tapped his shoulder. He jumped and flinched before turning around to realize it was just me. He let out his breath and put his hand on his chest.

“Geez, woman, don’t scare a dude like that.” He said breathlessly.

“Is there something you were doing that you wouldn’t want anyone to see?” I questioned him.

He visibly gulped. “No…” He didn’t sound very sure of himself.

“I’m just messing with you, Niall. No need to get so freaked out.” I told him, but he still tensed when I placed my hand on his bicep. “If you want to sit at the bar, I’ll get you a drink. My shift ends in fifteen minutes an then I’ll introduce you to some people.” When he nodded, I led him over to a stool at the end of the bar and got him a can of coke, figuring it was a safe choice since he didn’t say what he wanted. After giving it to him, I finished my shift and changed out of the slutty uniform. Seriously, a black bikini underneath a white v-neck? It’s a diner, not a whorehouse.

I kept my bikini on, and after changing back into my shorts and tank top, I went to get Niall and we headed towards the boardwalk. I had texted Cara earlier, and she was meeting us there along with everyone else. I told Niall to look for a tan girl with wavy brown hair, and we spotted her along with everyone else. I grabbed Niall’s arm-at which, he tensed, again-and practically dragged him in my rush to get to all of my people.

Cara and I met halfway, running, and jumped into each other’s arms like they do in all those romantic movies. I bet it was quite entertaining to watch because Niall full-on cackled. Once Cara and I finished our movie meeting, I hugged everyone else, including Sailor who just had to be there, and then I introduced them to Niall.

“Guys, this is my new neighbour, Niall. He’s going to be hanging out with us.” I told them and then brought Niall forward. “Niall, this is Liam, Cara, Sailor, Lola, and Noah. They’re just a couple of my friends here.” Niall shook everyone’s hands and was very polite, the perfect gentleman. When he shook Sailor’s hand there was this predatory look in her eyes that I didn’t like very much. He didn’t seem to notice though.

While we all started walking towards the beach, Niall struck up a conversation with Liam, so I fell back to talk with Cara. We had texted a bit over the past three years, so we didn’t have anything major to talk about.

“You snagged yourself a hot one, you know?” Cara leaned in closer and started talking quietly.

I snorted at her question. “No. I did not snag anyone. He’s merely my new neighbour, that’s it. His mom asked me to take him into town and introduce him to people.”

“Really?” She asked with disbelief written all over her face.

“Seriously.” I explained everything that happened this morning to her. She laughed extremely hard when I got to the part about Niall coming downstairs in his boxers and not even noticing I was there, and everybody turned around to look at us. I just shrugged innocently, and then they went back to their various conversations.

I had finished telling her the entire story by the time we got to the beach. It was a secluded place that only we came to. Everyone started to undress when I remembered Niall didn’t bring anything to swim in. I turned around only to find him standing there in a pair of swim trunks. When I looked at him quizzically, he mouthed “Liam’s.” I nodded my head and turned back to undressing myself.