Playing Hard to Get - A Niall Horan story

Part 10

Your heart was aching, like it physically hurt at the thought of two weeks without him. You hated this feeling, hated it. You were in love, properly head over heels in love. It scared the shit out of you. This feeling was new to you, at 28 you'd never felt like this.

You spent the first two days recovering from the jetlag being miserable, catching up on chores and trying to get your body to adjust to the time zone. When you called Niall to tell him you were home safely, you hadn't shown him how upset you were but you knew he could hear it in your voice as much as you'd tried to hide it. Bubbly sarcastic Charlotte was being a miserable twat.

You stood in the shower that Monday morning before work and gave yourself a pep talk. "Sort it out Char, this is ridiculous. It's only two weeks."

You knew you had shit loads to do when you got to work after being away two weeks and at least that would keep you busy. Willie was at his desk when you arrived and you leaned down and gave him a hug and a kiss hello. You'd missed him whilst you'd been away.

"You ok lovely?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Nah, you're not." He replied. "It's ok to be miserable cow sometimes you know."

"Nope it's not, I've pulled up my big girl knickers and I'm being a grown up about it!" You said smiling.

"Fancy letting me take you out on a dinner date tonight after work?" He asked.

"Mr Devine I would love that! Want to invite Lara to?"

"Um no, we kind of aren't seeing each other anymore" he whispered to you.

"Oh fuck, babe........... Fuck I'm so sorry...... what happened?" You whispered back.

"Just wasn't ready after her bad breakup. She thought she was, doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you."

"Char, I'm fine honestly." He smiled back but you knew he was hurting.

The guilt that he'd gone through this without you by his side was awful. He was your best friend and he had needed you. You were determined to not wallow around getting upset about Niall being away, Willie needed you.

Pictures of you and Niall had appeared online and in the press whilst you'd been in L.A. Niall hadn't been asked to confirm anything so he hadn't, but considering a picture of him holding your hand and kissing you had been taken it was pretty obvious you were together. Fans were clever and found out who you were within the hour. An IG post of you and Willie with your name on gave the game away. Willie apologised for posting the picture of you but it wasn't his fault. He had innocently posted a picture with his best friend, and you didn't even know Niall at the time it was taken or posted. It was just an innocent picture of you and Willie in the pub.

You had closed your Facebook down a while ago as you had gotten pissed off at your mother stalking it and didn't have a Twitter account. Your only social media was your IG account and your follower count had gone through the roof. You checked all your posts and there was nothing on there to give the fans any reason to hate you.

Your last post had been from the wedding where you'd posted a picture of you, Evie, Sam and Jack. You'd used the hashtags cousins and siblings and there were a few comments about who the people were, obviously from fans until people pointed out you'd indicated they were your family. Niall funnily enough had taken the picture.

A picture of a sweaty post run Willie Devine and you had also gained interest. You'd tagged him and put about getting his arse in shape and used the hashtag best friend. Lots of random new likes and comments.