Real

Let's Get This Party Started

Tessa’s POV

I didn’t talk to very many people after Monday, the day we all hung out. During the week, I usually just went to work. I went out for coffee with Liam a couple times, we were just catching up. I also went shopping with Cara, but, sadly, I didn’t buy anything. I already had everything I needed, but Cara just had to buy the entire store. Shoes, dresses, makeup, accessories; everything a girly girl wants. Plus, she had the money to buy it all.

Every night I went out to our pool and swam, or tried to, at least. Niall usually came out, too, but we tried not to talk much. Whenever we spoke something really stupid would come out of one of our mouths, or it would just turn out really awkward. Even though, we still made a bit of small talk. It was super lame.

On Friday, the day before the party, he was swimming in our pool and I was in my regular pool chair, and we were actually talking sort-of comfortably. It was just your regular small talk, but it was a big step for us. Not that there is an us or anything, but us as in Niall and I, not Niall and I. Then I remembered about the party tomorrow and Liam asking me if I would give Niall a ride.

“Niall, did Liam tell you about his party tomorrow?” I asked.

“Um, yeah. Why?” He looked rather uncomfortable. What, did he think that I was going to ask him to it? No way in hell was that happening. I hardly know this kid, and every time we talked it turned into an awkward mess up.

“Do you need a ride or anything? Liam asked me to make sure and stuff. We live right next to each other, so it wouldn’t be a problem.” I tried to reassure him.

He rubbed the back of his neck and ran his fingers through his hair. “Uh, no thanks.” He said, surprising me.

“What? Why?” I thought he’d definitely need a ride. Niall hopped out of the pool, and he came to sit next to me on my pool chair.

“I’m extremely grateful and everything, but that girl, Sailor I think her name was, said she’d give me a ride.” Wow. She was trying so hard to get in his pants. It would be at least ten miles out of her way to Liam’s to pick up Niall. It was so obvious I’m surprised Niall hadn’t noticed. Although, he had these groupies and I didn’t think he noticed.

I waved it off. “No problem. Just an offer.” I told him. He smiled at me and I nodded. Then he patted my shoulder and went back into the water. After watching him swim, the water looked so good I just had to get in. I slid into the pool and the cool water washed over me, feeling delicious and refreshing to my hot skin. Then, I asked the stupidest question ever.

“Niall, did you know that you have these groupies that follow you around?” I asked with a completely Yeah, he had them, but why did I have to ask? Maybe he would think I was being weird, as usual, or he would ignore it and pretend he didn’t hear me ask it.

He turned to look at me with a strange expression on his face. “What?” He asked. I bet he just thought I was being weird. What is up with my speech when I’m around him?

“I was just wondering if you knew that you had groupies.” I said and tried to sound brave, but it came out as a timid squeak.

He waved his hand at me. “I know what you said. I should probably rephrase my question. Why? That’s what I should have said. As in, why did you just ask me that?”

I shrugged. “I was just wondering, I guess.” I looked down at my feet. Or what I could see of them through the water. The tips of Niall’s ears turned pink when he answered.

“Well, I didn’t think of them as groupies, but now that you put them that way, I guess they are.” Jeez, he sounded like he was having a normal conversation instead of talking about his groupies.