Better Than Words

Confessions

Niall's gaze doesn't leave mine as he begins his song, and suddenly the room is choking.

I immediately stand up to leave, knocking over my drink in the process. As I rush out, I hear Marina and Sam on my tail.

"What the fuck, you guys?!" I spin around to face them once we get outside. "Did you maybe think it would have been a good idea to tell me that Niall was coming?"

"We didn't want to upset you..." Marina trails off.

"Ha! Well, that worked out nicely, didn't it?" I seethe.

"Well, they weren't completely sure that they were coming here, so we didn't want to tell you yet because we weren't sure if--" Sam tries to explain rapidly.

" 'Coming here?' As in coming here to visit, right?" I silently pray I'm right.

"Well...no." Marina says quietly. "They're coming here for school. They wanted to come to America for school anyway, but since Liam's going to be here..."

"...they decided to stick with him," Sam finishes. "Harry and Louis stayed in London for school."

"So that's why you wanted me to come tonight, you knew he'd be here," I realize.

"We thought that maybe you guys would like to see each other."

"Marina, he hasn't talked to me in six months. If he wanted to stay in touch with me, I'm sure he would have."

"He knew you'd be here though, and he was fine with it. I mean, Zayn said he's been saying he's already over it, but we saw the way he looked at you." Sam tries to level with me.

"So everyone knew except me."

I sigh deeply and run my fingers through my hair.

"Please don't hate us, we were trying to look out for you," they both plead gently.

"I don't hate you, don't worry. I really wish you would have told me, but I don't hate you," I assure them with a small smile.

"Good, 'cause that would suck," Sam laughs and turns to go back inside.

"Actually, I think I'm just gonna go back to the dorm...I don't really want to go back in," I admit.

"Okay, well we'll come back with you then! Right, Sam?" Marina gives Sam a look.

"But--Zayn--and I--oh fine," she finally agrees. "Let me just go tell them." She sulks back inside to let the boys know we're leaving.

When we get back go the dorm, we all change into our pajamas, pop some popcorn, and sit down to watch Bridesmaids. They laugh at how I can quote the whole movie, even though they say the funniest parts with me too.

"I feel like that would be us," Sam says as we head back to our rooms.

"It damn well better be us, minus the crazy," I add.

"Ali, if it was us there would be extra crazy," Marina laughs. "I am so tired. Goodnight guys!"

"Night," Sam and I say in unison.

I close the door and lie down on the small but comfortable bed. I unlock my phone, scrolling through until I see Niall's name still there, then I lock it again and roll over, pulling the blankets up to my chin. That night I dream of blue eyes for the first time in months.

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I sleep in kind of late, and when I wake up Liam is putting up the wall hangings we got at the store. I quietly grab a small pillow from my bed, walk up behind him, and throw it at his head.