Lighter Thief (PyrocynicalxReader)

out on the town

I eventually had to park like 6 blocks away from Café Grumpy, which didn't appeal to my mood.  I got out of my car, grabbing my phone, wallet, and keys before locking the door and heading on my journey.
Being a positive person, I not only people watch for the fun of it, but being as lonely as I am, maybe I can find friends, though it's not likely because the people here are about as introverted and stubborn as I am. I get lost in my thoughts and by the time I'm back on Earth I have arrived. I get an iced almond milk latte and I walk out the side door onto a small business district-like street. I see a small shop that sells hippie shit and I decide to see what's going on in there.

As I walk in, a tall, skinny girl that has asymmetrical maroon hair steps into my view and asks if I'm looking for anything. I dismiss her and tell her I'm new to the neighborhood so she leaves me alone. I walk around for a while, being the only customer, until I hear the bell on the door ring, which startles me from the silence, and I turn to see that a group of boys strolled in and they were being a lot louder than what seemed socially acceptable.
A few of them shush each other when they see me looking at them, and I must have looked irritated because they avoided me. I decide that it's only in my best case to see what they're doing in the store as they're disturbing the peace. I watch them (for research, of course) and then I see one of the boys turn around and I almost knock over everything in my path to get out of sight. Unfortunately I end up never losing eye contact with him until I trip over my own two feet and hit the floor. Embarrassing myself so much in front of strangers is not new, but it feels different right now. Plus, I'm not usually falling over things like so.

He kind of chuckles and turns away, running his fingers through his blonde-ginger hair. I get up quickly and pretend to be looking at things and I hear the group start to laugh and it makes my stomach churn, assuming it's about me. I grab some incense that's right in front of me, so it doesn't seem like they made me leave but I suddenly realize that I've never burned incense and so I needed to get one of those trays for the ashes.
I search everywhere I can, and then realize that they are, of course, right next to the group of boys. I notice that the guy I was looking at is now watching me stupidly scramble around and I decide to play it cool, walking over next to them and looking for something I like.

   I give them a side look and they're all looking at me and then back at each other. As soon as I found something, I was knocked off my feet by the guy who was pushed by his friends onto me. I feel his hands grab my waist and my arm to catch me from not falling and my face is on fire.
He helps me up and his friends are giggling, and as I get up he was yelling at his friends, still holding onto my arm gently. I shake my arm out of his grip and he turns around.
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you or knock you ove-" I interrupt him.
"It's fine." It came out more snappy than I would've hoped. Also, quite an unexpected british accent.
He scratches the back of his neck and he looks guilty, and I feel like I should explain myself.
"I didn't mean to snap, I was just not ready to be knocked over by a stranger." I have to look up to see his face, and he has green-brown eyes. He is a lot more attractive than he was 20 minutes ago. Am I allowed to say that? I shouldn't think rend strangers are cute, right?
I hear his friends laughing and suddenly one of the shorter friends steps out into view.
"Niall has a crush!!" He says through giggles.
My face goes numb and I turn to him, looking more embarrassed than me.
"I don't have a crush.." he tries to justify but I just shake my head and smile. Suddenly I have an insane, yet possibly fulfilling idea.
"This is going to sound crazy, but I have no friends, and so.. I was wondering if you guys wanted to hang out sometime?" My heart is beating, and a rejection would kill the moment.

"Let us talk." A tall boy says.
They quickly huddle, which I found really odd but sort of funny. I realize that they've been there for a while and as soon as I see them look at me I let them watch me make an impatient face.
A few seconds pass before they break.
"For Nialls' love life's sake... We would love to be your friends!" The boy exclaimed, smiling. I was introduced to everyone: Alex(imallexx), Roman (NFKRZ), George (memeulous), Tom (Syndicate), and of course Niall, who is Pyrocynical.

It's still a little awkward but I try to fit in, and they don't notice the tension that my social anxiety is causing. Eventually it seems that we have spent enough time here and so I go to buy what i'm getting. I walk outside with them and Niall hands me a lighter.
"When did you buy this?" I ask, confused.
"I didn't have any money on me."
I give him a look of confusion and then it hits me that he stole a lighter for me. Weirdly sweet?