courage {Niall Horan}

XXI

"Okay, are you ready?" He asked me after putting his skates on. I tied my second skate and took his hand for support to stand up. "This is definitely going to go like the golfing." He laughed as he watched me try to catchmy balance while still standing on the rubber mats.

"Stop laughing and be usefull." I held onto the side with my other hand and took a few small steps untill I reached the ice. Niall stepped on without problem and waited for me. I held onto the side with both my hands to get myself on the ice.

"When you have your balance, hold onto me." He said as he held his hands out for me. I waited a second before carefully holding onto his hands."just see it as walking, but try to slide a little."

He moved backwards after looking if it was safe, I tried my best to move forwards and almost fell. He helped me with my balance fast enough so I didn't have to face the cold ground. "Thank you." I said when I stood steady again. He moved backwards a little more again to give me room and I moved towards him without problem which surprised both of us.

It took us a few attempts before I felt safe enough to go beside him and move a little faster.

Ithink it took me two rounds to learn how to do this.

"I'm going to stay right beside you, don't worry." He said before slowly letting go off my hand. I had a little trouble with staying balanced at first but after a few seconds we went forward together smoothly. "You got horrible balance but you're doing it!" He took out his phone to take a selfie with me struggling in the background.

And then suddenly, I was very cold and wet as I looked at the ice from very closely. I started laughing as soon as I realised what just happened and Niall was laughing too as he watched his screen.

"Please tell me you took the picture right before." I asked but he was still laughing at his screen.

"I was making one of those boomerang things on instagram. Your full fall is on it." He said before helping me back up. "Your face is hilarious." I saw him press the send button and I screamed internally. "Don't worry, everyone leaves me alone when I'm home."

"That was not even what I was worrying about. The whole world is going to see me land face first in the ice."

"Don't worry about that" he said as he took my hand in his again. "Do you want to go get a drink and walk around the market?"

"That sounds a lot better then falling over even more here." I said. He smiled and we went back to the side together. Niall went to get our shoes as I sat by the side to untie the skates.

We changed our shoes in silence before going to one of the bars beside the rink. He looked for a place while I went to get coffees. He had found a place right beside the rink, I put our coffees down and sat down beside him.

"I have to leave in half an hour because Sebastian is picking me earlier then I thought and I still need to get a shower." I said before taking a sip.

"It's alright, I'm a little tired anyway." He replied with a small smile.

"You better sleep enough before my birthday party, wouldn't want you to have to leave early."

"Ofcourse not."

— Niall's POV —

I was sitting in my room writing when Greg walked in. "Made up lyrics or based on recent events?" He asked as he sat down beside me.

"Take a guess." I said before putting my guitar on my bed behind us.

"If I can judge by your mood, recent events." He looked at me while I looked down at the lyrics written down infront of me. "So, when are you going to admit to yourself that you like her? After you've written a whole album?"

"I like her as a friend, that's all."

"Then why are you writing sad love songs in your room alone?"

"It's not about Charlotte."

"So also not about her and Sebastian?" He asked and I looked at him confused. "I see her around town or with mom sometimes. I met Sebastian at Sam's about three months ago. Saw him at the store earlier and as you have seen Charlotte yesterday, I assumed you met."

"Then why did you never tell me about them?"

"I thought they were just friends, she also introduced him as a friend."

"I don't think they are just friends. And if they are more, that's fine because she deserves that. She deserves to be happy."

"Don't assume anything untill you talk with her." He got up again and left my room, closing the door behind him. I unlocked my phone and went to twitter to see the reactions on the video I posted earlier. I saw that she had commented about it too a few minutes ago.

CharlotteJacobs: I suck at ice skating. That fall wasn't staged, I think that's clear to see in my face, and luckily not that painfull for the people that wondered.
CharlotteJacobs: also, the video does get funnier the more times you watch it.

I was glad she saw the fun in it because I could have made a big mistake by posting it. The comments on it were all nice and more worried about her then rude.

The fans focus was so much more about the hiatus then our personal life right now, and luckily, the press thought the same.

I locked my phone again and went back to writing. I was determined to stay here for a month to spend as much time as I could with her, but now I feel like going home after new year. I love spending time with her, but I'm starting to like it too much.