A Light in the Dark // Flicker Series Part I #wattys2019

Around the Fire & Around U

Chapter 4
Evie's POV // Around U

I pushed most of my dinner around on my plate instead of eating it, but when it came time for dessert I didn't have a single problem eating away my problems that way.

Dessert was spent on my back porch, around the fire put with cups of coffee and endless conversation.

Nora told more stories, and some of our friends told her stories of things she missed while she was gone.

I tried to ignore what had happened in the kitchen earlier, both between Niall and I and Nora and I. But ignoring the problem wasn't working too well, when I kept catching Niall staring at me across the fire pit.

Beck tells the best stories and I usually find him being the center of attention in whatever room we're in. Tonight is no exception, and i'm thankful because his familiar presence is what's calming my nerves.

Having Niall Horan in my house would be nerve wracking enough without him constantly looking at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of his and smiling at me every time I say something. It's not that I hate either of those things....quite the opposite actually, but it's just so intimidating.

We laugh and talk and even manage to bribe Beck to play a few songs on the guitar and we all sing along.

Soon enough, our friends start to trickle out sharing the sentiment that it's getting quite late. They say their goodbyes and one by one they leave.

Once it's just Niall, Beck, Nora and I, I begin to pick up the dessert plates scattered across the deck.

"Here let me help you." Niall says, jumping up from his seat and gathering a stack of plates.

"Oh you don't have to!" I insist, wasting my time as he continues to help me. We both start to walk inside carrying our respective stack of plates; him with a smug look on his face as if he thinks he's won. 

It's just dirty dishes pal, but if you're happy, i'm not complaining.

We stack the plates in the sink and I step back, wiping my hands on a towel. Niall leans against the counter, letting out a quiet sigh as if he had something to say.

I swallow hard, finally bringing myself to look at him without the urge to jerk my eyes away from his quickly.

"Listen. I want to apologize for earlier. I was flirting with you a little bit, and I realize it was probably really forward of me and you're uncomfortable and... I'm sorry." He said and rubbed the back of his neck, while looking at the floor.

Wait. What did he just say?

"What?" I ask, my voice a bit squeaky until I clear it and try to regain control of myself.