A Fine Line [N.H]

Chapter Two: Attempts - Hike

Ivy's POV

I wake up at the sound of my phone and the front doorbell ringing. I look at the time it's still 9:00 a.m.

'Guys! It's too early! What are you doing here!' I complain, letting the three annoying people in.

'We're going hiking!' Red exclaims.

'Can I say no?'

'Nop!' Mels says cheerfully

'Fine give me half an hour!'

I get ready and then we get in the car.

'Where are we going?'

'Runyon Canyon.' Sky answered.

'What? Why?' I shout.

'Because it's a good place for a hike?'

'Says who?' I ask.

'I know people.' Sky states before Red interrupts him saying that we're here.

I'm walking and looking around me, at all the people hiking there. It's kinda empty for a sunny Sunday. I know Niall like to come hike here, and it's near his house, so I'm kind of worried that I'll run into him. It's bad enough that I stalked him for three days straight, yesterday was an accident, I didn't know he'd be there. If I see him today, I don't want him to be scared of me, I don't want him to think that I'm following him. If he's here today, then I'm not gonna go to the coffee shop tomorrow. 

'I don't understand. How can guys just casually walk shirtless? Like I get it when we're next to the beach, but we're in the middle of a hill, wear a shirt!' I comment.

'It's sunny, it's hot, and they're hiking. Who cares? As long as they're comfortable!' Sky defends.

'Besides if it was Niall who's walking shirtless you wouldn't have complained now would you?' Red teases.

'I'm not complaining! I'm just wondering how they can be okay with being exposed like that.' I correct.

'Just like you girls wear mini shorts and sports bra! Same thing!'

'That's her! I only wear pants! I don't even own anything like that!' I exclaim pointing at Mels.

'It's comfortable and I look good so shush.' Mels sasses.

We hike for an hour, playing random music on Sky's Bluetooth speaker until we get tired and call for a break. We sit in a circle at the side of the road and exchange stories on failed dates. You'd think that with the four of us hanging out together every day of the week we'd constantly run out of things to talk about, but it doesn't happen that often and when it does we just sing our boredom out, or just watch something. Red gives us some bars and snacks to eat and since I didn't have any breakfast, I'm starting to feel faint. I rest my head on Sky because there's nowhere to rest my back on. A couple of minutes later, he just laughs slightly, out of nowhere.

'What are you laughing for?' I ask.

'Nothing...' He says with a grin.

I pull away from him and turn right to look at him waiting for an explanation but he just continues on grinning so I just turn left shaking my head and mumbling 'weirdo'. But then I slowly look up, seeing some guys walking past us, but then when I get to their faces, my eyes are wide open, I immediately turn my head back to the right, feeling my cheeks heat up, a smirk on my face turning into a nervous laughter and then mouthing a 'what!' to Mels. I quickly grab my phone and pretend to be texting so I wouldn't check out Niall until he has his back turned. When I see he's far enough I just stand up and shout.

'What! What! He's! Huh!' I'm pacing frantically, not able to form complete sentences. Sky and Red are too busy laughing at me, Mels stands up and stops me putting her hands on my shoulders.

'Calm down. Deep breaths. That's it. Now, use your words.'

'Why did he have to be shirtless! And did you see that! the ...! Oh! My! God! He's so hot! I can't even! Just what!  I can't process this!' I shout, moving my hand and arms, nervously playing with my hair, not knowing what to do with myself.

'Come on, it's nothing you haven't seen before. I saw the 400 pictures of him you have on your phone!' Mels noticed.

'Yeah, but I wasn't mentally prepared to see him like that today, live. Break's over! Guys get up we have to continue the hike!' I say excited, pointing towards where Niall and his friend went.

Niall's POV

'You could've talked to her.' Fred told me.

'Did you see the look on her face? She's so adorable when she blushes. I don't think she would've been able to say anything at that moment. She was so shocked when she saw me.'

'Maybe, but she kinda liked it too, I saw her smirking when she looked away.'

'Yeah, I saw that too. Mate, I swear she's driving me crazy. I can't stop thinking about her which is nuts cause we still don't know each other personally. How can someone feel so much for someone they don't even know! I keep imagining what it would be like if we were together, how we'd be chilling at home, watching something, or jamming together, teaching her how to play the guitar. All kinds of stuff. This doesn't happen usually. And I gotta admit it's kind of frightening. But when it comes to real life, and talking to her, I don't know I just freeze...'

'How long do you think you can drag this? Watching her from a distance? One day, you'll wake up, go on about your day, and she won't be there. And you'll get depressed because you missed your chance with her.'

'I'll talk to her tomorrow when I see her in the coffee shop.'

'How do you know she'll be there?'

'She's always there, at noon, just waiting for me to come in.'

'What?'

'Um... Nothing. Nevermind.'

'Is she stalking you?' He chuckled.

'I think people shouldn't be so cavalier about the word "stalker". Anyone can become obsessed. Besides, she's being very respectful about it. She never bothered me and I never see here anywhere near my house, like this is the closest she's been but we're still a good 15-minute car ride away. I don't feel unsafe around her, she's very kind and sweet.'

'Why are you defending her? She's a complete stranger.'

'No she's not! I know as much about her as she knows about me!'

'So you're defending her because you're as obsessed with her as she is with you! At least you didn't follow her.'

'Well...'

'What? You did? Why?'

'I got worried about her! She left suddenly and in a hurry! I thought something bad might've happened!'

'And?'

'Turns out she was just late for work.' I mumbled.

'Amazing! Just perfect! Man, you have to stop this and talk to her! This is getting ridiculous.'

'Do you think she's with that curly haired guy? She was awfully close to him when we walked passed them.' I asked.

'Who Sky? No, I don't think so...'

'How do you know his name? Do you know him?'

'What? Umm... No, I just used to watch their channel last year, before she came. I don't know him.'

'Oh, alright I guess. Let's go back. I'm getting tired. Pizza at my place?'

'Sure!'

We're walking back and I'm hoping I run into her again. I couldn't look at her long enough earlier cause it would've been weird if we just stood there for no reason. I miss her. I don't understand why. There's a lot of things I don't understand about this. But I know that Fred is right, I should talk to her before it's too late. I know I'll hate myself if I lose her. Oh, there she is! I guess they're walking back too. How can she walk with her long hair loose, isn't she feeling hot? She's wearing pants too. But I like it, I'd rather have her wearing that than what her friend is wearing. I don't like thinking that random guys are checking my baby out. She's mine.