Just Another Girl (Niall Horan A.U. fanfiction)

Chapter 18

By the time Friday afternoon has rolled around I've almost worried myself sick.

"Jeez, how long has it been since you've been on a real date?" Katie asks, watching me throw yet another potential outfit on the ground.

I pause and think back. "Um, probably a couple weeks..."

"No, Luke doesn't count, you didn't genuinely like him, he was just a distraction from Niall."

I wince. "It sounds horrible when you say it like that."

She shrugs. "That's what it was. But seriously, how long has it been?"

"Honestly? I have absolutely no idea." I say, collapsing on my bed in defeat. Maybe I'll just go in my tennis uniform. At least I feel confident in that.

"You're overthinking this! It's supposed to be fun and instead you look like you're about to throw up." Katie crouches and picks up one of my shirts. "This one's cute."

I glance at it and shake my head. "What am I supposed to wear it with? He didn't tell me anything about where we're going, I have no idea how to dress!"

"Then it's his fault if you're under or over dressed."

"You can be calm about this because it's not your date. You don't have anyone you're trying to impress tonight."

"Emily, I think you're going to impress Niall no matter what you wear. Just hurry up and pick something, you're running out of time!"

"...I have an hour."

"Exactly, that's hardly any time! It really has been a long time since you've been on a date. It takes time to get ready. Something you are quickly running out of. So hurry up!"

"I've never had such girly things to worry about." I laugh, looking at the clothes spread on and around my bed. "It was always grades and colleges, never what I was going to wear."

"Believe me, we all know how you dress is the least of your worries." Katie laughs, ducking as I throw a shirt at her. "If you're really desperate, just go with a shirt and jeans. Knowing Niall, he'll either take you to a wild party or on a nice, casual outing. At least if it does end up being a party, you can have an excuse to avoid going in. Although I don't know why you would ruin a good opportunity to go to a party."

"Maybe because I hate them." I say, grabbing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt off the ground.

"Does your bra match your underwear?" Katie asks when I come out of the bathroom.

"Uh..." I say blankly. "Why does that matter?"

"You need to be prepared! You never know what he's gonna see!"

"Katie!" I cry, covering my face as her meaning becomes clear. "It's the first date!"

"A first date with Niall." she says pointedly.

"Katie, I have a little more to lose than the girls he's dated before, I'm not losing it until I'm ready. Trust me on this." I grab a sweatshirt but Katie rips it out of my hands. "What now? I thought you said I was going to be late!" I say, exasperated.

"You can't bring a baggy sweatshirt on the first date!"

"But it's a warm sweatshirt." I say, pouting. She continues to hold it out of my reach.

"Would you rather be warm or look cute?" I open my mouth to answer but she jumps in. "Don't answer that, actually, I'll just tell you. You need to look cute. Go grab a different jacket."

Grumbling, I grab a zip-up hoodie and show it to her. "Is this good?"

"It's better. Not great. Maybe the date is him taking you shopping. That'd do us all a favor."