If I Let You Know... [N.H.]

8. Little White Lies

"What do you suggest?" I ask.

"Well, I did go to a concert in February" Niall says, starting the engine.

"I went to London in February too. Who did you see?"

"John Mayer at the O2 Arena"

"John Mayer, great"

"You know him?"

"Of course" I say with a smile, knowing that I have surprised him with that answer; "So... we met at that concert. What did you do after the concert?"

"I stayed in London for a couple of days"

"How many days?"

Niall snorts.

"I don't know... five or six days, I guess. Then I came back here for a week and then I went back to London until the day we flew to Rio"

"Okay. I only stayed a week in London. You must have asked me out the day before you came to Ireland" the moment I say it, I realise how strange it sounds.

Niall pulls a face too.

"Doesn't sound like me at all"

I say nothing. He is right, it is way too precipitated. 

Unless...

"What if you were scared to lose me?"

"Huh?"

"What if we had talked a lot after that, and you really liked me and you thought I would forget about you if you went on tour, and you wanted to make sure I didn't? Would you have asked me out then? Just before you went to Rio?"

Niall doesn't hesitate this time.

"Yeah" he answers, "It's very risky still, but that will do"

He stops the car. We have arrived to the restaurant.

"We skyped while we were in South America, and during the European leg of the tour you came to visit two times and I went to visit you twice too. We didn't tell anyone because we weren't sure if it was going to work"

"Sounds okay"

"Perfect then" Niall answers, opening the door of the restaurant for me.

Greg, Denise, Theo and Niall's dad are already there.

"Hi Victoria" he greets me, shaking my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Horan"

He smiles and we all sit.

The meal goes by as we chat. Greg and Denise want to know all about Niall's tour, including the bit that involves me.

Mr. Horan speaks only once:

"Niall, I bought tickets for the football game this afternoon"

"Sick" Niall says with a huge grin.

"But I didn't know Victoria was coming so I didn't buy for her... Maybe you two should go together with Greg...."

"Oh, no" I politely interrupt, before even Greg is able to say something; "I wouldn't want Niall missing his favourite thing in the world with you, Mr. Horan. I can stay at home with Denise and Theo; if that's okay with them"

"We'll be delighted to have you with us" Denise answers with a smile.

So after lunch, Niall leaves with his dad and his brother, and Denise, Theo and I head home.