The Black Swan | Reposted

Chapter 14 - Girls Day

It was a heavy, anxious feeling to step into this role, which I did love, but I knew my mother's eyes would be glued to me. It made me feel so much pressure, you wouldn't believe how much. Especially because everyone in the audience would also know who she was, and they all knew she was my mother. It was a massive stressor. We were still in the early phase; I wasn't really near Harry, thankfully.

"Let's just have a girl's day," Sarah cheered after class. The four of us were standing together, Liam pulling a sweat shirt over his sweaty body.

"I would love that."

"Pedicures!"

"Lame, Liam, let's go get beer."

"Yep, bye doll," he pecked my lips and they walked right out, making us laugh.

"I need a girl's day terribly." I smiled as we started out.

"I do too, and my dancer's feet is showing."

I giggled and we headed out to our favorite little salon. It smelled of nail polish and burning hair from women off in the corner getting their hair curled, straightened, wrapped in foil under heaters. We had a seat in cozy chairs, our feet in warm water, and two women started to massage our legs.

"Such a good idea," I breathed out.

"Amen."

"How have you been? You and Niall are working on a piece for the showcase?"

"We are, it's going so well. I'm really excited, duets are my favorite. How are you is the question."

"Ha, I'll... figure it out. It's just an adjustment to have a new partner, and then go get a partner who is a dick is just the worst."

"Agreed, I would imagine so."

"Let's talk about good things, you and Niall?"

"Ah," she exhaled dreamily. "Love that man."

"He seems like a handful."

"And he is, but he's my handful." She grinned. "He's my best friend, I love that we still talk and talk like we used to. That's always the bad thing about relationships, they get so comfortable and normal, the spark fades to a flicker but... all these years we're still glowing."

"Oh," I gushed.

"I know," she giggled. "He makes me so happy and so safe. We stayed up so late the other night talking about everything, the future, careers, why we don't have those bad ass hover boards like in Back to the Future. I love that he's goofy but he can be so serious and gentle."

"Niall, serious?"

"That's the misconception, most think he's so carefree and silly but he can be very intense and serious. When he's mad? Holy crap, get out of his way. When he thinks I'm in danger? He turns into a secret servicemen and a street fighter."

"Why would he think you were in danger?"

"Last weekend we went into the city at this loft party, a friend of a friend type deal. We like to be out and about," she smiled sweetly. 'But this guy was hitting on me relentlessly and Niall had been in another room watching this game on TV. I was with some girls I knew. I went and told him I wanted to go and was uncomfortable. I went to get my coat and the guy was totally blocking me out of the bedroom and was trying to get physical. Niall came in and beat his ass."

I gaped. "Are you serious?"

"Oh yeah, he went ballistic, he decked him right in the face, stomped him like he was a feather even though it was a pretty big guy. He grabbed me, wrapped me up tight and didn't let me go till we were safe at home. Then he looked me over, held my face, asked if anything was put in my drink, fixed me up some tea and cuddled me on the couch.' She smiled. "Street fighter to my cuddle bug, in a matter of moments."