Real

Long Way Home

Tessa's POV

That night with Harry was eventful. Or, at least, what I remember of it. Turns out, the only reason that he flipped across the room was because he was so famous. He didn't want to be charged with a lawsuit of rape and have it blow into such a massive scandal, it had happened before.

He was sweet afterwards though. We both had gotten dressed and then walked downstairs, hand-in-hand. The only thing I can't get my head around is: Niall, who was floating around between women all night, ranging from Gemma to Katy Perry, glared daggers at me when he saw Harry and I descend the stairs. Maybe it was at Harry, but still, why would he have done that?

Everything was back to normal later when Niall and I crashed on the couches. Harry had wagged his fingers at us as he made up the sofas.

"Now don't you dare go doing the dirty on these couches. They're nice. At least do it on the floor. Or the coffee table, if you must." He joked.

I was speechless, whilst Niall sputtered. "I-we weren't-not like-oh my god!" He gave up as Harry snickered at our vulnerability and left.

After a while of tossing and turning, I gave up. "Niall," I whisper-shouted across the room.

"Mmnph," he grunted back.

"Are you awake?" I heard a sigh and then movement.

"Now I am. Why?"

"I can't sleep."

" 'S wrong?" You could hear the concern in his voice; it was sweet.

"I don't know."

"Well, what do you wanna do?"

"I don't know."

He laughed. "Gotta give me some-in to work with 'ere." I heard jostling from his couch and the next thing I knew, I felt a hand moving my ankles up and Niall slipping underneath them. I sat up more as he slipped under the covers and tangled our legs together. "Let's just talk, 'eh?" He whispered softly now that we were closer. "So who did you like meeting the best?"

"I met Miley Fucking Cyrus. She acknowledged my existence. She knows that I breathe. It's exhilarating!"I let out a deep breath.

Niall let out a guttering laugh, and we shushed each other. There were other people sleeping in this house, mind us.

"So no new sexy lads, then?" He rubbed his foot on my calf suggestively. "Other than me, a course." He added.

I giggled. "the fact that you think I think that proves you ego is already too big. But, yeah, I kinda had Harry by my side for most of the time."

"So, you and Harry, huh?" He asked in more of a forced tone. Maybe he felt awkward. We had only been "best friends" for, like, two weeks. If even that.

"I'm not really sure, exactly. He's hot and all, but I don't really know him. I doubt is though. Even though it'd be nice, I haven't had a boyfriend in years, he's just so much bigger than me. Little too big for my small-town girl tastes."

Niall snickered, "That's what she said."I slapped his knee playfully. I couldn't really see him well in the dark, but I could definitely see his eyes. They never moved from me.

"Niall, why do you hang out with me so much?" I asked. I turned the atmosphere into a serious mood.

"Tessa, why're you so insecure? 'S like the third time you've asked me this. I like hanging out with you. 'Er pretty smart, funny, and you don't try to get with me like most girls." Oh, Niall, if only I could. Wait, what? "You're just one of the guys, but a girl." I only nodded, still freaked out over my thoughts. "Don't nod; you always do that. I need words."