The One You Call | horan au

eleven

Phoebe's P.O.V.

-

I don't think date nights are meant to exceed six people. I find myself growing irritated as the night drags on but I think it's mainly due to the fact that my new bra is a bit too tight. Savannah suggested that I try it on before l left the store with it but I didn't listen. Now the straps are digging into my shoulders and back, making for a very uncomfortable night. I want so badly to go home and literally rip it off. Maybe if I'm lucky Ashton will volunteer to do it for me.

Savannah sends a wink my way after I announce to the group that Ashton and I are calling it a night. I roll my eyes at her, secretly hoping that she hasn't jinxed me.

When Ashton's hand doesn't leave my thigh the whole ride home I decide that I might have done right by deciding to wear the navy blue set.

I run my fingers under the strap of my bra making the front of my already low cut dress dip down even further, giving Ashton a little show.

"Do you want to come inside for a drink?" I ask as we stand outside my apartment.

"I'd love to," he says without hesitation.

I giggle, trying to get the door to my apartment open as fast as possible. When I do, I grab Ashton's hand and pull him inside, eager to finally have him to myself. That is until I see a familiar blonde lounged on my couch.

"Niall?"

He looks our way at the call of his name. F.uck. I forgot he has a key.

"What is he doing here?" Ashton asks me.

"I don't know," I answer honestly.

"Wait," Ashton begins, pulling a discerning finger up to his lips. "Did you just say his name was Niall?"

Niall looks at me with his eyebrows raised and I quickly look towards the ground. I don't remember telling him that Niall was the name of my ex-boyfriend. But maybe I did and I just forgot. My heart begins to pound and I can feel my neck begin to sweat.

"You told me he was a friend of yours, right?"

I did. When his name came up at the Christmas party. Of course.

"Yeah." I exhale. "I did."

"Cool," Ashton nods to himself, completely oblivious. Niall lifts himself from the couch and crosses the room, over to us.

"Ashton, this is my friend Niall." I say as the two boys grab hands. "Niall, this is Ashton. My boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Niall says, looking over to me.

"Yes," I answer. "Boyfriend."

"Oh," Niall smiles at Ashton before returning to the couch.

"Maybe we should postpone that drink," Ashton says, breaking what I'm sure is about to turn into a very awkward silence.

"I'm so sorry," I tell him. Even though Niall is the one that should be leaving.

"No worries," Ashton says, grabbing my hand. "Another time."

"Sure," I smile. "Another time."

He nods and releases my hand. He starts towards the door while I follow.

"It was nice to meet you, Niall," he says behind his back.

"You too, mate," Niall calls after him.

"Goodnight, babe," Ashton says, leaning down to kiss me goodbye.

"Night," I say, closing the door gently before pressing my forehead against it.

"That was cute," I hear Niall say. He's smirking; I just f.ucking know it.

"I want my f.ucking key back," I tell him.

"I thought you said I could keep it."

"I've changed my mind."

I walk past him and head to the kitchen to fix a drink for myself.

"You're not going to offer me a drink?"

"No," I say into my glass. "You're not staying."

He shrugs before pushing himself off the couch again and meeting me in the kitchen.

"So you have a boyfriend, huh?" he asks, reaching up into the cabinet for a glass.

"Looks that way," I say, flatly.

"He's tall."

"He is."

"What is he?" Niall asks, setting his empty glass on the counter. "Six feet?"

"Six one."

"Ah."

"What are you doing here?" I ask, for once wanting to skip the small talk. I'm still angry with him. But now that he's here I realize that I've missed him. I'll always miss him. So pathetic.

He's retouched his roots since I've last seen him and he's wearing a shirt that I don't recognize. It must be new. He looks as lovely as ever and I hate myself for not having thrown him out by now.

"I've been thinking about you," he tells me. And that's why I keep hanging on, because he says sh.it like that.

"You have?" I say, almost enamored. My stomach still erupts with butterflies at the thought of being on Niall's mind.

"Yeah," he says, his voice drop lower and now he's coming closer. "It's a been a while."

It has, well just over three weeks, but a while for us and honestly its been for the best. I'm starting to feel like I'm worthy of something more than this. But it seems like Niall wants to ruin that for me and I'm almost prepared to let him.

He's now so close that I can smell his body spray. I'm in such a trance I almost don't feel him unzipping my dress. But when I do, I catch it before it can fall to the floor. I know I have to stop this.

"Did you buy this for me?" he asks, running the tip of his nose against my jaw and roaming his finger over the cup of my new bra that I bought for Ashton, the man that I am currently dating.

But I'd being lying if I said I haven't missed this. I've missed his touch, I've missed his warmth but I haven't missed the impact he has on me mentally. Especially when I realize that I'm nothing but a warm mouth to him.

"Stop." I gulp, pushing his fervent hands away.

"Again?" he says. "Phoebe what the f.uck is going on with you?"

I can see now that he's still angry with me for throwing him out previously without an explanation. But truthfully, I should be the one shouting. He is the one that showed up to my house unannounced and made my boyfriend, who I had actually invited in, feel like he needed to leave.

"I have a boyfriend now. I can't do this with you anymore."

He pulls back from me and rubs a harsh hand through his hair.

"Maybe we could try being friends?" I ask, hopeful, but his face contorts and I immediately wish I hadn't asked.

"Friends?" he nearly spits, looking at me with what looks like revulsion.

I nod. "So I can still see you."

"No thanks," he says. "I have all the friends I need."

I shut my eyes, flinching at his words, and I don't open them until I hear the door slam. My lip begins to tremble once I've come to the realization that I might have just lost Niall forever.

When I hear a knock at the door, I pull my dress up in a hurry and I rush over to answer it, hoping that he's reconsidered. But I know this is not the case when I open the door to a stone-faced Niall.

"Your key," he says, utterly.

I nod, holding out my hand. He drops it into my palm and leaves again.