craving - n.j.h

twenty one

My eyes slowly opened to be blinded by the strong light of the sun from the windows shining down on me. I shut them again and pulled up the covers to my chin. This bed was extremely soft and the fabric surrounding me felt amazing against my cold skin. I curled my toes, stretched out my legs and yawned. Everything felt great exept for the headache that was pounding in the back of my head. It was most likely caused by the amount of alcohol I consumed last night.

My eyes traveled to the floor to see Niall sitting up against the wall with a blanket wrapped around him; He was asleep. Niall's blone fringe had fallen down to his forehead - almost covering his eyes - and his lips were slightly parted. I flinched when the sound of something chrashing into the ground downstairs filled my ears. Despite his tattoos, he looked very young.

Niall's head snapped up and his pupils dilated as a confused expression spread across his face. His head fell back against the wall again and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Seriously, Michael." He goraned with a raspy morning voice and let out a sigh.

"Good morning." I said quietly, sitting up.

"Morning, Ella." My heart fluttered at his words. I just woke up by his side. Well, not really by his side because he is on the floor and i'm in his bed - but despite that, sounded amazing in my ears. Niall pushed his hair up and away from his forehead and remained silent.

"Thank you.. for last night." My words came out almost like a whisper. His eyes darted to mine and a small smile pulled at his lips making me, without thinking, return the gesture.

"It was nothing, really." He shrugged and stood up from the floor, yawning. "Are you okay?"

"I guess so." I nodded, but my voice cracked. I've been awake serveral times in the middle of the night just to break down and cry, and I haven't slept very well, if not at all. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand, probably making the black, smudged makeup underneath my eyes look even worse. I must look horrible.

"I should get cleaned up." I chuckled looking at the mess of eye makeup on my hand, so I stood up and tried to find my way to the bathroom. In the middle of the corridor there was an open door; revealing a small bathroom. I locked the door and looked into the mirror, examining the exhausted face of mine. I was right, my eye makeup was smudged over what looked like half of my face and I looked absolutely ruined. I did my best trying to remove the remains of makeup with some water and a strange smelling soap.

As I walked into Niall's bedroom again he was sitting on the bed with his hands in his lap. His head snapped up with his eyes rested on my figure. His cheeks flamed and his eyes flickered away from me, focusing on the desk across the room instead.

"Uhm, I- We should go downstairs and get some breakfast. If you'd like." He stammered and pushed his fringe back into place.

"Sure."

Niall whispered something under his breath and stood up from the bed. My fingers laced to the fabric of his t-shirt, holding it in my hand. I was standing before him in his extremely - for me - oversized t-shirt. He has seen me like this before, but now he's blushing like crazy and I couldn't help but let out a stupid chuckle. How did I all of a sudden feel so comfortable around him? Last week I couldn't even stand the thought of his presence.

"What?" I grinned and picked up my jeans from the floor to put them on, I couldn't stand there not fully dressed all day.

"Nothing .. You just.." I tried to tone down the childish grin that was plastered onto my face by letting out my hair and thinking of something else. Niall walked over to the blankets he slept on that was lying on the floor and picked them up to shove them into the closet.

"Aren't you going to fold them? They'll get wrinkled!" I chuckled and walked over to the closet where he stood and pulled them out again.

"So you're my mummy now, great." He groaned and put his hands into his pocket.

"Oh come on." I sighed and folded the blankets before putting them into the closet again.

"I'm going to have some breakfast." He said and exited the room. I justruined his mood by folding his blankets, great. Back to good ol' grumpy Niall I guess.

I followed him downstairs to see Niall talking to someone who I assumed is Michael, since he is the only one around. The big, now familliar kitchen was pretty untidy; There were plates and all kinds of trash littered across the room.

Michael is a tiny, yet muscular guy with styled, shiny white hair. He wore glasses and a green t-shirt and looked like your average frat boy, despite how tiny he was; And his dyed hair. He was merely a couple of inches taller than me.

"And this lil' beauty is?" Michael shot me a flawless smile at me as I walked towards Niall and him.

"Um, I'm Ella." I said, giving him a polite smile.

"Ella, is it? That's a very pretty name. I saw you last night and was taken aback by how hot you are.."

Oh my god, give me a goddamn break.

"Drop it, Michael." Niall snapped with anger behind his voice.

"It's okay Niall.." I whispered and gave him a nudge on is arm with my elbow. Michael probably heard and I did my best to cover it up with a bright smile and a faint chuckle.

"I have work in a while, so i'll better get going then." Michael looked at his watch. "See you around, cutie."

Work. Shit, I have to be at the bookstore soon. I pulled out my phone from my pocket to see what time it was.

I am late for the first day of work. Of course something like this had to happen.

"I've got to go, now." I stated as I slid my phone back into my pocket.

"What for?" Niall asked as a frown took over his features.

"Work. I'm already late." I said hastily and rushed to the front door to put my coat on.

"So what?" Niall said as he followed my footsteps, obviously annoyed.

"It's my first day, Niall. I should really not be late." It sounded a little bit more harsh than I wanted to.

Niall leaned up against the wall, watching me put my boots on.

"You really have to go?"

"Of course I do!" I snapped, tucking the front of my t-shirt's fabric into my jeans so I didn't look like a complete slob. Well, his t-shirt. I tightened my pony tail and put the little fall-outs of hair behind my ears.

"Fine." He sighed and pushed his fringe back. "You can use my car if you'd like."

My head snatched up to see him holding out the keys to his car towards me. This is not the kind of reaction I expected from him.

I took the keys into my hands and stood up.

"Thanks." I said quietly and took a deep breath.

I didn't know if I could hug him or kiss him goodbye. A part of me really wanted to do it but I pushed those thoughts back and opened the door to leave. I shouldn't do this with him.

"Bye." I smiled a stupid half smile and rushed down to his car.

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thank you for 100k reads, guys! you are incredible. x

and i'm sorry this chapter is kind of shitty and rushed but i really wanted to put something up because i didn't update on wednesday like i was supposed to. sorryyy x

but i hope you enjoy this book so far. im so excited to write more. boyaah!