Lights (2013)

59

Twenty minutes later my hair and makeup is done and I wait in the bathroom for Eleanor to pick something for me to wear. She finally opens the door, holding a black dress out for me. It's strapless and has a gold belt around the center.

I eye the dress carefully. "That looks..."

"It will look amazing on you, so put the damn thing on." She shoves it toward me and I swiftly slide it on.

"I told you," Eleanor smirks. I'm not usually one for strapless dresses, but this one hugs me perfectly and lands about mid thigh. My hair is natural once again (shocker) and my lips are a cherry red.

"Niall's here!" Louis yells from the dorm.

"Tell him to hold his fucking horses!" Eleanor shouts back. She turns to me and spritzes perfume on me. I accidentally inhale while she sprays it, and end up choking.

"Jesus, El," I cough.

She laughs before putting the perfume back on the counter and opening the door. I continue to cough as we walk out to Niall and Louis, who are laughing about something.

"Are you okay?" Louis asks me.

"Eleanor--sprayed perfume in--in my mouth," I sputter.

Niall laughs and Eleanor rolls her eyes. "Man up," she says to me as she slips her hand into Louis'.

Niall smiles shyly at me as we walk behind Eleanor and Louis.

"You look great," he says.

"Thanks," I say, blushing. He doesn't look too bad himself. He wears a tight white t-shirt and jeans, his tattoos prominent on his biceps. His hair is in its usual style and I can't help but remember when I was drunk and asked to feel his hair. I clench my jaw at the embarrassing memory.

Louis and Eleanor get into Louis' car and I follow Niall to his car. I breathe in the new car smell and Niall winks.

"So where is this place we're going?" I ask.

"The same bar we played pool at," Niall answers. "Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. When I beat your ass." I grin.

"That was unfair, you couldn't go twice in a row--"

"Whatever. I still beat your ass." Niall shakes his head and laughs.

We soon arrive and all walk into the pub. Music blares and busty cocktail waitresses walk the isles of tables, practically popping out of their tops. The pool table is occupied, as is the dart board. We take seats at the bar. I sit between Eleanor and Niall, making small talk with them both. Louis talks about our family back home and tells me everyone is fine.

"Lottie misses having a roommate," he says.

"She's my roommate now," Eleanor says, leaning into Louis.

Louis smiles down at her and I look away.

Niall orders me a drink and I almost laugh at myself for expecting Perrie to be the bartender. I sip my drink casually as the conversation carries on around me.

It's when I look over my shoulder to laugh at something Louis said that I notice him.

Leaning against the doorframe that leads to the hallways where the bathroom is, eyes dark as they bore into me. Black t-shirt stretched over his biceps, tattoos prominent as ever. I part my lips.

I quickly turn back to Niall and try to take interest in what he's saying. Something about graphic design. I down the rest of my drink, trying to shake the feeling of his dark eyes on me.