The next day, I wake up and it’s past noon. I spot a note on my door and get up the read it.

Lucilia,

Dad and I have gone out for lunch with friends from church. We didn’t want to wake you up, so we let you sleep. Be safe.

Mum

I look around my room and see that Hotshot isn’t there, so I go downstairs and find him eating his food. I smile and go back upstairs. Hotshot follows me upstairs to my room and I talk to him about all my problems.

I tell him about how important Niall makes me feel, and that I wish Niall lived closer so that we could talk more. I ask Hotshot if our friendship is progressing to fast. He answers with a bark, so I don’t know if he’s saying yes or no. I go with no. Suddenly, I realize that Niall still has my hoodie from when I had draped it around him. Great. It was my favorite hoodie, too. I throw a pillow at the wall and pick up my phone, texting Callie. I ask her if she wants to come over and she answers saying that she and her boyfriend are on a date. Seems like everyone’s got someone but me.

I have always been a wallflower at school, slipping past the popular kids and the nerd and geeks without a word. The teachers never really call of me in class, even though I raise my hand for almost every question asked. I guess in a way, it’s good.

I almost feel like going back to sleep, but my body is itching for a jog and there’s nothing to do at home. Why not? On the way out the door, I grab a family sized bag of chips and a can of Sprite.
Hotshot doesn’t follow me this time, probably because he is full and tired from his breakfast.

Making sure the front door is locked, I jog through the woods until I reach my place. I find something hanging on the big tree and frown. What could that be?

I set my can my sprite and bag of chips down on the ground and walked towards the tree. I jumped up, trying to reach the bag. Damn it. It’s too high up. I jump countless times trying to grab hold of the bag. I’m not short, but the bag is just to far out of my reach. I jump up one last time in attempt, and suddenly, I feel hands on my waist pushing me up. I scream while grabbing the bag.

“Calm down, Luke,” I hear Niall laugh.

Oh thank god.

When he sets me down on the ground, I turn around and hit him with the bag until he begs me to spot.

“Damn it, Niall!” I yell, hitting him one more time. “What the hell makes you think you can scare me like that?”

“Sorry,” he blushed, holding his hands up. “I was just trying to help.”

“You could’ve at least given me a heads up,” I glare, opening up the bag. Inside it is my hoodie, the one I gave Niall yesterday.

“You put this up there?” I ask. He nods, smiling cockily. Geez. You could’ve put it a little lower.”

We have a stare down until I smile and my smile grows into laughter. He laughs too, sticking his hands in his jean pockets.

“So, you’re out here again?” I question, sitting down on the ground. I grab the chip bag and rip it open, pulling a handful of chips out.

“Yep,” He nods, sitting down beside me. He takes the chip bag and pulls some chips out for himself. It’s kind of nice that he knows he doesn’t have to ask. It’s nice that he knows its okay.

But when he tries to take my sprite can, I slap his hand. He laughs and sticks to his chips.

All I hear for a while is the sound of chips crunching in our mouths and the water from the stream.

“Hey, where’s Hotshot?” Niall asks out of the blue, grabbing some more chips.

“I don’t know,” I shrug. “He didn’t follow me.”

Niall frowns, and our eye lock. “Is it because of me?” he suggests. “I mean, you told me it’s normally just you and him. Maybe he doesn’t like me.”

“No, it’s not that.” I assure. “He decided to stay at the house sometimes.”

Niall nods and hesitates before pulling a phone out of his pocket. I assume it’s his.

“Um, can I get your number?”

I suck in a breath. No one has ever asked for my number before, besides Callie. Not a guy though. I nod faster than I should and take his phone. I add my number to his contacts and put my name in. Then I pull out my phone and tell him to give me his number.

“Now I don’t have to come all the way over here to talk to you,” he laughs.

“Wait, you’ve thought about talking to me?” I blurt out. Shit. That was supposed to remain a thought inside my head.

“Of course I have,” Niall nods, oblivious. “You’re a very nice person.”

I smile involuntarily, looking down so he won’t see me blush.

“Do you think I’m a nice person?” Niall asks, looking straight at me. His gaze makes me nervous, and I don’t know why. I never get nervous. The only time I’ve ever been nervous is when Hotshot broke a plate and I had to take blame for it.

“I do,” I answer, keeping my head low. “You’re a nice person, too.”

Niall’s smile makes him glow.

“So,” he begins, folding his legs slightly. “I feel like I know you, but I really don’t. What’s the basic info I should know about you?”

“Depends on what you mean by basic info.” I giggle, folding a dead leaf into smaller portions.

“I guess we could start from the favorites.” He shrugs. “Favorite color, go.”

“Red.”

“Nice,” he smiles. “Mines red, too. Favorite food?”

“Pizza.”

“Fair enough.” He laughs. “I don’t have a favorite food. I love all foods. Okay. Favorite song?”

“Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra.”

“No way! That’s one of my favorites,” he agrees. “ but my favorite is Viva la Vida by Coldplay. Favorite animal?”

“Yorkshire terriers.” I grin, instantly thinking of Hotshot.

“I like giraffes,” Niall says with a straight face. I burst into laughter.

“Why do you like giraffes?”

“Because they’re tall,” he shrugs, and small smile playing on his lips. “Favorite sport?”

“I’m not really into sports,” I say. I wonder if that will make him think I’m not cool enough. Then I wonder why I even care what he thinks. Because I do not care what people of me. Right?

“But don’t you go jogging every morning?” he asks. I nod in answer to his questions. “So aren’t you kind of into cross country and track then?”

“I guess,” I shrug, though I’m not really into the actual sports. I just jog to clear my head.

“Well, to make it fair, I’m shit at sports, too.” He laughs. “Though football is fun.”

Niall continues asking me about small things like this until the chip bag is nearly done and Niall is thirsty, begging for my Sprite.

“I don’t want your nasty spit on my drink,” I laugh, running to stand behind a tree with the Sprite can in my hand.

“But I’m thirsty, Luke,” he cries, running after me. Right when he thinks he’s got me I sprint off farther into the woods. Niall is chasing me. Damn, he is fast.

But I’m faster.

And I know the woods. It’s my second home. I dodge past the familiar trees and jump over the hidden tree roots, secretly praying Niall won’t trip over them. He’s yelling my name and I’m screaming in laughter as I continue to outrun him. It feels good to run. It clears my mind and sets my heart free. It’s refreshing.

Unless there’s a lunatic running after you.

When I’m nearly out of breath, I realize Niall isn’t. He running towards me with a grin on his face. I scream and take off again, but this time, I’m too late. His arms latch around my waist and pull him too him, stopping me. I’m laughing so hard, and I’m so out of breath. I begin to feel a little light headed. Niall chuckles and grabs the sprite out of my hand, taking a long, sickening drink from it.

“You can have it,” I pant, glaring at him. I try to look scary, but instead I start laughing again. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my life. I do believe I already said that.

Niall happily gulps down the remainder of the Sprite and throws the can at me. I catch it with quick reflexes and throw it right back at his face. Unfortunately for him, he isn’t quick enough so it hits his pretty little face.

“Ow!” Niall yelps staggering back.

“Sucker,” I mumble, trying not to laugh.

When we calm ourselves down, Niall runs his hand over the bark of a large, tall tree.

“You ever climbed a tree before?” he asks, still looking at the tree.

“No,” I say. I watch in curiosity as Niall gets a good grip on the tree bark, and then he’s climbing it. One foot after a hand, one hand after a foot. He’s up on the first branch in no time. I stare at him, wondering what I’m supposed to do.

“That’s cool.” I shrug. It’s fantastic, amazing, fun. And I want to try. But I know if I do, I will chicken out.

Niall jumps down from the sturdy branch and lands on the ground with two feet. He’s better at this than I thought.

“Want to give it a go?” he asks, gesturing to the tree. My eyes widen.

“Oh, no,” I shake my head furiously. “I’m good.”

“Come on, Luke,” Niall snorts. “Live a little.”

I don’t know how, but Niall convinces me to give it a go.

I place my hands on the tree bark and grip it. It hurts my hands but I shrug it off.

“Now, put your left foot on the tree bark and right your right.” Niall instructs. I do as he says, and suddenly, I am no longer on the ground.

“Good,” Niall says. He moves around the tree so I can see him as I climb. “Keep going. Keep looking up and move your hands and feet in sync. Don’t look down.”

I make in to the first branch without falling. I throw one leg over the branch and use my hands to scoot down the branch.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Niall shouts from below. He doesn’t need to shout. I’m not deaf.

“Easier than I thought,” I laugh from above. I watch, swinging my legs and Niall climbs up and joins me on the branch.

“How’d you learn to climb a tree?” I wonder out loud.

“My brother taught me,” he smiled proudly. “He’s a great lad.”

I grimace, wishing I had an older brother to teach me how to climb a tree. Or someone, anyone so I wouldn’t be alone in the house.

I am a socially awkward person.

Niall puts his arm around my shoulders again, the way he did yesterday. “What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“How much I want a sibling, I guess,” I answer truthfully. Niall laughs gently and shakes his head.

“Siblings are cool,” he nods, “but they can be a handful. Especially a brother. He would be teasing you and messing around with you and it would probably make you so mad. But I guess he’d be there to protect you.”

“I know.” I sigh. “I just wish I wasn’t so lonely. I just want friends, and a supportive family, and a happy ending.

“You know,” Niall says softly. “Sometimes it’s more about the story than the happy ending.”

“But I haven’t got a story to tell,” I complain. “I’m probably the most boring person you will ever meet.”

“Well then,” Niall smiles. “I guess we need to get a story started.”

I slowly grin.

“Chapter one,” Niall announces loudly, “Luke climbs up a tree with a crazy guy.”

Niall winks at me before he jumps down.

“Chapter two,” he says from the ground, “Luke realizes she’s going to have to jump down after crazy guy jumps down.”

Oh no.

I didn’t not think about how I was supposed to get down.

“Niall,” I whimper. “Oh my god, I can’t.”

His face softens. “Come on, Luke. If you can climb up, you can jump down.”

“I’m going to fall.” I’m nearly crying.

“Don’t worry,” Niall says. “I’ll catch you if you fall.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh, how very heroic of you.”

Niall’s laughs but his expression remains serious. “I promise, Luke.”

“Swear?”

“I swear.”

I gulp and un balance myself from a sitting position, my bottom halfway off the branch. I push off with my arms and let go.

Yeah, I’m falling.

Just as I prepare myself for the pain of landing on the ground, strong arms catch me, one arm under my calves, the other latched around my back. I cover my eyes in relief, letting out a deep breath.

“Am I dead? Am I in heaven?” I ask, serious as ever. Niall chuckles. I feel his laugh vibrate through his chest. He sets me down and pulls my hands away from my eyes, one of my hands in each of his.

“Are you alive?” he asks. His face looks adorable. “Should I call the emergency?”

“I think I’ll survive.” I laugh. Niall lets go of my hands.

“See? I promised I would catch you and I did.”

“I know,” I blush, suddenly recalling how I had landed in his arms.

“Chapter three; Crazy guy saves Luke.” He praises himself, flexing his biceps and kissing them. My lord, his biceps. If he had caught me without falling back, he had to be strong. I bet him saying he was bad at sports was only so I wouldn’t feel pathetic of myself.

“Want to climb up and try again?” he asks. He already knows my answer.

“No way.”

He laughs loudly slings his arm around my shoulder.

“Oh, and by the way, you are not a boring person.”

I didn’t realize he paid so much attention to everything I said, but he did. I guess that means I need to be more careful with what I say.

“Race you back?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

“It’s on,” I smile wide, taking off with Niall bolting after me.

Notes

Chapter 3! What can I say