No. No, no, no. This was never supposed to happen. Niall wasn’t supposed to love me; we were just supposed to sleep together. Feelings were never supposed to develop. “Please say something back.” Niall said and took a step towards me, but I took a step back.

“Ni… I really do like you, but you’re one of my best friends.” I shook my head. “This wasn’t supposed to happen…” I ran my fingers through my hair and sat on the edge of his bed.

“Katie…” Niall sat down next to me. “Believe me. I didn’t think it would happen. I don’t even know how the hell it happened in the first place, but maybe we could… you know, give it a try.” I could almost hear the hope in his voice. I shook my head.

“I can’t, Niall.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t have feelings for you!” I groaned and stood up. “And I feel like a cold hearted bitch having to tell you that, but—“

“Don’t.” He shrugged. “I’d rather know the truth than be lied to.” Niall looked at me, his eyes glazing over.

“If I had known this would have happened…” I didn’t finish my sentence. There was no need to hurt him any further.

“What?” He asked curiously.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “Nothing,”

“Don’t lie to me, Katie.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

“If I had known this would have happened… I wouldn’t have slept with you in the first place.” I whispered the last part with regret. Niall stayed silent.

“Ever?” I shook my head at the hurt in his voice and walked out of the room before I would break his heart any further. I ran to Autumn’s room and knocked on her door.

“What’s up, chicken butt?”

“I can’t see Niall anymore.” I stated as a smirk appeared across her face.

“I knew you would come to your senses. Tell me; what did he do?”

“It’s nothing… I just can’t see him anymore.” I sighed as she let me in. I sat at her desk as she walked in front of me, crossing her arms.

“That asshole hurt you, didn’t he?” I shook my head. “Then what did he do?”

“He… uhm… he told me he loves me.”

“Wow.” Her eyes grew wide as she stood there. “Uhm… what happened to ‘just sex’? If you don’t mind me asking…”

“That’s what I’m wondering.” I sighed and sat back in her chair. “Either way, I called it off.” I shrugged.

“Okay, was this a mid-sex ‘I love you’ or own free will?”

“There’s a difference?”

“Yes…”

“Own free will.” A smiled spread across Autumn’s face. “What?”

“He loves you!”

“Yeah. I heard him say it… I thought I told you this?”

“You should go give him a chance, Katie!”

“I can’t do that! I don’t have the same feelings for him! It’d break his heart to have me lie to him!” Autumn placed a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow at me. “Oh, no. I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t like him. It was strictly a ‘friends with benefits’ thing for me.” Autumn crossed her arms and waited. “Autumn! I swear I never saw him as more than a friend!” Seriously, how could she not believe me?!

“Katie… think about it.”

“Autumn, if I felt the same, wouldn’t my heart have done some weird flutter thing? Or I would have at least thought something other than ‘no, this wasn’t supposed to happen’.” I stated matter-of-factly. “I thought you hated him! Why are you trying to convince me to give him a chance!?”

“That was before he said he loved you! I thought he was just screwing around with you, which… I guess that’s what it started out with, but he’s actually got feelings for you! The Tinman does have a heart!” I stood up and walked towards her door. “Wait, where are you going?”

“My room. I’m afraid you’ve hopped onto the loony train.” Autumn laughed as I walked out and went to my room. Niall couldn’t have real feelings for me, could he? That’d be ridiculous. This whole ‘friends with benefits’ thing was his idea!

Niall: I really think we need to talk about this.

I ignored his texts that night. And his calls. And his voicemails… all sixty-two of them.

The next day while Harry, Autumn and I were out for lunch in the school cafeteria, Niall walked past and waved awkwardly. I smiled and continued my conversation before Harry nudged Autumn. “We’ve gotta get going… we have a date.” Harry smiled and they ran out. I shrugged off their strange behavior and tried to finish up my lunch.

“Okay, one: it’s rude to screen phone calls and texts,” I looked up and saw Niall sitting down next to me. “And two: we really need to talk about this.”

“We did, Niall.” I sighed and turned to face him. “I just don’t feel the same about you… you have no idea how sorry I am about that, though.” I tried to move closer to him, but he just moved back.

“I think that’s bullshit.”

“Niall…” How could he not accept my apology? “I really am sorry—“

“Not that.” Niall rolled his eyes and leaned in. “I think you do love me.” I opened my mouth to protest, but Niall held a finger to my lips as he continued. “I think you love me… but you’re scared because I’m the ‘player’ on campus and you’re afraid I won’t be faithful.” This guy was out of his mind. I honestly just didn’t love him! “What you don’t know, is that I would treat you like gold.” I moved his hand away from my mouth and crossed my arms. “And believe me when I say that I’m going to fight for you… and no matter how long it takes, I will win.” And with that, he was gone. I watched as he left, my mouth hanging open.

~*~

The next few weeks, I had hardly seen Niall in class anymore and whenever I did see him, it reminded me of the conversation we had in the cafeteria. “And no matter how long it takes, I will win.” It completely rattled my brain.

“He seriously said all that?” Autumn asked as I paced her room.

“Yeah. And get this; he said that he’s going to fight for me.” Her eyes got bit. “And that he’ll win me, no matter how long it takes.”

“Katie this guy really loves you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t love him!” I groaned and plopped down onto her bed. “I’m an awful person, aren’t I?”

“No.” I sighed in relief. “You’re just causing someone who’s deeply in love with you the worst pain imaginable.”

“Gee, thanks.” I rolled off the bed and began to pace the room again.

“Stop that! You’ve been doing it for weeks and it’s getting annoying!” I stopped pacing and began to tap my foot. “Oh my God.” Autumn mumbled and sat me down on her chair. “Sit. Still.”


“Sorry.”

“Look, we should go out… just you and me.” I shrugged and looked out the window, tapping my fingers. “We could go to a club, get wasted, and have a cab come bring us back.” I looked over at my best friend who’s eye was twitching out of irritation. I stopped tapping my fingers and nodded.

“Okay.” I shrugged and looked for an outfit for the night. “Where to?”

When we got to the club it was insane! The smell of alcohol and desperation hung in the air, and I knew I was where I needed to be at that moment. “This is perfect!” I yelled and grabbed a drink off a passing tray. Autumn pulled me to the dance floor and we danced for a while before Harry ‘accidentally’ ran into us. “Really?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“I swear, Katie; I told him not to come.” She promised. “You know I would never do that to you.” I nodded and spotted a familiar face towards the back of the club.

“It’s okay… I see a friend over there. Have fun!” I smiled and made my way through the crowd of people to him. I tapped him lightly on the shoulder and his lovely hazel eyes met mine. “Hey Joseph.” I smiled.

“Katie!” He yelled and hugged me tightly. “What’s it been, like four weeks?” I nodded.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to call, but—“

“Don’t even worry about it.” He laughed. “You know how you can make it up to me, though?” I cocked an eyebrow at him. I was not sleeping with him again. “Dance with me.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him out to the dance floor, grabbing another drink on the way. We didn’t dance nearly and close as last time, simply because Autumn and Harry were there with us.

“Katie! We have a biology test in the morning!” Autumn reminded me over the music. “We should probably get going!”

“Alright!” I said my goodbyes to Joseph, with promises to call him (actually exchanging numbers this time) and walked towards the exit arm in arm with Autumn.

“Stay away from her!” I turned around at the familiar voice, causing Autumn and Harry to stop.

“Come on, Katie. We gotta go.”

“You guys go ahead. I’ll meet you at the car…” I walked towards where the noise was coming from.

“Katie…”

“No, I think I heard Niall.” I walked slowly towards the commotion until I heard a girl screaming. I ran as fast as I could. I pushed through everyone and saw Joseph on top of someone, beating the man within an inch of his life. “Joseph!” I ran over and pulled him off the bloodied man. “What the hell was…?” I was going to be sick. I caught a glimpse of the man on the floor and rushed to his side immediately. “Niall… Niall please say something.” Nothing. I checked his pulse; good, his breath; shallow. “Everyone back up! Give him some space!” Autumn and Harry came bursting through the crowd.

“Oh my God…” Autumn said and my vision became blurred with tears as I tried to get Niall to say something… anything…

“Wake up… Niall wake up…” I grabbed onto his hand for dear life. “Wake up.” Nothing. “Dammit, Niall if this is a way to get me to say ‘I love you’ it’s not funny!” Autumn rushed to my side and tried to pull me away from him. “No! Call an ambulance.” I ordered. Autumn nodded and did as I asked her to. I constantly checked Niall’s heart rate and breathing until the ambulance arrived.

“Who’s riding with him?”

“I am.” I said and followed them out. The whole ride there, I held his hand. “I swear to God, if you’re faking this I’ll never forgive you, you shit face.” The EMT gave me a weird look, but decided to ignore me in the end.

Notes

So so so glad you all like it so much this far! Thank you for your positive comments!
Xx