Just as Much

Niall's POV


I've been tossing and turning for hours, the clock on the bedside table reads 3 am. I do a quick calculation, it's only 6 in London but I just can't sleep. I haven't talked to Erica all week and it's literally killing me. Maybe she'll be awake.



I decided to bite the bullett and just call her, maybe I'll facetime her. I've been looking at that picture Luke took of us constantly. I haven't been able to get her smell and the feel of her skin out of my mind. She's intoxicating.



I've been teased by Harry and Louis so much this week. As much as I've tried to hide my slight obsession with Erica, I just can't. Liam caught me looking at the picture once and literally ripped the phone out of my hand to show it to everyone. I told him I didn't care, he started saying he was going to delete it and almost did before I freaked and pleaded with him not to. That's when they knew. Well, now they're telling me they've always known.



I press send before I have a change to change my mind, my nerves jumping around, lighting my body on fire. I wait while I hear it ticking, I can't help but twitch my feet back and forth, trying to make my face appear calm. My breath all but stops when I see that it's connecting and a big screen comes in view.



“Hello?” I hear a groggy voice but the background is black.



“Erica?” I check again and make sure that I didn't call the wrong person.



“Niall?” Yep, that's Erica. I readjust the covers and sit up just slightly.



“What are you doing Niall?” I hear her clear her throat just a bit and the ruffling of the covers.



“I couldn't sleep. I know it's early there but I haven't talked to you in a while.” I'm so pathetic. I can't even find something to talk to her about.



“Yeah, it's been a while. You know it's five am here right?” She lets out a laugh almost like she was nervous to say it.



“It's five am? Shit, I thought it was six! I'm so sorry! I'll let you go.” I start to fumble with the phone.



“No, Niall it's fine. I'm done with school so it's not like I have to get up early for school, I can fall back asleep. How's everything going?” Her voice is starting to clear up, she's starting to wake up just a little bit more.



“I love South America Erica. I wish we could explore things more but it's just beautiful down here. It's been raining quite a bit but the fans are crazy, it's the first time they've seen us. We're taking a few days off before we do the rest of the shows then I'll be back! Things went fast.” Thank god, I just miss my house, and my bed, my friends, and I miss Erica.



“Oh Niall! I got that internship!” Her brain is for sure awake now, at least a little more excited then she has been, I can't help but let my heart fall. I secretly was hoping that she wouldn't get it for selfish reasons, I don't know if I can go so long without seeing her. I'm almost nervous for her leaving, it makes me sad to think she might forget me.



“Congrats Erica!” I fake excitement. “So what are your plans then?” I ask, I just want to know more, I just want to talk to her for hours.



“Well that's what I need to talk to you about, I was wondering if it would be okay to stay here until like mid July?” She asks nervously, I catch a glimpse of her, it's still dark in her room but the light must have caught her. Her face is make-up free and her hair a little bit of a mess, it makes me smile.



“That's completely okay, I would love it if you would stay.” Way to play it cool Niall.



“Thank you. I guess the fire is a blessing in disguise, I don't have to worry about all my stuff because I don't really have any. I'll just bring all my clothes and bathroom things. It will be like I never even lived here.” I can see her teeth, I know she's smiling big this morning. I can't help but get excited for her but it does make me sad. “I'm just ready for a fresh start. It will be crazy to not clean, you know?”



“What am I going to do?” I ask, I'm selfish but I don't care.



“Oh, well the company will send another person to clean your house, don't worry.” It's not the answer I was looking for.



“No, I mean, what am I going to do when I can't see you?” I say before I even think. I don't care how that sounds, I'm going to miss her.



“Aww is wittle Niall going to miss me?” She teases and laughs just a bit.



“Well yeah, we've been friends forever and I'll be seeing you every day when I come home, I'll probably be lost without you.” I feel like I'm pouring my feelings out, as much as I can at least. I want to just tell her everything but don't want to do it over the phone.



“I think you'll be just fine Niall. Besides, we've talked about this, you'll be leaving for the States in August and then your little mini tour in November, and you're constantly traveling, you won't have any time to miss me.” She tells me, but I'm here on tour now, busier then anything and I still find down time to miss her and want her here with me. This is dumb, she's not even my girlfriend. Fuck, she doesn't even know that I like her like that. “Hey, tell me a story Niall.”



“A story?” I ask a little confused.



“Yeah. I'm tired, I just want to snuggle under the covers, tell me a story.” I can her the covers rustling around again and her face finally comes in clear view, it looks like she's propped her phone up with the covers or another pillow as she pulls the blankets up and around her shoulders. I take a deep breath and swallow because all I want to do is fly home right now and cuddle with her.



“Okay. Well.” I try and think about it when one comes into my mind and I start laughing. “Okay, so when Greg and I were little and we were on a visit with my dad, my parents we're already divorced and we were living with mom at the time so we were on a dad visit. Anyway, dad had to go to work and so he had my uncle come watch us who brought his girlfriend that Greg and I didn't like. So my uncle went outside to fix something on the house and this woman didn't want us to go outside, all Greg and I wanted to do was play outside. So we decided to lock her out. I screamed really loud and she came running over to me as Greg took off outside, she turned around and ran after him as he just started running around the house, I was watching through the window just laughing, I had locked front door after she ran out and finally when he got far enough ahead of her he came in the back door and we locked it. We had successfully locked her out. We thought it was hilarious, my uncle didn't but he later told us he couldn't stop laughing. It's like the best memory I have with Greg.” I laugh thinking about the memory.



She starts laughing, she's been holding a laugh back the whole time I've been telling the story but her laugh is just too cute.



“Oh my god, Niall you're so mean!” She laughs.



“I'm not mean! She was so rude, we just wanted to play outside and she wouldn't let us.” I defend myself, making Erica laugh even more. “Your turn. You tell me a story. I need some sleep.” I yawn, it's close to four am already, meaning we've been talking for so long.



“I can't think of any funny stories. I don't have a brother or a sister, it was always just me.” She gets quiet, I forget she's an only child.



“Then tell me..” I start thinking. “Tell me about your dad Erica.” It's a risky subject, I know he died when she was younger but she doesn't really talk about him.



“I don't really remember my dad that much Niall.” I see her hands cover her face, I hope she's not crying, I would feel awful if I knew she was upset by something I've said. “Well, I do remember this one time.” She starts, this is big. If she's going to share something about her dad I'm listening. I adjust the covers, listening to her voice as she begins her story.



“Well, dad died when I was five, but I do remember this one time, my mom, dad and I went to the beach. My mom took a bunch of pictures so that helps with my memory. I just remember I was so excited to use my new towel, my mom got me a My Little Pony beach towel and I had apparently need it so much. So we just went the beach, dad had brought those beach chairs, you know the low ones, and mom had this massive umbrella. Dad and I spent the afternoon making sandcastles next to the waves, we flew kites, we played with some of the dogs that were let loose on the beach. It was so much fun. Mom got us ice cream and she didn't get mad at me for letting it melt all over my swimsuit. I just remember it seemed like such a long ride home and my dad picked me up and carried me into my room for bed. He used to sing me a goodnight song. I still remember it.” She smiles. “I still remember how he smelled.” Her voice kind of cracks a little bit. I wish I could just sit with her.



“What did he smell like?” I'd do anything to keep her talking.



“Well he used to fix cars, so even if he wasn't working on cars he still had that musky scent of oil and cinnamon. My mom said he used to be a big smoker but when I was born he quit so he was always chewing gum or eating candy so he always smelled like cinnamon. I wish he was still here.” The tone of her voice just breaks me.



“I'm sorry Erica.” I'm not good at these emotional situations.



“Yeah, well life would be a lot different if he was still alive, I'd still be in Miami, we would have never been friends.” She tries to change her tone, make it more cheerful but it's a little fake.



“So that song your dad used to sing, do you remember it?” I ask.



“Yeah, even after my dad died my mom still used to sing it to me.” I hear her start to hum just a little bit, making me smile just a bit. “Don't laugh at me.” She warns.



“I won't, cross my heart.” I make an X across my heart as she laughs.



“Okay, so it's twinkle, twinkle, time for bed, time to rest your sleepy head. Such a busy day is done, friends and games were so much fun. A bedtime story feels just right, twinkle, twinkle say good night.” She puts her hand over her head. “I can't believe I just sand that song do you.” She starts laughing and rolls away from the screen.



“It was good, I liked it!” I can't help but smile. “You're going to have to sing that to me when I'm tired and can't sleep.”



“Speaking of tired, I'm going to go back to bed Niall. Call me later?” She yawns and I'm just still wired, calling her has backfired, I just want to spend more time with her. All the other tours we've been on I haven't called her or kept in contact with but a few text messages here and there, this is just different. I have to tell her I like her when I get home. I have to.



“Yeah, I should try and sleep too. Thanks for talking to me Erie, good night.” I fight with the feeling of calling her baby girl or something stupid like that. I hang up the phone and sit back on the bed and scroll through my pictures, stopping at the one of Erica and I, putting the phone across from me so I can fall asleep looking at her.

Notes

These two are just too cute, obviously I made up Niall's story, I just wanted something funny. :)

I typed up my next chapters on my phone, it was so hard to type with just my thumbs! I commend anyone that does it that way! Way to frustrating for me.

As always, thank you so much for reading, commenting, voting, and subscribing! Hope you all have a wonderful day, stay inside if it's cold where you are!!! :)

xoxo