Just as Much

Erica's POV

It's been almost two weeks of my usual duties. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I clean Nialls house, Tuesday and Thursdays I go to class from 8am until almost 2pm, I have a night class on Wednesdays and then Saturdays I head to my mom's office and help with extra duties such as payroll. Sunday's I spend napping, and reading. Every week. The same thing.

Of course usually every Saturday, I pull my friend duty and hang out with my very best friend Allison. She's a bit more of a free spirit, always trying to get me to drink more or stay out later. She decided to forgo University and start working when she passed her GCSE's. Safe to say she's usually the life of the party. I can be at times, but I really just want to focus on my studies. When I graduate I will have plenty of time to catch up with her. I have to maintain my scholarship, and I'm not paying my school to fail.

My life is very organized, I have systems. Ways of doing things. And I like to keep it that way. I've already started on my essay to get accepted into third year. I'm still in my second but I need to focus and write my 5,000 word essay with efficiency. My topic as of right now is the Political Importance of Women in Ancient Roman Times. It's difficult to get a lot of research, but that's why I've started so early. Thankfully I've gotten my topic approved by the Professor before hand.

I've laid all my articles and research notes out on the floor, I like to have a visual map of everything before I can compose and start my outlines. My current class of Roman Imperialism has helped me focus a bit more on the topic, as ancient Roman times has always interested me. I even named my childhood cat Nyx, after the Roman God of the Night, helped that she was an all black cat.

After I reorganize my papers and set them aside I decide to get ready for the day. It's Friday, not every exciting but I have to finish up for the week at Niall's house. Greg, Niall's older brother, and his family are coming to visit for the weekend. It's Greg and Denise's first wedding anniversary and Niall invited them to come stay with him for the weekend. He even volunteered to watch Theo while they go out.

I dress in my usual cleaning attire, leggings and an oversized shirt. I've never felt the need to dress up, plus I'm always bending over, reaching up high, twisting and turning all day, jeans don't allow that as easily. My hair is always up in a high pony-tail or a bun, and my make-up, minimal. I dress up more on Tuesdays and Thursdays for class, but I'm trying to look a little professional for my professors, after all, they'll give me a recommendation one day.

I arrive at Niall's a little before nine, I usually come a bit later on Fridays, Niall is never usually up before 10 unless he has to be. I quietly shut the front door and check out my surroundings. All is quiet in the house, I know he has to be getting up soon, they have a tour meeting at noon. In addition to my schedule, I feel like I keep Niall's too. I don't need to, but he's so busy all the time I've helped him devise a system that we write on a giant calender attached to his fridge, and synced with his phone so he gets constant alerts to remind him.

After a bit of sweeping and steam cleaning the floors I notice Niall still isn't awake yet, and his meeting is in an hour. Traffic is never your friend in London either. I let out a huff and decide it's best to wake him. I lean my mop against the door frame and walk down the hall to Niall's room at the end. I need to wash his sheets today anyway.

His door is open, I see him clutching the extra pillow, slightly snoring. The sight makes me smile, I hate waking people up, but I also don't like it when people are late, even if I won't be attending the meeting.

I tip toe to his side and lean over the bed, lightly shaking his shoulder.

“Niall, wake up.” I whisper. I don't want to be too loud. But it doesn't work. “Niall.” I shake him a little bit harder, earning a groan from him. “Niall, you have that meeting. Wake up.” I speak to him this time instead of whispering, hoping to get a reaction. All he does is clutch the pillow tighter when I let out a sigh and decide to rip the pillow from his hands. I complete the task easily enough, only to lose my balance and sit on the bed, Niall's arms quickly encircle my waist. I can't lie and say I don't like this, but he needs to wake up. “Niall!” I abruptly push him and that finally jerks him awake.

“Erica!” He blinks rapidly and realizes where his arms are, the tight grip loosed. “Sorry.” He props himself up on his elbow, wiping a slight bit of drool on the corner of his lip. “Why are you waking me?” He whines and turns on his back to stretch.

“You have that tour meeting in an hour and you're not awake yet.” I tell him, standing up and adjusting my trousers just a bit.

“Oh shit!” Niall flips off the covers and gets tangled in them trying to get off the bed, ending up tripping on the floor, leaving me to burst out in laughter. “Not that funny Erica!” He scolds me.

“If it were me, you'd be on the floor holding your gut laughing.” I remind him, still fighting with laughter.

“I'm gong to hop in the shower quick, can you pick some clothes out for me?” When I just stare at him his face changed. “Pretty please?” Sticking his bottom lip out and clasping his hands together.

“Fine.” I roll my eyes, this happens every so often with us, Niall runs late, not enough time to do everything he needs to before he leaves so I pick out his things and get him something to eat before he leaves. He waste's no time jumping in the shower while I lay out his things on the bed while I head back to the kitchen to prepare him something quick to eat.

I hear the shower turn off as his toast comes up and the coffee starts to drip, waiting just a bit while I put some butter on it and a bit of honey. I add two sugars to his coffee cup and mix it all in, taking his toast and cup to his room.

“Erica!” He yells before I have a chance to get halfway there.

“What Niall?” I ask him in a huff when I reach his room door, seeing a shirtless Niall struggling with his skinny jeans.

“Can you fix my hair while I eat breakfast?” He looks up at me, pleading.

“This is not normal housekeeping duties.” I roll my eyes and mutter under my breath.

“I know, I know, but it doesn't take you so long to do and it stays up better. Please? I wouldn't ask if I had time.” He tells me and I nod, pointing to his breakfast and heading to his bathroom, spotting wet towels on the floor, making me cringe. I pull out his blow dryer, combs, hair spray, and the hair wax I prefer as a fully clothed Niall joins me in the bathroom, dragging the chair from his room.

I start with the blow dryer and round brush, brushing the hair up in the front and down in the back, Niall actually has really thick hair, but it's short so it doesn't take long for it to set. I spritz his hair lightly with the hairspray and warm the wax in my palms to make it easier to work with before I run my fingers through it to make it stick straight. I finish to see Niall looking at me intensely.

“So when are Denise and Greg getting here?” I ask, looking away and breaking the awkward silence.

“Jesus, I forget about everything.” I see him roll his eyes and all but cringe. “I think they're coming a little after three. I should be back by then.” He pulls the chair back to his room and I follow.

“Well, let me know if you're going to be late, I can stay here until you get back.” I offer up my services, I have no idea why, but it's not like I have plans tonight anyway.

“Thanks Er.” He smiles at me as he grabs his jacket and starts to head out the door.

“Niall, wait!” I call after him and hold my hand out. “Your phone.” I smile at him, his life line.

“Thank you.” He sings to me. “See you later darling.” And kisses my cheek, leaving me stunned. Niall has never kissed my cheek so much in a week. I stand, confused for what seems like ten minutes after he's already left before I almost like regain consciousness and head back to his room to strip his bed of sheets and fall back into my routine.

Notes

Ahh,..Erica and Niall. I mean, who wouldn't just melt into a puddle on the floor if Niall kissed your cheek and called you darling? hahaha.

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments, you're all so sweet! Hope everything is going well in your neck of the woods. :)

Happy Tuesday!!

xoxox

P.S.- I had to check to see if it was actually Tuesday, thought it was Friday for a second there...eeks.