Time of Our Lives

*Kariann’s POV*

Wow, February was here. I couldn’t believe our senior year was flying by so fast. Four more months and we would be graduating. After graduating… college. Oh, my God. College. I was sitting on the couch, doing some homework when a brisk and fast knock was heard on the door. “Kariann Taylor Young! Hurry your ass up and open this door!” I heard Dakota yelling.

I got up, hurrying to the door, wondering if something was wrong. She was jumping up and down excitedly, holding an envelope. I saw it, the logo. Full Sail University. I stared at her, wide-eyed. “Have you checked your mail?” Dakota asked, coming straight into the house.

The mail. No, I haven’t checked. My mother has been getting it for the past few days. I ran into her bedroom. “Mom!” I said. “The mail! Where is it?”

“Should be on the kitchen table-“

I turned around and started running to the kitchen. I started fumbling with the billion number of envelopes before I came across it. “Shit! Why didn’t she tell me!?” I exclaimed.

“Who cares now!? We got our letters!”

We held up both of our letters, staring at each other. “I’m scared.” I said, staring at the envelope.

“Should we call the guys?” Dakota asked.

“I don’t know…” I said, staring down at the envelope.

“Shit! Kariann, you’re making me nervous!”

“I can’t help it!”

Dakota jumped around. “You know what- no. I’m not going to open it yet. I want the others to be there when I open it.”

“That won’t be until Spring Break!” I reasoned. “That’s a month’s time-“

My phone started to go off. “Hello?” I said, not bothering to ask who was calling.

“Ello, mate.” A British accent said.

Harry. Oh, shit. My heart race picked up. “Hi…”

“You done said that.” He laughed. “Anyways, what’s up?”

I couldn’t find the words to express what was going on. I stared down at the letter. “Dakota and I just got our letters…”

“What!? No way!” Harry said excitedly, “What do they say? Did you both make it in?”

Dakota and I both were going to Full Sail. I planned on going into filming, she into recording arts. Either both of us are going, one of us, or neither. “I don’t know. We haven’t opened them yet.”

“Well open them!”

“Harry, I can’t! What if we don’t make it!” I screamed, scared.

“Well you gotta open it sooner or later, right?”

I stared down at the letter. “I’ll wait.”

His response was a long groan. “Come on.”

“Harry! Shut up!” Dakota yelled. “We’ll wait until Spring Break!”

“That’s forever from now!” He yelled. “Damn it, fine. I’d rather be there to hear the news anyways. I’ll let the guys know. And Kariann?”

“Yeah?”

“You never called to wish me a happy birthday.”

I gaped, shocked by the sudden comment. I swallowed. “Well… I was at school…”

“It was on a Saturday. Bonnie even called.” Harry said. I could practically see him rolling his eyes.

Okay, to be honest, I was scared to call him. I was actually with Alex the whole day at his college and the last thing I wanted to do was call a British boy whose feelings were very apparent to wish him a happy birthday. By the time I got home to even attempt a call, it was too late for him. What’s the point in someone calling for a happy birthday whenever it was the next day in your time?

“Sorry…” I said. “I really was busy though.”

“Visiting that boy?”

That boy. That was Alex’s name to Harry. “Yeah…”

“Well…” Harry said. “The guys and I got special plans for you and the girls during Spring Break, so be ready.”

“Where are we going exactly?” I asked.

“I can’t say. All I can say is bring clothes for warm weather and a bathing suit or two. Preferably a bikini for me.” I felt the heat rising to my cheeks. Harry laughed. “Aw, it’s late. I got work tomorrow. I’ll talk to you soon.”

He hung up just as fast as he called. He did that all the time. I never knew when he would call and I can never call since he’s been busy with work. It was strange. I got a hold of the other guys just fine, so why was Harry so hard to get a hold of? I swear he did it on purpose though, just to push my buttons.

He doing one hell of a job too. He would call, point something out to me and leave me hanging by getting off the phone. It was driving me nuts. There was nothing I could do though, so I would let it go.

Dakota decided to hang out for a while so she sat down at the recliner, lazing on it as she stared up at her letter. She threw it on the floor, giving up on its contents. I continued on my homework. “So, what did Harry want?” She asked, curious.

I froze in the middle of my writing. “Well…”

She turned her head to grin at me. “I know he confessed to you, no need to hide it.”

“But still…” I said, sighing while putting my homework down.

“At least tell me how you feel. Be honest, I could care less what either boy thinks too. I’m only worried about you and your feelings right now.”

I chuckled at her. “I don’t know what to think, though. Ever since he came out with his feelings, I can’t seem to stop myself from wondering.”

“About what?”

“I love Alex, yet he doesn’t have that sense of understanding Harry does. Even if Alex and I have been through so many breakthroughs, we always manage to come back together.”

“Also, you two have been together since seventh grade, right?” Dakota asked.

I nodded. “Other than the time we broke up for eighth months, yeah.”

“But what if you were in a relationship where you didn’t get sick of each other.” Dakota said. “That happens with you and Stewart all the time. You love each other, then you, not just him, but you become so sick of him and his childish ways. Stewarts in college now, and you’re going here in the fall. You’ll be all the way in Orlando and he’ll be stuck here. I know for a fact he won’t fly out to see you-“

“How do you know?” I challenged. “I don’t even know if I got accepted to Full Sail yet, either.”

“He’s in college.” Dakota said. “He has family. You have college. You have family, now your friends with boys that live overseas that you see less often than him. Your life will be even busier. He’ll start nagging again and complaining how you never see each other and blah, blah, blah. It’s Stewart. He’s clingy.”

“You make it sound like you’re in for Team Harry.” I said. “What happened to you supporting me and Alex being together?”

“I did and do support you.” Dakota said. “Alex isn’t a bad guy and I honestly see that you love him. I supported you because nobody would stop giving you shit about him because of what happened whenever you broke up. They didn’t want to see you hurt again, but they couldn’t see how you two moved on front that.” She let out a breath. “Now, the only reason I support Harry is because he’s actually changed. From what I’ve been told, he’s stopped drinking – which I bet he still does, but he stays sober enough to know what the hell he’s doing, and he stopped hooking up with random girls. He’s doing all of this for you and he wants to become a better person for you, and I support him for that. Alex… he hasn’t done anything from what I’ve seen. Well, I don’t know since I don’t hang out with him, but it’s not like you’ve come to me telling me any big news about him either.”

She grinned, looking at me. “Plus, just think about it. Harry Edward Styles. Biggest star in the world and you’ve stolen his heart.” She held up her fingers as she started naming off stuff. “He’s hot. He’s British. And honestly the most considerate guy we know.”

“You’re hilarious.” I rolled my eyes.

“Kariann, say what you want, but even I can see that you love Harry. Maybe not in love, but you love him enough in a way that you’re actually considering risking one relationship to be with him.”

“I just don’t know…” I sighed.

“Nobody does until you do something about it.”

I groaned. “You suck at advice, you know that?”

“You’re talking to a girl who has only been in one relationship.”

“Seriously, though.” I said, looking at her.

“Okay, well, how do you feel when you kiss Alex?” Dakota asked randomly.

I shrugged. “We kiss. Big deal.”

“And with Harry?” She asked, turning her head to look back at me.

Harry? We’ve only shared one kiss and that was when he was drunk. I was so shocked then that I didn’t even know what to think at the time. “Look at that! You’re blushing and touching your lips! You are so into him!” Dakota practically screamed, sitting up and pointing at me.

I stuck my tongue out at her. Okay, maybe I did like Harry a little. No, a lot. I wasn’t in love with him though. Maybe if I found out what it was about Harry that made me like him, I could figure out my feelings from there.

Yay, something to do over Spring Break. I was risking yet another heartache for me.

Whoop-de-freaking-do.

*Bonnie’s POV*

“So you got your letters?” I asked, staring at my own envelope.

“Yup.” Dakota spoke through the phone. “I’m too scared to open it so I’m waiting until our vaca with the boys to do it.”

I nodded. “I think I’ll do the same then, though I don’t think I got accepted.”

Dakota was silent for a moment. “We won’t know until then.”

I snorted. “I want to go into the modelling industry and my parents want me to be in the medical field. I doubt Purdue will accept me. My community service sucks, my GPA isn’t very high like yours… Let’s face it, I’m too stupid for college.”

“That is not true.” Dakota said. “Girl, with your outgoing personality, you can do just about anything. You have a knack of catching onto situations and making yourself known in that. You are the most beautiful girl I know and you have the personality that any person can fall in love with. You know when you’re being lied to and you’re not scared to confront anything. So to hell with your parents and do what you want.”

Her words of motivation brought a smile onto my face. “And this is why we’ve lasted for so long…” I murmured, looking at the letter.

“What?” Dakota asked.

“Oh, nothing. So how is Kariann?”

“Pretty good, actually, wanna let me fill you in on the details between she and Harry…?”

“Hell yeah!” I screamed in excitement. “Everything!”

I listened as she spoke, squealing every so often. “So is she seriously contemplating Harry?”

“She’s still confused, but it’s obvious that she’s considering.”

I smiled, resting back against my bed. “What a lucky guy to be dating Kariann. They’ll make a great couple.”

“So what about you and Niall? Anything so far between you two?”

I rolled my eyes. “Why are you so dead set on me dating him? It’ll never last.”

“You never know… Can I ask you something… and you be honest about it?”

My eyes softened. “Yeah, you know I don’t mind.”

Dakota took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay… Have you ever even tried to fight for a relationship to last?”

“Whadya mean?” I asked, a little confused.

“I mean that you go from guy to guy based on your own interest. You know, I never encounter a time where you were the one to dump a guy. It was always the guy dumping you.”

“That kind of stings, you know?” I said, sighing.

“I’m being serious though.” Dakota sighed. “I want you to be happy. I think Niall would be great for you. You two like the same things and I know he’ll support you in whatever you do, whether it be delivering babies or striking a pose.”

I chuckled out of amusement, but still. “Niall’s a good kid, but I don’t know…”

“I hear it, you know. You like him. A lot. I’m just saying don’t let the chance pass up before he becomes interested in another girl.”

I sighed. “Fine, I’ll talk to him. I’m only doing this because I love you, okay?”

I could practically see Dakota giving me a cheesy smile. “Love you~!”

I decided to fight back. “Okay, then what about you?”

“What about me?” She asked.

“Who do you like?”

“Nobody, why?”

I smirked through the phone. “There’s gotta be somebody, I swear to it. Once I find out who, I’ll do to you what you’re doing to me right now. You hear?”

“Fine! You have permission to give me payback.” She pouted.

We talked for a while longer before hanging up. I stared down at my phone, highly debating in calling Niall. I looked at the time, doing the math in my head. I sighed, it was way too late to be calling him. He’d be asleep-

Or not. His name popped up on my phone as it began to vibrate. “Hello?” I hesitated.

“Hey!” Niall’s Irish accent broke through. “Are you busy?”

“No…”

“Okay, you mind listening to a song the guys and I wrote?”

“Okay.” I said, perking up some. I was always up to listening to a new song. “Who’s singing?”

“Oh, it’s just me. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Alright…”

I heard his acoustic as be began to strum on the strings. I listened as his soft voice began to sing. Such a romantic song. I immediately fell in love with it. I had no words to describe it. The lyrics were based on true love and the song reminded me of Little Things, only sweeter, if that was even possible.

“What’d you think?”

“It’s beautiful. Who all wrote it?”

“Just us five guys.” I heard the smile in his voice.

“When?”

“Today.”

“Seriously?” I asked, shock. Did it really only take a day to write a song as sweet as that. “No way. Is it going to be on your next album?”

“Nah. We decided against it.”

“Why not?”

“Because… we only wrote the song for the girls we each love.”

My breath caught. What was I supposed to think to that? I decided to challenge what he said. “They must be lucky.” I said, smiling. “Whoever they are.”

“Well, Zayn and Perry have been going at it pretty strong. Liam is back together with Danielle. It’s obvious who Harry’s in love with. Louis’s issue is a little complicated, but at least he knows where his heart belongs. Me, well, gee… I’m quite embarrassed to say it.”

“Really?” I doubted. “Such a waste.”

“She’s an awesome girl, though.” He said. “It’s too bad we can’t be together.”

“Why not?” I asked, feeling up to the question.

“Let’s see…” Niall breathed. “She’s selfish and clingy. She wants to be by her man’s side the whole time. She only wants him to look at her. She’s the type of girl that makes it obvious to others that her man belongs to her. Oh, and don’t get me started on her feistiness with other girls.”

I blinked. Did he seriously remember everything I told him the first day we met? I thought I upset him because I said that. I swallowed, feeling awkward, but he continued. “She’s so sassy, but she’s fun to be around. She has a strange lover complex with her best friend. Her hair is long and beautifully colored. Her eyes are as dark and mysterious as the night. She’s so beautiful, not just her body, but her personality. She sticks up to her friends when they’re put down. She’s capable of making any guy falling in love with her.”

I snorted, which cut him off. “I’m serious.” He said through the phone.

“You sound like Dakota.” I said, remembering her saying the same thing.

“She’s right.” He urged.

I rolled my eyes. “Oh yeah, then why do all the guys break it off with me then? Name one guy on this planet that is even close to being in love with me.”

He didn’t even hesitate. He flat-out said it. “Me.”

I snorted. “Yeah right. I thought it was a crush.”

“It was.” Niall explained. “But ever since I laid eyes on you for the first time, I couldn’t get the image of you out of my head. I could still feel you wrapped around my arms when we hugged. I look forward to every talk we have and I dread the days to see you again. We’ve only met once and yet I’m dying to see you again. I just want to stare into your beautiful eyes and breathe you in.”

My breath caught. I chewed on my bottom lip. “Okay, then. What about what you said to me. I thought you didn’t want a girlfriend, not until the right time and place. A world tour is coming up soon, it’s no time for you to be dating.”

Niall laughed. “Being a part of One Direction, it’s never a good time to be dating. We’re always on the road. It’s just a thing about us guys. The distance is hard, but it’s not like us to give up that easily. I realized that through our last tour. Meeting Kariann and Dakota made all of us realize that there is always hope and whatever bad that comes through, there is good too. From them, I met you, and you taught me something most important of all. I used to think that being alone was alright. I thought I didn’t need anyone as long as One Direction was around. Because of you, I realized just how stupid I was for even thinking that. You taught me how good love can be, no matter the distance.”

I was silent. Just what could I say to that? “I don’t know, Niall. I don’t think I can handle it.” I said, turning over to where I was resting on my stomach and putting my face in my pillow.

“We’re still young. It’s too early for us to completely rely on each other.” Niall said softly through the phone. “It’s true that we want to live out our life and dreams, but we can do it together and apart. Honestly, I can’t see myself with another girl. I just love you so much that I want to show you that I can and will work us out. One way or another.”

Haha, nice Blondie joke there, Niallers. I felt a smile come onto my face. “Well.” I said. “You can’t decide that on your own, you know. A relationship isn’t a one way street.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is…” I said, turning over onto my back. “You can’t decide how this relationship works. So it’s not you who will show that this relationship will work, but us doing that. Right?”

I could just imagine him before me, closing his eyes as he began to smile that sweet smile of his. “Did you just imply that we were a couple just now?”

I felt a grin come across my face. “How does that make you feel, Niall?”

“I think I just saw me life flash before me eyes.”

I couldn’t help it, I started laughing really hard. That boy, I swear, he had his way with me. He made me want to try. I wanted to change to where I can become a supporting girl and let him do what he thinks is good for himself. I knew he would do the same for me. I looked over, picking up my college envelope that so many people would stare up, their life depending on the answer within that piece of paper.

I knew what I would do with it. “I can’t wait until Spring Break.” I said.

“Same here.”

I smiled, closing my eyes. I felt so happy right now. Because of Niall, I felt like half of the world’s questions toward me has been answered. We exchanged our goodbyes before hanging up. I took a deep breath, smiling as I exhaled. God… just… thank you.

One phone call really did change my life for the better.