We pulled up to an Irish pub that had a live band that was playing some Irish music very loudly and very out of tune. Niall just smiled at me and grabbed my hand to lead the way.

"Are you old enough to drink?" He asked me.

I laughed, "Yes, I am, are you?"

"Legally, no. But I'm a celebrity. I can get a beer if I want."

"Are you all children? You are so young!"

"How old are you?"

"I am 25. I have been old enough to drink for a bit."

"Great, you're buying."

Before I could protest, he directed me into the pub. My stomach growled at me and I realized that I hadn't really eaten anything today. I knew that Irish food was not really compatible with my palate. Walking through the doors a waft of brined meat hit my nose and my face wrinkled in disgust.

"What is that face for?"

"It smells like someone has been brining something for three years."

He laughed at me.

"Niall, I am starving. Is there anything here that hasn't been pickled that I could eat?"

"Have you ever had Shepard's Pie?"

"Is it made with sheep?"

"Well, it is made with lamb."

"You want me to eat a baby sheep?"

He thought about his answer for a moment. "Yes."

I twisted my face in disgust at him.

---

Niall and I started drinking with our late dinner. A couple pints of Guinness turned into several glasses of whiskey that turned into a few Irish coffees. He started teaching me Irish jigs and we were spilling our drinks on people that were passing us by. We were trying to get people to join in on the drunken dancing and singing. Our words were slurring and our heads were spinning.

There were some girls that came up to us and asked us for photos with Niall. They asked me to take the picture and I told them I was a professional photographer and I could do it. It took seven attempts to get a photo that was decent. Niall was either laughing, one of the girls had her eyes closed or I took a photo of their feet.

The girls invited us to do shots at the bar with them, not wanting to be rude, we agreed.

After the third shot with the girls, I turn to Niall.

"Listen, Ireland," the words slurring off of my tongue.

He just looked back at me and smiled. I started to giggle, struggling to find my words.

"No, listen." I tried to be firm with him. "I think that you guys are actually, truly, pretty cool. I mean, your music kinda sucks, but…"

He giggled at me. "It kinda does suck. Just the old stuff."

"What song is the worst for you to perform?"

"Oh, man, if I tell you, you're gonna tell everyone. You're a journalist. I may have had a few drinks, but I remember that."

"What, like your fans don't already know what song you all hate singing?"

"Haha, they might. What Makes You Beautiful is just so hard to sing. I know all the girls love it, but shit, I hate singing it."

I grinned at him.

"Ah, shit. Don't tell no one, okay? The fans always want to hear that one."

One of the girls grabbed Niall by the arm and asked him to do some more shots. He looked at me, daring me to take one more shot with him. I shook my head and leaned in a little too close to his face.

"I am going to the bathroom." I said in a whisper.

I felt my way along the bar, down a sticky hall. My ankles rolled a couple times and I stumbled forward into some guy. He grinned at me and set me up straight.

"Sorry."

"It’s all good, darling. Where you off to in such a hurry?"

"I need the bathroom."

"I'll take you there, but how about you pay me with a kiss?" He smiled widely at me and I could smell the whiskey on his breath.

I don't know if it was all the alcohol I had consumed, but the smell of his whiskey breath hit me hard like a punch to the stomach. My head was spinning, I was retching at the words coming out of his mouth. He pushed me up against a wall and I felt all my strength leave me. My body went limp. He started breathing on my neck and I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"Hey!"

I turned my head and saw Niall. The guy that was starting to fondle me turned to him and removed his hands from my hips.

"This don't concern you, why don't you just go back to your drinks."

"Get your hands off her."

The guy opened his mouth to shout at Niall and that was the final blow. The scent of whiskey flew directly into my nostrils. I threw up all over his tattered flannel shirt.

"You dumb bitch!"

I was still against the wall and I could feel myself sliding down it. My eyelids were heavy and I saw Niall grab the guy before he touched me.

I felt like I had my eyes closed for hours. I only opened them when I was lifted up off the floor. I looked over to my right and I saw Basil with my arm around his neck. I snapped my neck to the left sharply, crying out in pain as I kinked it. Naill's voice flooded my left ear. I don't know what he said, but I knew that it was him. I leaned my head over to him and asked him to take me home.

"We're going home love, don't worry."

I mumbled something, but no words came out of my mouth. I closed my eyes and put my head down to my chest.

---

I woke up in the clothes I had worn yesterday and my head was screaming at me. My contacts were still in, my eyes felt dry and sticky. I rubbed my palm on my eye and a smear of black appeared when I took my hand away. I slept with my makeup on, great. I tossed to my right and flung my left arm out across the bed. Someone groaned when my arm collided with them and I sat upright. I moved the covers of the bed and found Niall next to me in bed, wearing nothing but basketball shorts.

Notes

Fun fact: Posted at midnight MST 2/16/16