Chapter six- "Because you're a freak!"
Chapter theme song~ Clean Hands, Alanis Moressette
(I was listening to this when I first started writing this chapter)
Day four
[Freckleton Town Park, 2:00 AM]
Niall's POV
I just couldn't do it. I mean, I wanted to sleep, god knows I did. But I couldn't will my mind to shut off. My mind was swamped with so many questions and I couldn't figure out what it was about her. So after I had spent several hours of restlessly tossing and turning, I had decided to get dressed and go for a walk. I found myself at a park I do not know how many minutes later. I wanted to figure things out in my head. Everything was all fuzzy and incoherent, my thoughts; I couldn't seem to make anything make sense. It felt like it was consuming me. So I decided to take in the silence that filled the night sitting down on an old bench. I gazed up. The glitter that we know as stars speckled throughout the black vortex of space, and for once, the clouds were parted enough to allow me to see them. The cold, northern English air frosted the small town, resembling a pastry glaze, making my breath look like whisps of steam. The tips of my gloved hands began to grow numb as I balled them into fists in my pockets. The air was still. . . So, so still. Not a single leaf was stirred, the previous snow had left everything in the town uncreated with these diamond-like beads of ice, reflecting and bending the light of lights of the street lamps near bye. Making it all look special. I let it all sink in, embraced the fresh air and I found myself exhaling a breath I was not even aware that I was holding.

Everything was quiet, and then this silence I was enshrouded in was broken. I heard footsteps approaching from the distance. Turning around, instead of being an unknown stranger, I found AJ slowly walking along the garden's paths. She hadn't seen me yet. What do I do? Do I go over there to her, or do I turn around and walk back the way I had come and pretend I never saw her? AJ was not particularly what they would call fond of me, so my company would most likely be Rafael's accepted. Besides, I am quite sure that people who decide to take a walk at two in the morning would most likely be working through some things like I was. However, dispute my better judgement, I could not find it in me to leave. Not without saying hi at least.

As causally as I could, I began to approach her. She stopped when she saw me, her eyes narrowed with I mixture of annoyance and suspicion. As much as she tried to conceal it, I could tell that AJ was freezing. Her lips were purple-blue and her heavy freckles looked more like silver-grey smudges more than anything else. "S-so what, you're gonnae start stalking me now?" She huffed.

I couldn't keep myself from grinning. I know I should not have been amused by her contempt for me, but I just could not help it. It was actually semi adorable- a word that I find hard to use when describing someone so boyish and so masculine. I couldn't rap my head around it when the adjective first came to mind. It's stupid.

"Hey," I countered. "This was just a coincidence this time." I raised my hands in defense.

AJ rolled her purple-ish blue eyes at me before letting out an exasperated sigh as she came up beside me. "This still doesn't mean anything," she told me.

We continue along the path in silence.

"Couldn't sleep?"

AJ eyed me for a moment before replying carefully. "No, not really. You?"

"Not really either," we went quiet for a moment again. "Lots of stuff on your mind?"

"Yup," she said, popping the 'p'.

"Well, I don't really blame you. You have got a lot on your plate."

"What do you know about me?" She demanded, her clenched and so did her knuckles. I was not a fan of being decked again.

"I- I dunno. I was just saying." I defended. "I'm Sorry AJ, I didn't mean to offend you." I then mumble.

"Avaline," AJ whispers. I was confused.

"What?"

"My name is Avaline," she says. "Thought you should know, but call me that pretty boy and your nose will be flattened. Got it?" I nodded. Avaline took a step back and looked me over before her face softened. Avaline diverted her gaze to the slush beneath us and we continued walking again.
Suddenly it clicked for me. I understood her. She was scared. I do not know why she was scared, but I saw it in her eyes this was all a facade to keep people out- underneath that strong, brave, fearless, indifferent mask was someone so insecure. She was just like me.

I pulled her in for a reassuring embrace.

"Niall," she started. I tightened my hug.

"Shamrock." She said again.

God I hated that.

"You never really answered my question,"

I took a couple of minutes and pondered, thinking long and hard. Trying to come up with something logical to say, I couldn't rack my mind. There wasn't. It was all illogical- the day we met, the coffee shop, the kiss. . .

I do not think any person would have done any of those things, not how we did them, at least.
Then again, I am not normal. I'm famous, I'm the fifth member of the biggest British~Irish boy-band in the world.

AJ, now Avaline, is a teenage girl, major tomboy, a fighter and distrusting.

"I.. I don't... Know." I finally said. I turned to meet those dazzling lavender and blue eyes of her's. It was at that moment everything seemed to freeze. She looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to do so. Her red and orange hair swept to the left and partly covered her eye and curled in around her jaw. Her freckled skin illuminated by the moon reflected back as almost pale blue, and her lips, a creamy peach colour. It was that moment she seemed frail, delicate, like the smallest thing could shatter her. Although I knew that if I told her that, she'd have no problem knocking me to the floor. AJ had on these styled skinny jeans that sad below her hips and showed off her black belt and plaid boxer briefs, she wore a grey t-shirt with a pullover hoodie.

It all just happened. Maybe it was the coolness of the air or the way the clouds were or the moon- I don't really know how to describe it. I put my index finger under her chin and tilted her head back to kiss her. She jumped, startled by the unannounced action deforestation she took my hand. As our fingers entwined, she surprised me too as she leaned forward and deepened our kiss. It was as if the two of us were always one.

Until she pulled away.

Avaline took a few steps back to distance herself from me.

"Niall-" she exclaimed angrily, her face flushing red, but then she cooled suddenly. At first I thought I was done for.

"I- you. . . " she sighed heavily. "Thanks." Her cheeks burning as she stammered. "No, wait that's not what I meant! I mean, it was nice but I didn't want to thank you for it, not that it wasn't nice because it was. I, you know, was not expecting this. Not that I minded it at all because I didn't- wait, no. What the actual bloody fuck am I saying?!" Avaline's face was glowing pink; like literally glowing as she squirmed uncomfortably. I had completely lost it over her little spiel! I could not hold it in. I bent over and broke out into a hysterical fit of laughter to the point that I could hardly make a sound. Both of my hands were placed on my knees to keep myself from falling over as I cackled uncontrollably. This was too precious- priceless!

I fucking broke the broad!
"Why the fuck are you laughing at me, shamrock?!" AJ demanded.

Now I had really started to lose it. Tears were trailing down my face.

"Because you're a freak!" I exclaimed. Tears were trailing down my face and beginning to freeze.

"I am not. Don't think so highly of yourself, Leprechaun, because you are not even getting to me!"

"Who said I was thinking highly of myself?" I ask. "What makes you think I'm trying to get to you?"

"I- don't even start you little fuck,"

"Little? I'm taller than you"

"By a bloody centimeter!"

"What are you on about? Ava-"

"AJ,"

"Right, AJ, what are you on about?"

She groans in aggravation. I could tell I was really beginning to push some of her buttons. I though only Louis knew how to push some this far. Well, I guess we all have it in us.

"This still means nothing?" I grin.

"Absolutely nothing."
"I've got you hooked, pretty girl."
"Pfft, please. More like the other way around, blonde."
"No, No. I'm pretty sure I had it right the first time. Funny story: for the first ten seconds of knowing you, I thought I was gay."
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I honestly thought you were male and I was really attracted to you," I confessed.
"Good for you, can you just leave me alone now and lemme walk?" She huffs. "Bitte?"
"What?"
"Please?" she reiterates.
"No, can't let that happen."
"Figures," She groans. "You know, this is just borderline creepy."
"I know," I chuckle. "But if you really hated me as much as you say you do, you would have gotten rid of me a while ago."
"True." Avaline rolls her eyes as she slowed her pace. We made our third lap around the park by this point
"Its such a confidence that you kept me around."
"Really?" He raises her brow at me.
"Oh yes," I assure. "Quite an honour that you have allowed me to maintain my place in your presence."
"I guess I could say the same." She sighs. "Maybe you're not that bad."
I smiled inwardly.
Maybe I'm not...

Notes