A Girl In A Million

A wave of heat hits Elsa the minute she walks into the pub, taking the breath from her lungs for a second. Her friend Liam doesn’t push her as she halts in the doorway. Instead, he waits patiently for Elsa to get her bearing.

“You’re alright?” he asks, his voice barely audible above the buzz in the pub. It’s a mix of overexcited voices and the sound of a guitar.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” Elsa assures him. She takes in a large gulp of air to chase away the dizziness from her head and bats her eyelashes slowly. “The heat in this place just took me by surprise.”

It’s quite cold outside as it’s the middle of the winter. Elsa and Liam came to the pub in coats and mittens, which unfortunately did nothing to protect them from the winter winds. Both Liam’s and Elsa’s nose and the points of their ears are red and frozen.

“A drink is going to heat you right up,” Liam tells Elsa as he throws an arm around her. He gives her a smile and tries to wink at her. He isn’t really succeeding, his left eye closes together with his right eye. “Let’s get a beer.”

“I think I need something a little stronger than that,” Elsa replies as she lets herself be led to the bar. “I think I’m going to get a brandy.”

“That’s not a very ladylike drink,” Liam protests, mirth in his voice. He sits down on one of the stools at the bar and Elsa sits on the one next to his. “What would your mother think?”

Elsa knows exactly what her mother would think. She would disapprove because according to her, the only alcohol a lady can drink is wine. She had caught Elsa once drinking beer and she hadn’t been happy about it. (ladies can only drink sophisticated drinks, Elsa, so only wine for you. No girl of mine is going to drink beer.)

Her mother clearly hasn’t gotten the memo that things have changed. She doesn’t know that Elsa and her generation no longer adhere to the old values. Family, standing, and modesty are no longer what people strive for, it’s freedom, peace, and liberty. The youth wants to choose things for themselves and play a part in their own destiny.

Elsa isn’t one of them, the people who are trying to change society. She still listens to her mother and tries her best to make her happy but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t sometimes long to break out. Sometimes she imagines walking away from her home, from the way of life she’s so used to and joining the communities trying for world peace. But she always lets the thought go because she can’t really see herself strike out on her own. Maybe if Liam would go with her, there might have been a chance of it really happening but as it is, Liam is far too content with their way of life to ever consider leaving.

Elsa has to be content with sneaking out to go to the pub, instead. It’s an innocent way for her to rebel against her mother. She isn’t going to notice that her precious oldest daughter goes to a pub with Liam instead of going to the movies with him, but it still feels like to Elsa that she’s making a statement to her mother that she’s her own person. She may own her when they’re at home but during the hour she spends in the pub every two days, she belongs to herself.

It had been Elsa’s idea when they went to a pub for the first time. They had planned to go to the movies but she had told Liam that she wanted to get a drink instead. He had protested but she had convinced him it was going to be fun. They were just going to get a beer and listen to some live music. At first, it had been just that, a way to have fun but after a while, it had become an escape for Elsa. She could let loose in pubs the way she couldn’t at home.
One of the bartenders approaching shakes Elsa from her train of thought. He has slicked-back, black hair, a sharp nose, and piercing blue eyes. His lean, tall body maneuvers between the bodies of his colleagues, avoiding knocking against their arms and spilling the drinks they’re serving.

“What can I get you,” he asks when he has reached them. His voice his harsh in contrast to the soft guitar melody emanating from the back of the pub.

“A brandy, please,” Elsa orders. The bartender doesn’t give her a funny look like she had expected, he just nods.

“And you, Sir?”

“A beer, please.” Liam answers. He smiles at the other man, as polite as ever.

For as long she has known Liam, he has always been well-mannered. It’s the way he’s been brought up, much the same way as Elsa. But with him, it doesn’t look forced when he’s polite, which can’t be said for most boys from their standing. The children from aristocrats are usually very snobbish. They think they still matter, even in this new world.

Both Elsa and Liam know that isn’t the case anymore. Their families and their wealth aren’t as important as they used to be. England may not the classless but the influence of the aristocratic families have decreased immensely these past years. They are no longer the most powerful actors on the world stage, that role has gone to the music artists. John Lennon and Bob Dylan are the once that change things in the world nowadays, not wealthy families of standing.

Elsa’s mother doesn’t know about this either. She still drones on about manners and their high social standing to Elsa almost every day. She keeps telling Elsa she wants her daughter to be well-behaved, with a spotless reputation and ready to marry a boy from their social standing. It sometimes makes Elsa feel like she lives on those classic romance novels like Pride And Prejudice.

Liam is of Elsa’s social standing. He’s been raised much in the same way as Elsa as his mother thinks the same as Elsa’s mother. Both of them think their family is better than others because of their roots. It won’t come as a surprise to someone who knows the both of them that the two women are friends. They’re like two peas in a pod. They’ve been friends for years now and because of it, Elsa and Liam practically grew up together.

Elsa had been three years old when she first met Liam. He had come to her birthday party. He’d been a little boy with short hair and big brown eyes. His nose had been a bit on the large side but it looked good on him. He had wished her a happy birthday. Back then, she’d already been under her mother’s influence long enough to know all about the proper way to behave, so she had politely thanked him even though she had wanted to ask who he was and what he was doing at her party. He had been the only boy at the party and had stuck out like a sore thumb with all the girls dressed like princesses. But he hadn’t been fazed by it and instead of sitting silently in a corner he had started talking to the girls there. Elsa had watched him as he befriended her friends and it had prompted her to talk to him as well. She discovered he was a very sweet boy and ever since that day, she and Liam have been friends.

That was sixteen years ago and both of them have grown up since then. Elsa grew out her hair, got boobs and started wearing dresses. Liam grew until he was several inches taller than her, grew a beard and lost his baby fat to muscles. Apart from their looks, they haven’t really changed a lot. Liam is as sweet and polite as he was when they were kids and Elsa still does anything to keep her mother happy. They may have become more rebellious, but only behind their parent’s back.

“Here you go,” the bartender says as he places a glass of brandy in front of Elsa. He does the same with Liam’s beer. “Cheers.”

“Who’s the person playing?” Liam asks the bartender, as he moves to walk away. He halts in his steps and turns around towards Liam again. “He’s quite good.”

“It’s Joe,” the bartender answers. “He plays here every day. I guess he’s good, but he’s nowhere near as good as the guy who’s going to play after he’s finished. Now that’s an artist.”

“Yeah, who’s that then?” Liam asks eagerly, leaning forward on his barstool. One of the corners of his mouth is turned upwards in curiosity.

“Niall Horan. An Irish folk singer. You haven’t heard a good folk song until you’ve heard one of his.” The eyes of the bartender shine as he talks to Liam. It’s clear he’s a really big fan of this Niall Horan.

“Is he better than Dylan?” Liam asks, his voice tinged with disbelieve.

“Yes, he is, but don’t let him hear I said that. The man is rather sensitive when it comes to Bob Dylan. He’ll probably yell at me if he heard what I just told you. He probably thinks comparing him with Bob Dylan is sacrilege.” The bartender chuckles as he says the last part.
Elsa can’t say she doesn’t agree with Niall. She can’t imagine someone being better than Bob Dylan. The man’s songs are pure poetry, stories told in only a few lines. Dylan is the Picasso, Van Gogh of songwriting. If people tell you you’re the next Bob Dylan, you have huge shoes to fill.

However, she’s not going to say this to the bartender. If the man thinks this Niall is as good as Bob Dylan, that’s his own right. Tastes in music differ per person and apparently, the bartender really likes Niall Horan.

The bartender walks away after having excused himself and Liam turns to Elsa again. He grins at her and asks, “What do you think, is Niall going to be better than Dylan?” Liam knows how Elsa thinks about the singer.

“We’ll have to see, won’t we,” Elsa answers back before taking a swig of her drink. The alcohol burns her throat, giving her the urge to cough. Not wanting to look a fool, she clears her throat instead.

Joe plays another song before exiting the stage. The movement attracts Elsa’s attention. As soon as he’s off of the small platform, a blonde boy walks onto it and sits down on the stool. That must be Niall. Elsa’s breath gets stuck in her throat at the sight of him.

Niall has blonde hair, with brown roots and piercing blue eyes that scan the crowd. He’s small and gangly built from the waist down. The shirt he’s dressed in is tight around the arms, showing off his muscles. But all of that isn’t what has Elsa captivated.

It’s the way he moves, the way he looks around him as he takes in the people he’s playing in front of tonight. There’s a confidence to him that shows through how his body moves that had Elsa eyes glued to him.

And then, his eyes catch hers. What feels like a shock of electricity shoots through her body as their eyes lock. It’s unlike anything Elsa has ever felt before. She had heard other girls talk about it, but she never felt it herself. But now she has.

And Niall must have felt it too because his eyes linger on Elsa. They don’t move away from her when his fingers start to strum the strings and the bar starts to fill with guitar music again. Niall only stops looking at her when he opens his mouth and starts to sing.

“What was that?” Liam whispers from behind her, shaking Elsa from her stupor.

“I don’t know,” she tells her friend in all honesty. She turns in her stool so she’s looking at Liam again. “Niall must like the way I look.”

“You do look good, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you were right,” Liam agrees, smiling at Elsa. Liam likes flattering Elsa, always has and she only loves him more for it.

“Thank you, Li,” Elsa thanks her friend, a blush red against her cheeks. “Now, let’s listen to Niall.”

Elsa turns around again and her eyes travel over the heads in the crowd to Niall playing on the stage. His eyes are closed as he plucks at the strings, the hoarse sound of his voice singing along with the melody he’s playing. The words that flow past his lips are haunting yet beautiful at the same time. Elsa slowly starts to understand what the bartender had been talking about.

Because the Irish boy is good. His voice is full of emotion, tearing at your heartstrings with every word. The lyrics are almost as good as Dylan’s, telling stories in the same way those of his idol do. And he has the crowd in the palm of his hands. Like Elsa, they’re mesmerized by the sound he conjures up with his guitar and voice.

No eye in the place is dry when Niall comes to the end of his set. The last song has all the women in tears, including Elsa.

Niall hasn’t looked at her once during the set but she doesn’t mind it too much. She got beautiful music instead. If it requires the handsome boy only looking at his guitar for him to play such beautiful music, it’s s small price to pay. Besides, when she goes to him to compliment him about his songs, he will look at her again.

Elsa moves to turn around and tell Liam she wants to say hi to Niall when the Irish boy jumps off the stage and starts to walk in their direction. Maybe he wants to talk to Elsa as well. Her heart begins to beat rapidly at the idea.

Niall is indeed heading for Elsa and within seconds he’s standing in front of her with a grin on his face. It looks really good on him.

“Did you like my performance?” the blonde boy asks, his Irish even more pronounced now that he’s talking. “You seem like someone who isn’t afraid to voice their opinions and I really would love some feedback.”

Elsa isn’t too sure if Niall is flirting with her, she is always slow when it comes to these things. But still, he ’s paying attention to her and it’s making her blush. When she answers his question, her voice is high and squeaky. “I really liked your performance. It’s a shame, though, that you didn’t look at the crowd the whole time.”

“You mean, it’s a shame I didn’t look at you?” Niall teases. Normally, Elsa would have been disturbed by the arrogance these words imply but she doesn’t feel that way towards Niall. She can see in his blue eyes that he doesn’t mean it in the way that most people would. There’s no bad attend behind the words he just said.

“I am one of the crowd, aren’t I?” Elsa teases back.

“That’s true,” Niall admits. He takes a step closer and leans into Elsa’s space. “I didn’t look at you because I couldn’t afford being distracted. You’re quite a sight to look at. With those eyes and that smile, you can make a man do all sorts of things.”

“Uhm, Els,” Liam suddenly utters from behind the brunette, shaking her from the spell Niall’s eyes have her under. She turns around to look at him with a frown. She can feel the heat from Niall’s body become less as he takes a step back. “We should probably go home. It’s eleven o'clock. We should have been back home by now.”

“Right, shit,” Elsa curses. She would have loved to stay a little bit longer and talk with Niall but she needs to go home if she doesn’t want to raise her mother’s suspicion.

Elsa turns back to Niall and tells him with a smile. “It was really nice meeting you, Niall. I have no doubt you’re going to hit it big with your music one day.”

He thanks her with a smile and a kiss on her cheek. He whispers into her ear before moving away. “I would love to see you again. You should come again tomorrow.”

“Who knows,” she tells him as she looks him in the eyes. Her heart skips a beat at the intensity of his gaze. Afraid he can see the effect he has on her, she quickly looks away again.

She hops off of her stool and turns her head towards Niall again to say goodbye. “See you around, I guess.”

“Yes, see you around,” he greets back.

“I agree with Elsa here, by the way,” Liam tells Niall as he and Elsa move to walk away. “Your set was great.”

After Niall has thanked Liam, Elsa takes Liam by the arm and after having said goodbye to Niall once again, they walk out of the pub and into the cold night.

Notes

Here is the first chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Please, let me know your thoughts.