Up All Night

She was still furious. Whenever she thought about it, her blood began to boil. Imagine, her, an aroma therapist! Un-bloody-likely. Marlene resented her mother for trying to control her future; for not listening to what she wanted; and for getting pregnant at such a young age to a boy she’d barely known.

Marlene stormed ahead in the cold, leaving her cousin several metres behind. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this angry. Her vision was slightly cloudy, and red lights fizzed and sparked at the corners of her eyes. Marlene had heard of ‘seeing red’ when one was really angry, but she’d never thought it could actually happen. She always just thought it was a saying because red was the ‘angry’ colour.

She could barely think straight. Her goddamn mother was ruining her life. Marlene stopped abruptly, and Isobel nearly ran into her. The older cousin barely even noticed, and didn’t apologise. Instead, she grabbed her bag and tipped its contents onto the cold, wet pavement, looking for her phone. It sat mournfully on a small build-up of grey sleet, looking like a large black bug. Marlene swore, grabbing her phone and drying it on her oversized knitted jumper before it could sustain any water damage. She bit back the sob that was building up in her throat, and kneeled in the middle of the path, the contents of her bag scattered around her, slowly soaking up water from the melted snow on the concrete.

Wiping her eyes and licking her lips in an attempt not to cry, Marlene turned her phone on and opened up her contacts. She was just about to call Harry – the only person she felt like she could talk to, despite the fact she’d left him in the coffee shop fifteen minutes earlier – when she stopped, another name catching her eye.

Horan, Niall.

Marlene almost laughed, but what came out instead was a watery gurgle.

Looking for a new phone for his mum, my arse, Marlene thought. The boy just wanted a damn excuse to give me his number!

She hesitated, for the slightest of moments, before giving into temptation and pressing the ‘call’ button. Beside her, Isobel began gathering Marlene’s belongings and putting them back into her bag. Marlene didn’t even notice her, nor did she notice the fact that she couldn’t feel her legs anymore. All her focus was on her ringing phone.

Niall picked up on the third ring, and Marlene could almost hear the confidence in his voice.

“Australia!” He said cheerily, “How’re you doing?”

Marlene tried to suppress a laugh, and failed. “That’s a new nickname,” she replied. “I see you lied when you were telling me you were looking for a new phone for your mum.”

The boy chuckled. “Only half-lying, Aus. I really am gonna get a new phone for me mam, but I needed a way to give you my number without Styles wanting to kill me.”

There was a faint shout on the other end of the phone line, and Niall went silent for a few seconds. Marlene thought she could hear a scuffle. “No, Styles! She wants to talk to me!” There was another silent pause, and then Niall was on the line again, panting slightly.

“Your cousin is trying to kill me, Australia,” he panted. “But he’s letting me talk to you if I act as a go-between. So, are you okay?”

Marlene nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I’ll be okay. Tell Harry I’ll be fine.”

Niall related Marlene’s response back to her cousin, and when he spoke again, he sounded much chirpier. “So, ‘Stralia, are you busy tonight?”

“N-no…” Marlene faltered, suddenly realising how cold she was. Her jeans were soaked through.

“Wanna get some dinner with me later?”

Marlene nearly dropped her phone. “L-like a… like a date?” she whispered.

“Yeah.” Marlene could almost see the smile on Niall’s enigmatic face.

She turned, wide-eyed to Isobel, as if silently enlisting her help. Isobel stood, Marlene’s bag over her shoulder, a confused frown on her face.

Marlene turned her attention back towards the phone. “Okay. Okay, sure. Pick me up at seven?” She rattled off the address and closed the phone, her heart beating fast.

Isobel was in front of her, waving her hands in front of her cousin’s face. ”Tell me what happened!” She demanded.

Marlene looked at her, eyes glazed over, and clambered to her feet, beginning the walk home. “I just agreed to a date with Niall Horan. Tonight.”

The air filled with the sound of Isobel’s excited screams, and it didn’t stop until they got home.