Get Your Kicks

“Yer not the worst person ever, ya know?” Niall spoke up.

I looked over from tying my shirt up to give him a look. I wasn't sure if he was trying to pay me a compliment or if he just didn't want me to break something of his while we were trapped here watching the car. Either way I didn't appreciate the sudden revelation that just maybe I wasn't the devil in female form.

“That award would go to my mother,” I replied.

Niall laughed. He stepped out into the road, looking down the way everyone else had gone as if he was going to see a car coming better from there. No one was coming though and this was starting to feel a little like survivor, what with Niall and I trapped out here on the side of the road.

“I know ye don't get along with Liam,”

“I think ’don’t get along’ is an understatement,” I laughed.

“Ye weren't very welcoming,” Niall answered. It wasn't mean and he didn't say to be hurtful. He was just stating a fact.

“I’m not a huge fan of new people,” I shrugged. It was true. I'd let new people in before, a cute guy that I had a hopeless crush on, and in the end I was lying in a hospital bed and he was gone. The thought of letting anyone else in, of that happening again, was somewhat horrifying.

“Eh, who is?”

“I’m sure it's difficult for you guys,” I really wasn't opposed to hanging out with them. I didn't like new people and Liam's attitude needed serious improvement but Niall was a nice guy. The rest of, maybe not Harry, seemed nice too.

"I didn't really think that it would be but it is," Niall admitted, coming back over to stand next to the car with me.

"Hey," I smiled as the idea came to mind, "give me a lift, yeah?"

Niall laughed but obliged, putting his hands out so I could step up. I got my hands on his shoulders and smiled as he hoisted me up. I grabbed the good of the car and pulled myself up the rest of the way so I was sitting, my legs dangling over the edge.

"Working on yer tan?" Niall joked, using the open window to climb up to the roof.

He sat down next to me and I laid back, placing my hands behind my head. I nodded my head the best that I could in response to his question.

"A friend on mine used to have an old car with a long front...like a Chevy or something...we used to sit on it like this at night," I didn't talk a lot about Alex, especially not around any of the girls but I doubted Niall would ever tell anyone.

"Yeah? That sounds relaxing," Niall mused, "it's kind of hot up here."

"It's freezing at night."

"I know! Ireland is like the attic in winter but even this was freezing!" Niall laughed.

"I hope they found a place to stay, and food...god I'm hungry," I patted my bare stomach, sure that it was growling under my hand.

"Same," Niall added, "They probably ate without us."

"Sounds like my friends," I laughed, "is it hard for you guys? I mean, I've been friends with most of them since middle or high school. You guys have only known each other like...two years."

"We get along well, in the beginning it was weird because I think we were all anxious...but we've gotten used to each other. I mean, they're my best mates," Niall admitted.

"Best mates are essential," I shielded my eyes as I turned my head to look up at Niall, "I think I'm getting sunburn."

"I always get sunburn...it's an Irish thing," Niall laughed.

The sound of a car interrupted my next sentence and I sat up straight to see a tow truck making a u-turn so it could pull up in front of us.

"Saved," Niall laughed.

He slid off the hood of the car before turning around and lifting his hands up, offering to help me off. I took the offer, letting him hold onto my hips and slide me off the van.

"Thanks," we broke apart as the man from the tow company approached us.

"This the broken down car?" He asked, looking at us.

"No, we just felt like hanging around the side of the road," I shrugged and Niall stifled a laugh.

"We broke down sometime yesterday. I don't remember..." Niall trailed off.

"Yesterday, last week, last year...who really keeps time anymore?"

"You two are quite the odd couple," the guy laughed and went on working to rig the car up.

"That's what everyone tells us," Niall shrugged.

I couldn't help but laugh, "yes the non-existent people we've met since we adopted the five of you from the side of the road."

"It's a step up from telling people yer enroute to becoming a boy," Niall added.

I sort of hope the tow truck guy can't hear us because we probably sound like absolute loons, talking about adopting strangers and being transgender.

"Then we really would be an odd couple."

"I don't roll that way," Niall ruffled my short hair.

"Quit it spud," I push him playfully.

"Spud?"

"You're Irish, Irish people eat potatoes an potatoes are called spuds." I shrugged.

Niall laughed and shook his head. We stood there in comfortable silence for a little while, watching the guy fiddling in his car. I wonder how long it takes to fix a car, it took two hours to get Alex's car out of the ravine, I only know because people kept saying that afterward, how long it took.

"Yer skin is peeling from the sun," Niall ran a hand over the back of my shoulder blade, pushing the strap of my racerback further inward.

"I always peel, Darce and Healey getting fucking ridiculous tans and I peel like...something that peels a lot," I laughed at the end and moved away from Niall.

"What's that from?" I felt him brush the skin around a scar on my shoulder blade as I pulled away.

I bit the inside of my lip. Niall wouldn't tell anyone, who would he have to tell? I'd never told Darcy, Brenna, or Healey. I'd never even told Ellie and everyone tells Ellie everything. It just happened and I went back to school and pretended I was fine. I almost wondered what it would be like, to actually tell someone what had happened to me.

"I was in a car accident," I finally answered.

I wanted to be nonchalant about it, for it to have just been some small hiccup in my life that no longer mattered. Except every time I sat in the drivers side of a car I had a nervous breakdown. I couldn't sleep well for the first two months after I left the hospital.

"That'd be scary," Niall mused.

"Yeah it was," I nodded, "It was the scariest thing in the world."

"Did ye get hurt really bad?" Niall asked.

"Not really, a few scars but nothing awful...my uh..." I paused, this was the part I'd never said out loud, "my friend died,"

"Taylor I'm," Niall started to speak.

"Ready to go!" The guy shouted. He was already in the car, leaning out the window to shout at us.

I though about telling Niall not to repeat anything I'd told him to anyone in the group. Before I could even form the sentence Niall took my hand and headed to the truck. I climbed in first, sliding across to sit in the middle while Niall sat beside me.

"I can't wait to get to town, I want to sleep in the horizontal position," I sighed, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah but once yer in town Liam's there," Niall joked, poking me in the side.

"Don't remind me," I rolled my eyes.

"He's not a bad guy," Niall answered, "just try being nicer."

"He should try being nicer to me too," I replied.

"I'll put in a good word for you."

"Tell him I didn't break any electronics," I joked, smiling at Niall.

He laughed and nodded his head. I couldn't wait to get to town. I needed a decent meal, a serious shower and some sleep. Actual sleep too, not just squeezed into a space next to Ellie sleep.