Take Me Home

The weekend went by in an extremely uneventful manner. I went to work and I hung out at the flat. On Sunday morning Zayn treated Connor and I to breakfast and that would have been nice if his fans hadn’t spotted us and mobbed us. Being in a mob like that nearly put me in a panic attack because I hated being in the middle of huge crowds.

When I walked into the bakery on Monday morning I was instantly met with my co-worker Ruby. She was waving her hands at the television that was in the corner of the shop and screamed “Why am I just finding out about this now?”

“Ruby. It’s too early. What are going on about?” I looked at the TV and only saw a newscaster talking to the camera.

“Look!” Ruby shouted again and pointed at the TV which displayed an intoxicated Niall ushering a very intoxicated me into an SUV. I instantly groaned. “Do you have any idea who that is?”

“Unfortunately.” I dead panned while I tied my apron around my waist.

Ruby’s eyes popped open in horror. “Unfortunately? Are you kidding me? He’s like…the most beautiful man in the world!” she gushed. “He’s like…I don’t even know! Please fill me in on all of the details you lucky, bitch!”

I curled my lip in disgust at the idea of Niall being the most beautiful man in the world. He was extremely good looking but he had a shit personality. That was for sure. “Nothing happened. I was drunk. He took me home.” I told the blonde who was practically hyperventilating at the sight of him on the television.

“He took you home?” she screamed attracting the attention of an elderly couple that sat at a table on the far end of the bakery. I slapped my hand over my face and groaned. “Lincoln! Niall Horan took you home for God’s sake! Pleeeeease tell me the details. I am begging you!”

I took the rest of the morning to explain how I had met Niall and how it didn’t seem to like he’d be going anywhere as long as Connor and Zayn were involved…which was causing a media storm. Everyone wanted to know who Zayn’s new girlfriend was. It was actually kind of scandalous that she wasn’t a famous. Apparently, celebrities weren’t allowed to date common people.

“So you had him, drunk, in your flat…and you didn’t take advantage of him?”

I sighed tiredly “Ruby…no. I can’t stand the guy. Okay? Can we drop it?”

Ruby dropped the subject of Niall finally which I was thankful for. It seemed like I couldn’t escape the guy no matter how hard I tried. I busied myself in the kitchen, baking cupcakes for the next day. It was my favorite part of work. I hated dealing with customers and if that had solely been my job I would have quit a long time ago. However, the time I got to spend in the kitchen baking and decoration cakes, cookies, and cupcakes was almost therapeutic. It provided me with time alone to think or to completely shut my mind off and focus on recipes and decorations.

I sang along to the radio loudly while I was in kitchen for two reasons. The first was because Ruby adored it when I sang. The second was because I was truly happy when I was baking. Music was my first love but baking was a close second, so if I combined the two together as often as possible.

“Lincoln!” Ruby yelled in a hushed voice as she practically ran into the kitchen and threw the door leading from the kitchen to the store front closed behind her. “Help!”

Alarmed I began to run toward the phone. I was thinking the worst like we were being robbed. “What? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“He’s here.” She bit her lip and looked like she was going to pass out. “Niall Horan and Liam Payne just walked in and I freaked out and said I would be right back. I can’t go back out there. I’m going to throw up on them.”

I placed a hand over my rapidly beating heart. “You scared the shit out of me, Ruby!” I scolded her and dropped the phone back into its cradle. “Don’t ever do that again. You’re so ridiculous.” I gave her a hard glare before pushing the door open and watching Niall’s eyes widen at the sight of me.

“Oh hey, Lincoln!” Liam greeted me with a bright smile that was reflected by the light in his eyes. I was pleasantly surprised he was able to recognize me after only meeting me once. I was one of those people that never got remembered so the fact that he had remembered my name put a smile on face.

“Liam! Hi!” I acted surprised to see him, like Ruby hadn’t told me they were out there. I wiped my hands on my apron and cleaned my hands of the cake batter.

“I didn’t know you work here.” Niall blurted out, drawing my attention away from Liam.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah. I do.” I adjusted my apron and then looked back at Niall. “You know…just the glamorous life of a lowly pesant.” I added an overly sweet smile and then turned my attention back to Liam who had been looking between Niall and I with curiosity written all over his face. “What can I get for you, Liam?” I asked sending a genuine smile in his direction.

While I moved around putting Liam’s order together I could feel Niall’s eyes on me. I thought that maybe I was being too hard on him but that though was quickly replaced by the memory of him laughing at how poor I was. I bit my lip to keep from saying anything.

I handed Liam his bag full of baked good and smiled at him, and couldn’t help but notice how he dropped a large chunk of money into the tip jar. Money that would go straight toward rent after Ruby and I spilt it. “What can I get for you?” I asked Niall, watching him carefully as he licked his lips before speaking.

“I’m really sorry about”

“Just drop it, okay? It’s whatever.” I cut Niall off and plastered a fake smile on before I continued “What can I get you?”

“Nothing.” Niall sighed and adjusted his grey beanie. “Can you just let me apologize or are you going to keep cutting me off?” I sighed and just stared at him, not knowing what else to do in that situation. I couldn’t very well run away which was usually my solution when things weren’t going my way. Niall took my silence as a cue to continue. “I’m really sorry about what I said the other morning. The last thing I meant to do was offend you.” he paused and scratched the back of his neck. “Sometimes I just say things without thinking.”

I’m stubborn and as much as I didn’t want to forgive him, I did. He sounded truly sorry and his words seemed to reach his eyes, something that didn’t happen when most people apologized to me. “It’s alright. I overreacted.” I mumbled and kept my eyes focused on a display case full of cupcakes as I admitted I was wrong, something I didn’t do often.

I looked back up to see Niall smiling at me. “Friends?” Niall asked.

I nodded my head in agreement. I figured as long as Connor and Zayn were together, Niall would be around so I might as well try to get along with him. It was certain it wouldn’t work out between Niall and I but for Connor and Zayn’s sake I would try my best.

“I hate to interrupt…whatever this is but we’ve got to get going.” Liam said cautiously looking between us. “It was nice seeing you, Lincoln.” Liam said and sent one last smile in my direction before he walked out of the bakery.

“I’ll see you later.” Niall said with a wave and rushed out of the bakery to catch up to Liam.

After Liam and Niall left I stood behind the counter and wondered what the fuck had just happened. I went from hating Niall’s guts to being pleasant to him in a matter of seconds, all because he said he was sorry. It wasn’t like me. I was stubborn and I held grudges but apparently that wall went out the window the moment Niall apologized to me. Something about that terrified me.