Take Me Home

I was sitting on a couch with Niall to my left and Liam to my right. Zayn and Connor were cuddled together on a love seat not too far from the couch I was on. I had my knees pulled to my chest, I liked to think the smaller I made myself feel the less people would notice me. I wasn’t sure how I had gotten myself dragged to Liam’s house to watch movies but that’s where I found myself. I could feel every muscle tense when Niall talked to me. I still didn’t care for him, but I was at least making an effort.

I was lost in my own thoughts, wondering how in the hell Connor and Zayn talked me into this one when Niall began to laugh like an idiot beside me. I clenched my jaw and let my head drop so my forehead crashed into my knee caps. I knew Connor was looking at me. I didn’t even have to look up to know she was. We had known each other so well and for so long that we were beyond verbal contact and shared glances. It was like I could feel her amusement at my agony.

“Stop it.” I mumbled into my knees and I could hear her softly laughing from the love seat.

“You two communicate in the oddest way.” Liam observed which made me lift my face from my knees and send a smile in his direction. “It’s like you can read each other’s minds. It’s almost frightening.”

“We’re not there yet.” I commented, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

“The keyword here is yet.” Connor added which got a few laughs from the group.

As Niall began another stupid rant about some sport I didn’t give a shit about I decided I had enough of listening to rambling. “So what are we going to watch?” I interrupted Niall in the middle of some dramatic retelling of whatever sporting event he was going on about. I figured the sooner we picked a movie, the sooner it would start. I prayed that Niall wasn’t one of those people who talked through movies.

“Umm, I don’t know. We haven’t decided on anything yet.” Liam reminded me. We’d been on the verge of picking a movie an hour and a half before hand but Zayn brought up the subject of food and everyone seemed to get sidetracked by the idea which ended up with pizza being ordered.

“We might as just let her pick one.” Connor commented, knowing me too well. “She’s really picky about movies.”

“Selective.” I corrected her without a second glance.

Zayn laughed “It’s the same thing.”

“All my movies are in there.” Liam pointed me toward a large wooden cabinet next to his extremely large television while sent Zayn a faux glare and shook my fist at him.

I stood in front of what had to every movie that was ever made, trying to find one that jumped out at me. There was no organization to Liam’s movie collection which made finding a suitable movie an even more challenging task. I tried my hardest to tune out the sound of Niall’s voice as I searched but it was difficult when he brought up going to the pub to see Connor and I preform again. I hated everything about that idea. The last thing I wanted to do was sing in front of Niall ever again. However, I knew Connor wanted Zayn.

“Ah!” I screamed once my eyes landed on one of my all-time favorite movies. “Wall-E!” I said excitedly and plucked it off the shelf.

“No!” Niall protested. “I fucking hate Disney movies.”

I spun around quickly to look at him. “Are you even a human?” I asked appalled by his claim but never gave him time to answer. “No. You’re not.” I answered for him which caused Liam, Zayn, and Connor to burst into hysterics.

“I’ve never seen someone so offended over Disney movies.” Zayn said through his laughter. I bit my lip in a sad attempt to hide my smile.

Niall looked at me, an amused smile played on his lips and his eyes looked bluer than ever and they sparkled when he said “Pick anything else. I am begging you.”

“Fine.” I said tiredly and turned back to Liam’s movie collection. Almost as soon as I had my eyes back on the shelves filled with movies one in particular jumped out. “Oh. My. God! Yes!” I cheered and pulled Nightmare On Elm Street of the shelf.

“No.” Connor said. “No. No!” she was shaking her head and giving me that look that said ‘I hate you’ but I didn’t care.

“Are you scared?” Zayn asked, smiling playfully at her the way only a boyfriend could.

Before Connor could answer, I did. “She’s absolutely terrified. She never lets me watch horror movies but since you’re her to protect her so it’s fine.” I urged smiling sweetly at my best friend. “So this is the one!” I said triumphantly.

Connor’s lips pulled downwards and her eyes widened. “I hate you.” She said evenly while shaking her head at me.

“You don’t.” I smiled to myself, happy that I was able to punish Connor for talking me into attending this movie night. I hoped she would rethink ever doing such a thing again. Although, I was certain she would drag me along to another outing with Niall as revenge.

“You’re right.” She admitted as she snuggled closer to Zayn.

Connor was well aware of my distaste for Irishman who was sitting beside me and she knew all about how I was trying to be a grown up and tolerate him. Although she appreciated my effort to play nice and was proud of me for swallowing my pride and accepting his apology, she also loved to tease me by inviting me out with Zayn and his group.

“I didn’t peg you as the type girl who likes horror movies.” Niall commented quietly as the movie began. I merely shrugged in response and brought my knees back to my chest and focused my eyes on the screen. I was suddenly curious to what type of girl Niall assumed I was but those thoughts were erased when I was drawn into the movie’s storyline.

I was pleased to find that Niall was able to stay quiet throughout the entire movie. When the credits began to roll up the screen I relaxed my body, stretched my stiff muscles, and shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. Our group continued to sit in the dark and chat, the entire time I didn’t say a word. I just listened and added a nod or a smile when it was called for.

“Why are you so quiet?” Niall nudged me with his shoulder.

I shrugged. “I don’t really like to talk unless I have something to say.”

Niall seemed satisfied with that answer and pulled his phone out of his pocket and began tapping away at it. I watched out of the corner of my eye the way he smiled at his phone. I was curious as to what or who was making him smile at his phone like an idiot but not enough that I would express interest by asking him. I focused my attention back to the conversation that was bouncing around between Connor, Liam, and Zayn.

“We can go out after your set finishes. It’ll be fun.” Zayn said “We can go for food or something.”

“We should go to the new place that just opened, the Chinese one!” Liam suggested excitedly.

“I do love Chinese food.” Connor commented.

“How about you, Lincoln? Are you in?” Liam focused his big brown eyes directly into my green ones which made me avert my eyes immediately, I was suddenly very interested the material of Liam’s expensive furniture.

I chewed my bottom lip nervously. I hated reminding them that I had no money because I didn’t want it to seem like I was hinting for them to pay, because I wasn’t. I honestly hated being treated like a charity case. “I don’t know. I have work in the morning…it depends on how late we get through at the pub.”

“Oh come on!” Niall said, noting glancing up from his phone. “Lighten up, have some fun.”

“Fun doesn’t pay the bills.” I mumbled bitterly which instantly drew everyone’s eyes to me. I felt the color rising to my face and pulled my knees back to my chest and dropped my head onto my knees again. I couldn’t stand the way the three boys looked at me with so much sympathy in their eyes. I never wanted their sympathy so I just hid my face and hoped they would let it go.

“I’m excited.” Connor said sensing my distress and changing the subject. “I loved preforming in front of that crowd last week. It was great.”

I listened to my best friend avert attention away from me while I continued to hide my face. I couldn’t believe I had something like that in front of them. I felt like such an idiot for accidently pointing out the fact was dirt poor in front of some of the wealthiest guys around.

I felt a nudge on my left side for the second time that night. I kept my head on my knees but turned it to look at Niall. He made funny face at and then smiled at me quickly before anyone could notice. I turned my face back to my knees and smiled to myself. It was such a stupid gesture but for some reason unbeknownst to me, it made me feel like the weight of the world had just been lifted off my shoulders. It made me feel like everything was going to be okay.

“You’re so dumb.” I mumbled, still smiling into my knees.