Passenger Seat

It’s a 3 hours drive from London to Sheffield where the Drop Dead shop is. I didn’t get there until almost 4.

When I walked in, there were a few people shopping and two guys around my age or a bit older working behind the counter.

“Uh, hey,” I said a bit awkwardly walking up to them, “I’m here for the shoot.”

A guy with a side lip ring, blond choppy hair and bright blue eyes smiled at me, “Are you Ayden?”
“That’s me,” I smiled in return.

The other guy, who had a buzz cut and huge gages in his ears nodded to the door behind the counter, “Just walk through the warehouse, they’re out back.”

“Thanks boys!”

I walked through the back room, which was what I guessed a break room, then it opened to a big warehouse. I was surrounded by a plethora of Drop Dead merch. After walking through aisles and aisles of shirts and pants and leggings, I found a back exit that was propped open a crack by a big rock.

I walked out and found about 15 different people standing around. I looked about the place before I spotted Blue. She was kneeling on the ground, with Tom standing behind her, shooting Amanda and Oli, who were in matching Drop Dead shirts and black skinny jeans.

“You Ayden?” Someone asked coming up next to me. I turned and there was Matt Godfrey. Jesus, he was way more attractive in person.

It took me a second to find my words, “Oh, uh yeah. That’s me!”

He smirked at my awkward reply, “They’ve all be waiting for you,” he laughed. “I’m Matt by the way.”

“I know who you are. Main reason I look through the online Drop Dead store,” I said bluntly.

He barked out a laugh, “I think we’re going to get along real well, love. You’re beautiful as well.”

I blushed, “Well I can’t say I agree, but thank you.”

He rolled his eyes, and put his arm around my shoulders like we were old friends. He started dragging me over to where Blue and Tom were, “Blue, I found your friend. And she’s already told me how fit I am.”

Blue laughed before she stood up, “Sounds like something she’d do. Hey babe, took you long enough, yeah?”

“It was a 3 hour drive!” I turned and greeted Tom, “Hey Tommy, how you been?”

He kissed my cheek, “Good love, you?”

I shrugged, “Same.”

Oli and Amanda made their way over, “Ayden, it’s good to see you again darling,” Amanda greeted, pulling me into a hug.

“You too,” I giggled, “How’s the shoot?” I asked as we pulled away and I was pulled into a hug by Oli.
“It’s good. You want to get in on the action?” Oli asked.

“Oh no. No thanks!”

“Please Ayden! Come on!” Blue pleaded. I glared at her.

Matt nudged my arm, “Why not? It’s easy, all you have to do is stare dramatically into the camera.”

“I’ll do it with you!” Amanda offered.

“Come on Ayden. You know you want too,” Tom coaxed.

I sighed, “What would I have to be wearing?”

Blue cheered in victory.

Oli shrugged in response, “Just a t-shirt and skinny’s.”

I bit my lip, thinking it over. It really wouldn’t hurt to just do it. And it’d be cool to see myself online. Plus not a whole lot of people will see it…

“Fine,” I heard myself agree. “I’ll do it.”

And that’s how they got me to model three different shirts.

*****

By the time I got home it was close to 11.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Blue as she walked into the flat 10 minutes after I did. I was digging around in our fridge.

“Not really,” she called from down the hall, “I ate at the shoot. Didn’t you?”

I shrugged to myself, “Yeah, but it was all vegan and had no taste.”

“Well I think I’m going to Max’s,” she said walking into the kitchen.

I sighed dramatically, “You always go to Max’s,” I stuck my tongue at her.

She shrugged, “Call Niall, I’m sure he’d love to come over,” she smirked.

I glared at her. I had told her all about the Niall situation I was having while she helped me change into outfits during the shoot. And she had loved every word of it. Which didn’t help me at all.

“Oh come on, what’s stopping you from just admitting you like him?”

I turned away from her to make tea, “Because I don’t want to open that door. He doesn’t like me like that anyways.”

“Please,” she scoffed.

“He doesn’t,” I continued. “Besides, I don’t want to date another guy in a band. Especially one that’s like, as big as The Beatles.”

I heard her sigh, “Just because it didn’t work out with Josh doesn’t mean it’ll be the same with Niall.”

I turned back to her and leaned against the counter, “True, it’d be worse. He tours more, his fans are a bit mental, and he has hundreds of photographers following him.”

Blue rolled her eyes, “Stop making excuses Ayden and just do what makes you happy.” She walked over and kissed my cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I sighed as she walked out and turned back to get my mug ready for my tea.

Once I had my tea made I sat myself on the couch and sipped on it. It was a few minutes after 11. I wasn’t near tired, and I didn’t really want to go out driving. Maybe I should call Niall. He did say if I wanted company to hit him up.

As I was contemplating this in my head, my phone rang. Niall’s name flashed on the screen. It’s like he knew.

I tried to ignore the flutter of my heart as I answered it, “Hey Nialler, what’s up?”

“Not much, just called to see if you were home yet cause I’m bored. Thought I’d see if you wanted to hang out,” he laughed.

I put my tea down and leaned back into the couch, “What, all your other friends too busy tonight?”

I heard him chuckle lightly, “Nah, they all went out to a club. Didn’t much feel up to it tonight.”

“Ah, clubs aren’t really my thing.”

“Let me guess, you’re more of a drive around town at insane hours of the night listening to music kind of person?”

I laughed, “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Lucky guess. So what do you say? Wanna hang out?”

I bit my lip, trying so hard not to smile, “Yeah sure. Don’t really feel like driving around tonight, but you can come over if you want. Blue ditched me for her boyfriend,” I said with a sarcastic tone.

He laughed, “What a bitch!”

“I know, right!” I laughed with him.

“So I’ll be over in a few minutes, yeah?”

I shrugged even though he couldn’t see me, “Sure,” I played it cool, “You should stop at the market though and pick up a frozen pizza cause I’m starving.”

“I think I can do that. See you in a few,” Then he hung up.

I set my phone down thinking over the conversation. Was he flirting? Should I be reading into what he said? Oh my god, what is wrong with me?

I needed to distract myself, or I’d just think myself into a circle. I headed into my room to find something to occupy my time, and decided to hang up my clean clothes that have been sitting in the hamper for the past two days.

I set my iPod up on its dock (that was connected to surround speakers by the way) and turned on Issues’ EP ‘Black Diamonds.’ It has pretty much become my new obsession since I paid a butt load for it because it was an import. I turned it up to a level that was loud enough for my liking, but still low enough to be able to hear for the door when Niall got here.

I quickly changed into a random pair of shorts and a spaghetti strap tank top before getting to work on my clothes.

I started swinging my hips to the sporadic beat here and there. Singing along to Tyler Carter’s voice, since at this point, it was the only parts I really knew. But when “Princeton Ave” came on I really started to get into it, singing a bit and just moving around a bit more. It was my favorite song, and Tyler’s voice on the chorus was just… epic!

When the second chorus was about to kick in, I felt a hand on my side. I let out a loud shriek and spun around and came face to face with an amused looking Niall.

I reached over and turned my iPod off, “You scared the crap out of me!”

“I’m sorry love,” he chuckled, “but I knocked like 20 times, and called your name, what was I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know!” I said as my heart rate started getting back to normal.

“You have a lovely voice by the way,” he smirked.

I rolled my eyes and walked around him out of the room, “I hate you,” I said over my shoulder.

He followed, “Is that any way to treat a lad that comes over at 11:30 at night bring pizza?”

I smiled over at him as we entered the kitchen, “I guess not.”

“That what I thought,” he said and lifted the plastic bad onto the counter.

I eyed it before giving him a curious look, “Why’d you buy 5 frozen pizzas? How hungry do you think I am?”

He shrugged, “I wasn’t sure what kind you liked, so I just got a bunch.”

“You’re ridiculous,” I laughed, “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing.”

I shot him an annoyed look, “Come on.”

“No,” he shook his head, “It’s fine, I’m pretty sure I can afford a few pizzas.”

I rolled my eyes, “That’s not the point.”

He shrugged, “Then what is Ayden?”

“I don’t need you paying for things, I can afford my own food.”

“Yeah, I never said you couldn’t. I was the one that bought 5 pizzas when you only asked for one.”

I sighed, “Niall.”

“Just drop it, Ayd. I bought you pizza, not a car.”

I stared him down for a moment before giving up, “Fine. But you’re taking the other 4 with you when you leave.”

He rolled his eyes at me, “You’re ridiculous,” he smiled.

“I try,” I said sarcastically as I started looking through the pizza options, “I know you’re hungry, so which one do you want?”

He leaned against the counter next to me, “Whatever you want is fine.”

I patted his cheek sarcastically, “Right answer.” I pulled open the pepperoni pizza box, “Help yourself to something to drink. We should still have beer.” He nodded and pushed off the counter.

He grabbed two beers and set an open bottle for me on the counter.

We ended up sitting on the floor of the living room, our backs against the couch, eating pizza and just talking, like we always do. Niall and I always seem to have these long conversations about nothing. I told him how I got coned into being a part of the Drop Dead shoot, to which he said he couldn’t wait to see.

Like I was ever going to tell him when it came out. So didn’t want that embarrassment!

“So what were you listening to when I got here?” He asked, finishing off his second beer of the night.

I whipped my hands on a paper towel, having had enough to eat, “This band called Issues. They just put out that EP and I’m completely in love with it. Cost me an insane amount because it’s an import from America, but I have no patience to wait for it to come out here.”

“They were good. A bit hard for my taste, but the singer’s voice I liked.”

“I love Tyler Carter’s voice.” I gushed, “I like that he’s got this hip-hop sound, and mixes it with hardcore. He was in the band, Woe As Me, before he started Issues, and they were amazing too. But after he split with that band I kind of jumped ship from them. I was only really a Tyler fan.”

He looked at me in disbelief, “How and when did you get this into music?”

I shrugged, focusing my attention on my now empty beer bottle on the table, “I don’t know. I think I’ve just always been like this. My mom was really into music when I was growing up. There was always something playing. I grew up around a lot of Oasis, and Nirvana,” I shrugged smiling softly. “She bought me my first CD when I was 5 or 6 I think. It was an S Club 7 album, and I just fell in love with it. I’d play it all the time, and dace around too it.

“Then when my dad died, I just kind of turned to music. I went through my mom’s CD and album collection, and just used it as therapy,” I shrugged again looking back up and Niall. He was giving me is full attention, “Like, you know when people say that a band or album saved their life?” He nodded, “Well I wouldn’t say my life was saved exactly, but it was there to keep my head above water, you know? Like instead of letting depression take over my life, or waste money on a therapist, music was my therapy.”

I looked down at my hands then, “Like, the feeling I get when I hear a new band or a really good song it… I don’t know, makes my whole day.” I looked back up at him, “Sorry for rambling,” I chuckled.

He smiled at me, “No, it’s fine. I love hearing your passion on the subject.”

“Thanks.”

He nudged his shoulder into mine, and I tried not to focus on how close we were now, “So S Club 7 huh?”

“Shut up,” I smacked his chest playfully.

He leaned his head back and looked over at me from the odd angle, “So what’s your favorite song?”

“From S Club 7? Or in general?” I smirked.

He rolled his eyes, “In general.”

I groaned, “This is such a hard question, because it changes a lot. There are so many songs I love.”

“Come on, just give me something.”

I paused to think about it for a moment. So many different answers were running through my brain. Different bands, different albums and songs. For most people, this answer wasn’t a hard one, but for me I felt like the answer would define me in a way.

“Honestly… I’d have to say ‘Passenger Seat’ by The Summer Set. I don’t know how or why it happened, but I tend to put it on every playlist I have.” It was the honest truth. The Summer Set was such an underrated band in my life.

He sat up looking at me curiously, “Why do you say you don’t know why it happened?”

I shrugged, “I always seemed to forget about that band somehow. But I’ve seen them countless times because they tour with all my other favorite bands, and that song was just a constant in my life.”

He studied my face for a moment, taking in my words, “Can I hear it?”

“Now?”

He shrugged, “Yeah, why not?”

I stood up, “Alright Mr. Horan, come on,” I held out my hand for him and pulled him up. I all but dragged him down the hall to my bedroom. “Alright, get on the bed.”

“What?” he shot me a confused look.

I rolled my eyes, “The best way to experience a song, especially one as important as someone’s favorite song, is to lie on the bed and close your eyes.”

Niall shook his head with a smirk, but crawled up onto my bed, “You’re mental,” he said under his breath as he placed his head on one of my pillows. “This good? Or should I be in the center of the bed?”

I glared at him, “Don’t be a twat.”

“I’m sorry,” he said throwing his hands up. I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

I shook my head at his mocking and scrolled through my iPod, and then played the song. I turned up the volume to a good decimal before I laid next to him on the bed. I laid a few inches away, so we weren’t touching. The last thing I needed was to be lying on a bed with him when those weird feelings crept in.

“You’re eyes better be closed,” I said right before the lyrics hit. I heard him chuckle, but say nothing in response.

As the song played, I had to fight myself from singing the lyrics. Yes, this was a good answer from my favorite song. I mean, there were countless others I loved too, but this one… this one just hit home I think.

As the chorus started to play for the second time, I opened my eyes and looked over at Niall.

He was staring back at me. He had a soft smile on his face, and it was almost like he was looking at me for the first time I think.

Without any warning, he rolled over on his side and his lips were on mine.

And just like that, I was rolling onto my side to meet him and kissed him back. Our bodies were pressed tightly against each other, his tongue was in my mouth fighting for dominants with mine.

Then his hand crept up and cradled between my neck and my jaw, and something about that, and this moment and just him, made me sigh into his mouth as we kissed.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the song end, and shuffle to another song, but I was too lost in Niall to care. I was too into this kiss to care or think about anything else than him, and this moment.

I fisted his shirt at his chest, trying to pull him closer to me, which was pretty much impossible.

Eventually we had to pull apart and come up for air. And it’s like reality turned back on, and the music got louder somehow.

We were only centimeters apart, panting heavily, and just stared into each other’s eyes.

“What,” I breathed, “was that?”

Niall shook his head slightly, “I don’t know.”

Then he glanced down at my lips, and I glanced down at his.

I don’t know who kisses who this time, or maybe we both just went for it, but we were kissing again. His arm came around my waist, pulling me tightly to him.

In the span of a 3 minute and 49 second song, our friendship had changed.