A Beautiful Mess

"So guess what I'm going to be doing for the next few months."

Niall looked up from his phone. "Um..." He trailed off. "Traveling the world?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "Recording my first ever full album."

His eyes grew wide. "Nuh uh?!"

"Dead serious!" I exclaimed, practically jumping in my seat. "I'm having features by Ellie Golding, Ronnie, and the two remaining members of The Doors; Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger. The Doors, Niall! The fucking Doors!"

If I wasn't jumping for joy a second ago, I was now. My parents grew up on The Doors. I grew up on The Doors. I was meeting the last two members and getting to record s song with them. My life was made. Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger were coming to meet me and agreed to make a song with me. Holy balls. This was huge. What was even better was that the whole song idea stemmed from an interview that the lead singer, Jim Morrison, had in the 1960's about the future of music. He predicted it would be exactly what it is today. He was one of the reasons I got into music. The Doors were actually. But for me, getting to record a song with the two remaining members of The Doors and who spent so many years on tour with Jim Morrison and John Densmore, was a huge thing for me.

"No way!?"

"Yes way!" I let out a loud squeal. "Oh my god, this is amazing! I'm so fucking excited! Holy balls! " By now we were both jumping up and down. Myself because this was a massive deal to me and Niall because he didn't want to ruin my moment. "I think this calls for a night out!"

I grinned at Niall. "I've been dying to go to a pub."

He grinned back at me. "I'll call Mick and tell him to have a few pints ready for us. Tonight good, yeah?"

"Tonight is splendid."



Hitting up a pub with a few mates was something you didn't have to plan an outfit for. Pubs were small and smelt of stale beer and peanuts. They called for skinny trousers, trainers, and a sweater. Simple but pub worthy. But Ronnie and my parentals had other plans.

Tonight was supposed to be just Niall and I going out to a pub to celebrate my upcoming album. Of course, Ronnie took that as it was a date. She called my Dads and they rushed over. It took them nearly an hour to pick out an outfit. I wasn't sure why. I mean, yeah Niall was cute, but I didn't do boyfriends. I wasn't made to have a boyfriend. Being single was who I was. I had simple flings here and there. Nothing permanent.

"I can't fucking believe I let them put me in a bloody skirt," I grumbled to myself. "Without tights at that."

As soon I entered the pub I immediately went to a booth in the back corner. Niall wasn't here yet, so I took it upon myself to start snacking on the germ infested bowl of peanuts. Yolo, right?

With my parents and Ronnie saying this was a date got me on edge. I couldn't quit thinking about it. Niall and I on a date. This wasn't a date. He was bringing friends. We were all going to tip back a few pints and celebrate my upcoming album. Nothing more. Niall didn't think of me that way. He was just my friend. And I was just his friend. We couldn't be anything more. I didn't need anything more. My life was just starting and everything was taking off. All a boyfriend would do was hold me back. But the fact that I had multiple people telling me it was a date left me to fidget and overthink. My Converse clad feet tapped against the old wood floors and my fingers drummed against the tabletop.

I didn't need a boyfriend.

"Spence!" My head whipped around to see Niall standing by the door. He was waving like a maniac and he had to be yelling for me to be able to hear him. The corners of my mouth lifted in a grin. I slid out of the booth and smoothed my skirt out before greeting him with a hug. "Hey Niall."

"'Ello love," he greeted. His eyes gave me a once over. "You look great."

A blush crept up my neck and cheeks. "Thanks." We sat down and he waved over at the bartender. The man behind the bar nodded and brought over two pints of an amber liquid.

"Your pint of Stella, m'lady."

I grinned at him. "Thank you good sir." He left and Niall took a swig of his pint. "So, when are you starting on your album? Can I come and visit you in the studio?"

"I start next week," I spoke, taking a swig of my own drink. "And of course! Maybe you can even be in a song or two."

His eyes grew wide and a grin appeared on his face. "Now I feel special. Gettin' to be on an album that isn't even mine."

A chuckle emitted from my person. "Don't let it go to your head, Popstar."

We drank our Stella and ordered another. It wasn't until we had drank our second when I realized no one else was showing up. "Is it just you and me who's coming tonight? Or did you invite a few mates?"

He shook his head as he popped a few peanuts in his mouth. "Just us," he replied. "Figured we'd have a better time by ourselves."

This wasn't a date. This wasn't a date.



"Niall!" I shrieked. "My knickers will show! Stop it!"

His booming laugh met my ears and shook my whole body. His chest was against my back as he tried to pick me up. It was well past a suitable hour for us to be out, but in our drunken hazes we didn't have a care in the world. Our celebration for my album went well past closing time at Mick's Pub. Niall was close with Mick the owner so he let us stay. Our cars were left in the car park and we were left to roam the streets of downtown London by ourselves. No security. No paparazzi. No fans. Just us.

"Little Spencer is afraid to show the world her knickers," he teased with a slur. I swatted at him. "Shuddup!"

His hand snuck down my side and his cold fingers ghosted over the bare skin of my leg, right below the hem of my skirt. My mind was hazy so I didn't realize what was happening. In fact, I enjoyed it. His touch made me feel something. Something different then any other guy had made me feel. Goosebumps erupted on my skin. My heart sped up. My body wasn't under my control anymore.

"Maybe you'll show me," he whispered hotly in my ear. A smirk made its way onto my face. I glanced at him over my shoulder. "Maybe I will."

Alcohol was something that gave you the balls to do something you normally wouldn't. Which is why I stood on the tips of my toes and placed my lips on his. He immediately responded, nipping at my bottom lip. On instinct, I opened my mouth, letting our tongues dance together. This was so wrong, but it felt so right.



I woke with a start, instantly regretting it. My head was pounding and my body hurt. My stomach was churning and my vision was blurry. Bloody hell. Looking over my shoulder, I took notice to a bare chested Niall. The covers were resting low on his hips, so low that I realized he was naked. Oh my god.

Please don't be naked. Please don't be naked. Please don't be naked.

Cautiously lifting the covers, my worst fear came true. I was naked.

Niall was naked. I was naked. We were in bed together. We slept together.

We slept together.

Without a second thought, I slid out of the bed and hurriedly put on my clothes from the previous night. As soon as I was dressed and had my phone and everything else, I left. No second glance was thrown over my shoulder. No note was left. Nothing. I just left and never looked back.

"Come on, Finn," I mumbled. "Pick up."

The phone rang a total of seven times before he picked up. "'lo?"

"I need you to come get me." I almost felt like crying. "At Club Quarters."

"The hotel?"

"Yeah." My voice cracked. Fuck. Finn was on high alert when he heard that. "What's wrong? Did something happening?"

My legs were freezing and my whole body was shaking as I stood outside the hotel. The sky was a dreary grey, but I knew from the clock in the hotel lobby that it was still early. Early enough that people weren't up and bustling around the city. "I messed up," I whispered. "Please hurry. I'm freaking out."

I heard a car door slam on his end of the line. "I'll be there in ten minutes. Stay on the line, yeah? Tell me what happened."

My head automatically shook from side to side. "I don't want to."

"Spencer, come on. I'm trying to help you." He sighed.

It would be better to tell him over the phone so I didn't have to deal with the immediate looks of pity. So I did. I told him everything. "Niall and I went out to celebrate my upcoming album and we got car parked and I slept with him." My throat tightened up and my eyes stung. "I didn't mean for it to happen. It'll ruin our friendship. It wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't want this."

"Oh Spence."