Nobody Else

Niall grabbed the keys off his dresser, shoving them deep into the pockets of his jeans.

He glanced over himself one last time in the mirror.

He had finally settled on a pair of jeans, a green t-shirt, a grey hoodie and a pair of high top sneakers. He had to resist the urge to change his clothes yet again but he was already running late.

This would have to do.

He nearly ran down the steps, but stopped taking note of what his band mates were doing. They were strung across his couch, all holding a black controller. Zayn looked back, noticing Niall. He instantly paused the game.

"Where you headed?" he mumbled before picking up one of the cans of Pepsi sitting on the table taking a quick sip. But Harry let out a snort.

"You kidding?" he piqued before running his hair through his messy locks, "Its Tuesday, hes going to meet Izzie," Niall glared at Harry.

"Don't be an arse," he groaned, but he couldn't help but notice Louis and Liam who were pointing at the clock. Niall closed his eyes letting out a groan. He was going to be so late, "I gotta go, before I miss her completely..."

This had been going on for months.
Niall had seen a girl through the window of a local coffee shop.
He had gone in knowing full well every table was full.
He had asked to sit with her, striking up a conversation.

Her name was Isabelle Cassidy, but she preferred Izzie.
She was a student at the local Uni studying dance.
But she came to the coffee shop every Tuesday and Thursday after her classes for some quiet study time. Something that had gone by the wayside once she met Niall.
But she didn't mind.

Niall parked quickly before feeding the meter. Two hours cost £3, but he knew he would probably have to come back out and put more in the meter. His lips tugged into a smile, she was sitting in the window at her usual table.

He walked in, coming up behind her he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, her hair was in curls today. The smell of her hair was intoxicating, it smelled faintly of vanilla and some sort of flower. She tilted her head back, smiling up at him.

"Mornin' love..." Niall cooed, a smile stretched across Izzie's porcelain face, her blue eyes sparkled.

"Morning doll," she said sweetly, Niall laid his phone down onto the table before taking a seat himself, "I didn't order you anything, I wasn't sure what you would want," she said as she typed furiously.

"Oh yeah? What did you get?" he asked before taking her cup and taking a large drink, "This is brilliant, what is it?" he asked, taking another quick sip.

"Hazelnut macchiato," she said softly, Niall nodded motioning for the waitress.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"Two of these," he said simply pointing to the cup. The waitress nodded, taking the cup and ushering off, "you look beautiful today..." Niall said sweetly, Izzie smiled, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you..." she was wearing skinny jeans and cognac colored riding boots that went up to her knees, she finished it off with a turquoise colored cardigan and a white tank.

Izzie was different than most girls.
When she met Niall she had absolutely no clue who he was, they had shared coffee seven or eight times before he even told her who he was and even then she never once treated him any differently. His friends had been the only one to meet Izzie and though they had never met her, his family could have all told you every little thing about her.
He had only wished he had the courage to tell her how he felt, besides...everyone else knew.

"So how're your exams going?" he asked as she shut her laptop placing it into her rucksack. She looked up before running her fingers through her curly brunette hair.

"good, but I can't wait for them to end. I'm losing my damn mind," she said softly as she tucked one of her legs under the other.

"How are you going to celebrate?" he asked, Izzie thought for a second before sitting forward, resting her chin on her hand.

"I'm going to lay around in bed until three and eat an entire box of fudge bars," Niall let out a laugh.

"Sounds like a winner to me..." he said cracking a wide smile, "you should come get a pint with me and the boys after." but he suddenly felt the table shake. Glancing at his phone the screen was black, but he saw Izzie reach for her phone.

She smiled, biting at her bottom lip as she began to type.

Niall went to speak, but suddenly bit his tongue as the waitress appeared, sitting a steaming cup in front of each of them. Izzie laid her phone face down, then glanced up at the waitress, chiming a sweet 'thank you'.

Izzie picked up her cup, pursing her lips as she blew softly at the steam.

"Who uh..." Niall hesitated, his tone shaky and nervous, "who was that?" Izzie glanced up, almost hiding behind her cup.

"Harry..." she mumbled. Niall felt his heart drop.

"My mate Harry?" Izzie nodded, grasping the warm cup in her hands. If she was into Harry there was no chance he would ever be with her.

"Yeah, we talk all the time," she said casually, "we're friends. I thought you knew that? We exchanged numbers when we went out to dinner a few months back. I talk to Louis pretty often too...and Liam," she thought for a moment, gathering her brows, "and Zayn come to think of it..."

It was taking everything within Niall not to freak out.
To not completely lose his shit.
They were his best friends, and they had never told him?

"You aren't going to hook up with Harry are you? Because he's-" but before he could even manage to finish Izzie was laughing to hard she practically had tears streaming down her cheeks.

He felt his face flush hot.

"You-" she let out a snort, "you think-" she reached up, wiping at her eyes, "I like Harry?" not that he thought it was possible, but she began to laugh even louder.

Taking note of the serious look on Niall's face she stopped laughing.
She dabbed at her eyes, knowing her mascara had probably just run everywhere.
She tried to gauge the look on Niall's face, but she just couldn't, it was a look she had never seen before but if she had to guess, it looked to be a cross between anger and hurt.

"Sorry..." she mumbled softly, grasping nervously at her cup, "I could never be with Harry, he's just not my type." Niall lifted an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I have never met a girl who didn't consider Harry, their type," he sulked.

"Well he's not my type. Whether you believe it or not, I think he's just trying to make an idiot out of me-" Niall rolled his eyes.

"and how is he doing that?"

"telling lies, and insisting I act on them. Like I'm some kind of fool-" Niall let out a grunt before quickly grabbing Izzie's phone. Izze's eyes went wide, she nearly lunged across the table but Niall scooted back his chair, making sure to just out of her reach, "Ni, please give me my phone back. Really it's just rubbish. It's no big deal-" but she took her head into her hands as Niall began to scroll.



Niall didn't even want to finish reading.
He slid her phone onto the table.
He stared up at her, their blue eyes vulnerable as they connected.

"You...you like me?" Izzie laid her hands on the table, twiddling her thumbs nervously.

"Listen Niall, I understand that you don't-" she began, but Niall's eyes went wide as he grabbed at her hand.

"No, Iz, listen-"

"Ni, it's okay," she mumbled as she began to pick at her nail polish, something she only did when she was incredibly stressed.

"Iz just listen to me please?" he pleaded as Izzie went silent, nervously chewing on her lip in an attempt to not cry, "You're right...I don't like you." he spoke slowly, tears formed in the corners of her eyes, she tried to pull her hand away but he only held it tighter in his own, "I am so far beyond liking you it makes me ill. I am so in love with you-" he stopped, now he was doing his best not to cry, "I have been since the moment I saw you sitting here through the window. I didn't even like coffee when I started coming here-" Izzie let out a laugh as Niall reached up with his free hand wiping at her tears, "You have to believe me when I say, there is nobody else in this world I would rather be in love with. Nobody."

"Ni..." she mumbled softly, but Niall stood up holding his hand out.

She thought for a moment before laying her hand in his. He pulled her up softly, wrapping her hands around his neck before tightly wrapping his own around her waist, and in the middle of the coffee shop in front of a crowd of complete strangers, they began to slow dance while Niall sang to her.

"This is the start of something beautiful. This is the start of something new. You are the one who'd make me lose it all. You are the start of something new, ooh, And I'll throw it all away. And watch you fall into my arms again. And I'll throw it all away. Watch you fall, now..."

He stopped, his forehead against hers.

"I really botched this one..." he whispered, "but I love you so much..." Izzie smiled, laying her hands on his cheeks.

"Me too Ni...so much..." Niall smiled, tightening his grip on her.

And for the first time, Niall leaned in pressing his lips softly to hers.
Fireworks filled their nervous stomachs.

"Nobody else?" Izzie asked softly as she pulled away, Niall's lips tugged into a smile.

"Nobody..."