Canon
twenty nine.
‘Will you just tell me where were going?’ I beg tugging on Niall’s navy blue bomber jacket, ‘The suspense and secrecy are killing me.’
During lunch with Niall he insisted that I rushed straight home from my dinner with my family to meet him for some surprise. I ran into my room, demolishing it in the process as I scramble for something different to put on. I decided on the new black tee shirt dress that Rose bought for me with my black Chelsea boots. I grab the jean jacket from the back of my closet and rush to wait for Niall outside. His sleek black Mustang’s paint glistened with the moonlight the same way it did when he showed up at homecoming.
‘I already told you that I will not tell you anything until we get to where we’re going.’ Niall chimes cutting into my brief reminiscing. ‘Now, be patient.’
‘Well will you at least tell me what changed? Earlier you didn’t seem to have anything planned for tonight, which is totally fine considering that we’re not officially dating or anything. It’s not like I was expecting some well-thought out, heartfelt, moment where you confess your love or anything.’
‘You’re rambling.’ Niall singsongs looking over at me with an amused expression, ‘We’re almost there.’
I settle into the leather seat and decide to purse my lips for the duration of the ride. I ever so casually would glance at Niall, studying him as he studied the road. His dyed hair was tousled over his head as if he just got up. The familiar scent of cigarettes and the black ice air freshener waved over me in the best way. Niall slowly merges over to the far right line behind a long line of cars waiting to get into Van Andel Arena.
‘I don’t understand – what are we doing here?’ I wonder looking over at Niall.
‘Well do you remember how upset you were when you found out tickets to see your beloved Ed Sheeran were sold out?’
‘Yes?’ I instantly sit up in the seat as my heart raced with anticipation.
‘Well, I may have bought some the moment they went on sale knowing that the show fell on your birthday.’ He looks over at me with a sincere smile, ‘surprise.’
‘Niall this is the best gift anyone could have ever given me!’ I beam grabbing a hold of his arm, ‘I cannot believe you got us tickets to see Ed Sheeran.’
‘If you have ever doubted my feelings for you or where you stand with me, just think, how much I truly care about you if I am willing to listen to some guy strum on his guitar for two hours all for your joy and amusement.’
‘I just wish I would’ve known, that way we could’ve left earlier and avoided the traffic…’
‘And have you skip out on dinner with your family? I wouldn’t feel right taking that away from you or them – don’t worry, we have plenty of time. For some reason he likes to perform after nine o’clock at night.’
We finally find a parking space in one of the very last rows but I didn’t mind. Niall’s hand swings back and forth in my eyesight and I wanted so desperately to reach out for it but I wanted to avoid making tonight awkward for him. We stand in line for twenty minutes waiting to be let inside the building.
‘Where are our seats?’
‘Follow me.’ Niall smiles nodding his head down towards the main section of the arena.
I follow Niall down to the floor of the arena and into our row, which was the third right in the middle of it all. Our seats were incredible. I turn in the narrow row to admire the arena. I had been to VAA with my dad to see the Harlem Globetrotters play every single year when I was a kid. This was my first time in VAA without the basketball court on the floor or the sound of sneakers scuffing against the court. Hundreds of people were in the higher levels of the arena looking down at us.
‘What has the mere thought of your one and only love being in the same building as you at this very moment rendered you speechless?’ Niall teases giving me a small and gentle nudge.
‘No, not quite. I was just thinking how amazing it was for you to do this for me. Thank you so much Niall.’
‘Let’s see if you’ll be thanking me when you discover that this all simply hype of the much sought after British accent.’
‘What is with your personal vendetta against someone as talented as Ed Sheeran?’
‘Hey can you blame me? You’re gonna be drooling over him the way that Zayn drools over Rose.’
‘I do not and will not drool. You are the only person on Earth, including Ed Sheeran that I want to be with.’
Niall opens his mouth to speak as two long-legged girls scurry in beside him. The brunette reminded me of a young Angelina Jolie, effortlessly beautiful. The blonde was more of I’m clearly trying to be the next Charlize Theron nonetheless she was gorgeous as well. The Angeline Jolie doppelganger was the first to introduce herself to Niall, specifically and her friend didn’t seem to happy about it. Niall politely makes small talk with them but they drag their conversation on until the lights finally dim.
‘Do you want this?’ Niall speaks into my ear holding up his camera as the room erupts with claps and cheers. ‘ I brought it inside just incase.’
‘No, let’s just enjoy this together.’ I grab his hand making sure the two girls beside us knew exactly what I was thinking – he’s mine.
Niall doesn’t pull away sending both them and me a signal that I loved. Halfway into the show Niall wraps his arms around my waist as I sway back and forth to the music. His chin rests comfortably on my shoulder moving slowly as I did. The music dies down as he introduces my favorite song, Photograph
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home
Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know, know
I swear it will get easier,
Remember that with every piece of you
And it's the only thing we take with us when we die
We keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
After Photograph, Ed Sheeran instantly began singing Thinking Out Loud. Which too, was in my top five songs. The flashes of every phone in the building illuminated the room. I smile in awe as I take in my surroundings.
When you’re legs don’t work like they used to before and I cant sweep you off of your feet.
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?
Darlin’ I will be loving you – till we’re seventy.
And baby my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three.
I’m thinking bout how, people fall in love in mysterious ways.
Maybe just the touch of a hand – well me I fall in love with you every single day.
I just wanna tell you why
So honey now, take me into your loving arms.
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.
Place your head on my beating heart.
I’m thinking out loud.
Maybe we found love right where we are.
‘I think it is time that you give credit where credit is due my friend.’ I taunt as Niall and I walk to his car.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’ He shrugs with the slightest smile on his lips.
‘Tell me that Ed Sheeran is not insanely talented after listening to that.’
‘Well I will say that it is refreshing listening to someone who doesn’t depend on auto tune.’
‘I’ll accept that as a compliment.’
‘Let’s just get you home before you break curfew and your dad loses his shit.’
Before I knew it we were parked out front of my house and Niall was walking me to my door.
‘I had a really good time tonight, thank you.’
‘There’s one more thing.’ He pauses as he digs in his bomber jacket quickly. ‘Happy Birthday Lizette.’
Niall hands me a smooth black box with careful eyes. I use my thumb to flip the lid of the box open revealing a beautiful sterling silver bracelet with some sort of coordinates inscribed on the side.
‘Where is it?’ I wonder with a small smile gliding my finger across the smooth material.
‘It is the school’s coordinates. Even though I hate that goddamn place, it’s where I found you. It’s where everything changed and I knew that I had to have you in my life. I know that I’m shit at expressing my feelings and all that but I don’t want you to ever doubt where we stand. This is all that matters to me. Nothing even comes close.’
‘I love it.’ I lean up to kiss Niall’s lips snaking my arms around his neck, ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I better get going.’
‘Don’t go – stay. Please.’ I blink hopefully into his deep blue eyes.
‘With your parents here?’
‘I promise I won’t make a sound.’ I smile pulling Niall through dark doorway locking the front door behind us.
During lunch with Niall he insisted that I rushed straight home from my dinner with my family to meet him for some surprise. I ran into my room, demolishing it in the process as I scramble for something different to put on. I decided on the new black tee shirt dress that Rose bought for me with my black Chelsea boots. I grab the jean jacket from the back of my closet and rush to wait for Niall outside. His sleek black Mustang’s paint glistened with the moonlight the same way it did when he showed up at homecoming.
‘I already told you that I will not tell you anything until we get to where we’re going.’ Niall chimes cutting into my brief reminiscing. ‘Now, be patient.’
‘Well will you at least tell me what changed? Earlier you didn’t seem to have anything planned for tonight, which is totally fine considering that we’re not officially dating or anything. It’s not like I was expecting some well-thought out, heartfelt, moment where you confess your love or anything.’
‘You’re rambling.’ Niall singsongs looking over at me with an amused expression, ‘We’re almost there.’
I settle into the leather seat and decide to purse my lips for the duration of the ride. I ever so casually would glance at Niall, studying him as he studied the road. His dyed hair was tousled over his head as if he just got up. The familiar scent of cigarettes and the black ice air freshener waved over me in the best way. Niall slowly merges over to the far right line behind a long line of cars waiting to get into Van Andel Arena.
‘I don’t understand – what are we doing here?’ I wonder looking over at Niall.
‘Well do you remember how upset you were when you found out tickets to see your beloved Ed Sheeran were sold out?’
‘Yes?’ I instantly sit up in the seat as my heart raced with anticipation.
‘Well, I may have bought some the moment they went on sale knowing that the show fell on your birthday.’ He looks over at me with a sincere smile, ‘surprise.’
‘Niall this is the best gift anyone could have ever given me!’ I beam grabbing a hold of his arm, ‘I cannot believe you got us tickets to see Ed Sheeran.’
‘If you have ever doubted my feelings for you or where you stand with me, just think, how much I truly care about you if I am willing to listen to some guy strum on his guitar for two hours all for your joy and amusement.’
‘I just wish I would’ve known, that way we could’ve left earlier and avoided the traffic…’
‘And have you skip out on dinner with your family? I wouldn’t feel right taking that away from you or them – don’t worry, we have plenty of time. For some reason he likes to perform after nine o’clock at night.’
We finally find a parking space in one of the very last rows but I didn’t mind. Niall’s hand swings back and forth in my eyesight and I wanted so desperately to reach out for it but I wanted to avoid making tonight awkward for him. We stand in line for twenty minutes waiting to be let inside the building.
‘Where are our seats?’
‘Follow me.’ Niall smiles nodding his head down towards the main section of the arena.
I follow Niall down to the floor of the arena and into our row, which was the third right in the middle of it all. Our seats were incredible. I turn in the narrow row to admire the arena. I had been to VAA with my dad to see the Harlem Globetrotters play every single year when I was a kid. This was my first time in VAA without the basketball court on the floor or the sound of sneakers scuffing against the court. Hundreds of people were in the higher levels of the arena looking down at us.
‘What has the mere thought of your one and only love being in the same building as you at this very moment rendered you speechless?’ Niall teases giving me a small and gentle nudge.
‘No, not quite. I was just thinking how amazing it was for you to do this for me. Thank you so much Niall.’
‘Let’s see if you’ll be thanking me when you discover that this all simply hype of the much sought after British accent.’
‘What is with your personal vendetta against someone as talented as Ed Sheeran?’
‘Hey can you blame me? You’re gonna be drooling over him the way that Zayn drools over Rose.’
‘I do not and will not drool. You are the only person on Earth, including Ed Sheeran that I want to be with.’
Niall opens his mouth to speak as two long-legged girls scurry in beside him. The brunette reminded me of a young Angelina Jolie, effortlessly beautiful. The blonde was more of I’m clearly trying to be the next Charlize Theron nonetheless she was gorgeous as well. The Angeline Jolie doppelganger was the first to introduce herself to Niall, specifically and her friend didn’t seem to happy about it. Niall politely makes small talk with them but they drag their conversation on until the lights finally dim.
‘Do you want this?’ Niall speaks into my ear holding up his camera as the room erupts with claps and cheers. ‘ I brought it inside just incase.’
‘No, let’s just enjoy this together.’ I grab his hand making sure the two girls beside us knew exactly what I was thinking – he’s mine.
Niall doesn’t pull away sending both them and me a signal that I loved. Halfway into the show Niall wraps his arms around my waist as I sway back and forth to the music. His chin rests comfortably on my shoulder moving slowly as I did. The music dies down as he introduces my favorite song, Photograph
Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home
Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know, know
I swear it will get easier,
Remember that with every piece of you
And it's the only thing we take with us when we die
We keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
hearts are never broken
And time's forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans
Holding me closer 'til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
After Photograph, Ed Sheeran instantly began singing Thinking Out Loud. Which too, was in my top five songs. The flashes of every phone in the building illuminated the room. I smile in awe as I take in my surroundings.
When you’re legs don’t work like they used to before and I cant sweep you off of your feet.
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?
Darlin’ I will be loving you – till we’re seventy.
And baby my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three.
I’m thinking bout how, people fall in love in mysterious ways.
Maybe just the touch of a hand – well me I fall in love with you every single day.
I just wanna tell you why
So honey now, take me into your loving arms.
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.
Place your head on my beating heart.
I’m thinking out loud.
Maybe we found love right where we are.
‘I think it is time that you give credit where credit is due my friend.’ I taunt as Niall and I walk to his car.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’ He shrugs with the slightest smile on his lips.
‘Tell me that Ed Sheeran is not insanely talented after listening to that.’
‘Well I will say that it is refreshing listening to someone who doesn’t depend on auto tune.’
‘I’ll accept that as a compliment.’
‘Let’s just get you home before you break curfew and your dad loses his shit.’
Before I knew it we were parked out front of my house and Niall was walking me to my door.
‘I had a really good time tonight, thank you.’
‘There’s one more thing.’ He pauses as he digs in his bomber jacket quickly. ‘Happy Birthday Lizette.’
Niall hands me a smooth black box with careful eyes. I use my thumb to flip the lid of the box open revealing a beautiful sterling silver bracelet with some sort of coordinates inscribed on the side.
‘Where is it?’ I wonder with a small smile gliding my finger across the smooth material.
‘It is the school’s coordinates. Even though I hate that goddamn place, it’s where I found you. It’s where everything changed and I knew that I had to have you in my life. I know that I’m shit at expressing my feelings and all that but I don’t want you to ever doubt where we stand. This is all that matters to me. Nothing even comes close.’
‘I love it.’ I lean up to kiss Niall’s lips snaking my arms around his neck, ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I better get going.’
‘Don’t go – stay. Please.’ I blink hopefully into his deep blue eyes.
‘With your parents here?’
‘I promise I won’t make a sound.’ I smile pulling Niall through dark doorway locking the front door behind us.