I Stand Amazed
Chapter Nineteen
After dinner was eaten and the plates cleared, I stood up and padded over to Liam, who was beginning to wash the dishes in the sink, while the rest of the boys chatted around the table. Niall had found a stash of chocolates he’d planted in one of Louis’s cupboards and jokingly was tossing them to Zayn, who kept still and his mouth wide open, the candies sailing right into his mouth each time.
“Need some help?” I asked Liam.
He smiled warmly at me, but shook his head. “I think I’ve got it actually. You go have a seat. You’re the guest after all.”
I rolled my eyes. “All right, all right!”
Suddenly the sound of breaking glass hit the air and I turned to see Niall half-risen out of his seat and one of Harry’s teacups on the floor, the little shards dripping with cold tea. He looked around apologetically and bent to clear the wreckage, but Liam rushed forward, shaking his head.
“No, Niall, you’ll only cut your hands like the last time. I’ll take care of this, you go finish the dishes.”
Louis and the others chortled at Niall’s sullen expression, but it brightened considerably when he caught sight of me still standing by the sink. His grin was infectious; I couldn’t keep the answering smile off my face.
“Hey love! Wanna help me?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I snorted but agreed.
“Sure, but I get to wash. You dry,” I instructed. He looked at me questioningly. “The bubbles,” I explained.
“You are just too cute,” he told me, shaking his head slightly, and I blushed. We started washing and drying the dishes, and I noticed that the other boys casually left the room. As I handed a plate to Niall, his hand purposely brushed against mine and our eyes met. My heart beat a little harder as I stared into his clear blue eyes. As soon as his head bent towards mine, however, I ducked away and scrubbed the plate quicker, focusing intently on getting all the spots off. I heard Niall sigh quietly beside me.
It took about ten minutes to completely finish cleaning all of the dishes from dinner and when we were finished, a silence hung between us still.
“Maddie,” Niall whispered, resting his warm hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at him and was confused to find his eyes tinged with a sort of sadness. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Do you want to leave?”
I nodded, not meeting his eyes. He sighed again and took my hand, leading me to the living room, where once again the boys were comfortably laid out on the couches. They all looked up as we entered the room and I saw their eyes focus on Niall’s hand enveloping mine.
“We’re gonna head out, lads,” Niall informed them, giving them a cheery wave.
I smiled politely at them. “Thank y’all for having me. I had a nice time tonight.”
“No worries, love, it was our pleasure,” Liam said.
“Come back soon!” Louis and Harry chorused and Zayn simply shot me a wink. I waved back at them and followed Niall to the entryway. We slipped our shoes on and he kindly opened the door for me.
“Come on, let’s get going before it gets too late.”
“Need some help?” I asked Liam.
He smiled warmly at me, but shook his head. “I think I’ve got it actually. You go have a seat. You’re the guest after all.”
I rolled my eyes. “All right, all right!”
Suddenly the sound of breaking glass hit the air and I turned to see Niall half-risen out of his seat and one of Harry’s teacups on the floor, the little shards dripping with cold tea. He looked around apologetically and bent to clear the wreckage, but Liam rushed forward, shaking his head.
“No, Niall, you’ll only cut your hands like the last time. I’ll take care of this, you go finish the dishes.”
Louis and the others chortled at Niall’s sullen expression, but it brightened considerably when he caught sight of me still standing by the sink. His grin was infectious; I couldn’t keep the answering smile off my face.
“Hey love! Wanna help me?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I snorted but agreed.
“Sure, but I get to wash. You dry,” I instructed. He looked at me questioningly. “The bubbles,” I explained.
“You are just too cute,” he told me, shaking his head slightly, and I blushed. We started washing and drying the dishes, and I noticed that the other boys casually left the room. As I handed a plate to Niall, his hand purposely brushed against mine and our eyes met. My heart beat a little harder as I stared into his clear blue eyes. As soon as his head bent towards mine, however, I ducked away and scrubbed the plate quicker, focusing intently on getting all the spots off. I heard Niall sigh quietly beside me.
It took about ten minutes to completely finish cleaning all of the dishes from dinner and when we were finished, a silence hung between us still.
“Maddie,” Niall whispered, resting his warm hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at him and was confused to find his eyes tinged with a sort of sadness. He took a deep breath before continuing. “Do you want to leave?”
I nodded, not meeting his eyes. He sighed again and took my hand, leading me to the living room, where once again the boys were comfortably laid out on the couches. They all looked up as we entered the room and I saw their eyes focus on Niall’s hand enveloping mine.
“We’re gonna head out, lads,” Niall informed them, giving them a cheery wave.
I smiled politely at them. “Thank y’all for having me. I had a nice time tonight.”
“No worries, love, it was our pleasure,” Liam said.
“Come back soon!” Louis and Harry chorused and Zayn simply shot me a wink. I waved back at them and followed Niall to the entryway. We slipped our shoes on and he kindly opened the door for me.
“Come on, let’s get going before it gets too late.”
5/19/13