Mistreated
Positive
December 9th Continued
Iris’s POV:
Here I am. Standing like a stone before my house. I’ll walk in, get ignored, and go straight to my bed. The only thing I can count on is kind words from my sisters. ‘Welcome back’. Welcome? Am I even welcome back in my own home? I used harsh language against Janice before I left. What if all my things are removed from my room? What if I'm kicked to the curb? I’ll be left to deal with Harry and that’s the last thing I want right now.
“Iris?” I heard Skye from behind me. She must’ve just got home. “You’re back!” she squealed and tackled me to the ground.
I giggled, “Yes, I’m back.”
“Are you okay? Where did you go? Was that boy Harry? The one you talked about in your laptop?” her breath blew against my ear.
“Slow down,” I laughed. “I’m fine. I went to his friend Perrie’s house and slept in her guest bedroom. And yes, that was Harry.”
“I had no idea you were going through so much.” She lifted her head to look at me, “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I curved my lips into a smile.
She sat next to me on the concrete, “Is that what you tell everyone who finds out? It’s okay? Because it’s not. No one should go through what you’ve gone through. You’ve gone through a lifetime of shit in only a year. That’s not okay.”
I curl my lips and nod, “No, it’s not.”
“Going in the house right now isn’t the greatest idea,” she frowned. “Mom and Dad have been fighting constantly since you left. I’ve been staying over at Derek’s place.” She was talking about her boyfriend. “Maybe you should come stay with us. Brielle is already there.”
“Okay,” I nod.
She pointed to the house, “I’m going to get my Psychology book since I forgot it. Do you need me to get anything of yours?”
“More clothes and my laptop, please.”
“Lucky for you, I love fashion, so I’ll pick out your best outfits,” she grinned. “Wait in the car and I’ll be back in like five minutes.” I obeyed her and dragged myself to her car and plopped in the passenger seat. I haven’t gotten a car ride since Harry and I…I mean Clarissa…went to Zayn’s party. Harry wound up selling his car. He said he’d rather walk than drive in it knowing what's gone on inside it.
I need to stop thinking about him. We spend every waking day together. Maybe it’s time to take a little break. That’s probably what he needs: space.
“You okay?” my sister says as she slides into her seat, placing our things on the backseat. I nod. “Why did you come back?” her eyes sadden.
I ran my fingers through my hair, “Space.” She didn’t say anything after that, quietly driving us to Derek’s place.
“I hope you don’t mind I brought Iris,” Skye pouts at Derek.
He looks at me with a huge grin, “It’s good to see you back.” He’s such a kind guy, much like Harry. Shut up Iris, stop thinking about him. “She can stay as long as she wants, just like you and Brielle.”
I was happy he lived alone. We don’t have to deal with worried parents calling my parents or some shit like that. It’s nothing but us and whatever we want.
“Iris!” Brielle runs in and hold me in a bone-crushing hug. Sometimes I feel like they’re younger than me. Brielle is only two years older and Skye is five years older than me. Skye honestly just needs to move out of my house since she’s so old. Brielle, I give her another year or two. Me? Oh I’ll be out of there in no time. I'll probably be living with one of them knowing I'd miss them too much if I didn't.
“Hey,” I laugh. “I missed you guys.”
“You’re gonna have to sleep on the air mattress with Brielle in the living room,” Skye informed me.
I grin, “That’s fine by me.”
Brielle gripped my hand and led me to the living room. We plopped on the couch and I set my things on my side of the mattress. Derek and Skye soon joined us and we talked for what seemed like hours. It felt nice.
“Did she tell you she got a secret tattoo?” Derek laughed and poked Skye.
“Shh,” she covered his smug grin with her hands, giggling as she did so. “A secret means nobody else is supposed to know.”
“Show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” I smirked.
Brielle gasped, “No way!” She laughed and held her chest. “You have one?”
“Naughty girl,” Skye joked. Skye then lifted her shirt to show off a tattoo on her hipbone. It was a heart with an infinity symbol wrapped around it. “Infinite love,” she smiled before kissing Derek’s cheek.
“Aww,” I cooed. “Here’s mine.” I pulled my shirt slightly down my shoulder to reveal the tattoo that sat on the skin over my heart. ‘Just Live’.
Derek pointed to it, “I like it. It suites you well.”
“Harry designed it,” I grinned. Shit. Why does he have to be the only thing good in life? He’s all I can really speak happily about.
“When did you get it done?” Brielle became curious.
I shrug, “Long time ago.”
“What?” Skye raised her brows. “Like before you were eighteen? Iris, that’s illegal without Mom and Dad’s permission.”
“I know a guy,” I shrugged again. “It’s not the only illegal thing I’ve done.”
Brielle’s jaw dropped, “Huh?”
“I smoked pot and drank alcohol. Except, I think alcohol is disgusting, so I mostly smoked.”
“Looks like you’re not a goody-two-shoes after all,” Skye grinned proudly.
“You’re not mad?” I furrowed my brows.
Skye chuckled, “Mad? Dude, I did worse at your age.”
“You probably didn’t even drink the good alcohol,” Brielle winked. “Margaritas for the win.”
I laughed, “I’ll have to try one.”
Derek jumped up and walked to the kitchen, “Why don’t I make us all some?”
“That would be lovely,” Skye grinned. Living here is going to be great. Happiness is creeping up on me again.
Tuesday December 10th
I woke up with a smile on my face. We drank last night, but not enough to give me a hangover or even get me drunk. We spent the whole night talking and catching up. I didn’t tell them what I’ve been up to and why exactly I came back, but they didn’t push for the answers anyways. I was glad they didn’t since it was the last thing I wanted to think about.
My sisters told me I didn’t have to go to school since there’s no rules under Derek’s roof, yet I still feel like I need to be there. Even if it pains me to do so, I need to go for the sake of my future.
Today it was a warm and sunny day for it being winter, it was weird. Lately everything seems strange, but I kind of like it. For once, I’m just going with the flow. I decided to wear a long sleeved shirt along with some denim shorts and a pair of vans. If it gets cold, I don’t care. I’m going to soak it in and enjoy it.
No complaining, no tears, no sadness today. I walked up to the school with a smile. I’m free today. No worries. No Harry. Just me. But my mood quickly changed.
I watched as a curly haired boy strolled up in his wheelchair to the school, a whimpering girl attached to him. Riley looked pale, skinnier than she used to be, and sad. Was she not taking care of herself? Why is she even here if she's in that state? I felt like they were moving in slow motion. Her chest quickly rises and falls as her breath hitches. No tears fell from her eyes, yet she looked as if she was crying. I looked like that once. She’s gonna be a joke to everyone, just like me.
But I noticed something different. People were sympathizing her. Do I need someone in my family to die for someone to feel sorry for me? I was raped and beaten…no one cared. The girl who caused most of my pain was being pitied while I was being shamed. Does the world really work this way? This is fucking bullshit.
“Just don’t look,” a voice said into my ear. I tilted my head to the side to find Niall leaning over my shoulder. I stayed quiet, not wanting him to know the real reason I’m mad. He can think I’m jealous or whatever, but I’m mad because she is being consoled. As bad as that sounds.
“I say we should just ditch,” Niall stood in front of me, blocking my view of Harry and Riley. “What do you say? Want to?”
Fuck school, it’s not worth it right now. “Where will we go?”
“Anywhere you want,” Niall grinned. I don’t know where to go. I’ve never really gone far. Thanksgiving was different because we went to my grandma’s house and never left there. “You don’t go out much, do you?” Niall asks after a long pause.
“No,” I shake my head.
“Well, that’s going to change today, let’s go,” he held out his hand. I bit my lip and stared at his hand. Can I trust him? He’s one of Harry’s friends like Perrie and Zayn, and they haven’t seemed to let me down yet.
Niall chuckles and grabs my hand himself, “I promise I don’t bite.” He shoots me a sincere look that immediately relaxes me. There’s something about his presence that just comforts me. I don’t know what it is, but I like it.
He guides me to a convertible and holds my door open for me. Once I’m situated, he closes my door and walks over to his side, not bothering to open the door and just jumping in. I giggle at his carelessness as he buckles his seatbelt and starts the car. As of now, I know today is going to be exciting.
As we pull out of the parking lot, I can already feel the wind blowing my hair back. I close my eyes and take in the feeling, enjoying every bit of it.
“Raise your hands in the air!” Niall shouts over the wind. I shoot him a puzzled look. His jaw moves like he's chuckling, but I can't hear him. “Just try it!” I complied and threw my arms in the air, allowing the wind to push against them. The wind was cold, but the air was warm, the sensation feeling amazing. It made me forget what I saw this morning, all the pain I was caused, everything.
I watch as Niall’s long finger turned the radio on and start blasting a song:
Lately I been, I been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I been, I been prayin' hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars
I watched as Niall started swaying his shoulders and singing along. He must do this a lot since he’s able to focus on the road and goof off at the same time. Once again, I find myself giggling at him. He’s cool, I like him.
“You’ve never been to the beach?” Niall raised his brows after handing me the snow cone he just bought for me.
I rolled my eyes, “Never.” We were walking along a dock at the beach, so that’s how we got on the subject.
“That’s crazy. I went to the beach a lot back in Ireland.”
“I thought you were Irish,” I smiled before taking a bite of the icy goodness.
“What gave it away? My charm?”
I clicked my tongue, “Yup, that’s it. Your lucky charm.” That cereal is magically delicious. God, I'm a dork.
“Funny,” he chuckled.
I suddenly tripped on a crack in the dock and smacked my snow cone right onto Niall’s white shirt. My blue raspberry snow cone just turned his shirt blue. Well shit.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I covered my mouth in embarrassment. Only I would be clumsy during such a nice moment.
He laughed and wiped his shirt a bit, “It’s fine.”
“No it’s n-“
“Iris, it’s just a shirt,” he smiled. “It’s no big deal.”
I sighed, “Sorry.”
“Come on, let’s go swim,” he grabbed my wrist and we ran to the sand, soon standing before the water.
I bit my lip, “But I don’t have a swimsuit.”
He chuckled, “So? Neither do I.” He pulled his stained shirt over his head in one swift motion and threw it off to the side before kicking off his shoes.
“Niall…” I hang my head down.
“Come on Iris, live a little,” he started doing a goofy dance as he shimmied out of his shorts. I looked at his ridiculously amazing body. Abs, muscles, tan skin, and a v-line. Perfection, but nowhere near as perfect as Harry. Harry’s skin was darker, his muscles bigger, his abs show more, and his v-line would stand out from a mile away. Why do I miss him so much more now? He’s felt nothing like an empty space and now I feel like the space is deeper.
“Come here,” Niall waved me over. He sat us both in the sand. “We don’t have to.”
I smile, “Okay.” Instead, we sat there for a while and stared at the waves. It was so peaceful. The sounds of the crashing waves, the seagulls cawing, the people laughing, and so many more. All relaxing. All beautiful. I wish I would’ve came here when I was little.
“What’s your story?” I ask the Irish boy.
“Well,” he tilted his head. “I was born in Ireland, obviously. I grew up in a small house with my mother, father and brother. My brother and I used to play the violin together, mostly because it made my ma happy. I played soccer for the longest time and I loved it. Three years ago, my ma decided we needed a change of scenery and we came here. It’s amazing here. Beautiful weather, kind people, fun places to go. Of course, I wound up hanging out with a group of English exchange students rather than the Americans.” I laughed at his last sentence. “What about you? What’s your story?”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I shrugged.
He gently gripped my shoulders. “You’ve been through hell and back, I can tell. The problem is, you always think about the negatives. All that stuff you’ve been through is in the past.” I dip my head but he holds it back up by placing a finger under my chin.
He smiles genuinely, “Today is a new day. You choose the path in front of you. You choose what happens next. You live your life how you want to, despite what people say. You are allowed to be just you. So live a little. Think positively.”
“You know, you’re pretty smart for a boy,” I smirked.
He chuckles and removes his socks, leaving him in only boxers. Somehow, I didn’t mind. “Well I’m going swimming, so you can either join me or watch me.” I watched him stand up and dance goofily to the water:
I giggled as I admired his boldness. He’s just like Harry, not caring what people say. Harry…always on my mind. Niall’s right. I do need to live a little. You can do this, Iris, make friends; you need more than just Harry. I stand up and kick off my sneakers and slowly remove my socks. You can do this. I slid my shorts down my legs. I pull my hearing aids out and place them safety into my shorts' pocket. Damn, I’m so nervous. He’s going to see my body. The only person who’s seen it is…fuck it. I yanked my shirt off and threw it down with the rest of our clothes.
Before I knew it, I was diving into the water at Niall’s side. I squealed as the cold water hit my skin, but it warmed up after I started moving around more.
“Atta girl!” Niall cheered, and yes, I could hear him with my hearing aids out. I laughed and swam closer to him. We spent hours swimming, bodysurfing the waves and skipping rocks. We even searched for sand crabs which are gross looking little shits, but they tickle any skin they crawl on. For some reason, that was enough for me to hold a handful of them, letting them crawl freely on my hands and arms. Then, we’d free them into the water. There was a point where Niall threw some wet sand at me and we started a war. Throwing mud and squealing like little kids. We were having so much fun, I forgot I was only in my undergarments. Fun. I feel like this is the first time I’ve experienced such a thing. It made me feel wonderful and energetic. Who knew this would happen to me someday?
Eventually, we decided it was time to get out, too bad we didn’t have towels. I sat my butt in the sand, obviously getting it sandy, but Niall did the same. I shivered and rubbed my arms for friction, but soon Niall’s hands decided to help.
“Thanks,” I smile. I slide my clothes over to me, using my shirt to dry my ears and then removing my hearing aids from my shorts and placing them into my ears.
“No problem, Flower,” he smirked.
“Flower?”
“Cause you’re dainty.”
I fake gasp, “Am not,” then I playfully slap him. He tried to bite my hand as I pulled it away.
“You’re right,” he chuckled. “Today, you went from a flower to a tiger.”
I raise my brows, “How did I go from a plant to an animal? That doesn't make any sense.”
“Not my cleverest moment,” he laughed.
“I went from a caterpillar to a butterfly,” I decided to help him out.
He face palmed, “Right.”
I giggled, “Close enough.”
“I’m still calling you Flower.”
“Eh, whatever,” I shrugged.
He chuckled and we sat in silence for a bit, admiring our environment.
“So tell me…” Niall paused and gazed at me. “What’s your fondest memory?”
I think about it, “Well-“
He interrupts, “And it can’t have to do with Harry.”
He knew exactly what I was about to say: my fondest memory is with Harry. How does he even know about Harry anyways? He saw us together once. Harry probably told him...
I think some more and I realize things weren’t always this way. It hasn't always been all about Harry. I had so many great stories of my family and I, even if we barely left the house.
I smile, “My sisters and me used to play Princesses. We’d dress up in puffy dresses, steal my mom’s make-up and wear it, and we’d walk around the house in toy heels. Then we’d go frog hunting in the backyard. There was a fairytale where a princess would kiss a frog and the frog would transform into a prince. We wanted that.” Niall chuckled.
“One day, Skye, my oldest sister, she found one,” I continued. “She actually caught it. Just as she was about to kiss it, and my mother came running out with pure horror on her face. It had to be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” I laughed.
“See?” Niall grinned. “Not everything in this world is bad. You hate being judged, so why judge the world? There’s so much you haven’t even experienced yet. You just need more adventures like this in your life.”
“How do you go from being so dorky to being this serious?” I joked.
He stood up and started dancing around, “You mean this dorky?” He started twerking and then just spinning his hips in circles. I laughed as I watched the scene in front of me. This guy is so fun.
“I like your tattoo,” he points to it. “Time to start following its advice. Dance, come on!”
“No,” I giggled. He didn’t take no for an answer, raising his brows and pulling me to my feet. I caved in almost immediately. I spread my legs out, placed my hands on my knees and did a hair flip. Niall did a joking double-take and looked at me like ‘where did that come from?’ Then, he tried to imitate my move, looking dumb since he doesn’t have long enough hair.
He tried teaching me some Irish dancing, but that was a fail. I just looked like I was doing the high-knees exercise. I did some twirls and some cartwheels, my moves still being mirrored by Niall. I even did the Chicken Dance and the Running Man. Niall was definitely surprised by my sudden burst of adrenaline.
“You should be a dancer,” he grinned as he tried to catch his breath. A dancer? I never really thought about that. The idea made me smile. I’m actually good at something.
After a while, we decided to head back to the car. We didn’t even bother putting our clothes and shoes on, carrying them all the way to the vehicle and carelessly throwing the shit on its floor.
“Get in,” Niall patted my seat after climbing in himself.
“I’m all sandy though,” I scruntched my face. Then he gave me the ‘live a little’ look he’s been giving me all day. I sigh and start to obey, reaching for the door handle.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he waved his finger. “Get in the right way.”
I roll my eyes playfully and hop into the car, no door needed. Once we were settled, he starts the car and another song starts blasting through the speakers, vibrating the vehicle with every beat:
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
This time, I find myself absentmindedly singing along with Niall to the song, dancing as I did so. This day has been great.
Iris’s POV:
Here I am. Standing like a stone before my house. I’ll walk in, get ignored, and go straight to my bed. The only thing I can count on is kind words from my sisters. ‘Welcome back’. Welcome? Am I even welcome back in my own home? I used harsh language against Janice before I left. What if all my things are removed from my room? What if I'm kicked to the curb? I’ll be left to deal with Harry and that’s the last thing I want right now.
“Iris?” I heard Skye from behind me. She must’ve just got home. “You’re back!” she squealed and tackled me to the ground.
I giggled, “Yes, I’m back.”
“Are you okay? Where did you go? Was that boy Harry? The one you talked about in your laptop?” her breath blew against my ear.
“Slow down,” I laughed. “I’m fine. I went to his friend Perrie’s house and slept in her guest bedroom. And yes, that was Harry.”
“I had no idea you were going through so much.” She lifted her head to look at me, “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I curved my lips into a smile.
She sat next to me on the concrete, “Is that what you tell everyone who finds out? It’s okay? Because it’s not. No one should go through what you’ve gone through. You’ve gone through a lifetime of shit in only a year. That’s not okay.”
I curl my lips and nod, “No, it’s not.”
“Going in the house right now isn’t the greatest idea,” she frowned. “Mom and Dad have been fighting constantly since you left. I’ve been staying over at Derek’s place.” She was talking about her boyfriend. “Maybe you should come stay with us. Brielle is already there.”
“Okay,” I nod.
She pointed to the house, “I’m going to get my Psychology book since I forgot it. Do you need me to get anything of yours?”
“More clothes and my laptop, please.”
“Lucky for you, I love fashion, so I’ll pick out your best outfits,” she grinned. “Wait in the car and I’ll be back in like five minutes.” I obeyed her and dragged myself to her car and plopped in the passenger seat. I haven’t gotten a car ride since Harry and I…I mean Clarissa…went to Zayn’s party. Harry wound up selling his car. He said he’d rather walk than drive in it knowing what's gone on inside it.
I need to stop thinking about him. We spend every waking day together. Maybe it’s time to take a little break. That’s probably what he needs: space.
“You okay?” my sister says as she slides into her seat, placing our things on the backseat. I nod. “Why did you come back?” her eyes sadden.
I ran my fingers through my hair, “Space.” She didn’t say anything after that, quietly driving us to Derek’s place.
“I hope you don’t mind I brought Iris,” Skye pouts at Derek.
He looks at me with a huge grin, “It’s good to see you back.” He’s such a kind guy, much like Harry. Shut up Iris, stop thinking about him. “She can stay as long as she wants, just like you and Brielle.”
I was happy he lived alone. We don’t have to deal with worried parents calling my parents or some shit like that. It’s nothing but us and whatever we want.
“Iris!” Brielle runs in and hold me in a bone-crushing hug. Sometimes I feel like they’re younger than me. Brielle is only two years older and Skye is five years older than me. Skye honestly just needs to move out of my house since she’s so old. Brielle, I give her another year or two. Me? Oh I’ll be out of there in no time. I'll probably be living with one of them knowing I'd miss them too much if I didn't.
“Hey,” I laugh. “I missed you guys.”
“You’re gonna have to sleep on the air mattress with Brielle in the living room,” Skye informed me.
I grin, “That’s fine by me.”
Brielle gripped my hand and led me to the living room. We plopped on the couch and I set my things on my side of the mattress. Derek and Skye soon joined us and we talked for what seemed like hours. It felt nice.
“Did she tell you she got a secret tattoo?” Derek laughed and poked Skye.
“Shh,” she covered his smug grin with her hands, giggling as she did so. “A secret means nobody else is supposed to know.”
“Show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” I smirked.
Brielle gasped, “No way!” She laughed and held her chest. “You have one?”
“Naughty girl,” Skye joked. Skye then lifted her shirt to show off a tattoo on her hipbone. It was a heart with an infinity symbol wrapped around it. “Infinite love,” she smiled before kissing Derek’s cheek.
“Aww,” I cooed. “Here’s mine.” I pulled my shirt slightly down my shoulder to reveal the tattoo that sat on the skin over my heart. ‘Just Live’.
Derek pointed to it, “I like it. It suites you well.”
“Harry designed it,” I grinned. Shit. Why does he have to be the only thing good in life? He’s all I can really speak happily about.
“When did you get it done?” Brielle became curious.
I shrug, “Long time ago.”
“What?” Skye raised her brows. “Like before you were eighteen? Iris, that’s illegal without Mom and Dad’s permission.”
“I know a guy,” I shrugged again. “It’s not the only illegal thing I’ve done.”
Brielle’s jaw dropped, “Huh?”
“I smoked pot and drank alcohol. Except, I think alcohol is disgusting, so I mostly smoked.”
“Looks like you’re not a goody-two-shoes after all,” Skye grinned proudly.
“You’re not mad?” I furrowed my brows.
Skye chuckled, “Mad? Dude, I did worse at your age.”
“You probably didn’t even drink the good alcohol,” Brielle winked. “Margaritas for the win.”
I laughed, “I’ll have to try one.”
Derek jumped up and walked to the kitchen, “Why don’t I make us all some?”
“That would be lovely,” Skye grinned. Living here is going to be great. Happiness is creeping up on me again.
Tuesday December 10th
I woke up with a smile on my face. We drank last night, but not enough to give me a hangover or even get me drunk. We spent the whole night talking and catching up. I didn’t tell them what I’ve been up to and why exactly I came back, but they didn’t push for the answers anyways. I was glad they didn’t since it was the last thing I wanted to think about.
My sisters told me I didn’t have to go to school since there’s no rules under Derek’s roof, yet I still feel like I need to be there. Even if it pains me to do so, I need to go for the sake of my future.
Today it was a warm and sunny day for it being winter, it was weird. Lately everything seems strange, but I kind of like it. For once, I’m just going with the flow. I decided to wear a long sleeved shirt along with some denim shorts and a pair of vans. If it gets cold, I don’t care. I’m going to soak it in and enjoy it.
No complaining, no tears, no sadness today. I walked up to the school with a smile. I’m free today. No worries. No Harry. Just me. But my mood quickly changed.
I watched as a curly haired boy strolled up in his wheelchair to the school, a whimpering girl attached to him. Riley looked pale, skinnier than she used to be, and sad. Was she not taking care of herself? Why is she even here if she's in that state? I felt like they were moving in slow motion. Her chest quickly rises and falls as her breath hitches. No tears fell from her eyes, yet she looked as if she was crying. I looked like that once. She’s gonna be a joke to everyone, just like me.
But I noticed something different. People were sympathizing her. Do I need someone in my family to die for someone to feel sorry for me? I was raped and beaten…no one cared. The girl who caused most of my pain was being pitied while I was being shamed. Does the world really work this way? This is fucking bullshit.
“Just don’t look,” a voice said into my ear. I tilted my head to the side to find Niall leaning over my shoulder. I stayed quiet, not wanting him to know the real reason I’m mad. He can think I’m jealous or whatever, but I’m mad because she is being consoled. As bad as that sounds.
“I say we should just ditch,” Niall stood in front of me, blocking my view of Harry and Riley. “What do you say? Want to?”
Fuck school, it’s not worth it right now. “Where will we go?”
“Anywhere you want,” Niall grinned. I don’t know where to go. I’ve never really gone far. Thanksgiving was different because we went to my grandma’s house and never left there. “You don’t go out much, do you?” Niall asks after a long pause.
“No,” I shake my head.
“Well, that’s going to change today, let’s go,” he held out his hand. I bit my lip and stared at his hand. Can I trust him? He’s one of Harry’s friends like Perrie and Zayn, and they haven’t seemed to let me down yet.
Niall chuckles and grabs my hand himself, “I promise I don’t bite.” He shoots me a sincere look that immediately relaxes me. There’s something about his presence that just comforts me. I don’t know what it is, but I like it.
He guides me to a convertible and holds my door open for me. Once I’m situated, he closes my door and walks over to his side, not bothering to open the door and just jumping in. I giggle at his carelessness as he buckles his seatbelt and starts the car. As of now, I know today is going to be exciting.
As we pull out of the parking lot, I can already feel the wind blowing my hair back. I close my eyes and take in the feeling, enjoying every bit of it.
“Raise your hands in the air!” Niall shouts over the wind. I shoot him a puzzled look. His jaw moves like he's chuckling, but I can't hear him. “Just try it!” I complied and threw my arms in the air, allowing the wind to push against them. The wind was cold, but the air was warm, the sensation feeling amazing. It made me forget what I saw this morning, all the pain I was caused, everything.
I watch as Niall’s long finger turned the radio on and start blasting a song:
Lately I been, I been losing sleep
Dreaming about the things that we could be
But baby, I been, I been prayin' hard
Said no more counting dollars
We'll be counting stars
I watched as Niall started swaying his shoulders and singing along. He must do this a lot since he’s able to focus on the road and goof off at the same time. Once again, I find myself giggling at him. He’s cool, I like him.
“You’ve never been to the beach?” Niall raised his brows after handing me the snow cone he just bought for me.
I rolled my eyes, “Never.” We were walking along a dock at the beach, so that’s how we got on the subject.
“That’s crazy. I went to the beach a lot back in Ireland.”
“I thought you were Irish,” I smiled before taking a bite of the icy goodness.
“What gave it away? My charm?”
I clicked my tongue, “Yup, that’s it. Your lucky charm.” That cereal is magically delicious. God, I'm a dork.
“Funny,” he chuckled.
I suddenly tripped on a crack in the dock and smacked my snow cone right onto Niall’s white shirt. My blue raspberry snow cone just turned his shirt blue. Well shit.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I covered my mouth in embarrassment. Only I would be clumsy during such a nice moment.
He laughed and wiped his shirt a bit, “It’s fine.”
“No it’s n-“
“Iris, it’s just a shirt,” he smiled. “It’s no big deal.”
I sighed, “Sorry.”
“Come on, let’s go swim,” he grabbed my wrist and we ran to the sand, soon standing before the water.
I bit my lip, “But I don’t have a swimsuit.”
He chuckled, “So? Neither do I.” He pulled his stained shirt over his head in one swift motion and threw it off to the side before kicking off his shoes.
“Niall…” I hang my head down.
“Come on Iris, live a little,” he started doing a goofy dance as he shimmied out of his shorts. I looked at his ridiculously amazing body. Abs, muscles, tan skin, and a v-line. Perfection, but nowhere near as perfect as Harry. Harry’s skin was darker, his muscles bigger, his abs show more, and his v-line would stand out from a mile away. Why do I miss him so much more now? He’s felt nothing like an empty space and now I feel like the space is deeper.
“Come here,” Niall waved me over. He sat us both in the sand. “We don’t have to.”
I smile, “Okay.” Instead, we sat there for a while and stared at the waves. It was so peaceful. The sounds of the crashing waves, the seagulls cawing, the people laughing, and so many more. All relaxing. All beautiful. I wish I would’ve came here when I was little.
“What’s your story?” I ask the Irish boy.
“Well,” he tilted his head. “I was born in Ireland, obviously. I grew up in a small house with my mother, father and brother. My brother and I used to play the violin together, mostly because it made my ma happy. I played soccer for the longest time and I loved it. Three years ago, my ma decided we needed a change of scenery and we came here. It’s amazing here. Beautiful weather, kind people, fun places to go. Of course, I wound up hanging out with a group of English exchange students rather than the Americans.” I laughed at his last sentence. “What about you? What’s your story?”
“There’s nothing to tell,” I shrugged.
He gently gripped my shoulders. “You’ve been through hell and back, I can tell. The problem is, you always think about the negatives. All that stuff you’ve been through is in the past.” I dip my head but he holds it back up by placing a finger under my chin.
He smiles genuinely, “Today is a new day. You choose the path in front of you. You choose what happens next. You live your life how you want to, despite what people say. You are allowed to be just you. So live a little. Think positively.”
“You know, you’re pretty smart for a boy,” I smirked.
He chuckles and removes his socks, leaving him in only boxers. Somehow, I didn’t mind. “Well I’m going swimming, so you can either join me or watch me.” I watched him stand up and dance goofily to the water:
I giggled as I admired his boldness. He’s just like Harry, not caring what people say. Harry…always on my mind. Niall’s right. I do need to live a little. You can do this, Iris, make friends; you need more than just Harry. I stand up and kick off my sneakers and slowly remove my socks. You can do this. I slid my shorts down my legs. I pull my hearing aids out and place them safety into my shorts' pocket. Damn, I’m so nervous. He’s going to see my body. The only person who’s seen it is…fuck it. I yanked my shirt off and threw it down with the rest of our clothes.
Before I knew it, I was diving into the water at Niall’s side. I squealed as the cold water hit my skin, but it warmed up after I started moving around more.
“Atta girl!” Niall cheered, and yes, I could hear him with my hearing aids out. I laughed and swam closer to him. We spent hours swimming, bodysurfing the waves and skipping rocks. We even searched for sand crabs which are gross looking little shits, but they tickle any skin they crawl on. For some reason, that was enough for me to hold a handful of them, letting them crawl freely on my hands and arms. Then, we’d free them into the water. There was a point where Niall threw some wet sand at me and we started a war. Throwing mud and squealing like little kids. We were having so much fun, I forgot I was only in my undergarments. Fun. I feel like this is the first time I’ve experienced such a thing. It made me feel wonderful and energetic. Who knew this would happen to me someday?
Eventually, we decided it was time to get out, too bad we didn’t have towels. I sat my butt in the sand, obviously getting it sandy, but Niall did the same. I shivered and rubbed my arms for friction, but soon Niall’s hands decided to help.
“Thanks,” I smile. I slide my clothes over to me, using my shirt to dry my ears and then removing my hearing aids from my shorts and placing them into my ears.
“No problem, Flower,” he smirked.
“Flower?”
“Cause you’re dainty.”
I fake gasp, “Am not,” then I playfully slap him. He tried to bite my hand as I pulled it away.
“You’re right,” he chuckled. “Today, you went from a flower to a tiger.”
I raise my brows, “How did I go from a plant to an animal? That doesn't make any sense.”
“Not my cleverest moment,” he laughed.
“I went from a caterpillar to a butterfly,” I decided to help him out.
He face palmed, “Right.”
I giggled, “Close enough.”
“I’m still calling you Flower.”
“Eh, whatever,” I shrugged.
He chuckled and we sat in silence for a bit, admiring our environment.
“So tell me…” Niall paused and gazed at me. “What’s your fondest memory?”
I think about it, “Well-“
He interrupts, “And it can’t have to do with Harry.”
He knew exactly what I was about to say: my fondest memory is with Harry. How does he even know about Harry anyways? He saw us together once. Harry probably told him...
I think some more and I realize things weren’t always this way. It hasn't always been all about Harry. I had so many great stories of my family and I, even if we barely left the house.
I smile, “My sisters and me used to play Princesses. We’d dress up in puffy dresses, steal my mom’s make-up and wear it, and we’d walk around the house in toy heels. Then we’d go frog hunting in the backyard. There was a fairytale where a princess would kiss a frog and the frog would transform into a prince. We wanted that.” Niall chuckled.
“One day, Skye, my oldest sister, she found one,” I continued. “She actually caught it. Just as she was about to kiss it, and my mother came running out with pure horror on her face. It had to be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” I laughed.
“See?” Niall grinned. “Not everything in this world is bad. You hate being judged, so why judge the world? There’s so much you haven’t even experienced yet. You just need more adventures like this in your life.”
“How do you go from being so dorky to being this serious?” I joked.
He stood up and started dancing around, “You mean this dorky?” He started twerking and then just spinning his hips in circles. I laughed as I watched the scene in front of me. This guy is so fun.
“I like your tattoo,” he points to it. “Time to start following its advice. Dance, come on!”
“No,” I giggled. He didn’t take no for an answer, raising his brows and pulling me to my feet. I caved in almost immediately. I spread my legs out, placed my hands on my knees and did a hair flip. Niall did a joking double-take and looked at me like ‘where did that come from?’ Then, he tried to imitate my move, looking dumb since he doesn’t have long enough hair.
He tried teaching me some Irish dancing, but that was a fail. I just looked like I was doing the high-knees exercise. I did some twirls and some cartwheels, my moves still being mirrored by Niall. I even did the Chicken Dance and the Running Man. Niall was definitely surprised by my sudden burst of adrenaline.
“You should be a dancer,” he grinned as he tried to catch his breath. A dancer? I never really thought about that. The idea made me smile. I’m actually good at something.
After a while, we decided to head back to the car. We didn’t even bother putting our clothes and shoes on, carrying them all the way to the vehicle and carelessly throwing the shit on its floor.
“Get in,” Niall patted my seat after climbing in himself.
“I’m all sandy though,” I scruntched my face. Then he gave me the ‘live a little’ look he’s been giving me all day. I sigh and start to obey, reaching for the door handle.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he waved his finger. “Get in the right way.”
I roll my eyes playfully and hop into the car, no door needed. Once we were settled, he starts the car and another song starts blasting through the speakers, vibrating the vehicle with every beat:
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
This time, I find myself absentmindedly singing along with Niall to the song, dancing as I did so. This day has been great.
Notes
The songs were "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic and "Brave" by Sara Bareilles. Hope you enjoyed the double update. Happy Valentine's Day!
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Random Fact:
I honestly didn't know Ireland had beaches until I researched it. I just never had to think about it before.
I love this story so much!!!
11/18/17