Diana

Sadie and Diana’s flat has never been so quiet. The only thing that can be heard around there is the sound of the AC running and the taps of Diana’s fingers against the kitchen counter. She is sipping on her morning coffee while reading the daily news on her iPhone. It’s Monday morning and she still has last night’s outfit on, but it’s okay because she means to start the day a little late.

“Morning,” she says without looking up when she heard her roommate comes down from the stairs.

Sadie walks towards the cabinets to get a bowl and some cereal without responding. All Diana gets in return is the sound of fruity pebbles rubbing against the cereal box.

She turns to look at her, “Hey, what’s with the cold shoulder?” A few minutes pass without any answer.

Diana puts down her coffee and iPhone and asks again, “What did I do?”

With her hands on the handle, just about to open the fridge, Sadie finally responds, “What do you think you did, Di?”

“What?”

Sadie rolls her eyes and turns her body to open the fridge instead.

“Is this about last night? I told you I didn’t want to be involved in any of it. I’ll get to know Niall, sure, for your sake; but there’s no reason for me to play nice with the other boys, especially with Harry practically breathing down my neck everytime we meet,” bursts Diana.

Sadie slams the fridge door shut and walks closer towards Diana, “Okay, look. I have been dealing with Jace and your other countless one-night-stands ever since I can remember. I have been putting on fake smiles every damn morning, every time those assholes go on their walk of shame across the living room.” She stops for a while to catch her breath. “Now, I know that you have always been around for me too, and I love you for that, Di. I know that you’re not the brightest person in the room, but never have I seen you be that disrespectful to someone I invited home before.”

Diana settles down from the shock and takes a seat on one of the stools.
“I just—“

“Don’t like them, I know. I’m not telling you to be best friends with them, Di. I’m just asking you to throw your sick judgments away and be my friend whenever you meet them. Try. Just, try,” cuts Sadie as she starts to lower her tone.

Diana takes a moment to process what her roommate, and best friend, has just said. She completely understands what Sadie was saying, it is crystal clear, but it just drives her crazy how much impact the boys’ image on the media has on her.I guess it’s fair to give them a chance in person, Diana thinks.

“Alright, I think I can handle a meeting or two, but I’m going to need a lot of drinks. And I’m just doing this for you, Sade.”

A smile rises on Sadie’s face. “Good. If I see you pulling that shit again next time, I’ll cut you,” she says as she hugs Diana.

Diana rolls her eyes, but she can’t resist her smile, as she submits to the hug. “Okay, okay. Now let me go, I have to go in half an hour and I haven’t taken a shower yet.”

Sadie lets her arms loose immediately and laughs, “Stinky!”

--

It’s the end of the day for her, and she is just walking around the corner when she spots a black SUV in the back alley of her building. Diana knows exactly what that means, so she takes a deep breath and puts on her game face. She feels like she needs to at least try to bear with those boys when Sadie is around.

Diana walks inside the building and gets into the elevator; she swears that that is the longest elevator ride she has ever taken. As she walks up to the door, she mumbles, “Here goes nothing.”

What she thought earlier is right; she finds Niall and two other boys sitting comfortably on the couch as soon as she enters her flat. She looks around for Sadie and sees her in the kitchen, just about to prepare some snacks.

“Hi, guys,” says Diana awkwardly.

Sadie sticks her head out from the kitchen and shouts, “Oh that’s Diana! Di, that’s the other two of Niall’s mates, Louis and Liam!”

“Oh so you’re Diana?” says Louis with a suspiscious smile.

Liam smacks his thigh and shoots him a look before he smiles at Diana, “Hey, nice to meet you.”

Diana doesn’t really understand what that means, so she just responds, “Yeah, I guess I am. Nice to meet you too.” She puts her bag and camera equipment by the door and joins them on the couch.

Louis leans in and whispers to Niall, who is sitting on the floor by the coffee table, “That’s the girl?” Niall nods in return. They think that Diana cannot hear them, but she certainly can. She decides to ignore it anyway.

“So, Niall, these aren’t the two lads that I saw yesterday,” asks Diana.

“Yeah, these are the other two members of my band,” answers Niall.

No shit, thinks Diana.

“They—well, we—are all very snoopy when it comes to the girls the others are seeing, so they asked me to bring them over to see Sadie,” he continues.

Louis interrupts while he coughs, “And you.”

“Sorry, what?” Diana is almost positive she heard him say something.

“Nothing.” Liam shoots him another look. “We’ve just heard about you before,” adds Liam.

Diana has the biggest urge to roll her eyes and scoff, but she doesn’t. “From Harry?” she asks.

“From Harry,” Liam confirms.

“What? That I’m an unwelcoming, frigid bitch with drinking issues?” she asks them sharply with an eyebrow raised.

Liam looks startled by her response, “Whoa, no babe. He just mentioned you as Sadie’s roommate, that’s all. He said you’re a nice girl.”

Nice—Out of billions of adjectives in the world, that’s what he used to describe me, Diana speculates. “Well, he might take it back later when he actually knows me,” she snarks.

“This is the first time we’re meeting you and you don’t carry any sharp objects nor have you physically attacked us in any way, so I think that description is pretty accurate,” remarks Louis. As always, the boys can count on him to break the ice.

Diana lets out a faint smile and turns the attention back to Niall. “So this is normal, for you guys? To barge into the girl’s flat everyday since they first met?” asks Diana, quite bluntly.

Niall doesn’t take it personally and laughs, “Nah, just the ones we really like.” He can feel his own cheeks heat up a little bit.

Diana chuckles out of relief, “Good then.” That is when Niall knows that he has made amends with Sadie’s closest friend and gotten her approval.

“Di, Zayn told me you play FIFA 13 on PS3,” says Louis all of a sudden.

“He did?” I didn’t even talk to him.

Sadie comes back from the kitchen bringing a bowl of nachos and a few bottles of beers. “I told Zayn yesterday, Di.” Niall quickly grabs the beer and opens it up.

“You wanna show me what you got?” challenges Louis, nodding towards the console under the TV.

Diana sighs heavily, “Fine, what the hell.”

“Alright!” Louis shouts too excitedly and jumps straight out of the couch to grab the controllers.

Before they know it, a couple hours pass by and they have just finished their third round of beer. Both girls are surprised themselves how they can get through the evening without Diana triggering a bloodbath. Sadie has been cuddling in Niall’s arms as they watch Diana and Louis’ intense rivalry in their little game. Meanwhile, Liam has made himself at home by borrowing Sadie’s laptop to have a video chat on Skype with his girlfriend, who is now currently halfway across the country. There is a lot of jumping and screaming involved during Diana and Louis’ game. Nachos and cushions are being thrown around, and by the time the game ends, the two players are sweating as if they have been playing the actual, real soccer.

“Well, look at that. You’re pretty good, love,” compliments Louis as he reaches for the tissue to wipe his forehead.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” says Diana. She then heads to the kitchen to get some water.

Sadie stands up and follows her. “See? They’re not bad, are they?” she says quietly while nudging Diana’s arm.

She may have said some strong statements against the boys, but Diana is not ashamed to be proven wrong, “Yeah, they’re alright. As long as they don’t demand for all-red M&Ms and scented candles, I think I can handle them being around here.” Sadie smiles out of satisfaction, and they both go back to the living room to rejoin the boys.

“So, FIFA boy right here is a rascal who is unbelievably chatty, and Niall is the chummy Irish, I suppose. What’s your deal?” directs Diana to Liam.

“I, uhh… don’t know really,” answers Liam hesitantly.

“He’s our daddy,” Louis nonchalantly cuts in again.

“Your what?” Diana’s eyes almost come out upon hearing Louis’ answer.

Niall bursts into laughter when he sees Diana’s response. “He keeps us together—the band.”

Liam just raises his shoulder, “I guess so.”

“No, but like, what’s your thing?” she doesn’t seem to be satisfied for the answers she has received.

“Umm… I box, sometimes, and surf,” says Liam, still quite unsure of what kind of answer is Diana expecting.

She purses her lips, “Hmm, not too shabby, Payne.” He smiles in return, revealing the crinkles by his eyes.

“Oh I know!” Louis shouts as he crosses his legs on the couch, “Liam dislikes spoons.”

“Spoons?”

Liam shrugs, “I just… You never know where they have been and how they have been used, okay? I just don’t trust spoons.”

Diana looks at him like he just said he has four legs and chicken bites as fingers. “You crazy mofos.”

The whole room is shaken with laughter and a big fat grin makes a mark on Sadie’s face.

Notes

Can I ask for more votes and subscriptions? :)