The Setup

We get to the club and I honestly didn't really feel like going but Cleo seemed like she wanted to so we went. I keep my arm around her waist while we navigate through the maze of people. We get to the VIP section and we all sit down. Ellie and Louis ditched us to go back to the hotel. Probably to have sex. So it was just Harry, Liam, Cleo and I. Zayn had a workout session to go to. Cleo is sitting close enough to me so that it looks like she is with me but far enough away so she doesn't touch me. "So Cleo how'd you like the show?" Harry was smiling at her. I have to hand it to Harry, he was actually trying to have a conversation with her. "It was good. I didn't know very many songs but you guys were funny." She thought we were funny! Yes. I'm glad she enjoyed the show. I have to admit when I would look over I would see Ellie singing Cleo just watching and clapping along. But I thought she was adorable. I kind of liked that she wasn't a huge fan. That meant she actually listened to the lyrics. "Thanks love! And you're going to know the words after about the third show." Damn it Harry! I wasn't planning on taking her to every single show! I could just imagine how bored she would be. Time to divert the attention before an argument comes. "Cleo babe…can I get you a drink?"
"Uh yea sure. Whatever you get will be fine." Sweet that makes it easy on me. I kiss her cheek before heading off to the bar. I wonder if the lads will actually talk to her or if they will just sit there silently. I hope they try to talk to her still. She really was okay to talk to if I didn't bring up the past. But its so hard not to. I get the drinks then they tell me that they have assigned a waiter to us. Which is nice but I wasn't planning on drinking a lot. I would rather stay sober around Cleo. Because I have no idea what drunk me would do. I get back and over hear Cleo respond to something that Liam said. "You don't know him like I do then. I've seen him happier." I sit down quickly before Liam could ask another question. She's seen me happier? When? I've always been happy with her. I just pass around the drinks. I pretty much down my first one and watch her take a sip. She makes a funny face. God she was so cute. But she finished it. The waiter came and brought more so I took another. So did Cleo and well I could tell that she didn't really drink. Because she was leaning on me. "Niaaalll! Lets go dance!" She was pulling on my arm. Her grey eyes filled with joy…how could I say no? So I get up and go with her. We make it to the dance floor and I can't help but laugh at Cleo like this. She's more like how I remembered her. Carefree. Then she wraps her arms around my neck and grinds on me. I pull her closer by her waist and I leave my hands there. She's singing along to whatever song is playing right now. But only just loud enough to I can hear. My heart is probably going to jump out of my chest. This was like sweet torture. Another songs pops on and she just keeps on dancing on me. Then she leans up and I can feel her breath on my cheek. "Lets get out of here." She then playfully nips on my earlobe. She also grinds her hips with more intent into mine.
"Cleo…" I groaned into her but then I was ripped away from her and came face to face with two girls. "Oh my gosh! It really is you! I told you Kimmy! Here's our numbers call us anytime." They were smiling at me. "Uh no thanks. I have a girlfriend." I hand back the napkins and turn around to see Cleo gone. I move my way back to our table just in time for her to run right past me and out the door. I look at the lads for answers. "Her arms mate…"
"What about her arms Haz?!" I quickly go outside after her. I walk around the whole building while calling her. She didn't pick up. God where could she have gone?! I still was buzzing from dancing with her. I just wanted her back in my arms on that dance floor. I do another loop around just to make sure. I'm standing in the side alley calling her again. Finally she picks up after my fourth try. "Hello?"
"Cleo! Where the hell are you?"
"Outside…where are you?"
"You are not outside because that's where I am right now! Cleo please come back. I'll take you to the hotel…" I probably sound really stupid but I don't care. I am practically begging her to come back. I just want her in my sight. "Why bother? I am almost there anyways. Just have fun with your friends…I like being alone anyways. I didn't want to go there in the first place."
"Why didn't you tell me! We would've just gone back to the hotel! I'm on my way over there." I just hang up and go off. Good thing I know my way around Dublin. I can't believe she didn't tell me that she didn't want to come. But then I am glad that we went because of that dance. I can't help but grin about it. It's clear that she has sobered up a bit. Then suddenly there were girl screaming and cameras flashing. Crap! I try to fend them off but its really no use. So I stop and sign crap before saying that I really have to go because Cleo didn't feel well. So I needed to make sure that she was doing better. All lies obviously but we have that iconic couple image to uphold. After saying that she felt ill they let me through. I felt my phone buzz and it was a twitter notification. I go and look. Cleo tweeted something. 'When you get locked out of your hotel room and @NiallOfficial isn't back yet<<' Well whose fault is that for running off without me? I was still pretty far away. I quickened my pace so I wouldn't keep her waiting for too long. I get up to our floor to see her sitting in the hallway by our door. I was getting fed up with her always running away. "Why the hell do you always have to send me on some wild goose chase to find you?!"
"I said I was going to be here…did you hit traffic?"
"No the paps were bad but why did you run out in the first place?" I let us into the room and she grabs clothes to change. I see that she still sleeps in my blue shirt. I sit down on the bed waiting for her to come out. I look down thinking that she won't tell me. She comes out and I look at her. "Cleo why did you run away?" She just holds out her arms like that’s supposed to help me. I get up and trace some of the scars. I gently kiss them. "I don't understand…"
"Liam asked if I cut myself." My head snaps up and I look into her eyes. I can't believe he would ask her that! He hurt her. "He did what? I am going to kill him! Why the hell would he think that! I can't believe--"
"I don't think he intentionally meant to hurt me Niall. Its fine, I've gotten that remark before." I watch as she climbs into bed. She looks pretty exhausted. "I wish I could heal every wound you have Cleo." I grab her and pull her into me.
"There is nothing you could've done Niall. Its fine." She moves out of my arms and lays there. I can tell that she is lost in her thought. I don't get what is plaguing her. All I want is to love her like she deserves. She deserves someone to love her endlessly. And I plan on being that guy. I work up my courage and ask her what has been bothering me. "What did you mean you've seen me happier?" She sits up and looks at me. I stare into her grey eyes until she looks down at her hands. Then she just spilled what she meant. "I meant I've seen you happier. This one time when I was 15…I begged my mom…Rachel…to drive me to Mullingar to I don’t know…see you. We got to school right when it was getting let out and I saw you. Laughing and messing around with some people. I assume your new friends. I got out and followed you. I watched you walk past my house and not even look at it. That's when I finally decided that my past should just stay there in the past." She came back to see me? She thought I forgot about her? Why…I honestly tried but it was too hard for me. "Cleo I tried to forget you! I tried so hard. But I couldn't everything reminded me of you. Cleo you should've called after me--"
"And said what Niall? Hey remember me? You know your best friend that left you high and dry? You looked like you forgot me…so I didn't bother. I just went back to the car and told Rachel that this was the last time that would happen."
"You could've yelled anything and I would've turned around! Cleo…I can't believe you thought that I forgot you." I just sit there and wait for her to continue but she just shrugs. She lies back down and it seems like this conversation is over. But hey she shared something with me. Maybe she is opening up to me. This is the first step for us. Then hopefully I won't have to watch her walk away ever again.

Notes