The Setup

Its 5pm and she still hasn’t texted me her address. I didn't think she was so stubborn. Looks like I don't know her as well as I thought. Of course maybe she has to be because of her career. I was in my room with Harry in my closet picking out my outfit. He said and I quote "Make her want to undress you right there." Not quite what I was going for but you can't really fight Harry. I shot off a text to Simon hoping that he could get Rachel to get Cleo to text me. Half an hour later and still no text. I am so nervous. Harry picked out a pale green pocket tee and a pair of black jeans. I was doing my hair and my phone buzzed. I don't think I have ever moved that fast. It was Cleo telling me her address. Thank god. I quickly put on some shoes and head out the door. "Good luck mate!"
"Thanks Harry! Oh we are coming back here to watch a movie." I shut the door and make my way to the car. I tell my driver where to go. It was long, nervous drive even though she only lived 10 minutes away. I take a couple deep breaths and head into her building. Thanking God that the paps haven't noticed I left. I get up to the 4th floor and head to her door. Before I can even knock the door behind me opens. "OH MY GOD!! You are here to see Cleo aren't you?! Omg…I hope Mickey doesn't kill you."
"Who is this Mickey?" Lola just smiled at me and before she shut her door again she said. "You'll see." I turned back to her door. I knocked. Was Mickey her boyfriend? Oh god she already had a boyfriend?! The door opened and there stood a dude. He was easily 6 foot. He had bright blue eyes and brown hair. "You must be Niall. What do you want?"
"I um…I'm here to pick up Cleo."
"Yea. Come in, she's finishing getting ready." I walked in. He was glaring at me. This must be Mickey. I sat down on the couch and he sat in one of the chairs. He looked like he was about to attack me. Where the fuck is Cleo? I heard quick footsteps then her voice sounded. "Well lets get this stupid thing over with." We both look at her. Damn she looked amazing. She had on tight jeans and a blue flowy tank top. Her eyes looked like a light grey. She literally took my breath away. All I could do was nod and get up to follow her. Mickey got up as well and stopped her from coming with me. He had to be her boyfriend. I waited while they talked. "Don't wait up for me Mickey! I'll text you later okay?"
"Yea okay. Be careful Cleo. If anything happened…"
"I'll be fine! See you later." She followed me and I heard Mickey yell at us. "Alright see ya later babe." Babe?! Oh yea they have to be dating. I can't make her date me if she's already living with her legit boyfriend. I'll let her walk away. Again. Then suddenly my heart felt like it was being squeezed when I thought of the idea of losing her again. That was new. "I didn't know you had a boyfriend." I managed to stay the words calmly.
"I don't. Mickey is just a friend." Before I could respond the elevator opened. And there were only some paps not a mob yet. I grab her hand and she quickly yanks hers away. This is going to be a long night. I was getting a little annoyed with her. "Cleo, we have to make this look believable!"
"Or we could make it look like we don't really like each other then we can go on with our lives." She just smiled at me. Like hell that was happening. I just glared at her and went to the car. I told the address of the place. It was a Chinese restaurant. I really like Chinese food. I decided to ask the question that was plaguing me. "So if you're just friends why do you live together? Is he gay?"
"It's none of your business. And no he is straight."
"Well if they found out about it when we are dating it will be really bad."
"I don't fucking care. It will get me out of a relationship that's not even real."
"All I'm saying--"
"Just fucking drop it. I am living with him because he's the closet friend I've ever had." That felt like someone shot me straight in the heart. We were always side by side back in the day. We were never without each other. If we were people thought it was strange. I thought, back then, that nothing would tear us apart. Until one November when she left and never came back. The rest of the car ride was silent. I didn't know what to say. What about me Cleo? Was I not a good enough friend to make you want to stay? I had so many questions for her. We pull up and the paps have found us. I hear her mumble "Holy fuck!" I grab her hand and she holds on like her life depended on it. Her hand fit mine perfectly since I have finally grown to be taller than her. I hear people yelling at her. "You're not good enough!" "Slut!" "You are so fat!" Suddenly she stops and her hand almost slipped out of mine. Then I hear her yell back at them. "Thank you! I try SUPER HARD!" I could not believe she just did that. However it shut up the girls that were yelling at her. I just drag her into the building before she does something else. We sit down and order. After that we both just sat there in awkward silence. I decide to try to talk to her. To try to get her to let me back in her life. "So what have you been up to lately?"
"Modeling."
"I knew that Cleo…I have seen you in magazines. I couldn't believe it when I first saw you."
"Why not? Am I not pretty enough?"
"No I just never thought you would do that. I pictured you off somewhere learning how to be some painter. You always liked to draw." I could see she was shocked when I said that. I smiled a bit. I knew that she wasn't the best drawer. She was better than me though. "I haven't drawn in years. And you thought about me…?" Of course I thought about her. She was my best friend and one day she just vanished. I would dream about her coming back and us being best friends again. But they were just foolish dreams…or so I thought. "All the time the first couple of years. I would wait for you to come running over any time I went out to practice football. But you never did." I could tell I just stunned her speechless. She was sitting across from me just staring at me. She really was beautiful…I remember thinking that even as a child. I then managed to whisper to her the one question that I want her to answer so badly. "Cleo…where did you go?" Her eyes grew wide and she looked a bit panicked like she didn't know how to respond but then she did. "I went to live with relatives in Dublin to get a better education." She spewed the words out all in one breath. I could tell she was lying though. Which meant her mom lied to me as well. I decided to just play along and asked the next logical question. "So why didn't you comeback during the summer?" That was the wrong move. She got angry real fast at me. "Why does it matter Niall? It happened I didn't come back because I couldn't okay? Just let it go!" She couldn't come back? Why not? I won't let it go. It was the one thing that continually bothered me when I talked about my past with fans or during interviews. I usually just said that she moved away or that we grew apart. The rest of the dinner was just a bunch of polite chit chat. She asked about my job and about how touring would work with her there. When we finished I grabbed her hand again. She was about to yank it again but I spoke. "Cleo. Remember it has to be believable. And you being distant is not." We got to the car easily but when we pulled up to my flat is was another sea of cameras. I looked to her and noticed she seemed tense. "Just stay close okay?" She nodded. Thank god she wasn't going to fight me on this. We headed up to my flat and she looked at me confused. "Um…I thought we were watching a movie."
"We are."
"But like in public…"
"Change of plans babe."
"Don't call me that."
"Fine. Whatever you say baby." Two can play this game. If she wanted to be so irritating then I can be as well. She crossed her arms and glared at me. Whatever. I just want her to talk to me without either getting angry or giving me short answers. I want to have a legit conversation with her that doesn't involve my job or hers. But apparently that is too much to ask. I open the door and hold it for her. I yell out to Harry to see if he is here. It was pretty late almost 11pm. "Harry we are back…" I hear his voice come from his bedroom. I'm shocked he didn't come out and greet Cleo. "OKAY! NO SEX ON THE COUCH!" I felt like my face was on fire and Cleo was coughing. Harry can be a little weird…yea we will go with weird. I go and pop in my favorite scary movie, praying that she is scared of them so she will have to cuddle with me. But during the whole movie she barely even flinched. Ugh…I was kinda disappointed and impressed. Its not everyday you find a girl who actually enjoys horror and scary movies. "You didn't even jump…" She looked at me and shrugged like it was no big deal. ""Its not real. I'm not really scared of anything." She's scared of something and I know it has to do with her past. I watched as she checked her phone. I was glad she never texted Mickey. She gasped and quickly stood up. So I did to see what was the problem. It was 1am… "Oh shit I have to go."
"You can just stay here." The words flew out before I could even stop them..

Notes

Tell me what you all think! Also check out my other stories! I really hope you guys are enjoying it so far.
Will Niall every figure out what Cleo is hiding?
Will Cleo stay the night? Will she let Niall into her life again or will she continue to shut him out?