Love Ridden

I thought I heard my phone. Stopping what I was doing, I listened. My phone was ringing. So I made a mad dash through my house, but paused briefly listening again. It was still ringing. Throwing cushions off the couch in a mad search for the stupid thing, I didn't find it. I picked up a blanket, shook it out, and then saw my phone go flying through the air. Luckily it landed on one the previously discarded pillows. When I grabbed it and saw one missed call. Damn, I was so close. But then my eyes caught the name of my missed call.

Niall.

My breath caught in my chest. I hadn’t seen his name across my screen in days, seeing as he’s been lost in the infatuation of his new relationship, completely normal for him and completely heartbreaking for me. I was already being forgotten. I shook my head, trying to disperse the thoughts, but they insisted on coming right back to the forefront of my mind. I'd been replaced as the number one girl in Niall's life yet again.

I huffed, telling myself to shut it. I told my brain to just leave me be for a moment. Just one moment.

I dialed Niall’s number and listened to the rings. Counted them one by one by one. When I finally heard his voice I had to ignore the ropes that had started to tangle themselves around my heart. The slow squeezing I felt at the tender infliction of my name on his lips, the tiny bit of pain that hearing his voice caused me.

"Madelyn! It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve seen you! I miss your stupid face."His words, so sweet, so him, made me smile involuntarily.

"I think you're mistaking my face for yours, such a masterpiece as mine could never be called stupid." I laughed out the words. It was so easy to fall right back into things, like nothing had even changed, like he hadn’t not talked to me for almost a week, like we still saw each other almost every day.

My smile widened as I heard his laugh come through the phone. Even though it was so easy to make him laugh, it still felt like an accomplishment every time I did it.

"Touché." He said, still laughing. "But it is definitely your face I’ve been missing. I could go without seeing mine for a while."

"Good luck with that, pop star." Was my only answer.

"I see you haven’t lost any of your sass since I saw you last. Why don’t you bring that so called masterpiece of a face and that snarky ass attitude over to my place tonight? I’ll even make you dinner." He added the dinner like I needed any more encouragement to accept his offer. I could almost see him waggling his brows on the other end waiting for me to accept.

I told him I’d be there and I’d make sure to bring my attitude with me. “Someone has to keep your ego in check..” Were my exact words.

When I hung up the phone his laugh was still ringing in my ears and I tried not to imagine this night going as I had always dreamed of every night going. I had to remind myself that I am just the best friend.

Over and over again I told myself, repeating the same words again and again.

I am just the best friend again, only the best friend.

I was just going over for dinner. Nothing has changed. We were just going to eat. This was nothing special, just dinner.

Everyone has to eat, right?

Notes