My Judgements Clouded

Chapter Two

Whether it was from the pain in my big toe or the fact that I was face to face with Niall Horan, the Niall Horan from the band One Direction, the very band I was planning on waiting for hours and hours to see, the world had suddenly stopped to a grinding holt and I felt like every movement I made was as slow and drawn out like I was underwater. I didn’t know what to say, but I had to say something. My mind had temporarily stopped and I couldn’t make out one thought from the next. I ended up blurting out: “nice hat, I like it!” before realising I sounded like a complete idiot. I slowly moved off the bench, forgetting about my throbbing toe; I needed to leave before he through that every Kiwi girl was a bumbling idiot. But to my surprise, he laughed. “Thanks, bud, Liam got it for me on our stopover in Australia. How’s your foot?” Niall slid over, but only slightly. He looked amused and concerned at the same time. My toe hurt like a bitch and I knew it would be a couple of minutes before I could start my walk back to the train. I sighed, laughed and nodded all at once and flopped myself down. My brain just couldn’t make up its mind on what noises were going to come out of my mouth. The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat – it had an unpleasant feeling of sandpaper and cotton balls trying to make it to my mouth, with no success. I swallowed and whispered: “Yeah happens all the time. Jandals and all…” I twirled some of my hair around my finger, my chest fluttering. “I would agree, but I have never worn jandals before, right!” Niall laughed and I did too, but it was forced and fake. I was still trying to talk through the sandpaper and cotton balls and laughing made it worse. “So, ya guys celebrate Christmas in the summer! Is that weird?” He was now staring at me, his gorgeous blue eyes wide and piercing. I was starting to get clammy hands. What I wanted to say was No, Niall that is not weird at all. What is weird is that I’m having a conversation with you. That is very weird. But I didn’t say that of course. I didn’t even answer his question. Instead, I say, “You know, this is very weird for me. I love your band and now I’m talking to you and…this is weird!”
“I gathered it might have been a bit strange…so you’re a fan, then? Coming tomorrow? To the signing?”
Do I go for banter or seriousness? I choose banter: “A fan!? Aw, no, I was talking about how it was weird to be talking to a stranger, that’s all. What’s tomorrow?” I add a cheeky wink at the end and he laughs. “My mistake. But you should definitely come; I would like to see you again…” Niall said the last bit quietly, looking towards the ocean.

My heart was fluttering like crazy and my throat now wouldn’t let me get even one word past. Luckily, he broke the silence with, “How old are you, anyway?” This question, though very simple, turned my brain into a whirlwind of different ages and numbers. I forced the number seventeen through my mouth and he nodded, smiling. I looked at my phone. “I’m so sorry Niall, but I really have to go. I have to get my train back home. But I am coming tomorrow!” I stood up awkwardly, grabbing my bag from the swim shop. I was so overwhelmed and I’ll regret not having a proper conversation with him tonight, but right now I needed to clear my buzzing head and find use in my vocal cords again. “I understand. But, please, do come tomorrow, okay! I need to get back to the boys now anyway…oh and is there Nandos around here, anywhere?” Niall was standing up and I was starting to shake. He had referred to the boys like they were everyday people, asking me questions like I was as normal as him…or he was as normal as me. Or whatever. Didn’t he understand the effect he was having on me? This didn’t just happen, I had to be dreaming!
“Yeah, I think so. Never been. Um, I have to go, really, I’ll see you…yeah, tomorrow…” and before he had the chance to say goodbye, I was gone, running down the parade in my flimsy jandals and my toe hurting like absolute hell. I had left without an autograph, no picture not even a hug, not even a goodbye. He didn’t even know my name! I had run off and now I was regretting this decision more than ever. But as I slowed down, I suddenly started to cry. Tears of joy leaked from my face and I was running again, cheering at the top of my lungs, skipping and leaping towards the train station. My heart was growing ten times bigger and I was on cloud nine. Despite my foolish decision, I would see him tomorrow, apologise and tell him my name. I was just so happy! I HAD JUST TALKED TO NIALL HORAN! And he even said he wanted to see me again! I couldn’t wait to tell the girls!