t e n

I've always been ticklish. When I was young, my mum would tickle me under my chin as a blackmailing technique to get me to eat my vegetables and clean my room and get in the shower. I would scream until I could barely breathe and she would give me a few seconds to catch my breath before tickling me again. The process would go on and on until I would finally give in and eat my vegetables and clean my room and get in the shower. I would get annoyed at her but I would still do what she wanted because I knew if I didn't she would tickle me again.

I was woken up from my small nap by something tickling my neck. I began giggling uncontrollably before I'd even opened my eyes. I heard Niall's laugh next to me I opened my eyes a little bit and spotted him with a large smile on his face holding a piece of my hair. I soon noticed he was tickling my neck with my own hair and I smacked his hand to try and get him to stop but he just laughed.

"STOP IT!" I screamed and began laughing properly. Niall stopped tickling me and just looked at me while my laughs dyed down.

"I didn't know you were ticklish," he said with a smile.

"Well you know now," I nudged his arm, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to meet your dad again and make sure he knows I'm not a asshole-"

"But you are an asshole," I joked and he frowned at me.

"Ok then, I'll make sure he knows I'm not a lying, cheating, dickhead and I'm actually just an asshole who is crazy about his daughter. Better?" he said.

"Much better," I smiled and he kissed my nose. It had become his new favorite thing to do and I wasn't complaining because I felt extra special when he did it.

"I also want to make sure your packed for our flight that leaves for Dublin tomorrow morning," Niall said.

"Tomorrow? But it's still November!" I exclaimed in surprise.

"I know but me and the boys finished recording the song they wanted us to finish so we've been told we can start our break early," Niall explained to me. I smiled, why would I not? I was beyond excited to go spend Christmas with Niall and to meet his family and I couldn't wait to leave.

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It took a bit of convincing but my dad finally agreed that Niall wasn't a total evil human like he had thought. I could tell he still wasn't keen on him and I didn't expect him to be. My grandma had told him how upset I'd been during the time I was at hers so it was no surprise that he wasn't willing to just forgive Niall for how miserable he'd made me but I was happy he'd chosen to at least try and be polite to him.

Carol had invited him to stay for dinner that evening. It wouldn't matter if she hated Niall with everything she had, she could never turn down an opportunity to have a guest over for dinner. It was her biggest passion, cooking for others. I knew it made me happy that people wanted to eat her food so when Niall accepted her offer I couldn't help but notice how happy she was.

When me and Niall came down from my room after an afternoon of mostly talking about the most random things like our favourite days of the year and what our favourite subjects were in school, we were greeted with a large pot of curry in the middle of the table. My mouth watered just from the smell.

The pot had been placed exactly in the middle of the table. There was a large dish of rice at my Carol's end of the table and a plate with lots of narn bread on at my dad's end. The entire meal was so colourful and it reminded me so much of the first time Carol had cooked me dinner. She had made curry in a desperate attempt to try and win me over because I had been unbelievablely stubborn about my dad marrying her. As soon as I put a spoonful into my mouth however, I changed my mind immediately. I told her that I wanted her to make me dinner every night and I had been telling the truth. Her food was always wonderful and I never complained especially when it was curry.

"Lily babe, could you and Niall just come here a second!" I heard Carol yell from the kitchen.

"Coming!" I replied back and left the dining room with Niall by my side.

When we entered the kitchen, Carol was stood next to the island with all sorts of drinks and glasses layed out in front of her, "What do you fancy?"

"Lemonade please," I said and she laughed because it was always what I picked when ever we had curry.

"Always the same," she chuckled and poored me a tall glass of lemonade. I took it and took a sip out of it while she turned her attention to Niall, "How about you then dear, you can have anything you like."

Niall looked at me and then back to Carol, "Can I have a beer?"

"Of course, here," Carol opened the fridge and pulled a beer out from my dad's stash that he kept in the door. Carol didn't drink often, a glass of wine or 2 at Christmas and the New Year but that was about it, although my dad would have at least one beer every night when he would watch his weird TV show about cars and guns and other random things.

"Thanks," Niall said quickly to Carol and she smiled at him. When Niall and I walked back into the dinning room, Tyler had appeared in his usual seat next to my dad's on the side of the table next to the wall. He was staring blankly at his phone and he didn't put it away until my dad and Carol entered the room just a few minutes later.

"Right everyone, dig in cause its getting cold!" Carol said and I couldn't hold in my smile. Everyone took large spoonfuls of curry and rice and there was enough narn bread to feed an entire town but most of it was still eaten.

Niall and I were sat next to each other the entire meal yet he still found ways to catch my eye which made it almost impossible not to smile. He made me blush way to many times for my liking but every time I did blush I always saw the corners of his mouth lift a little.

About half way through the meal I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention. My family and Niall all looked at me but carried on eating which made me feel uncomfortable because I couldn't exactly eat and speak at the same time.

"Ok, so... I have something to tell you guys," I said, nervously, to my family but mostly my dad. I was terrified of what he was going to say because I knew he loved spending Christmas with me but I had to tell him sooner or later.

"Ok tell us then," Tyler said in an annoyed tone. Carol looked at him as if to say don't be so rude and then smiled at me to try and make up for her son's comment.

"Here's the thing," I took a deep breath and said it all in one go, "I'm going to Ireland to spend Christmas with Niall and his family. We leave tomorrow morning. I would've told you sooner but I only decided I was going yesterday."

I heard a small oh from Carol. Obviously she was expecting me to say something different and it made me feel even more awkward that everyone had gone silent. I looked at my dad who was down the opposite end of the table to me and but he was just staring at his plate. I figured I would stay quiet until he said something so I picked up my knife and fork back up and carried on eating until my place was clear and I couldn't eat anymore.