t w e n t y - t h r e e

It was my turn to wipe down the restaurant that evening. I'd only ever done it once before so I didn't mind doing it a second time to get me more used to it.

The last person to leave was Peter. I'd ended up telling him that it was one direction who I had served earlier that evening but I'd made him swear not to tell anyone because even though I didn't forgive Niall, I didn't want to risk getting him or any of the others into any trouble. Peter was still in awe when he slapped my bum goodbye and I wiggled it in return. It was something we did every time we said goodbye, like a handshake but better.

I was in the middle of wiping down a long rectangular table when I heard the door of the restaurant open.

"We're closed!" I shouted, not looking up from wiping under an empty glass.

"I know," Niall's voice said and my body froze because I knew no one else was in the restaurant, just me and him. I put the cloth down that I was using to wipe the table and stood up straight so I was looking at him.

"You can't be here after closing time," I told him.

"I just wanted to ask you something," he had his hands shoved into his jean pockets and it was surprisingly very cute.

"Lily?" a voice echoed from the kitchen.

"Oh shit," I said quietly. I ran to Niall and pushed him behind the bar.

"Get on the floor!" I whispered harshly.

"Why who was that?" he asked in a whisper as he got on the floor like I told him to.

"Howard, my boss," I hissed. I grabbed a tea towel that was luckily already on the bar and began pretending to wipe it, "Don't say a word otherwise he'll fire me for letting people in after closing times."

I finished talking just as Howard turned the corner and entered the main part of the restaurant.

"Haven't seen my glasses have you Lily? I seem to have lost them," he said to me looking around for his glasses like a lost puppy looking for its mum.

"No, sorry I haven't. I'll leave them by the till if I do though," I said, desperate to get him to leave.

"Ok Lily. Thanks," he nodded to me and I nodded back. I waited until I heard the back door slam shut until I let out a breath of relief and helped Niall up off the floor.

"What are you doing?" he asked me when I threw the tea towel and wet cloth into the basket under the counter where all the dirty tea towels go. I wasn't really meant to put the cloth in the basket but I figured it wouldn't really matter.

"Getting my things," I told him as I walked through the back of the restaurant to where all the staff kept their things, including me. I pulled my grey trench coat on, patting the pocket to make sure my phone was in there.

"Your leaving?" Niall asked.

"Yeah, I'm not gonna stay here all night," I said in a slightly mean tone that I didn't notice until the words had escaped my mouth. I tried to ignore it though and walked past him back into the main restaurant area. I stopped when I realised he hadn't replied and turned around to see him stood still and staring at me.

"What?" I said, unsure of why he was smiling.

"Do you love him?" he asked me without looking down like he usually would've with that sort of question.

"Who?" I said even though I knew perfectly well who he was talking about.

"Jack," he seemed uncomfortable saying his name, "Do you love him?"

"Why does it matter? It's my business not yours."

"Do you love him how you loved me? Does he make you blush the way I used to?" Niall began walking towards me and stopped right infront of me, "Does he laugh with you the way I once laughed with you?"

"No but that's what's great about it. If he cheats on me or dumps me on Christmas Day, I won't get my heart broken because I don't love him," I looked up at him with rock hard eyes and glared at his soft blue ones, "But I did love you. And you broke my heart... twice."

I turned to walk away but I didn't even make it to the door before Niall was talking and making my body freeze.

"Telling you that I didn't care about you was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

"So why did you do it?" I said, turning back around and feeling the tears building up.

"I'm can't tell you," he said quietly and looked at the floor, making me angry. I walked over to him which made him look up and I stood as tall as I could. I opened my mouth to say something but only a sob came out.

"Princess I wish I could tell you but i-"

"I am not your princess," I said firmly, forcing my sobs back to long enough for me to speak, "You can't just keep changing your mind constantly about what you are and aren't going to tell me. It fucks me up Niall, it really really fucks me up."

"Give me a second chance, please," he said desperate voice that made my heart melt even though I tried to hard to hate him.

"Your joking right?" I scoffed, "I gave you a second chance. You lasted barely 2 months before breaking my heart again and you want me to just give you another chance just like that?"

He nodded the tiniest bit and I shook my head, "Your pathetic."

I walked back to the door and stormed out, leaving Niall stood alone in the restaurant. I didn't go back to lock the door even though I knew I was going to get screamed at the next evening for not locking it but I couldn't go back because I knew if I did Niall wouldn't let me leave again.

There was only one car in the street when I stepped outside, a Mercedes 4matic. It wasn't mine so it could only belong to Niall. I was tempted to pick up a stone and throw it at the windscreen but I decided it would be best to avoid the court so I folded my arms across my body and made my way back to my flat, hoping and praying Niall wouldn't follow me.