Diana

17
Niall’s P.O.V.
I’d just told Diana that she could wear anything she wanted and I’d find a place. That would have been a good idea, only I didn’t know any restaurants in the area. Much less one for every type of outfit she could wear.
After an hour of searching on my laptop, I’d found a few places that I thought could cover each level of fancy and casual. If she showed up super casual we could go to this pizza place. Then there was Nando’s, Olive Garden, and this nice-looking steak house.
The only problem was that I didn’t know what to wear. I laid out some blue jeans and a clean white tee, in case she was dressed casually. Then dug through my suitcase for a few other looks. I was set for everything but super fancy. If she showed up like that, I’d have to wear some black jeans and a sweater, which isn’t exactly fancy.
I checked the time to see that I still had a few hours before when I’d told Diana to be ready by. I went to the phone store to go buy a new phone.
“Hello, how may I help you?” the woman at the counter said, giving me the ‘I think I’ve seen you but I don’t know where’ look. Her name tag read, ‘Grace’.
“Hey, my phone sorta broke.” I placed it on the counter as I spoke.
“You mean you sorta broke your phone?” she laughed then regained her professionalism. “Does it turn on?”
“No, nothing. I dropped it. It’s okay though. I actually came to get a new one.”
“Oh, okay. Would you like the same kind?”
“Sure.”
She went into the storeroom to get me the phone.
As I handed her my credit card she gasped.
“You’re Niall!”
I just smiled.
“Oh my gosh! My little sister loves you! Could I please have a picture to send her?”
“Of course!” I grinned.
We ended up taking a few selfies and making a video message for her sister. As she was thanking me, I realized, I hadn’t been mobbed or asked to take a single picture with a fan since the funeral. That’s weird, I thought. Normally, I can’t even go outside. I shrugged it off and chatted with her for a bit before going back out to my car.
I messed around with the apps on my new phone to be sure everything was working properly. When I logged into twitter, I saw the worldwide trends. Number one was #LeaveNianaAlone. Curiosity let me to tap it. Basically, all the fans in the area had decided to act like a secret security team because they felt bad about crashing the funeral. They weren’t going to ask for pictures, or even disturb Diana or me in any way. They were keeping paparazzi away, knows how. I felt myself getting emotional. They’re, truly, the best fans in the world.
I couldn’t help smiling like an idiot the whole way back.
When I got to where I was staying, I still had another hour. So I took a shower and fluffed my hair slightly. Not a full in quiff, but not all the way down. It was the way I liked to wear it at home. Then I hung around until I saw Diana and her friend, Macey, coming down the sidewalk. I jumped up and craned my neck to get a good view of her outfit. She wasn’t overly dressy, thank God! I figured Nando’s or Olive Garden would be perfect. I slipped into my back jeans and a polo and was just finishing buttoning the top when there was a knock at my door.
“Come in!” I called, thinking it was my roommate, Dan.
But Diana stepped in.
“Ready to go?” She asked.
“No,” I pouted. “I have to come get you. Because you’re a princess and you need special treatment!”
She rolled her eyes but I could tell she was hiding a smile.
“Okay. I’ll be in my room.”
I took one last look in the mirror to be sure I looked okay. Then picked up my phone and something else and slipped them both into my pocket.
I walked briskly down the hall to Diana’s room and wrapped on the door. She opened it immediately and greeted me with a smile. Macey was behind her grinning like crazy. My eyes fell back on Diana. She looked amazing. Her hair was straighter in most parts but in ringlets in a few places. She’d managed to find the perfect balance between comfy and nice.
“May I lead you to the carriage, Miss Hanrahan?” I asked, formally.
“Yes, you may, Mister Horan.” She replied, giggling a little.
I gently took her hand and led her a few steps before scooping her onto my back for a piggyback ride instead. She shrieked as I lifted her suddenly, before breaking down in a fit of laughter as I ran down the stairs and outside. I dumped her into the passenger seat and tickled her sides.
She squirmed kicked as she got out through laughs, “Stop, Niall! Stop!”
I didn’t let up though, so she got me back with an accidental elbow to the stomach. I jumped back and doubled over, feigning being hurt.
“Sorry, Ni,” she said, sitting up. “Reflex. You okay?”
I laughed as I straightened up. “Gotcha!”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. But you better sleep like a dolphin tonight.”
“Is that supposed to be a threat?” I asked as I closed her door for her.
“Yes.” She smirked.
“Maybe it would be better if it didn’t involve dolphins.”
“But they sleep with one eye open at all times! They turn off half their brain at a time!”
“How do you know that?” I wondered aloud.
“I have no idea,” She responded after a pause.
I laughed and nodded as I put the key into the ignition.
“So, where are we going?” she asked.
“Well, I was thinking Olive Garden or Nando’s. Which one so you want to go to?”
“Don’t you like Nando’s a lot?”
“Yeah, I like Nando’s a fair amount,” I replied, lying slightly so as not to influence her decision.
“No, you love it,” she smiled knowingly. “You like to get the Chicken Breast Wrap with a double helping of curly fries, five chicken wings, and corn on the cob, and a drink.”
I just stared at her for a moment. “How do you know that?”
“Again, no idea,” she laughed.
“I know I’ve said told you guys that, but you memorized it?!”
“I guess so…?”
I shook my head again. “Best fans in the world! Anyway, where do you want to go?”
“Nando’s!” she cheered.
“Then Nando’s it is!”
We chatted the whole way to Nando’s. When we got there I didn’t let her get out of the car until I could come around to open her door. I held her hand as we walked the short distance from the parking lot to the restaurant, then got the door again.
“Hello, welcome to Nando’s,” the hostess said, while getting menus for us as we came in. “Have you been here before?” She glanced up at us. “Niall!” her eyes were huge.
“Hey there,” I smiled.
“And Diana! Oh my gosh! I love you!” she was grinning ear to ear. “S-sorry. Uh, is it just you two?”
Diana beamed when she was recognized.
“Yup, just us two tonight,” I replied.
“Well, you can follow me to table 15.”
I could see her hands shake as she set our menus down.
“Thanks,” Diana said.
“No problem. If you need anything, let me know.”
“Okay, thanks,” I quickly glanced at her nametag, “Keisha.”
She smiled and returned to the front.
“Have we not told anyone my real name?” Diana asked quietly as soon as Keisha was out of earshot.
“I guess not. But I saw some tweets with you real name in them.”
She shrugged. “Maybe not everyone knows yet.”
“Could be.”
We sat down.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Well, food would be great. But paper is okay,” she teased.
I chuckled.
“Surprise me …but it better be something good,” she said sassily.
“Someone’s been hanging around Louis and Eleanor too much.”
“You?”
I shut my eyes and mouth, knowing she’d just slayed me.
“You win. I’ll go order,” said after a moment and got up.
I ordered my usual and a wrap, chips, and corn for Diana. I returned to the table and waited for our food to come out. Then, I remembered something.
“Oh, by the way, you know I have to go back to tour soon, right?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, I’m gonna miss you.”
“You think I’m staying here?”
“Yes…” I said, carefully. “I think it’s best for you to stay here. You need to reconnect with all your old friends and school starts soon anyway. You need to adjust to being back here.”
“But I want to come with you,” she begged.
“You need to stay here. That’s why I got you this.” I reached into my pocket to reveal a new phone. “When I was at the store to get myself a new one I figured you could use one too.” I handed it to her.
“Thanks… So it’s final that I’m staying here?”
“We’ll see how it goes. I want you to at least call me every day and maybe I’ll FaceTime you at some concerts. Okay?”
“Okay.” She examined her new phone. “Thanks,” she said again.
“You’re welcome. Oh, and I put my number, and the lads’ numbers in there. So don’t lose it!”
She laughed. “I won’t.”
The food came and it was, as usual, amazing.
After dinner, I took Diana to a nearby park to eat dessert, some cupcakes from Nando’s.
As Diana finished her cupcake, she said, “You know I’m gonna miss you. But you’re right. I need to stay here, at least for a while.”
I just gave her a side hug. I hoped her staying there was a good idea.

Notes