Cold Water

Chapter 5

Rey’s POV

I get home around ten at night, to find both my parents in the living room watching a movie, and my brother in his own room, looking at something on his laptop.

“Hi.” I say after I open the door and knock on it, just to be polite.

“You know you’re supposed to knock before you open the door right?” he asks, but I shrug and walk in either way. “What would you have done if I was jacking off?”

“Oh please, I know you only do that at night.”

He looks at me with a freaked out expression.

“Yeah, I’ve heard you and it’s really disturbing. You should try to be more quiet.” I say and sit down on his bed.

“So what can I help you with?” Jason asks, pausing his show to look at me.

“Can you tell me why you’ve never liked Jed?”

He looks at me with a curious expression. “What brought this on?”

I shrug and take off my blazer because I’m getting a bit too warm. Or maybe it’s the wine.

“So I went on a double date tonight. With Niall and Perrie.”

“And how did that go?” he laughs, trying to lift up my mood.

“It was…fine.”

“And what does this have to do with the fact that I don’t like your boyfriend?”

“Well, Niall said that he’s taking advantage of me because I have money. And I thought that this might be the reason you don’t like him as well.”

“I’ve never noticed that he takes advantage of you. But if Niall did, then it must be true.” He concludes.

“So why don’t you like him then?” I push. “Please, you never told me.”

“Look, it’s my problem with him.”

“Jason, you’re my brother and he’s my boyfriend. You need to tell me.”

He sighs. “I just don’t like him as a person okay? That’s all.”

I squint at him. “Are you sure?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

I still don’t buy his bullshit, but I leave him be, because if I don’t get my makeup and heels off as soon as possible, I will faint. Honestly, the one thing I hate most after a long day, is having to remove my makeup.

As I stare at myself in the mirror while I clean my face, Niall’s words keep running through my mind.

“Honestly, you’re a girl with so much wasted potential”

“If we’d met under any other circumstances, you’d fit the description.”

What the f**k is that supposed to mean? And why does it bother me so much? And, most important of all, why did it make me feel sort of…good?

I shake my head and wipe the last remains of my foundation off, before I splash water over my entire face. I shouldn’t let Niall’s words get to me, first of all because it’s Niall, and second of all because I’m with Jed, and if I trust Jed, then that’s all that matters.

As I get in bed later that night, I can’t help but ask myself if I really trust Jed. And as I fall asleep, I’ve already made up my mind.

I’ll bully Niall on Monday to tell me what he meant with all those cryptic sentences.

***

Okay, so Monday might be a little too far away for my liking. This is a sentence I have never, and will never, use again in my entire life.

My leg keeps bouncing up and down as I sit at my desk, trying to focus on the chapter I have to read until Monday, but I can’t. It’s Saturday night and I’ve been thinking about what Niall said ever since I woke up.

I close the book and grab my phone. I send Jake a text.

Rey: where would I hypothetically find Niall Horan on a Saturday night?

Jake: * eyes emoji *

Jake: what

Jake: are you

Jake: talking about

Rey: I said HYPOTHETICALLY

Jake: biiiiitch

Jake: idk, let me text Louis

Rey: and what do u say??

Jake: that I need to find him so we can work on the project?

Jake: idk

Rey: u da best

Jake: u know u have some explaining to do right?

Rey: yeah :D

I don’t even think about it twice as I stand up from my desk and wander into my closet. I pick out a blue dress shirt, a pair of jeans, my favorite black bomber jacket, and a pair of black Zanotti sneakers.

Rey:

My phone beeps from the other room.

Jake: he’s with Louis and some friends in a park in their neighborhood

Jake: here’s the location

Rey: love uuuuu

I click on the map he forwarded me from Louis, and see that it’s ten miles away, so I think about it for a second. Knowing myself, I’m well aware of the fact that I won’t let this go, and that forty more hours until Monday are going to be the death of me.

So I grab my pepper spray from the bedside table and throw it in my bag, along with my phone and rape whistle, just in case.

I grab my car keys as I leave my room, and don’t even bother to tell my parents where I’m headed as I pass them while I make a quick stop in the kitchen.

To my surprise, my mother asks me where I’m going.

“To meet up with some friends.” I say as I grab a water bottle and head towards the main hallway.

I pull my hair up in a bun in front of the mirror by the door (in case someone tries to grab me by my hair and rape me, I don’t even know), and then I exit the house.

It’s not that cold outside, thank God, so I don’t have to wait in the car until it gets warm for me to drive.

I place my phone in its holder and start the car, ready to go question Niall.

As I wait at the stoplight two miles away from their location, I ask myself whether I’m an actual psycho, and whether I should be doing this. I don’t get the time to find an answer, because the lights turn green and the asshole in the Honda behind me is already honking.

I flip him off through the window and step on the gas, following the directions.

I finally arrive in front of a park, and I can see some people on the benches smoking and laughing, so I park on the opposite side and double check that I locked the car.

I keep my purse close to my body as I cross the street and head towards the benches. There are five guys there, and I instantly recognize Zayn, Louis, and Niall.

When Louis looks up and sees me, he’s confused for one moment, but then greets me with a smile. Niall is shocked, and the rest of them just grin at me as they pass what seems to be a joint amongst themselves.

“Rey, what brings you here?” Louis asks.

“Uh…I actually came here to talk to Niall.” I say, looking around.

Now everyone’s shocked.

“You came in this neighborhood to talk to me?” Niall asks in a mocking tone.

There it is.

I roll my eyes and nod. “So…can we talk somewhere more private? It’ll only take a second.”

Niall looks at Louis in a weird way, but then he stands up and walks over to me. I follow him towards a swing set where he sits down, but I remain standing.

“So do you want weed or a good f**k?” he bluntly asks.

“Excuse me?” I say, appalled, placing a hand on my chest.

“Oh come on Renee, the only reason a girl like you would come to a neighborhood like this is for drugs or to get laid, because the posh guys from your part of town can’t last longer than five minutes.”

I want to say ten minutes, but I refrain myself because he’d laugh.

“I came here to sort something out.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Like what?”

“It’s about what you said yesterday after dinner.”

“Oh God.” Niall sighs, shaking his head. “Just let it go.”

“See, I can’t. I need to know why you don’t trust Jed, why you think he’s taking advantage of me, and what did you mean when you said that I have so much wasted potential.” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Did you really travel all the way here just to ask me this?”

I nod. “Yeah. And I’m not leaving until you tell me.”

“Jesus, you’ve really got a big ego, don’t you? Can’t you just accept the fact that not everyone is kissing your ass?”

“That’s not even the point!”

He c***s his head and looks at me. “Then it means you also have your doubts about your boyfriend.”

I swallow, not saying anything.

“And judging by the look in your eyes, I’m not the only one who’s said something negative about your boyfriend.”

“Okay, so my brother won’t tell him why he doesn’t like him. But you can, right? You don’t give a f**k about my feelings and whether I’m happy or not, so just tell me what I need to hear.”

Niall looks at me for a few moments, not saying anything, before he finally opens his mouth.

“I like Jed. He’s a good friend of mine. But the fact that he forgot his wallet, and the fact that you said it’s not the first time it’s happened, means he’s taking advantage of you. And I’ve also heard him in the locker-room, telling Matt that he won’t bother getting tickets for the Manchester United game next week because you’ll pay anyway.”

I frown. “He said that?”

Niall nods. “I wouldn’t lie to you, because, as you’ve pointed out, I don’t care about your relationship.”

“Then why are you even telling me this?” I ask, and can’t help but notice that his eyes wander from my face to my legs, before they come back up to meet mine.

“Because I don’t like it when guys treat girls like shit.”

I can’t help but snort. “Oh, so now you’re a perfect gentleman? What about all those times you yelled at me?”

“Please, don’t tell me that got to you.” He says, rolling his eyes.

“It didn’t, but I’m just saying. You shouldn’t go around giving everyone relationship lessons when you don’t even know what that means.”

“If I remember correctly, you’re the one who came here and asked me to explain myself.”

I sigh. “You’re right. Sorry.”

“What was that?” he asks, cupping his ear.

“f**k off, you heard me.” I say and sit down on the swing right next to his, pulling out a cigarette.

He does the same, and after I light mine, I continue to question him.

“So what about that wasted potential thing?”

I see him rolling his eyes as he lets out smoke. “It means that you’re…I don’t know how to say it. We were talking about Perrie, and how she’s not my type, right?”

I nod. “Right.”

“And then I said that I don’t like her that way because I like to chase someone, someone who will make me work for it.”

I nod again. “And then you said I’d fit the description.”

Niall turns in his swing to look at me, and I do the same.

“Why?” I ask. “You dislike me as a person.”

“Because you act like you’re something you’re not.”

I frown. “What? How would you know that?”

“Because I notice things. Like, when your friends suggest a really fancy restaurant they want to try out, so scrunch your nose but you don’t comment. Or when Jed suggested to go to Dubai during winter break, you weren’t even excited about it, yet you still agreed.”

“And what am I supposed to make of this?” I ask, speechless because he actually noticed all these things I wasn’t even aware of, but matched my thoughts nonetheless.

“Your parents have a lot of money and you want to live up to that typical posh, rich girl stereotype everyone knows, when in reality you don’t even care about that stuff, but you’re too scared to admit it because you’ll disappoint people. And maybe, you also have this fear that most of the people in your life are friends with you just because of your parents’ wealth.”

I frown. His words are so on point that I have no idea what to say.

“And that’s probably why you made the effort to come here and question me. You’re insecure about this and you’ve never had someone point it out before.”

“That’s why you don’t like me? Because I’m pretending to be something I’m not?” I ask, not even sure why I care about Niall’s opinion.

He nods. “And by wasted potential I meant that you’d be exactly my type.”

“And that is?”

“The type of girl who would make me work for her time and attention, and who wouldn’t take s**t from anyone.”

I unwillingly smile. “That’s…nice of you."

"Yeah, well. That's what I meant when I said what I said, so sorry to disappoint you if you were looking for another answer.”

I shake my head. “How can you go from being nice to being rude?” I roll my eyes.

After a few moments of silence, I add in a whispered tone:

“I actually like this answer more than the one I was expecting.”

“What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know. Something along the lines of ‘I was drunk and wanted to take the piss’.”

Niall shakes his head, nearing closer to me. “Why do you always expect the worst from me?”

“Because that’s how you are with me. And right now it’s confusing, because you just said that I’m your type, and yet you’re still…you.”

“Don’t take it so personally.”

I make a face at him. “You said that I’m your type! How am I not supposed to take it personally?”

“Because I don’t want you to think that I’m infatuated with you or something.”

“Oh please, your ego is bigger than your dick.”

He raises an eyebrow, smirking. “And how would you know how big it is?”

“Just assuming.” I shrug.

“Oh believe me princess, if you were to find out, you wouldn’t walk for two days.”

A shiver runs down my spine, and I look at his lips for a few seconds, before I look back up at his face.

“You’re so full of s**t, God. This was a mistake.” I say and stand up from the swing as tighten my grip on my bag.

Niall stands up as well, and takes a hold of my arm.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to pull my arm away from him.

“Look.” He starts, letting go of my arm. “I just want you to say that I’m sorry for being a jerk. Now, and in the past, okay?”

I look at him, astounded. “Are you apologizing to me right now?”

He nods. “Hating each other can’t go on forever, so let’s just be civil okay?”

I lick my lips and nod. “Okay.”

I make a few steps towards my car, but then turn my head. “However, I don’t know how I’ll be able to act normal around you when I know I’m your type.”

He flips me off, coming closer. “And I’m your type.”

This time I turn around completely. “Excuse me? My boyfriend is my type.”

“Oh please.” He snorts. “You’re with him out of habit, not out of love.”

I look down at my feet. “People always end up being with each other out of habit, not because they love each other.”

“So you agree.” Niall says, coming to a stop a few inches away from my face. “And for once, we agree about something.”

“But you still can’t assume that you’re my type. I’ve got a boyfriend.”

“So? Is it cheating or something?” he asks, inching closer.

I can feel his breath on my face, a mixture of mint and cigarettes, which sort of turns me on, so I have to abort this. But for some reason, I can’t and also sort of don’t want to.

“No…but you’re not my type. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh, come on. You want someone who will keep you on your toes, just like I do. Face it, Renee, your boyfriend is a routine now.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I tell him, making a step backwards. “And you have no right to assume things.”

“Then tell me that all I’ve said so far about you isn’t true. Or that you don’t feel that way. Because I promise I’ll leave you alone.”

I go silent, and I can feel my heart beating in my throat. He’s so right, I can’t even find something to say.

He lifts my chin up so I am looking into his eyes. “You know I’m right, and it kills you.”

I swallow and nod. “Yeah.”

We’re so close to each other, that if I lift my head up just one more inch, I’ll be kissing him. A small part of my mind wonders what he’d do if I did that. The rest of my mind wonders whether I should. The worst part is, that not a single piece of my mind thinks about Jed.

“But you’re not my type.” I add, trying to save the last bit of my self-respect.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night.” Niall says, and lets go of my chin, but I place my hand on his chest, my fingers softly gripping into his shirt.

“I can sleep just fine, thanks.” I tell him, not letting go though.

He places his hand on my wrist, so I let go of him. “I should go home. It’s getting late.”

“It’s not even nine, but I appreciate the effort to make an excuse.” Niall laughs.

“I’ll uh…I’ll see you around school.” I say and turn around for good this time, walking away without looking back.

After I get into my car, I sit ten minutes just staring at the steering wheel, wondering what the f**k just happened, and why it just happened.

As I start the car and pull out from the parking space, I think about a parallel universe where Niall would take Jed’s place, wondering how that would even work, because Niall and I are so different, and yet, in a weird way, quite the same.

***

I fill Jake in about Niall on Monday during lunch, before the others join us. His conclusion is that I should dump Jed and sleep with Niall, or sleep with him and not tell Jed. So basically he wants me to sleep with Niall.

Rey:

“Are you crazy? How would that even work?” I ask.

“Well, his p***s goes into your-“ he starts, but I don’t let him finish.

“I know how s*x works.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. “I meant, there is no way in hell that will ever happen, and we’ll probably end up choking each other to death.”

“Kinky.” Jake says, winking at me.

I spot Sophia and Katherine, my cousin, with corner of my eye, so I lean my head towards Jake. “People are coming, just promise me you won’t tell anyone, okay? Especially Jed or Perrie.”

“You know I’m on your side b***h, I’d never betray you.” He says, and dramatically places a hand on his heart.

I roll my eyes and then smile up at Sophia and Katherine, who sit down next to us.

"So what are we talking about?" Katherine asks, and I shrug, hoping, but also knowing, that Jake won’t say anything.

“Nothing important.” Jake waves it off, but then Sophia changes the subject anyway.

“Sooo, we’re gathering at Liam’s this Friday.” She announces as if it’s nothing.

“When did that happen?” I ask right before I stick a fork full of salad in my mouth.

“He just told me to invite you guys because his parents are going out of town.”

“So we’re not gathering, we’re going to a party.” Jake concludes.

“Well, he said that he only invited a few people, but you know how that can get.” Sophia sighs. “Anyway, we’re going, because I need an excuse to stick my tongue down his throat, okay?”

I roll my eyes but agree nonetheless, because I’m tired of having to take part in such ‘gatherings’ just to set my friends up. But then again, a year ago, I used to be just like that when I wanted to get with Jed, so I shouldn’t be complaining.

As I continue to eat my salad, Niall passes our table and when he makes eye contact with me, he nods, unlike the usual nose scrunching he does when he sees me.

“What was that about?” Sophia asks, shocked, and I just shrug it off.

***

I look at myself in the mirror, ten minutes before I have to be at Liam’s. We’re supposed to go to Liam’s, and it just so happens that today is mine and Jed’s one-year anniversary. And since he didn’t show up to school today, I told him we’d celebrate at Liam’s anyway, and he didn’t complain.

I’m not planning on taking the car since I want to drink, so I requested an Uber that’s supposed to arrive in five minutes.

I’m wearing pink Balenciaga skinny jeans, a matching fringed top, along with my nude leather Zanotti sneakers and a Mulberry handbag.

Rey+Niall:

I get the notification that the Uber is right outside my house, so I rush to grab my phone from the desk, and then hurry downstairs.

I pick up Jake, Zayn and Sophia on the way, and fifteen minutes later, we’re in front of Liam’s house. I can hear music coming from inside, and judging by the four cars lined up in the driveway, I think it’s safe to say that this won’t be a ‘small gathering’ as Sophia had predicted.

I look for Jed as soon as I get inside, but I can’t find him so I send him a text. As I wait for his reply, I walk to the kitchen where I find Liam and Niall talking about something as they’re pouring themselves drinks.

“Have any of you seen Jed?” I ask them as I place my bag on the island counter and grab an empty cup.

“I don’t think he’s coming.” Liam tells me, and my face falls.

“What do you mean? He told me he’d come yesterday. And he wasn’t in school today?”

“He told me he’s going somewhere with his parents, I don’t now.” Liam shrugs, and I frown.

What the actual f**k? I explicitly told him that we’d meet at Liam’s to celebrate our one year anniversary, and he agreed??!!

I get my phone out just as it vibrates, and I read the message from him.

Jed: sorry babe, something came up. but I’ll make it up to u tomorrow ;)

I roll my eyes and don’t even bother answering, before I turn off my phone and throw it in my purse.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asks, genuinely concerned.

“He said that something came up, but that he’ll make it up tomorrow.” I mumble, taking a gulp from my cranberry Vodka.

Niall snorts, so I turn around to face him, feeling the anger bubbling into my stomach. Liam must feel like he’s extra, so he just leaves, without saying anything, leaving Niall and I alone in the kitchen.

“Do you have something to say to me?” I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest.

“No, I just find it funny how your boyfriend left you on your one year anniversary.”

“You think it’s funny?” I ask him, shaking my head.

Niall shrugs, coming closer to me. “No, because he’s a jerk. And you should have realized it by now. I mean, you’ve been together for one year.”

“You have-“ I start, but then get interrupted by Harry coming into the kitchen, looking for something to drink.

He’s soon followed by Louis, who seems to be doing the exact same thing, and accidentally bumps into Harry, who blushes and mutters an apology.

“It’s fine bro.” Louis says, and I cringe, because I’m sure that’s the last thing Harry wants to be called by Louis, the guy he has a crush on.

They leave separately, and as soon as the door closes, I mutter:

“Pathetic.” Niall says at the same time, so we look at each other in awe.

“Do you know something?” I ask him, pointing my finger in his direction.

“Do you know something?” he retorts.

“Maybe.” I trail off, squinting my eyes at him. “I may, hypothetically speaking, know, that Harry has a crush on Louis. What do you hypothetically know?”

He thinks about it for a second. “I may also hypothetically know the same thing about Louis.”

I smirk at him, and he looks at me surprised. “We should get them together. Or try to.” I suggest, thinking about a plan.

“How good of a friend are you with Harry?” he asks me.

“I’m pretty good friends with him.”

“Would it be weird if you asked him to come to the mall with him?”

I nod. “And you bring Louis? And we coincidentally bump into each other?”

Niall smirks, nodding. “Sure. Tomorrow?”

I approve.

I find it weird, that we both agreed on meeting up at the mall tomorrow, but I don’t say anything about it. What’s even weirder is that Niall is so close to me I can smell the Vodka on his breath, and once again, I find myself not wanting to pull back.

“You’re really close.” I say, and he shrugs, looking into my eyes.

“So? I don’t see you pulling back.”

I swallow and he leans even closer that our noses are brushing, and I can feel the blood pulsing through my veins from the adrenaline.

Our lips touch, just as the kitchen door swings open against the wall, and two guys come in yelling and laughing.

Niall and I look away from each other, and I excuse myself as I grab my bag from the counter, saying that I have to go and put it in a safe place.

I don’t hear if Niall says anything else because I’m out of the kitchen in a matter of seconds, already ordering a taxi because there are no available Ubers.

I say goodbye to Jake, telling him that I don’t feel good and that I’m going home.

My cab is outside on minute later, so I rush to get in and greet the blonde lady behind the wheel. I tell her my address and she nods, starting the car.

I bite my lip as I think about Niall, and what I just did (or was about to do), but then my thoughts get interrupted when I see the driver’s ID on the dashboard.

Maura Horan, 37

I frown, wondering whether it’s Niall’s mother, but then I see the small photo next to it, with her and two small, blonde kids, that look just like Niall and Lily.

And for the rest of the trip, I’m silent, the only thoughts going through my mind being the fact that I may have just cheating on my boyfriend, and that I wish I had gone through with it all the way.