Chapter 14 - Total Success

Let’s get down to business, to defeat… the Huns! Did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?

I can’t help it, I have that little song stuck in my head since I thought of that. It’s always like that, some phrase that triggers a song in my memory bank of songs. It’s incredibly organised and it’s like I know the lyrics of every song I’ve ever heard. It’s quite useful, to be honest. Imagine you play Riff Off? Like in Pitch Perfect? It comes really handy… not that I’m ever going to play that but still. Imagination is powerful.

So, as I sing I’ll Make a Man Out of You I wander around the centre keeping in mind my homework. I’m still freaking out but singing to myself helps a bit. That and stopping to breathe deeply and to remind myself I can do it. I try to picture Mare in my head, saying over and over again that I have the confidence in me, I just have to try harder.

So first try: a squirrel I find when I’m walking around. I see it climbing a tree and follow it. “Hello, squirrel! Are you having a good day?” I ask and it’s pretty easy to speak to an animal. I wish it would be that easy with people.

Of course the squirrel doesn’t reply and I’m sure Mare wouldn’t consider that as actually doing my homework so no matter how cute the squirrel is and how we could become best friends, I keep wandering. I know it’s not normal to speak to animals, greet them or whatever, but I love Disney movies, okay? I always dreamt of singing a tune and having animals coming to me. Believe me, I tried that many times as a kid. It never worked out which was very depressing. Mum had to comfort me every time until I accepted that such things only happen in movies.

My second try is not an animal, in fact it’s a random girl that works for the retreat centre —she has the uniform— and we bump into each other. I’m caught off guard and for a moment I totally forget Mare’s homework.

“I’m so sorry,” she hurries to apologise, bowing her head. I hardly imagine she could think I’m a guest in here but she’s still very polite. “I was distracted. I’m sorry.”

I blink in surprise and when she looks at me I just smile and step back, trying to put her at ease. I even shrug so she knows I don’t mind and she gives me a small smile before she rushes in the direction she was heading before we collided. Only then I remember that I had to say hello to a stranger and she was a stranger. I could’ve perfectly used that opportunity.

My third try is with a guest. It’s a couple that I run into when I’m wandering in the gardens. They seem so happy and I feel terrible for even thinking of disturbing them so I stay behind, just watching them enjoy the summer day.

Fourth try is another guest but I can’t even breathe when I see Miley Cyrus there. I completely freeze and feel like puking while the whole world is turning. Even if she’s alone there heading to God knows where, I can’t even move a finger. I just love her music and I just… not. Too much for me.

Fifth and sixth try are other employees but I can’t manage to say hello to any of them so I’m really disappointed and it’s near lunchtime. I’m hungry now and I’ve failed every time I’ve seen someone. I could only talk to Patrick —that’s how I named the squirrel— and I’m still sure that Mare wouldn’t approve of that.

Maybe I can only speak to animals, you know?

With that idea in mind is that I end up heading to the stables. Horses are nice and maybe I can talk to one of them, just to feel a bit less like a failure. But when I’m about to make it inside, I hear someone approaching. Of course I hide, that’s my instinct by now. I hide in the first place I find and no, it’s not behind some bushes this time. It’s behind one of the doors. And as they are made of wood, I can actually see through some of the pieces. There’s a small hole.

Holding my breath just to not give away my position, I wait to know if it’s safe to go out. But the person is coming to the stable, to see the horses.

“Hey there,” the person greets, a boy. A somehow familiar voice. “How are you, pretty girl?” he asks next and I look this time. It’s Niall Horan and he’s talking to a chestnut horse with a white mane.

At least I’m not the only one talking to animals.

“I’ve missed you, too,” he says when the horse snorts as a reply. It’s quite cute if you ask me. “Want a bit of sugar?” he offers next and I see him taking something out of his pocket. I can’t help smiling at the sight. “I’m sorry I’ve been paying more attention to Ares,” Niall carries on and then leans closer to the horse. “You know you’re my favourite,” he adds in a whisper and I cover my mouth with my hand to muddle the giggles. “Wanna go out?” he asks and the horse snorts excitedly, making the other horses excited and startling me.

All the horses react and there are many here so I can’t help letting a small scream leave my lips. I’m not used to these things!

“Who’s there?” Niall ask and I freeze.

Oh shoot. I’ve been caught.

I stay on my spot, frozen, as if like that he won’t see me. It’s not like he’s a T-rex or something like that, I’m sure he’ll see me even if I’m trying to blend with the door. I start sweating when I hear footsteps approaching and I know I’m going to die. Not because Niall will hurt me or anything, but I’ll die for the humiliation of being caught spying on him.

Oh God. This is mortifying.

“Hello?” he asks and I gulp but I hear him getting closer and closer but I can also hear my heart beating, I think, I’m not sure. I’m scared!

I close my eyes tightly so I don’t see the moment he finds me, I just hear him.

“Who are you?” Niall asks and I keep my eyes shut tightly, hoping I’ll disappear or something but no, I know he’s still there so I open just one eye to find him watching me, a frown on his forehead.

I have a huge lump in my throat and I’m shaking, I’m still holding my breath and my lungs are starting to protest but I can’t make myself take a breath.

“Are you okay? Are you breathing?” he asks and I can hear the concern in his voice. He tries to reach me and seeing the movement makes me shriek in fear and step back, bumping against the door but also taking a deep breath.

Niall raises both hands in surrender and I take my hands to my face, protecting me but I don’t even get it why I do that. I know he won’t hurt me.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I feel terrible because he’s done nothing wrong, he shouldn’t be apologising when I was spying on him. That’s a terrible habit! Not because I don’t take part of society means I can spy on them. That’s rude.

Still covering my face with my hands I remember Mare’s words. Say hi to a stranger, just hello. Talk to someone I’ve never talked to before, someone I don’t know. I technically know Niall, but we’re strangers to each other. We’ve never seen each other, I’ve just spied on him. He’s a stranger although I know his name and other things.

I take a deep breath and repeat to myself that I can do this. I need to at least apologise for my rude behaviour. My mum would be very disappointed if I don’t, at least, say sorry.

“N-n-no,” I stutter still covering my face. Not being able to look him in the eyes. “I-I-I’m sorry.”

That’s it. It wasn’t that hard. It was just very hard and I feel like I’m going to faint. Is it just me or the earth is moving?

“Still, I didn’t mean to scare you. Were you here before? I didn’t hear you coming,” he says and I force myself to keep breathing. After five seconds I remove my hands and meet his eyes. I’m shaking so much but he’s smiling sweetly at me, encouragingly. I wonder if he notices how much I’m shaking; I bet it’s pretty obvious.

I nod because I was technically here first, I just hid when I heard him coming.

“Sorry if I scared you. Are you okay?” I nod because that comes naturally, speaking is something that I just have to force on me. “I’m Niall, nice to meet you,” he says next and I recognise my seventh opportunity to do my homework.

“H-hi,” I say with a hesitant smile. “I’m… I’m Ariel.”

When I finish that short and basic sentence I can feel the excitement kicking in, I feel the smile breaking through and showing on my face.

I did it, I said hello to a stranger. Even better! I introduced myself to a stranger, someone whom I never made contact with before. I talked to Niall Horan, I, Ariel Hamilton, did my homework!

“Are you a guest here?” he asks but I shake my head. I know I could tell him I’m not, but I’m used to body language. “But you don't have the uniform,” he ponders next and I take a deep breath, knowing I have to answer him.

Maybe he’s like Mare and he doesn’t make this so difficult. “I-I,” I mumble and swallow the lump in my throat before trying again. “The lake, it belongs to… my family.” I reply in a whisper, looking down for a few seconds. It’s hard to keep the eye contact.

But I hear Niall gasping and that triggers my curiosity, so I look up just to meet Niall’s surprised expression. “So you are one of the daughters! Ella told me about your family when we visited the lake last year… oh… sorry about that,” he laughs but I shrug. I don’t mind if they visited the lake when it was still private property. “Can I ask you a question, though?” he inquires next and I just nod. “Why? I mean why did your dad accepted to make a deal with Rhonda? Why after so many years?”

Well, I guess he really means Ella Drennan, the daughter of the former owner of the centre and she probably told him about how her father tried to get to an agreement with my father so many times.

“We-we needed the… money,” I reply shyly and he nods.

“I see… Just— Just be careful with Rhonda, okay?” he says and I frown. Why? Mrs Drennan has been really good to us, she’s helped us and so far the deal has only benefited us. Why should we be careful? What does Niall know that we don’t know? “Anyways, did you want to ride?” I shake my head as a way to reply. “Oh.”

“I was… I was just passing by,” I reply lowly and he smiles at me sweetly, encouragingly.

“You’re really shy, aren’t you?”

Well, talking about making a person feel self-conscious in five words. I feel my cheeks burning even brighter than usual, as bright red as my hair and I want the earth to swallow me up.

“I uh— sorry,” I mumble and he chuckles.

“Why? It’s cute. Anyways, it was great meeting you and you’re really lucky for living by the lake. It’s so beautiful.”

“Th-thanks,” I reply and this time I smile back at him. We look at each other and I get this feeling that he’s a great boy, someone who would never hurt you. Someone you can trust in. “It was n-nice meeting you, Niall.”

And with that, he flashes me a smile before stepping back and giving me enough space to leave the stables but with every step I take my smile widens.

I would call that a total success!

-:-:-

Dedication to Antonia (@AntoniaDepolo) for that perfect description of Mare: "goodhearted Slytherin". It's really, really accurate. Mare's ambitious but she doesn't treat people like shit. And hey, we should meet again. I had loads of fun the other time.

Bel, xx

NU: Friday