Niall’s view:
“Harry’s here.” Louis said calmly.
“I'm gonna kill him!” I stood up and turned towards the door.
“Niall calm down.” Zayn said beside me. We had finished the tour around the studio, we ate, and we have been at the house since. Harry is going to need a damn great excuse.
“I'm home…” Harry announced then stopped realizing we all were watching him come in.
“Where have you been??” Liam asked casually.
“Yeah!” I said out of place.
“I was with a friend.” He wasn’t denying it??
“Who??” I asked pissed.
“What’s it to you??” Harry said hanging up his jacket.
“Who was it Harry??” I gritted my teeth and walked to him.
“What’s your problem??” Harry asked getting in my face.
“C’mon you guys.” Louis reasoned.
“It was her wasn’t it??” I was inches from him so I just whispered.
“Niall you freak her out. She knows you like her and she thinks it's weird you don’t know her and like her.” He whispered so only I would hear. That was it, the last straw.
“I'm gonna kill you!” I shoved him. Harry hit the door and stumbled to keep balance.
“Niall!” Harry yelled as Liam did. Their tones were completely different though.
“Zayn get him!” Louis said. Louis held me and Liam was in the middle of us. Zayn constricted Harry back.
“You don’t know what you are talking about!” I screamed at him. I was red and enraged.
“Go ask her! Oh, wait you can't even talk to her!” Harry said spitefully.
“Zayn, take him out. Louis, take Niall to his room.” Liam took control of the situation. I was forced upstairs and away from Harry.
“Niall, it's just a girl. He wouldn’t do that to you.” Louis was only defending him.
“Stop defending him.” I paced my room as Lou sat on the bed.
“I'm not just defending him because he is my friend, you are my friend too. I care about both of you and I'm not about to let you beat the hell out of each other to prove who is right or wrong. You just need to give us time to talk to him. I will figure out what happened and why he was with her.” Louis just rambled because he knows it has a calming effect on me. I just listen to him talk and then I'm calm. It's weird but it works with Zayn too.
“Thanks lad.” I lay on the bed and he stood. I was calm enough to stop pacing but still raged enough that if I saw Harry I’d kill him.
“Go to sleep. He is here and we are going to figure this out. Tomorrow we have some studio things to do.” Louis was gone and the door was shut. I shut off the lamp and didn’t bother to take off any piece of clothing I had on. I didn’t even bother to get under the covers, it was one of those nights were I was just too exhausted and emotionally drained to care about comfort.
“Niall time to get up!” Someone banged on my door. I shuddered and looked around. This was going to be a long day. I fell off the bed and cuddled the carpet. I really just want to skip out on everything like Harry did; only I wouldn’t do it with someone he likes… a lot. “Niall!” Someone else hollered.
“I'm up!” I grumbled.
“Louis!” Liam hollered.
“Zayn!” I heard Harry.
“Niall!” Louis called me. This was going to suck. Everyone needed something from someone and I just woke up. I opened my door to see the light shining in too bright. I squinted and looked both ways before entering the hall. Louis ran into my room and straight to my bathroom. I was still dressed in my clothes from yesterday and I was going to change, later. I headed down the stairs slowly and just looked around. I didn’t see Harry anywhere so that was nice. I grabbed a pudding cup and ate it fast so I could get ready.
“Harry and Zayn left.” Liam informed me.
“We thought driving separate today would be wise.” Lou added.
“Thanks.” I nodded in understanding.
“Also they are going to a different studio.” Liam popped his head back in then left. I looked at Louis for a confirmation.
“They went to the show studio to give Harry the tour he missed then they are going to the recording studio. We are going straight to the recording studio. Conners wants more of that song you wrote.”
“Well I need some time to finish the ending but I have another one we could start tracking.” I said.
“Go get other clothes on. You smell funny.” Lou was charming. I changed and sprayed a lot of cologne on just in case. The car ride was a blast. We were singing and screwing around. We stopped to get Conners and ourselves food before we started working. I had my guitar and we were able to play other things acoustic rather than on the radio. It was something that made me feel whole for the moment. I'm still missing something, someone.
“Here.” Louis sang his words.
“Got it.” Liam smiled and opened the van’s door. He grabbed my guitar whilst I got out then handed it to me.
“So who is working on what??” Conners asked as we walked in.
“I'm going to be down the hall doing independent work.” Liam headed out.
“I wouldn’t mind just chilling out in here and hearing more of that song.” Louis said winking at me.
“It's settled, Niall in the booth.” Conners ordered. I took the guitar in and put the head phones around my neck. “I played with this last night and came up with a nice sound. It's less acoustic but still a slower melody. What do you think??” He played the track and it was nothing I thought it would be; I loved it.
“That’s great! I know this new album is going to need a few upbeat songs and that’s why I didn’t want to play this one.” I said.
“Yeah that’s it.” Louis mouthed from behind Conners.
“So, we need some more of the chorus. Pick it up from ‘Don’t forget where you belong’.” Conners played with dials and buttons. I sang from there. I sang everybody’s parts so it was weird being by myself. I stopped. “Something wrong??” Conners checked things.
“No, I just think Louis should get in here with me.” I smiled through the glass and Louis got up and walked in. He plugged in a spare headset and started to add little things in the back and since I had the words written out he chose a verse to sing. We were almost done when Harry came in to interrupt.
“Hold on, a minute guys.” Conners said getting out of his chair. He accompanied Harry in the hall.
“What do you think that’s about??”
“I don’t even care.” I muttered. I cared, I knew I did, Louis probably knew I wanted to know, but for now I'm going to pretend I don’t care.
“So how long did it take you to write this song??” Louis changed subjects.
“I started it a long time ago. I had the music just not the right words. After seeing her, I just, it all made sense. I knew what words were missing and I finally understood why.” I was being a sap. It really did happen like that though. After seeing her dance and trying to talk to her without her even acknowledging me I knew what I wanted this song to say.
“Well it's really brilliant.” Louis said leaving the booth. He opened the door and I saw Harry take a glance at me before it shut completely. Louis came in with Liam and Conners.
“What's going on??” I said into the mic.
“I'm going to help Harry record something and Liam is going to produce this. He knows what it sounds like so you are in good hands.” Conners left the room.
“So just pick it up where you two left off.” Liam sat in Conners chair. Louis rejoined me and we continued on his verse. Boy was I dying to know what Harry had that was so important Conners had to be there.
“Let’s go see how Harry is doing.” Liam said. “I feel we have enough for this track.” Liam was first to leave the room.
“I'll stay with you if you want.” Louis looked at me.
“Actually I'll be fine.” This was going to be hard but I need to know what he is singing. I want to know what was so important he needed Conners for it. Right now is my chance to find out. We slid in the back and Harry and Zayn were in the booth together. Conners was flipping dials like he's supposed to and we were able to hear them.
“I figured it out, saw the mistakes of up and down, meet in the middle there’s always room for common ground.” Zayn sang.
“You and I, we don’t want to be like them, we can make it till the end, nothing can come between, you and I, not even the gods above can separate the two of us.” Harry wasn’t singing just any song. It was a song for her. He wrote a song about her. I'm gonna kill him. Louis rested a hand on my back knowing I was beyond pissed.
“You don’t know.” Louis whispered to me. He knew what I was thinking. Liam must have known too because he leaned forward to look at me. My face had an expression less feel too it but underneath I was about to explode. The words he was singing were to her and I just couldn’t believe it.
“I'm going to step out.” I whispered to them. I left and walked down the hall to the exit door. Once I felt the cooler air hit me I felt a bit better. Being in the studio with Harry singing about the girl I like and having everyone's eyes on me made me feel hot. I needed to breathe.
“Niall! Niall! Over here! Niall!” A crowd of paps formed. I waved to be polite and act like nothing was wrong. I walked to the back of the building so I wouldn’t be in their view. I took a couple deep breathes and was about to calm down when some of the paps made it over the fencing.
“Niall is it true you got drunk at a party and did drugs??” A woman shoved a microphone in my face.
“Niall did you know Harry has been romantically involved with Izallouis Rae??” A man asked with a small notebook and pen.
“Are you recording your new album??” Another person screamed from the back of the crowd. Everyone was closing in on me and I couldn’t breathe. None of the questions being asked had anything to do with each other and I was stuck in the middle.
“Leave me alone.” I mumbled. “Go away.” I yelled after another question was asked.
“Niall do you know why Harry was seen leaving Izallouis’ house late afternoon yesterday??” Someone asked me.
“Leave me alone!” I threw my hand at someone hoping they would get the message. I hit something hard and realized what I had done.
“Niall what's been going on with you lately??” Someone asked. They didn’t have to yell because everyone went silent after I hit one of the paps. They gave me some space but not enough. I shoved through them and didn’t answer one single question thrown at me. I was so suffocated here, I need to leave. I went back into the studio and walked into the room everyone was in.
“I have to go.” I whispered to the guys sitting on the couch.
“You need to record your part of the song.” Liam informed.
“I need to go.” I said a hell of a lot harsher.
“Ok.” Louis said walking out with me.
“You don’t have to come.” I frankly didn’t want him to come.
“Niall I know you, you are going to do something stupid and then regret it. I'm going to help you from regretting even more things.” Louis patted my back but I moved away from him.
“I hate this fucking place! I hate how everyone has to watch over me! I hate how I can't be alone, like what the hell did I do to deserve a babysitter??” I yelled at him. I continued to walk down the corridor and he was left behind. I didn’t bother to look back because I knew he had a gob smacked expression on his face. I heard a door open behind me, knowing it was the other lads, I still continued on my path to the cars. I was thrown back into the swarm of photographers and flashing questions when I was headed to the car. I guess none of them learned their lesson after I hit one of them. Once I got to the van I slid in and peeled out not being careful of anyone behind me.
I was on open road and didn’t really have any place in mind of where to go. I was too tired of the bullshit. I drove through one red light then stopped at all the others. Louis was right I do, do stupid shit when I'm pissed. I passed some cars with teenage girls in them and they were following me instead of going about their regular routines. I pulled onto the bypass and continued on my way gathering speed. I was hauling everything I had in me to get faster and faster. The faster I got the better I felt. Soon I saw an exit and I took it. I followed it down and drove on a road that wasn’t marked. I slowed down and suddenly felt at peace. I was in an eerie town with rundown buildings and darkened faces. I felt like no one would know me here. I parked the van in a lot and looked at the time on the town’s biggest clock. It was rusty and I was surprised it still worked. Everything about this place was giving me the creeps.
As I sat in this parking lot someone approached my window and tapped it a few times. I hesitated to roll it down after seeing her appearance. She was shaggy and looked as if to be high. Her teeth a slicked yellow and her hair ratted to the ends. “Hey doll. What you want??” She asked in the window.
“Oh, no I'm not here for –”
“You say the price I do the punishment.” She smirked at me.
“I'm not here for that.” She was a prostitute and is thinking I'm a customer.
“Anytime you need somebody you can have me. You cupcake.” She blew me a kiss and walked away. I was not about to stay in this lot. I put the van in drive and left a few lights down where the town improved, but not by much. I shuddered thinking of the way she talked to me. It was gross. I found a nice looking liquor shop and parked there. I walked in and the woman at the counter didn’t even acknowledge me. I grabbed some scotch off the shelf and went to the cashier.
“Card??” She said. I handed her my I.D. and she looked at me then the card, me then the card, me, card. “You're not old enough.” She said handing the card back.
“I'm Niall Horan, from One Direction. I don’t need to be old enough.” I informed her and slapped a fifty dollar bill on the counter. The bottle only cost twenty but I was ready to feed my problems.
“Sir, I know who you are. I just don’t think I should sell it to someone underage.” She looked sympathetic.
“How about I buy it, we share it, and then we pretend this never happened.” I winked at her.
“I guess I could close up early.” She looked innocent, but devious.
“How about that.” I smirked at her. She came out from behind the counter and closed the shop up. She turned and looked at me; grabbing my hand she led me to the back rooms. She opened the bottle and poured some shots. “I'm drinking full tonight.” I said grabbing the bottle back. She took the shots and I swigged the bottle. The liquor sloshed around and went down gritty.
“So what makes Niall Horan from One Direction so low he has to come and get drunk to forget about his problems??” She had pale green eyes and dark brown curly hair. She was really attractive. The freckles on her nose just branched out to her cheekbones and complimented her eyes.
“The fame, the people, the places, my life.” I swished the bottled around in circles before taking a nice long gulp.
“Well, you didn’t come here to talk did you??” She looked at me.
“What are you implying??” I shot back.
“I just thought –”
“Thought I would fuck you??” I asked sounding disgusted. She just wants to be able to say she has slept with Niall Horan. She wants the pleasure of gloating to her friends that she has been with someone from One Direction.
“No! Not like that. I figured you needed someone to cheer you up, take your mind off of things.”
“I have that right here.” I said drinking the scotch and slapping the grit around my mouth to the bottom of the throat.
“That’s fine.” She smiled and handed me her shot glasses. “So who is she??” She asked with a broken smile.
“Who??” I wasn’t feeling the buzz yet. Nothing was hitting this Irishman's head, stomach, or heart.
“The girl you love.” She replied like it was the most obvious thing ever.
“There isn’t one.” I said bitter.
“There has to be. You're here drinking with some girl you just met and want me to believe you aren’t heartbroken??” She was completely right, which hurt.
“Look, it's not important.” I said taking three large gulps from the shared bottle.
“Niall, I look up to you. I like your band and music. I want you to know that your fans are here.” She was a fan, great.
“Look, I'm glad you like me and you're very nice but I really shouldn’t be here.” I said standing up from the desk we were sitting on.
“She is really stupid for not wanting you.” She called after me.
“She doesn’t know me.” I said walking back to this cashier.
“Neither do I.” She smiled at me. Then it happened. I guess the alcohol covered side of me took over because our lips collided and I slammed her on the desk. “Are you sure about this??” She broke the kiss.
“No.” I growled. I continued to kiss her and move along her jaw line. She took off my jacket and shirt with ease. I took off everything I could without her stopping me. Soon enough her hands landed on my jeans. “Let’s do this.” I whispered in her ear. She unhooked my jeans and slid them off. Nothing was stopping us but our dirty consciences.
“Niall.” She moaned.
“Mhmmm.” I mumbled.
“Are you sure??” She asked again. Instead of giving her straight forward answers I thrust my hips on hers and heard her moans and gasps at the same time.

Notes