“Natasha?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re gripping the seat so tight I’m worried you’re gonna tear it to pieces.”

“I am?” I asked, looking down at my hands which were clawing into the airplane seat which was currently occupying. “So am I.” I let out a small, nervous laugh as I released my hands which were beginning to feel clammy.

“Are you sure you’re alright? We haven’t even taken off yet…” Maria’s voice sounded worried, she was observing me as I tried to hide my nerves. It clearly wasn’t working.

“Yeah, take off is the worst part.” I was lying through my teeth, the whole thing was the worst part.

“ I think the landing is the worst.”


“Huh?” I was barely paying attention to what Maria was saying.

“I was saying the landing is the worst. Are you sure you’re okay? You like you’ve seen a ghost.” She was waving her hand in front of my face

“I’ll be fine once we take off.

“I wonder what films they’re showing.” She beamed with excitement.

“Probably some old stuff.”

“What?”

“The films, they’re probably old.” I concluded.

“Oh okay.”

“What?” My voice repeated hers.

“Nothing, it’s just that I said that about five minutes ago.”

“Sorry, just day dreaming.” I sighed, debating on weather to stay on the plane or not.

“What are you doing.” Mari’s voice filtered through my ears.

“Nothing?” I asked rhetorically, I didn’t think I was doing anything .out of the ordinary.


“You look like you’re trying to break out of that thing.” She replied with her eyes trailing down to my hands, which were sub-consciously wrestling with the seatbelt buckle.

“Just checking it’s done up.” I lied but she believed it, or so I hope. The engines sprung to life and I squeezed my eyes as tight as they would go, gripping hold of the seat I took a deep breath and held it in as the plane moved forward.

*

“Did you sleep at all?”

“No.” I hastily replied. We were walking the terminal JFK airport situated in New York. Finally we got there.

“You’re going to be so jet lagged.”

“I’ll be fine.” I replied to hold back the yawn which was threatening to escape my mouth.

“Sure.” She chuckled leading me towards the conveyor belt hopefully holding our luggage. “They better not have lost our luggage.”

“I couldn’t care less, I’m alive.”

“Uh?”

“Nothing.” I smiled eyeing the suitcase appearing through the gap in the wall onto the luggage belt. Do you know how tempting it is to just get up and stand on the conveyor belt? My eyes naturally scanned the area for any security as if I was really thinking about doing it.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“What’” I gasped my head turned to face Maria as stood shocked.

“You have a devious grin on your face, I know what you’re thinking.” She chuckled. “Oo! Here they are!” She sped off towards our suitcases which were racing around the luggage belt. I dragged my feet after her. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” I muffled, struggling to take my bag form her hands.

“Sure didn’t pack light.” Mari joked, hauling her suitcase behind her.

“I don’t think either of us did.”

“We’re girls, what can I say?”

“Very true.” I laughed, following her out of the terminal. The air was just as musky and humid like back home but I couldn’t help take a deep breath in and out again.

“You get used to the humidity.”


“You’re been here before?” I asked.

“Plenty of times, I have friends who live across the city.”

“Oh cool.”

“Yep, kinds jealous of them but I love my job.”

“Jealous of them too.” I jested.

“C’mon, before someone else takes it.” He hand was already grabbing mine and launching me towards the yellow taxi bad pulling up to the side of the road. “Four season hotel please.” She instructed.

“Four seasons?” I practically chocked out.

“Yeah, we don’t get the tour bus for another two days.” She replied.

“But still the four season hotel?!” I was whispering harshly now.

“You don’t think I’d let you stay in some run down, dingy old hotel did you?”

“I dread to think how much one room is per night.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s all catered for. Just enjoy yourself.”

“I will.” I grinned, as the taxi drove off.

*

“Wait until you see the inside.” Maria was laughing at me whilst she raced away towards the reentrance. As soon as we stepped through the doors my breath caught in my mouth.

“Natasha Dalton, and Maria Rae.” My head snapped towards Mari when she mentioned my full name.

“You rooms on the twenty first floor, Daniel will take your bags, I hope you enjoy your stay.” The lady behind the desk informed.

“Thank you.” Mari replied for the both of us.

“After you.” Daniel instructed for us to go forwards and taking our bags. The elevator ride to our floor was silent other than the stumble elevator music seeping through the speakers in the ceiling. “He we go, rooms 30 and 31.”

“Which one do you want Natasha?”

“We have our own rooms?”

“Duh.” She laughed, playfully slapping me on the elbow.

“Room 31 them.” I grinned, 31 was my lucky number. I followed Daniel into my room and watched him place my suitcase in the lounge area of the suite. “Oh sorry, here you go.” I chuckled, slipping him a twenty-dollar bill, since it was all I had.

“Thanks, have a nice stay.”

“Thanks.” I mumbled, shutting the door behind him.

*

My clothes were messily hanging out of the sides of my suitcase, scattering across the bedroom floor. An obscure ringing noise form my laptop had caused me to exit the shower earlier than I had wanted. I threw a towel around my body and rung my hair out before running on the bed to investigate. My eyes flickered across the screen until I noticed small bubble jumping around on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. `Louis calling´ was inscribed next to it.

“Woah, bloody hell.” My hand snapped up in front of the webcam.

“Hey Natasha…I can’t see you.” I could hear Louis laughing.

“Good, I’m not wearing anything.”

“I’m not complaining.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. You’re smirking right now aren’t you?”

“If you took your hand away form the screen you might be able to see.”


“Are you by yourself?”

“All me and just me.”


“Okay, but I just got out the shower so I look like a drowned rat.”

“You make a beautiful drowned rat.”

“Liar.” I joked. I reluctantly took my hand away from the screen. I cringed at the sight of my face appearing on the screen and tried to concentrate on Louis’.

“Just been swimming?”

“In the shower.”

“You can swim in the shower?”

“Not exactly what I meant.” I chuckled. “What are you doing to the screen?” I puzzle, watching all the effect whiz across the monitor.

“First time on iChat?”

“Until 2 minutes ago I didn’t know it existed.”

“You’ll get used to it. So how’s Americaaaa?” He beamed out.

“I loooove it. “I joked.

“How was the flight?” He asked more seriously.

“Um…”

“Natasha..”

“It was fine.”

“Did you watch any films?”
“Not exactly.”

“What did you do?”

“Stare out of the window and probably freak out the whole cabin crew.”

“Nothing abnormal then.”

“Is there someone behind you?” I asked, squinting my eyes at the screen.

“I think the boys are coming back.”

“Where are you?” I had my face pretty close to the camera.

“Oh we’re at the studio, we’re just on lunch break.”

“How’s recording going?”

“Great, Niall been recording most of the morning, he’s trying to perfect his accent whilst singing.”

“That’s awesome, I’m sure the fans will love that.”


“I hope so.”

“They’ll love anything you do.” I complimented but my face soon turned sour when I heard the familiar screeching voice in the background of Louis’ screen.

“Yep, they’re definitely back.” Louis chuckled before Niall, Zayn and Liam soon surrounded him.

“Hey Natasha.” They all chimed.

“Hey.” I replied. “Where’s Harry?” I asked, noticing he didn’t appear.

“He’s um…” Liam was trying to think of a lie.

“Out.” Zayn finished for him, although he looked rather shifty.

“Jenna’s there isn’t she?” I sighed, trying not to look like I cared.

“Hey Tash!” He face popped up on the screen.

“It’s Natasha.” I replied through gritted teeth.

“Ever thought of wearing clothes? This is iChat not some hooker site.”

“Jenna!” Louis angrily snatched the laptop out of her grasp.

“It’s fine Louis.”


“Sorry about that.”


“I should probably go, you look busy.”


“Oh okay.”

“I’ll update you on my adventures.” I responded.

“I can’t wait to hear them.”

“Okay, well see you soon.”

“Byeeee!” He grinned before blowing a kiss towards the screen.

“Thank you.” I gingerly laughing, catching his imaginary kiss in my hand. “Bye!” I grinned before shutting off the chat. I strode off my bed and towards my suitcase, I needed to find something to wear: polyvore.com/natasha/set?id=66526058
This city was just waiting to be explored, not even Jenna could ruin my mood.

Notes