how to love // z. m.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

My eyes shot open, and I flung myself over to pick up my phone from the floor next to my bed.

Unknown Number - We have an idea. Meet us at the Hilton Hotel that's closest to where the concert was last night. You know what I mean? We'll be waiting. -Tommo

Tommo?

And then my thoughts flew back to yesterday night, at the One Direction concert. Louis Tomlinson. Tommo. I guess that makes sense.

Then again, didn't he, before running off yesterday, address himself as 'Tommo'?

"Tommo OUT."

Yeah, he did.

I added Louis's number to my phone's pathetically small list of contacts, and within the next minute, I got texts from Niall, Liam, and lastly, Harry.

Unknown Number - It's Harry. Save my number. I'm gonna steal Zayn's phone and text something to you so that you can get his number, okay? >:D

I smirked, saved the number, and waited for the text from Zayn's cell.

Unknown Number - ZAYN IS ABOUT TO KILL ME, TONI. GET YOUR BUTT OVER TO THE HILTON.

I laughed out loud and saved Zayn's number before getting out of bed. I checked my phone's clock. It was just past five. In the morning.

I sighed and went to find clothes. After I got dressed, I knotted my hair up into a high, thick bun with shorter strand falling off to the side, and then my look was complete.

I pulled on some sandals and went over to the kitchen area. I grabbed a pen and a sticky note pad, scribbling on it that I was going out with friends for the day. I stuck it onto the fridge and grabbed my phone, tucking it into my pocket.

Then I quietly left the apartment.

I jogged down the steps to the first floor, and almost ran into someone.

Well, I did run into him. Not almost.

"Oh my God, sorry!" I apologized, standing up. "I shouldn't have been going so fast. And looking where you're going is always good, too."

Then I realized who I was talking to.

"Toni?" David asked, a smile appearing on his face. "You live here?"

"I do," I smiled, nodding. "Sixth floor. Room 67. You?"

"No, actually one of my friends lives here," he said. "Second floor. Not nearly as cool as your floor. Not much of a good view of the city. But it's still cool that he lives all the way here in Manhattan."

"Yeah, we're lucky," I said. "But it's really expensive and you never really have a lot of money for much other things, you know?"

"I could see how that would happen." He pulled out his phone, looking at the time. "Well, I'm supposed to be picking him up at 5:30, so I'd better run up there. But, hey, how about tonight we go out and do something? Yeah?"

"Sure," I smiled. "Pick me up at eight."

He laughed and nodded. "Sixth floor, room 67, eight o'clock. Got it."

We waved goodbye, and he went up the stairs as my phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out. A text from Zayn's number was in my inbox.

Zayn - WHERE ARE YOU? I'M HIDING IN A CLOSET.

I laughed, and left the apartment building, walking down the street quickly, until I finally reached the Hilton.

I opened the door and immediately, I knew that I wouldn't have to look around for the boys. They were running all over the place, jumping over furniture in the lounge area, and I'm pretty sure Harry was flirting with the young woman behind the assistance desk.

I cleared my throat, and they all turned to me.

"Well, I see Harry got out of that closet," I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Yeah," he said, grinning. "I got our texts deleted and then finally gave it back to him. He's up in the room, probably looking at himself in the mirror again."

"Why?"

"We're going on some cooking show, and he wants to look the best he can," he said.

"A cooking show," I said stiffly. "Why? You're singers."

"I know, it's weird," he said, shrugging.

"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" I asked, and by now all of the boys (except for Zayn, of course) were surrounding me.

"You," Louis said, "are going to step in for the show hostess."

"What?" I asked, my eyes widening. "The hostess?"

"That's right, Toni!" Niall beamed. "You're going to be running a cooking show today. How fun does that sound?"

"Honestly, it sounds awesome," I said truthfully. "But..."

"There's always a butt," Louis said sadly, then slapped Harry's. I swear, those two...

"I doubt the show would let me be on it."

"Oh, that's already taken care of, love," Harry said, grinning, and he pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket, tapping the screen.

"Oh my God..." I sighed, and then I laughed. "Well, if we're going to do this, we've gotta do it right."

They all cheered and got into a huddled position, but I just stared at them. They all pouted and backed away from each other.

"Good." I crossed my arms over my chest. "How am I going to get to this show?"

"We have a car for you," Harry said, looking over at the woman he'd been talking to at the assistance desk. She nodded and pressed a button. Moments later, I heard a fancy twist on a car horn outside the hotel.

I guess he wasn't really flirting with her.

I started walking outside, when all of the boys called my name.

"Thank you for doing this for us, Toni." Liam grabbed my arm. "Really. We appreciate it."

"So, if Zayn gets pissed at me like I know he will, you'll take all the blame?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course!" he said, but I could tell he was a bit nervous about it and didn't really want to take the blame.

"Just kidding," I said. "He already doesn't like me. What else can happen?"

"THAT'S THE SPIRIT!" Louis shouted from across the lobby, pumping his fist in the air.

"Well, I guess... Agent Shay is out," I said turning from the boys and walking toward the door. I opened it, and the first thing I saw was a long, and I mean long, stretch limo.

My mouth opened slightly in shock, and suddenly I felt warm breath on my neck as Harry's accent whispered into my ear. "Commence the operation."