Night Air

Chapter 54

*Alyssa's POV*

The next day after I got back to the hotel after work, I was beyond exhausted and just wanted some peace and quiet. My feet were sore and my head felt like it was being weighed down by all of the product Lou had put in it that morning. All I wanted was a nice, long, relaxing shower and a nap.

I let the door slam behind me as I entered my tiny room and plopped down face first onto my bed. Finally, I felt at peace.

I was starting to feel myself drift off, but that didn't last long before my phone started buzzing and going off loudly in my back pocket. Like a rocket, I shot straight up, knocking my bag off of my bed in the process. I struggled for a few seconds to grab my phone, but I eventually was able to do so and answer it without even looking at who was calling me.

"Hello?"

I heard a chuckle on the other end. "Hey, Alyssa. You ready?"

I let out a heavy sigh and collapsed back into my bed at the sound of my father's voice. I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to have a movie night with all of them tonight.

"Sorry, dad. Yeah I'll be ready soon. Just let me shower real quick," I explained starting to get up slowly.

"Alright, sweetie. Well Ryan should be there in about 20 minutes so be fast." All at once I stopped breathing and thinking. Ryan? 20 minutes? Why? "But I guess we will see you when we see you. Love you."

I looked up to my ceiling and let out a breath. "Love you too, Dad."

After the line went dead, I plopped back down face first on the mattress. Fuck me.

**

"Nice ride," I said to Ryan as I walked up to the slick, white convertible.

He laughed and opened my door for me which brought a smile to my face. "Yeah. Too bad it's just a rental," he laughed again while jogging around to the driver side.

I shrugged. "It's still nice."

He started the car and then put it into gear. "So," he started, "how are you liking the modeling thing?"

I nodded my head to show that I've been enjoying it. "It's been a lot of fun. I've only made a few friends but I've come to realize that's all I really need."

Ryan looked over to me for a split second and then looked back to the road. "That's great. So what ever happened to that one guy?"

I looked at him confused. Did he mean Niall? "That one guy?" I questioned.

"Yeah. That guy that you were with when you went to the movies and saw me working. The guy with the accent."

"Oh," I said. "You mean Niall." I sighed, not really wanting to give an explanation. "He left."

Ryan didn't say anything for a few seconds and just briefly glanced over at me again. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He just told me that he had to go and he couldn't tell me where he was going or why he was leaving. Vague answer, I know, but I don't really know why."

Ryan once more looked over to me, but this time a little but more pitiful. "Sorry to hear that. Seems like you were really good friends with him."

I sighed and slumped down a bit into my seat. "Yeah. I really was." The ride went silent after that as Ryan focused back on the road and I looked out the empty space where my glass window would usually go since the top to the convertible was down.

Finally, I looked over at Ryan. "So," I started. "I don't know for sure why I'm telling you this, but for some reason I just feel like I need to get this out there."