Finding, Finding... Found.

Chapter 6

***

To say that Niall looked like a dying person would be an understatement. He could hardly sleep a wink the night before, thanks to the other boys who made kissy noises every five seconds. The worst part was that instead of chiding the boys like he normally would have, Liam joined in.

The boys' excitement made Niall feel as though he had four incredibly excited mothers.

"Didn't sleep, eh?" Harry teased as Niall grabbed a cup of coffee and stirred some sugar into it.

"Yeah, because it was so quiet the night before," Niall replied sarcastically as he lifted the cup up to his lips, savoring the bittersweet taste of the coffee.

"Someone's in a bitter mood!" Harry teased, before Zayn walked in and ruffled his hair, messing up his curls. Harry grunted as his hands flew to his head, trying to smooth out the mess that Zayn had created.

"Good morning Zayn," Niall greeted after the Bradford lad had given him a silent nod of acknowledgement, before continuing. "Looks like Harry's gunning for the Most Obvious Comment award."

Zayn simply snorted as he quickly gulped down his orange juice and started talking.

"So... Niall," Zayn glanced at Harry, and they had a silent conversation with their eyes. "Can the rest of the lads meet Alyssa?"

Niall's eyes widened as he almost choked on his coffee. Shaking his head fervently, Niall quickly stood up and walked towards his room... to find Louis lying on his bed, flicking through the different television channels.

He had walked right into a trap set up by the boys. That realization came too late however, as Liam, Zayn and Harry stood behind him.

"Niall, can we please see Alyssa?" Zayn asked again, though it was obvious from his tone that he would not be taking no for an answer. Still, Niall had to try - who knows what these guys would say in front of Alyssa? He wanted to break the news to her slowly, or in a better case scenario let her realize that he was the one she was looking for.

He hoped that she had been looking for him, anyway.

"Guys, it's too soon," Niall tried to justify. "Besides, I'm not even sure if it's her yet."

Niall winced at how unconvincing his last statement was, and it seemed that the boys realized that too, as they all started chuckling, with Liam criticizing Niall's ability to lie.

"It's your last chance, Niall," Louis taunted jokingly. "Let us see Alyssa - or feel our wrath!"

"I..." Niall looked towards the door for a chance to escape, but realized that the boys had already locked it. Damn. "You guys can't look for Alyssa! Not now!"

"How sweet, little Niall protecting his princess," Louis chuckled, but quickly stood up on his feet a few moments later. "Boys, attack!"

***

"And that's why you add the numbers, instead of multiplying them," Alyssa concluded her lesson and the little kids started packing up their stationery and leaving the class. "Remember to do your homework and don't forget to bring them back!"

"Do you want to get a coffee?" Karla was at Alyssa's desk a few minutes later. "My treat today, seeing as how you look like you're dying."

"Thanks Karla," Alyssa nodded appreciatively as she walked out of her classroom, only to hear ear-piercing screams coming from outside the kindergarten. "What the hell?"

"What in the world is going on?" Karla questioned as she followed Alyssa towards the entrance of the kindergarten, only to see some of her students crouching down in fear at the loud screaming. She immediately ran towards them, leaving Karla to tend with her own students.

"What's the screaming about?" Alyssa questioned out loud, before bending down so that she was at eye level with her students. "C'mon darlings, we'll go out by the back door, all right?"

The little kids nodded as they took hold of Alyssa's coat and followed her into the kindergarten.

"I'll just call your parents to inform them that you'll be leaving from the back door..." Alyssa trailed off as she motioned for her students to take a seat.

***

"Liam James Payne, did you seriously TWEET the name of the kindergarten we're going to?" Harry stared at his band mate incredulously.

"Oh, I already tweeted that an hour ago," Liam smiled - oblivious to what Harry was talking about. "I was simply telling our fans that we're on our way!"

Zayn cursed under his breath as he stared at Liam, who was supposed to be the more sensible one out of the five of them.

"There are kids there Liam! And you know how..." Zayn struggled to find the appropriate word without sounding ungrateful. "How over-excited our fans get! Imagine how the kids will feel!"

Liam's eyes widened as realization hit him, and he looked around at Niall and Louis. "I didn't think of that - I swear!"

Niall's glare was murderous, and the other boys knew that he was fuming. They knew about Niall's adoption and his rather difficult time in the orphanage, and they also knew that it had led to him to feel very protective over kids. Having little kids traumatized because of their actions would affect Niall more than it would affect them.

"Niall, I-I swear... if there's anything I can do..." Liam stammered. "I..."

Niall balled up his fists and placed them over his eyes, trying to block out the world as negative thoughts immediately filled his mind.

Alyssa would hate me for it. If I feel so protective over kids after being in the orphanage for just four years, imagine how Alyssa would feel...

Alyssa would hate me for it. Alyssa would hate me for it.

The words kept repeating in Niall's head, and he didn't realize that he was on the verge of tears until Louis shook his arm.

"We won't go today Niall," Louis sounded worried. "Liam will tweet that he has gotten the date mixed up... the fans will leave after some time."

"Yeah Niall, are you okay?" Harry's words were laced with immense, genuine concern. "Liam didn't mean it. You know he didn't."

"I know... I just..." Niall's cleared his throat as he tried to regain his composure. "I don't blame you Liam, we'll just... go see Alyssa another day."

Zayn informed their driver of their new location before resting in his seat, putting his arm around Liam, whose face was still etched with guilt at his foolish actions.

***

"Would you all want to enter this café alone?" Their driver asked when they've arrived at the café Zayn had wanted to go to. "It seems pretty deserted - and it's in a corner, so I doubt that there'll be any paparazzi."

Louis looked to the other boys who seemed eager to finally go to a public place without being recognized or screamed at.

"We'll enter it ourselves, thanks David," Louis smiled as he opened the door. "Come back in... an hour?"

Their driver nodded and drove off once he was sure that the boys hadn't attracted any unwanted attention.

"One pumpkin spice latte please," Niall heard a familiar voice and immediately ran in front of the boys, blocking them from entering the café.

"I heard her!" Niall mouthed to the boys, his eyes wide with panic. The boys would do and say so many stupid things, he could feel it. He immediately started blabbering about how Alyssa did not know about him and how he wanted it to remain that way - which to his surprise, the boys seemed to understand - before Harry shoved him out of the way rather exasperatedly and entered the café.

"Seems like we would be meeting her earlier than we expected, huh Nialler?" Louis teased and followed the rest of the boys in, leaving an incredibly worried Niall outside the café.