Finding, Finding... Found.

Chapter 7

“Oh my God,” Karla started hitting Alyssa on her back as she struggled to find her words. “I-It’s them! One Direction!”

“What?” Alyssa’s eyes trailed towards where her best friend was looking at, and sure enough One Direction was there.

“Play it cool, play it cool,” Karla breathed loudly as she walked towards a seat, trying to look as nonchalant as possible, until Harry shouted her friend’s name.

What? Whaaaat? Alyssa knew them?! The thoughts jolted her out of her act, and she struggled to contain the jealousy she felt inside of her.

“Oh – erm, hi Harry,” Alyssa’s eyes avoided Karla’s. She knew she would be interrogated the minute the boys left – she could feel Karla’s gaze burning into her back. “Why are you guys… here?”

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. He wasn’t sure what Alyssa meant – whether the café was too out in the open or if the café was not as posh as what the boys might be used to. Still, he chose not to probe further and answer simply that the boys were hoping to get a coffee.

“Is that your friend there?” Louis joined in the conversation as he pointed at Karla. “Hi!”

Karla could only wave back meekly as she checked her watch – she only had an hour before her afternoon lessons started.

Damn. The unmistakable feeling of disappointment and slight envy of Alyssa surged through Karla as she looked at the boys. If only I could stay here for a while longer…

“Karla, One Direction,” Alyssa introduced the boys to her best friend. “One Directi-”

“I’m sorry but I really have to leave,” Karla interrupted the introduction curtly. “I have to get back for my afternoon lessons.”

Alyssa looked up at one of the clocks in the café and nodded, seeming oblivious to her friend’s rather rude tone. “Do you want me to accompany you?”

Karla’s surprised expression made Alyssa want to laugh – her friend probably thought she was crazy for offering to leave the boys voluntarily.

“N-No…?” Karla’s shock made her statement sound more like a question. “I’ll just head back myself. Bye!”

Alyssa waved as the boys chorused a series of goodbyes, and the five of them placed their orders with the star struck waiter at the counter.

***

“So erm… why are you here?” Alyssa was genuinely curious as she looked at the boys’ faces.

Niall glanced over at Liam. Do not tell her that we were going to the kindergarten, his look said that much. Liam simply nodded and looked out of the window as he sipped on his cup of hot lemon tea, while Zayn looked at the interaction between the both of them with slight amusement. Niall was so worried and anxious about their meeting with Alyssa it reminded him of when he was going for his first date.

Maybe I won’t tease Niall today, Zayn thought as his lips curled into a smile.

“We wanted to get coffee, you know… coffee,” Niall waved dismissively – or at least he thought it looked dismissive. Alyssa only asked more questions, to his agony.

“You came all the way here to get coffee? This… café isn’t a place many people frequent,” Alyssa commented, a little surprised. “I don’t come here for good coffee y’know, I come here for cheap coffee.”

“I didn’t know that,” Zayn piped up. “I saw this place in an ad once – wanted to try it out.”

Alyssa nodded as she looked at Liam’s worried face – it looked as though he was hiding something. She knew instantly then that the boys were not here simply for the coffee, but she didn’t want to ask anymore. She didn’t even know them that well after all, and she did not want to come across as overly-inquisitive.