Deception

Chapter 5: The Watcher

"Things can be arranged. Why don't you meet me on campus in my office tomorrow at 10 A.M. sharp?" he asks. I bite my lip. Why am I even doing this?

Oh, why the hell not.

"Okay." I say, sticking out my hand for a handshake. He shakes it impetuously and points behind me.

"You can thank Niall. He must have made you go up there on purpose because he knew I was here and have quite an ear for music. Lucky you." The dean smiles and straightens up himself. I feel my mouth twitch, then drop as I watch him leave the shop.

The minute I turn around, Niall is behind me with the biggest grin on his face.

"How did you know? How did you know it would even turn out well? I could have made a complete fool of myself!" I say, pushing his chest angrily.

"But you didn't." he laughs.

"I can't believe this." I whisper. Niall laughs and wraps his arm around my shoulder. I quickly inch away, scarred by any form of touch.

"Oh sorry." He mumbles awkwardly.

"Niall?" his head shoots up.

"How did you know?" I whisper again, too aghast to believe it.

"Ever heard the saying you can know a singer by their heartbeat?" he asks. I shake my head no.

"You got quite the pulse." He smiles and then turns back to his friends.

~

I reach Mary's apartment kind of late. Niall insisted on walking me back but I felt bad making him leave early so I told him we could stay.

Two hours later and I realize that wasn't the best idea.

While Niall talked to his friends, I sat quietly and read a book. I played the same game again, guessing the backgrounds of the people's lives all around me. It was a little more difficult here though. Something about foreigners made them more strenuous to read. But they weren't foreigners at all. I was.

I lie down on the twin bed of Mary's guest apartment and count the dots on the ceiling. The timing in my head is all messed up so I am in between an extremely beat Charlie and a thrilling alive Charlie.

I didn't even know that was humanely possible.

Eventually, the counting of dots does not make me any more tired like I expected it to. After stretching, I get up from my bed and grab a cigarette.

I take a seat on the roof wrapped in my duvet and look out at the city, watching a plane land across town at the airport. I lift my lighter to light my cig but something stops me. Instead, I drop my lighter and just keep my cigarette in my mouth, unlit.

All of me knows it's Ellie who stops me. I don't remove the cigarette from my mouth but I keep it, knowing that one day of my life is in my hands, under my control, and tonight, just this night, I am going to keep that day and lock it away in my heart. Why? For the hopes of London and of course for the magnificent Ellie.

~

Mary only has me work from ten to eleven so I have a chance to get ready for my...I don't know, interview? I feel so incredibly ludicruous for even agreeing to me the Dean. I don't sing, I can't sing. This guy must be deaf.

However, the one thing that keeps me intrigued is the university. My parent's couldn't afford college when I graduated high school so I just worked at my dads office for a year.

I always wanted to continue my education. This could be the opportunity. But its completely insane and I know it. Most of my brain even grasp the fact that am here, in London, not on the corner of the street begging people for some coins.