Night Air

Chapter 34

Niall's POV

My camera clicked for the final time that day and I smiled at Jennifer, the last girl. "Thanks. You're done." I told her.

She smiled and walked off of set without speaking a word to me. I swear she was mute. I never heard her so much as hum since I started working with her. She just poses and follows my orders. It's weird especially since I have her right after Stephany because damn, she never shuts up.

When I heard the door shut after her, I pulled the camera strap over my head and set the memory card on the table. My water was still sitting there, barely touched, and now that I looked at it, I finally realized how dry my mouth actually was. I chugged the rest that I had yet to drink and then threw it away.

I placed the camera in the bag and then wrapped that over my shoulder, ready to head back to my hotel room. Lucky for me, there was very little traffic this evening, and I was able to get there in just over about five minutes. I was hoping Alyssa would already be waiting on me in my room, until I remembered that she doesn't have my room key and she probably locked the door this morning when she left.

When the elevator dinged on our floor, I immediately walked to her room and knocked on the door. I wasn't taking the chance of her figuring out that I had a key for her room by unlocking the door and wandering in. Only a few seconds later, she opened the door and I stepped in.

"Hi." She greeted with a small smile. It almost seemed forced and her fingers immediately found the tip of her hair - a habit I noticed she does when she's uncomfortable or nervous about something. Something was up.

I nonetheless smiled and walked in some more to place my bag on her chair. "Hey." I greeted back. I watched her out of my peripheral vision walk past me and sit down on her bed. "I just came by to-" I was cut off when I turned around and saw she was sitting on her bed next to him.

"Hey, Niall." He greeted with a smile on his face.

I turned to look at Alyssa, fuming. "Why is he here?" I sneered.

Alyssa opened her mouth to talk when she was interrupted by him. "Because I'm her boyfriend. The real question is why are you here?"

I looked back to Corbin with a death glare. "I'm here because, unlike you, I actually care about Alyssa and like hanging out with her just for the sake of hanging out." I took a step towards where he was sitting and his body stiffined.

Wimp.

He continued to smile at me, as if he was challenging me in a mocking way, and I was so ready to pound my fist back into his skull. The memory in my head that played back to both times I beat the shit out of Corbin brought a small smile to my face, and I reminded myself that I would have to let those be satisfactory because there was no way I was going to allow myself to lose my temper right now and let him get to me so I could pulverize him in front of Alyssa - in her own hotel room.

"Are you sure all you want to do is 'hang out'?" He raised an eyebrow and mine lowered towards him.

"Yes. Actually, Alyssa and I already talked this morning about hanging out with each other this evening. Do you have a problem with this?"

He shook his head and shrugged. "No. I can't control who she hangs out with or what she does. If she wants to hang out with you, I can't and won't stop her from doing so, but I still don't trust you."

I shook my head and looked to Alyssa confused. Did I just hear what I think I just heard? "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said I don't trust you." He spoke louder and more clear.