Chapter 7:
Meeting the Boys
(Abbie's POV)
I was flying alone this time, no parents, no brother, and it was unusual for them to allow me to do so. I guess they finally realized how happy I am and how much I'm fitting in with the environment in London. Aunt Lisa even suggested to just let me continue my classes there and let me stay at their house, but that plan is still pending.
Harry said they were going to fetch me at the airport and I'm really excited to meet everyone. This summer, they will be making their album in Los Angeles, working with some really cool producers, as how Harry would describe them. To top that, I'm going along with them. So my next destination isn't really London, but Los Angeles.
"Ms. Reyes?" The front desk made me take my eyes off my phone. Harry had sent me a picture of his new brown boots and I had to reply quickly, praising it.
"Sorry, yeah?"
She moved her gaze back on her screen. "Apparently, Mr. Styles booked you to a first class travel,"
He what?
" -and that guy in the navy blue suit will be assisting you. Enjoy your travel!"
Holy shiz- that got me really shocked. I mean I haven't been to first class! I was pampered throughout the flight, getting free wine, unlimited food and good movies to watch in my own seat. Can i stay here forever?
I arrived in LAX at around 11 in the morning. Harry wasn't replying to my messages so I didn't really know where to go. All i did was stand like a fool just outside the exit while everyone left in either their own cars or ride in somebody else's.
I was about to run back inside and hop on the plane back home, note to sarcasm by the way, when a guy wearing a black peaked cap and matching uniform, approached me . A little bit of his black hair was showing off and he had dark sunglasses and a walkie-talkie. He was also awkwardly holding a white board that stated:
BABA (a.k.a. Abby Reyes)
"That's me!" I tapped his shoulder as I pulled my luggage behind me.
He looked at me for a second or two and smiled. "Follow me."
I do as I'm told, me following after him, but not until he started singing. "Isn't she lovely.." Well he has a nice voice.
Another guy went up to me and he was wearing matching outfits with the singing guy. Some of his blonde hair stuck out above his forehead and I swear I saw him make some kind of gesture before taking my luggage and carrying it for me.
"Isn't she wonderful.." This other guy sang too- wait what?
They lead me to this limo where a third guy, also wearing the same thing except for the hat, opened the trunk. What is with these guys and matching uniformd? It's scaring me.
"Isn't she precious.."
Why the fuck are you singing the same song? My mind screams but I try my best not to say it out loud. This is getting really really really awkward. It seemed like no one was minding them but me.
The driver got out of the vehicle and looks at me as he slightly shifts his sunglasses.
"Less than one minute old."
I'm starting to think this isn't a coincidence at all, because duh, where's Harry? He could be any of these lads!
The limo's door opened and a guy hopped out. He was in a semi-formal attire, white long sleeves, black pants, and those familiar shiny brown boots. He had brown curly hair and those familiar emerald eyes made contact with mine, sending my heart to melt away.
Yeah, it's Harry.
"And I never thought through love we'd be, making one as lovely as she. But isn't she lovely made from love."
He finished off the song, leaving me blushing like crazy. I have to tell you this is the most romantic thing a guy ever did to me. I couldn't utter a word with all these butterflies erupting in my stomach.
"Surprise!" He runs his hand through his hair, the way he usually does, and as if on cue, the other guys take off their hats and glasses.
And yes, they were the other members of One Direction.
All I did was hug him and pinch him, just to express how much I missed him after not being able to come back last Christmas. I still couldn't believe he could pull off something like this for me.
He held out infront of him two dogtags in his right hand. One says Hazza and Baba while the other says Baba and Hazza. Turn the two things on the other side and you could see the encryption BFFS. He wore the one with the Baba first and he gave me the other as a token of our friendship.
"I would've gotten something for you too!" I spat his arm, still happy to see him.
"It's fine, really. Having you here is enough." He pretends to choke at his words and I give him another punch. "Ow! I'm telling the truth!"
I roll my eyes, my arms still entangled on his waist. "Whatever, Styles."
"Ehem." One of the boys, I don't know who, clears his throat.
"Oh yes, sorry. Baba, I'd like you to formally meet Zayn, the guy who fetched you by the exit. Niall, the one who took your luggage and also the one who thought of this idea. Louis, opened the trunk. And Liam, our fake driver because of course, we have our own driver and he doesn't have his license yet."
I shook each of their hands but they chose to rather give me a welcoming hug instead.
"We heard so much about you!" Liam states as he squeezes my hand. "It's good to have you here."
"I can say the same." I genuinely smile, going back to my previous position in Harry's arms.
Niall caught my attention somehow. It was mesmerizing to look at him. I felt like getting lost deep in those sea blue eyes of his and he was looking at me the same way as I'm observing him.
"Have you eaten lunch?" The mesmerizing lad asked me.
I nod, still not breaking eye contact. "They served a lot of food in first class."
He chuckles lightly and steps forward, "I feel you, mate. Best fish fillet ever-"
I was about to let go of Harry so I can talk to Niall further, but then he stopped me. "Alright, let's get in the car. We're making a scene."
"Sweet nibblets!" Louis whines when we see a group of girls running towards us.
"Shit hurry!" Zayn blurts out as we push ourselves in the car and the real driver took off. They were bringing me along with them to record one of their songs today.
"So how many songs have you recorded so far?" I question as I sat at the middle of Harry and Niall. The three other guys were sitting across us.
They all began to finger count and scratch their head at the same time. I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips.
"You have the cutest laugh." Niall's cheeks immediately blushed once he realized what he just said.
"Thank-"
"7 or 8 songs." Harry interrupts me and I shift my gaze back to him.
"So like how many more?" I ask further.
"Minus this day, I think around 7 more." Niall answers right away.
"Behave yourself mate." Louis teases, winking, and the blonde boy beside me hides his face.
I ignore the way my heart melts at his adorableness. "That's a lot. When's your target date?"
"November." Harry's voice was louder than anyone. "Any more questions?"
"Are we there yet?" I smirk and my best friend face palms himself.
After some minutes of road trip, we finally arrived in the studio. Harry introduced me to the producers present as I sat by the control table.
Each one of the boys will be going in the recording room where only a wide, sound proof, transparent glass separates the control room from that area.
"Harry, you're next." A middle aged lady said after Zayn was done recording and he had this huge smile plastered on his face.
"Went well, yeah?"
He nods at my question. "Better than expected."
"Cool." I reply, transferring myself on the sofa where I sat alone so I could give them the space they needed. Though all they did was mostly play pranks on each other.
Niall must have noticed my loneliness that he decided to sit beside me, as his guitar slung around his neck.
"Do you know how to play any instruments?" He inquires, playing a chord on the six-string.
"The piano. And Harry kind of thought me how to play little bit of kazoo." I laugh at the memory and he joins me.
"Do you wanna know how to play the guitar?" Okay, it has always been my dream to learn the guitar. It would be a good chance!
"Silence in the studio please. Harry's about to record." Another producer requests. We all shut our mouths, disappointed that I wasn't even able to answer Niall's question.
Their music was so good that it made me feel its upbeat. Harry looked at me as he started his verse, his eyebrows meeting when he saw me shoulder to shoulder with Niall.
"Cause you were right here, and I should've taken the chance,
But I got so scared, and I lost the moment again.
It's all that I could think about, oh.
You're all that I can think about."
His smile fades when Niall tries to get my attention back to him. "So what do you think?"
"You're music is really good." I whispered to Niall who was tapping his guitar along with the beat. I didn't notice our faces were already so close to each other that I could feel his hot breaths against my skin and-
"Stop." The control guy stated as he presses a button. "What was that?"
"Sorry. I just got lost a bit. I got this." Harry answers coldly and he doesn't look at us the way he does moments ago. He seemed.. bothered?
"It's okay, you can start by the chorus."
Harry focused his attention instead on Zayn, Louis and Liam who were sitting in one chair on top of another.
"Is your heart taken?
Is there somebody else in your mind?
I'm so sorry, I'm so confused.
Just tell me, am I out of time?"
"Good Harry. Continue!" They all praise him and my best friend feels his music deeper.
"Is your heart breakin'?
How do you feel about me now?
I can't believe I let you walk away, when
When I should've kissed you.
I should, I should, I should've kissed you."
They replayed the entire song as soon as recordings were finished and believe me or not, it's now one of my favorites. I hugged Hazza for a job well done and I earn tickles coming from all his fingers.
"No! Harryyyyyy! Please!" I scream in between breaths. The boys were laughing so hard and later on revenged on Harry for my sake.
Yeah, boys will be boys.
I reached out for Niall, the only boy not tackling me right now, and he didn't hesitate to pull me towards him. I stumble forward, still laughing. Next thing I knew, his lips were on my cheeks. I froze in my tracks and my heart was racing so fast, pumping a lot of blood to my cheeks. No one saw it because the other boys were busy jumping on Harry on the sofa. No one witnessed it but just me and him.
"Boys, boys." Someone tries to calm the bunch of teenagers. "Be back by Tuesday, alright? We'll record another song."
The boys nodd and raced their way out, except Niall who walked slowly with me. You can feel rhe awkwardness in the air and neither of us wanted to speak.
What happened awhile ago really caught me off guard and the way my stomach turns signifies that I was't upset about it. I mean, why should I be?
He stops walking and turns to me."Sorry about awhile ago."
"It's fine." I force a amile.
"I swear I didn't mean to do it. I'm really sorry-"
"Niall, it's fine. You don't have to apologize."
"No, I do." He sighs. "It's just that you have that one thing- that- do you believe in love at first sight?" His cheeks were burning red and I can feel mine having the same shade.
Yes. I whispered to myself, but I can't let him know that. I can't let him know that I immediately had feelings for Harry the first time I met him. And then here's Niall, asking me that question as if he's desperate to know if he has a chance.
Wait- did I just assume Niall has feelings for me? But- that kiss- it might have meant nothing.
"Oh I just realized, is your accent Irish?" So much for a topic changer.
"Yeah! I was born in Ireland, but my parents got divorced when I was only five." You can tell that little sadness in his voice but he covers it up with his wide grin. "But it's alright. I still get to see them, you know?"
I nod and we continued walking to the studio's exit. There were a lot of reporters and I couldn't squeeze into that even if the guards tried their best to control the crowd. The flashes were disturbing my contacts and I found it hard to see with my blurred vision.
Niall was kind enough to offer me his shades before we got out. He then held my hand and we walked past the press, not daring to look around, though I could feel him tensing up as the crowd launches forward.
"Hold tight." He tells me and I was pressed against his body.
The boys were already waiting for us in the limo and they all had this energetic look on their faces. All except Harry.
We got to the hotel, our suite being on the top most floor. Three big rooms were connected and each room had 2 queen-sized beds. One bed was vacant in Niall's room and it only means I'd be staying there. We couldn't this be more awkward? Atleast the group's managers were in a separate room just across the hall.
"Hey Niall. Better behave, alright?" Harry drops my luggage infront of the bed. "Don't let that thing," He points to Niall's pants and I tense up. "-out of there."
Niall chuckles and rolls his eyes. "Chill out, mate."
"Just saying! You know how our hormones-"
"Ew- Harry! Get out!" I yell and push him to the door. Relief washes over me and I take my place on the bed stomach down, and took in the smell of the newly laundered sheets.
"When I look into your eyes," Someone's voice echoes in the room. "It's like watching the night skies.." It was Niall, singing while playing his guitar.
He stops when he notices me looking at him. "Oh sorry, did I wake you?"
I shook my head. "I wasn't sleeping yet." He shrugs and I watch him sit on the couch near the window that viewed the entire Los Angeles.
"So, could you teach me how to play guitar now?" I asked, sitting upright. He nodded, and gestured me to sit with him. He sat on the armrest, his arm over my shoulder, reaching for my right hand.
"Okay- so this is how you strum." His fingers slid down the strings. "This is chord A. Kind of the easiest of all chords." He helped me adjust my fingers on the fret and I could feel him breathing through my ears. Yes, he was that close.
I looked down to how my fingers- our hands- were positioned on the instrument. "You know, I told myself I'd be friends with anyone who could teach me how to play the guitar."
He puts his lips closer to my ear, his nose nudging my head. "Could you fall in love with someone who can teach you how to play the guitar even if you just met him?"
*****
"Now I'm climbing the walls,
and you don't notice at all,
that I'm going out of my mind,
all day and all night."
"Good job Niall. Now prepare for the chorus."
He was looking at me from across the room. I couldn't take my sight off of his even if I could hear Harry blabbering something about a party tonight. All I could think about now is how captivating those sea blue eyes are and the way the-
"-And come on come into my life
I don't I don't don't know what it is
But I need that one thing
And you've got that one thing."
"That's a wrap!" The producer exclamed.
Niall got out of the recording area and walked towards me. I gave him the bottle of water I intentionally reserved.
"You did great." I tell him and he winks.
"Hey Baba! Were you even listening to what I'm saying?" Harry nudges my shoulder and I turn to see his irritated look.
"Oh yes, yes. About the party? I'll be there but I won't drink." I reply as I stood up to walk away with Niall.
The press were outside again.
"You could answer some questions from the press. Impress them. I'll take Abbie out through the back after you get in your limo." Paul Higgins, the band's tour manager, said.
Everyone agrees and goes ahead.
"I'll see you in the car." Niall whispers before disappearing in the crowd.
Paul puts an arm over my shoulder and he leads me closer to the door. "Wait- I thought we were going through the back?"
"We are," He smiles genuinely. "But listen-"
"So Harry, we heard some dating rumors about you and this childhood friend. Is she your girl?" A female reporter asks.
"Haha! No. She's my best best friend." He replied with a cheekish smile.
"Niall!" Another gets their attention. "We saw this girl you held hands with when you got out of the studio. We didn't know who she was since she's wearing your shades. Is she someone special?" Another asks.
"Uhh. Let's put it this way," The blonde begins. "Yeah, she's someone special. She's my inspiration."
The crowd went crazy and they were throwing questions all at the same time.
"C'mon Niall! We're late." Harry spats.
What's got into him?
*****
Boy you got my heartbeat running away..
The music was so loud. A lot of people were dancing, and drinking. Harry even had a lap dance from this girl and I don't find it very pleasing.
It went on for hours and hours. Niall and I weren't drinking, except for some juice with a little bit of tequilla. I saw Louis and Liam talking while munching some chips. Zayn was smoking and I couldn't find Harry.
"Zayn, have you seen Harry?" I asked, lowering his hand which was holding the cigar in place.
"Nopie dope." He answered, puffing off smoke.
"You know Zayn, smoking's gonna get you killed. Believe me, your fans wouldn't like it." I advised him. He shrugged and threw his cigar on the ground and stepped on it.
I went through the back where the limo was parked, in the hope that I'll find Harry. I did, eventually, and there he was, sitting by the exit, talking, wait- to a cat? He must be really drunk. How many bottles did he take?
I sat beside him and he flinched, surprised of my presence. "And you're talking to.." I trail off.
"A little baby cat." He answered, in a weird accent.
"You're drunk. We have to get you back to the hotel." I shove the animal off his lap and help him on his feet- shit- he's so heavy.
"Tell me this, why can't I get what I want?" He questioned, desperately trying to keep his eyes open.
"What do you mean?"
"I should get what I want!" He demanded. He took his arms back and made his way to the limo, me following him from behind just to make sure he doesn't fall down.
He stumlbes forward and I run to him as his arm is again over my shoulder, mine going on his waist. We fall in the back seat of the limo and I quickly release myself from his hold.
"Caroline Flack-"
"No, it's me. Abbie."
"Caroline- she- she's hot. I'm- I'm gonna get her and I'm gonna- make love to her. You understand that?" He continually said, definitely drunk from all the alcohol in his system.
"You know Hazza, just because you want it, doesn't mean you're gonna get it..." I wasn't finished when a loud snore escaped his lips. Great.
"...right away." I utter a sigh.
My best friend hasn't been this knackered his entire life. And Caroline Flack? Hell no. She's 32 and there's no way she'd agree to make love with a 17 year old.
*****
My days are running out. I should be back before Junior Year starts this June. It was May and we're in London again for another meet up with more producers. We stayed in a new hotel up in the city, the suite almost the same arrangement as the one in Los Angeles.
Niall and I have been spending alot of time together. I mean, I'm getting a hang of playing the guitar and him teaching me how. He was so caring and the thing about him was that he never stops feeding me. It's not a negative thing though. It's actually a sweet thing that he cares for me. There are times when I'm not allowed to accompany them and I have to stay in the hotel, alone. Niall would call me from time to time and ask if I'm alright, just like how Harry usually does, and that's making me doubt my feelings for him.
One night, Harry didn't go back to the hotel. I kept on calling and texting him but he wasn't replying and that made me stay up until 3 in the morning.
"He'll be alright. He's a big boy now and he knows how to take care of himself." Louis tells me as he turns the tv off.
"Maybe he's out with another girl."
I flinch with Zayn's words. "Another?" My voice sounds hoarse.
Liam glares at him and it wad enough to shut him up. "He'll be back." He gives me a small smile. "Good night you two." He exits the room with the two other lads, leaving Niall and I alone.
"What if he's not okay?" I asked Niall, concerned.
"He's okay." He assures me.
I woke up and realized I fell asleep on Niall's bed. Then I remembered that I had a hard time falling asleep after being so worried about my best friend. Niall was kind enough to understand that he had me lay beside him, unconscious of when I dozed off.
The boys were still snoring so I called for room service instead of going out for breakfast. I jerked up as soon as I heard the door open. I got off bed, careful not to wake Niall, and slowly tiptoed to Zayn's room where I found Harry there, not wearing his yesterday's outfit.
Dark bags were visible under his eyes and the way his hair was messed on top of his head made him look haggard and tired.
"Where were you?" I interrogate, crossing my arms infront of my chesy.
"Should you care?" He spats.
"Hell I should! I'm your best friend remember?" I raise my voice. "Where were you last night?"
Harry didn't answer. He turned on the television and proceeded to the bathroom. He didn't even glance at me, as if I didn't exist.
"Last night, Harry Styles from One Direction was spotted bringing X-Factor's co-host, Caroline Flack, in her London home and sharing a kiss on her doorstep. This morning, he was seen leaving her house, looking all tired and knackered.."
What the fuck?
"So the 17 year old spent the night With the 32 year old. Do you know what this means?"
I groaned as I watched the news on television. I was definitely pissed off that I almost pulled all my hair out just in time Harry got out of the bathroom.
"Caroline Flack?! Harry she's like 15 years older than you!!" I shouted, and I heard immediate footsteps running to where we are.
"I texted and tried to call you all night- worried as hell! And now I get the news you lost your virginity to an old lady?!" Saying those words made me cringe.
"She wasn't that old. She doesn't have too many wrinkles yet. Besides, we were safe." He answered calmly as if it was the most usual thing he said. He sat on his bed, stretched out his legs, and changed the channel.
"You're disgusting Harry!" I stomped out and he didn't even care to stop me. Louis, Liam, and Zayn were staring, and I look away not wanting them to see the tears forming in my eyes. I searched for Niall from the boys infront of me but found him no where.
I went back to my room and closed the door behind me. I jumped on my bed and pushed out my emotions, not remembering Niall was still there, asleep.
"Fuck you Harry!" I curse under my breath.
Niall sits up, and surprise washes over him. "Hey, what's wrong- a- are you okay?"
I tried to stop crying but I couldn't so I buried my head deeper between the pillows. Two arms wrap around me and the feeling was so comfortable. All I did was hug him back and continued sobbing. He didn't say another word and I'm glad he understood that I just needed someone to stay with me at that moment as I break down.