I have no idea why I caps locked the title for this chapter. I just felt the need. Anyway, there's one more day to enter my 1D UG Watty Awards! You can find it in my profile. Don't forget to comment! (No threats I hope *coughImeanfromyouAyanacough*). LOVE YOU ALL!!!
PEASKIES!! xx Shel
Chapter 4
Three days. That’s all that’s left until the concert. The boys had just arrived in New York yesterday, I learned that from Ella in class this morning. Girls were going crazy about an interview they were doing this afternoon. Thankfully we were still on break when the interview started, leaving Ella and I free to watch it on the flat screen in the dressing room.
“Welcome back!” The annoying female host said in an overly peppy voice. This is why I never watched these shows. “I’m here with One Direction.”
The whole crowd exploded with screams and girls crying out the boys’ names as the camera zoomed in on each of them. I smiled when the camera focused on my Irish boy, but it soon faded when I noticed his smile was tight and forced. Liam gave Niall a reassuring pat on the shoulder that made me wonder what was wrong.
“Now boys, I know you get asked this all the time, but who’s single?”
Harry was the only one that raised his hand. Gasps and shouts at Niall came from the audience while butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
“Wow!” The host faked surprise. “Who are each of you dating?”
Liam spoke first. “Everyone knows mine and Louis’ girlfriends. Their names are Danielle and Eleanor and they actually came here to New York with us.”
Cheers from the crowd.
“I’m dating a girl named Perrie,” Zayn said simply, not going into too much detail like always.
Niall twiddled his thumbs, refusing to look up.
“What about you, Niall?” The host urged.
He looked up, his blue eyes showing his pain. I wanted to reach out and touch the TV screen, but I stopped myself right as my hand lifted. “You all know my girlfriend. She danced with us at the charity ball. I call her Red. Sadly she had to leave London and come back here which is where she’s from. I haven’t seen her in about five months, but I’m hoping that changes soon.”
The audience was a mixture of awes and girls crying. A tear slipped down my cheek and this time I really did reach out and touch the television.
Ella turned it off when it went to commercial and turned to me, her jaw dropped. “No. Way.”
I wiped away my tears and looked at her in confusion. “What?”
“He was talking about you, wasn’t he? That was the band you performed with in London? Why did you tell me!”
I smiled at the ground. “Yeah, he was talking about me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want anyone to know.”
She slapped my arm. “You should’ve told me!”
I rubbed my arm, furrowing my brows at her to let her know it hurt.
“Wait.” Her eyes widened. “He sent you all that stuff! Freaking Niall Horan sent you freaking tickets and passes to their freaking concert and who knows what else!”
I threw my hand over her mouth, hushing her while I giggled. “Shut up! Someone will hear you.”
She mumbled something against my palm, forcing my to let her speak so I could understand her. “You’re the one that kissed him on stage at the ball! It was all over Twitter!”
I laughed, nodding my head as I pulled the necklace out of my dance bag that was on my left. “He always sent me this.”
“No. Way!” Ella gasped, her hands flittering around the necklace. “That’s Niall’s freaking shamrock necklace!”
My smiled broadened as I slipped it back into my bag. “Come on we’re going to be late.”
*****
Thirty minutes before class ended for the day, Lila came into the room and once again stood in the corner until Ms. Lister noticed her.
“Yes, Lila?” Ms. Lister asked, pausing the music.
“There are two boys here looking for Kora Benson.”
The teacher looked at my shocked expression with a smile. “You sure are popular this week. Go ahead, dear. You can leave since you have done so incredibly well these past few days.”
I curtsied to the ballet mistress. “Thank you!”
Ella wiggled her eyebrows at me as I ran past her and out the studio. I didn’t care that I was still in my leo and tights, I ran straight to the front desk. My jaw dropped when I saw who was waiting for me.
“Harry! Zayn!” I yelled, running and hugging the living daylights out of the twos boys.
They laughed at me, each returning the hug I enveloped them in.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, unable to hide my smile.
“Erm, basically, Niall wanted us to, um, take you shopping for an, err, outfit to wear to the, um, concert.” Harry mumbled out.
Zayn rolled his eyes at his mate’s lengthy description. “That’s incorrect, Haz. Niall wanted us to come get you and take you to your favorite store to get an outfit to wear after the concert for a date he’s planning for the two of you.”
I grinned. “Seriously? That’s so something Niall would do. Why didn’t he come though?”
“Basically, security reasons.” Harry nodded his head like that made perfect sense.
I cocked my head to the side. “That made no sense whatsoever…”
Zayn sighed. “Niall knew it would be more dangerous for you if he came so he sent us because your mom has never seen Harry and she only saw me once.”
I smiled at the ground again, thinking how thoughtful my Irish boy was.
“Are you ready to go?” Zayn questioned.
“Oh, yeah just a minute. Come with me so I can change and nobody recognizes you two.” I grabbed their hands and led them to the dressing rooms, hoping nobody (specifically Clara) would spot us. I pushed them down so they were seated on a bench then turned around and grabbed my clothes.
Turning back to the boys, I draped a shirt over each of their faces so I could change.
“Hey!” Harry complained while Zayn just laughed. “This is no fun.”
I lifted the shirt and stuck my tongue out at Harry before letting it fall back over his face. “That’s the point.”
He mumbled something under his breath as I went about taking off my leotard and tights and slipping into my denim shorts and a bright blue bandeau top. Over my bandeau, I slipped on a sheer white button up tank top that you could just see the blue color through. I took my hair out of the bun it had been twisted into, let it fall in waves past my shoulders. I shook it out and nodded at my reflection the mirror before pulling on my black Converse.
“Um, are you done yet?” Harry wondered, peaking under the sleeve of the shirt.
“If I wasn’t I would’ve slapped you. Did I slap you?”
“Err, no?”
“Then yes, I’m changed.” I grabbed the shirts off their head and tossed them back in my dance bag.
“Let’s go then.” Zayn motioned for me to go ahead of them.
I poked my head around the corner, looking to the left and to the right before grabbing their hands and bolting out of the building I didn’t slow down until we were a good block away from the studio and in the clear of Richard catching us. Zayn and Harry hunched over, clutching their stomachs and gasping for air when I let them go.
“Problem, boys?” I laughed, barely winded by the short sprint.
“We… Haven’t… Ran… Like… That… In… Awhile,” Zayn panted.
I chuckled at them, dancing down the sidewalk ahead of them. It was so nice to be free and not having to worry about anything or anyone. It was like this huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could just be carefree and dance down the streets if I wanted. I could breath easier, like nothing could go wrong.
“Hey, can I borrow one of your phones? I need Ella to cover for me.” I turned back toward the two boys in disguise meandering their way after me.
Harry handed me his black iPhone. I typed in Ellie’s number, hoping I remembered it correctly and waited while it rang.
“Hello?” she answered on the third ring.
“Hey Ellie, it’s me, Kora. Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure thing.”
“If Clara or Richard asks you where I am can you saw I’m in a private contemporary lesson with Ms. Lane?”
“Where are you really?” She wondered.
I replied in a rush so the groups of people around us hopefully wouldn‘t understand. “Niall sent Zayn and Harry to take me shopping for an outfit for a date.”
There was silence on the other end. It began to worry me.
“Ellie?” I whistled into the speaker. “Did you faint, or die, or something?”
“I’m alive… I’m just trying not to freak out.”
I chuckled. “So you’ll cover for me?”
“If you tell me which of their phones you are calling me from.”
I glanced over my shoulder, a mischievous smile spreading across my face. “Harry’s. Now cover for me, I gotta go.”
I handed the phone back to Harry, smiling innocently. “Let’s go, boys!”