Let's Pretend [Niall Horan]

Chapter 9

-Faith-
••January 21, 2013••

I hauled my gray duffel bag off of the luggage carousel and headed off, shoving my way through the noisy crowd.  London Airport had me completely overwhelmed, not just with the amount of people, but also the burly security guards positioned every so often along the luggage claims.  Even though I knew I didn’t do anything really bad, I couldn’t help but think I was doing something against the law.  What if they asked me where my parent or guardian was?  I was nineteen years old, which means I was legally an adult in both Ireland and England.  I was so small though; I could easily be mistaken for being seventeen...  The guards wouldn't stop me, would they?   

I didn’t want to take a chance.  I increased my walking pace to an almost run, weaving my way among the crowd.  Gates, restaurants, and stores of London International Airport flashed by me as I ran towards the exit.  I had never been somewhere with so many people – tourists from all over the world (Japan, America, Germany, France, the Philippines!), businessmen in dark suits and briefcases, families returning from winter holiday vacations in exotic places with tans and hair in long, beaded braids.  It was all pretty amazing for a girl who had never (well, at least not since I could remember) been out of Ireland, and had never been anywhere at all without her mother...

I turned a corner in the crowd, slowing to a walk.  I didn't know exactly where I was going, but I knew what was leaving behind with every step.  Ireland.  Home.  And definitely my mother.  

“Excuse me?” An unfamiliar, feminine voice asked from somewhere behind me, but I didn’t turn, even though I knew she was talking to me.  What did she want from me?  I had nothing for her.

Panic rose up in me as I began running again, desperate to get away from her. 

“I was wondering where gate that popular band was coming in from!” the girl called from behind, but I ignored her, finally finding an “exit” sign.  I ducked behind a couple arguing in Russian and stood by the huge glass exit doors, breathing hard from my sprint.

Popular band?  I thought to myself.  That means –

My thoughts were cut off by hundreds of shrill voices screaming in union.  I held my ears - the noise was causing my head to throb even more than it already was.  I wasn't ready for this; this wasn't the right time or place to confront him...   I slipped out of the enormous glass doors, dashing out into the cool London atmosphere.  

Luckily I managed to run in the right direction, colliding straight into Uncle James, who looked at me like I was a crazy person.  He tried to calm me down, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“Whoa, Faith.  You need to relax,” he said, looking straight into my eyes and not letting go of my shoulders.  Uncle James's “straight into my eyes,” wasn’t half as scary as Mother's was, though...  Suddenly, I felt tears coming.  I managed to smile a little at Uncle James's kindness before sobbing uncontrollably, hugging my amazing uncle right there on that London sidewalk.

##

“This is so cool!” I squealed, looking out of  Uncle James' flat's window at the gray, foggy, bustling, overwhelming city of London.  Everything was just…  I don't know.  It just seemed like I was only living when I was away from Mother.

“I can’t believe I did this!” I jumped up and down in excitement, spinning around from the cold window to face Uncle James' tiny, but neat, living room.

“Neither can I.” Uncle James leaned back on his leather recliner, squeezing his eyes shut with a sigh.

“Mother will be so furious,” I paused before continuing. “You know, when she catches me…”

“I’m happy you know that your mother is going to catch you,” Uncle James replied, his eyes still closed. “I’m surprised she didn’t find you on the way out.  She’s a light sleeper, you know…”

I fidgeted with the edge of my t-shirt.  

“Lisa caught me on my way out of the house.  I thought she was Mother,” I said quietly.

“Who’s Lisa?” 

“She’s our home keeper.  She lives with us,”  I explained.  “I’m afraid she’ll be fired because she said she’ll cover for me.  I don't know what Mother will do to her.” 

“I see…” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“You need to get out of here!” he suddenly exclaimed, getting up from his seat.

“You’re kicking me out?” I gasped, in shock.  What the heck??

“My home is most definitely the first place my sister would look for you, after your friend Shannon? – or what ever her name is – that kid's house.”  He stuffed both hands in his pockets, pacing in front of the glass windows.  “We’ll find you a permanent place to stay soon.  But you need to get out of my flat as soon as possible.  It won't be long.” 

  

-Niall-
••January 21, 2013••

I walked down the recording studio hallway, sipping on my warm cup of coffee and struggling to stay awake.  The huge rush at the airport and drive straight to the recording studio had been crazy.  I was knackered and so were the rest of the boys, but Paul, our manager, forced us to do a few vocal warm-ups and what not before we could go to our flat.

As I walked, passing all of the recording studio doors, back to our room, there was definitely one that stuck out.  Studio number 14's door was slightly ajar, and I could hear music and a few voices from inside.  

I peeked in – and there was the most beautiful violin music I have ever heard in my life, immediately making me feel like the stress that had built up inside me from Faith and Mrs. Gray was remove from shoulders.  For the first time I felt like my mind was completely cleared.

"Shannon, let's try that again," a woman said. 

Shannon was her name?  I smiled at the beautiful violinist, almost spilling my coffee as I backed out of the recording room.  She hadn't noticed me.  Walking down the hall in the violin daze, I made up my mind.  I had to get to know this girl.