Let's Pretend [Niall Horan]

Chapter 10

-Faith-

••January 23, 2013••

The sidewalks of London were frosty and cold as I carefully walked down the streets, trying not to slip on the dirty slush, which as trampled into an icy sheet by many peoples' footprints. I had never even been to a big city before, let alone London! Every little thing fascinated me as I maneuvered the busy sidewalk. From the telephone poles to the double-decker buses (they were real!) to the little old ladies walking haughty Yorkies in designer sweaters, the city felt surreal.

Uncle James had given me some money, telling me that I should go out and buy some clothes that I actually liked, for once in my life. This also got me out of his flat for a few hours, which could only be a good thing, since I had been staying with him for a couple of days now. We both knew Mother was going to try to drag me back to Ireland soon; she wouldn't believe Lisa's lies forever.

I definitely felt guilty...very guilty. What if Lisa got fired because of this? Mother certainly wasn't one to hesitate on firing people. Actually, she was the complete opposite. She's fired so many of our past housekeepers, it wasn't even funny - we've probably gone through fifty in the past few years, and I don't even know how many we went through before the surgery. And now Lisa, who was surly my favorite, was probably getting kicked out. She had a family back in England; she sent them her paycheques every month. Maybe I should visit them... I always wondered why she was working in Ireland if her family was in England. I only knew this because I (being a natural stalker) looked at the address on the letters and cheques she sent. Also, she had the cheques under not Lisa, but Miriam, which I concluded must be her mother or older sister, who she had spoke to me about in the past. But of course we never even got to talk much because Mother hated me speaking to the housekeeper...

Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have been so absorbed in my thoughts. Not paying attention to where I was going, I gracefully and delicately slipped on an icy patch of the sidewalk and careened into a metal flagpole, hitting my forehead hard before falling onto my bum in the middle of the crowded, wet sidewalk.

Attention, good people of London! Faith Gray has arrived! I giggled as I got up off of the sidewalk, ignoring a few stares from passersby. That was my grand entrance into the streets of London! I rubbed my forehead, where I could definitely feel a bump swelling. Shaking my head, but still giggling a little, I started walking in the opposite direction. All I needed was a place to warm up for a minute and figure out where to buy some clothes; all the stores around here seemed to just carry mens' stuff.

Shops of London, here I come!

-Harry-

••January 23, 2013••

I always went to Jack Wills to buy clothes, but recently I haven't been able to find anything that fit me right. Was I getting fatter or skinnier? I wasn't sure, but nothing was fitting.

I groaned as I made my way through the racks of winter coats, waving goodbye to the friendly cashier lady on my way out of the store. Another shopping attempt failed. This was getting annoying. Being "famous," I could just ask our manager Paul to order clothes for me, but I still enjoyed shopping on my own. Still, at this point, I was starting to consider it.

Blah.

I ran my fingers through my hair, completely frustrated. I was going back home empty handed. Again.

I walked out of the store into the chilly air, turned left, and stood there on the street corner. I pulled out my mobile phone and typed a text to one of the boys so they would come pick me up – Jack Wills was technically within walking distance of the flat, but it was really a bit far to walk in wintertime – but before I could send the text, I heard a loud bong. I looked up just in time to see a girl in a bright yellow coat across the street fall right on her bum after walking into a flagpole.