The Keepers (Niall Horan FanFic)

Chapter 6-Show Time

I quickly look away, flit my eyes down to my drink. Avoid eye contact, and he'll know you're up to something. Stare too much and he'll get curious. Two things I can't let happen.

I'm facing the table now, staying in my current position. Judging by the research I did, he'll head over here any second, if what I've heard about his relationship with food is true. Only my hands are moving as I pretend to examine a couple cookies and cakes, stalling. It's working. The five overlapping voices are becoming significantly louder by the second.

"I can't believe it, lads. We're actually here. Here at our very first awards show, hanging with A-List celebrities." "Is that Selena Gomez? Look, it's Selena Gomez!" One of the boys let out a low whistle. "She gets hotter every time you look at her-" "Uh, guys? I think we lost Niall." My eyes snap up, my ears straining to catch every single word.

"Niall? Niall, what is it? You ok? Need to go to the loo? ..Niall? Niall, talk to me!" "...Oh...oh. Oh my God. Bloody. Bloody, bloody hell." "Niall!" "Do you see who that is? "Who, Niall?" Louis. "The..sitting next to.. Selena.." "Oh." Someone lets out a sigh. "Yes, Niall, it's Justin Bieber. Look, we're excited too, wicked excited, um, but, you don't see us passing out, do you? ..Niall?" "I think what he needs is a bit of scotch," says Louis in a singsong voice. "Is that it, eh? A bit of scotch to calm the nerves?"

Laughter rings out as I hear the sound of feet shuffling. "I'll take him," someone sighs. Subconciously I match the voice with Harry Styles. "Come on, Niall."

I hear the two boys coming before I see them; looking out of the corner of my eyes, I see Harry holding Niall's hand and trying unsuccessfully to grab 4 cookies with the other. He's whispering what sounds like comforting words, though it's kind of hard to tell with the little peice of sky-blue frosted cake he's attempting to swallow without choking, also unsuccessfully.

You'd think he was starving, I thought to myself, inwardly rolling my eyes. I thought Niall was the one who loved food, but apparently that tidbit applies to the entire male population.

By now Niall's coming out of whatever he was in, breathing, nodding his head. Dammit, I'm not getting any younger over here, I think. A couple more seconds and I'll have to walk away so people won't get curious as to why I haven't left this table once. Walk over here, I think. Walk over here, walk over here, walk over here-

"Youh alwight? Yuh? Ghud. Wull-mm, dhamn, deese are dhewichious-*swallow* I'm going back to the boys, see if I can mingle around a bit." "Ya, ya, sure." "You're sure you're ok?" "Fine, yah." "Positive?" "Harry, I'm not two." "Ya, ya I know, you just looked a little..fan-girish..ok, leaving now. Get a drink or something. You look pale. Oh wait, I forgot. You're Irish." "Oh ha ha, you're so funny, Harry." "I know I am!" Harry shouts, his words fading into the backround.

I hear a low murmur of words in a thick Irish accent, signaling that Niall is now only 3 feet away and getting closer. Now I'm able to hear him muttering about Harry and Justin Bieber and the drinks, letting me know that he's making his way over to my position.

Eyes. I feel eyes. I grab another drink, sensing the body behind me. Show time, I think as I turn around.