Where Have You Been

Chapter 6

Niall’s POV

“Great show, guys! Perfect crowd, right?” Harry yelled through the echoing maze of backstage.

“I think Niall really liked the crowd. Especially one in particular….” Liam teased, winking at me.

“We’ve been over this, Liam. I have a girlfriend” I sighed in exasperation, but blushed all the same.

“Right…” the boys sighed in unison. They didn’t quite approve of Adrienne. They were constantly reminding me about some “bros before hos” code. Personally, I think they were all jealous. I was the only one out of the five who had managed to hitch a girlfriend, and they must have been spiteful about it. 

We went through a painful process of removing our (yes) makeup, and dressing in our more comfortable street clothing. I wondered how girls managed to do this jading routine everyday, and still look effortlessly put-together. 

“Come on lads! What’s the hold-up?” Harry called, having already stripped himself of any traces of a performance. Of course Harry would be good at this. I think the other guys were thinking the same thing when they rolled their eyes and smiled inconspicuously. When Liam, Louis and Zayn finally finished the grueling process, they trotted ahead of me, and out the door into the empty arena.

“Wait up!” I called in desperation, one pant leg still half-off. I hopped after them, but stopped briefly when I heard a noise. I looked around to find the source, but It sounded muffled. I put my ear up against a door, and heard subdued screams and pleading. I immediately shoved open the heavy door to see what was going on. I looked down to see a small figure huddled in the snow, softly crying. I knelt down beside her quietly, and lightly touched her shoulder.

“What happened?” I whispered, and she could only point, reaching out a shaky finger. I looked up, and barely missed a hooded man darting around the corner of the alley. This was all I needed to understand what happened. My insides screamed with hate for the offending man. Whoever this girl was did not deserve such horror. With hatred for the man reflected in my eyes, I gently lifted her chin up to me. Upon closer inspection, I could see that she was the same strawberry blonde-haired girl we had serenaded on stage. She looked slightly more haggard, her long, untidy hair obscuring most of her face, and her clothes soaked with snow.  Both of our expressions were something of surprise when we realized who the other was.

“N-Niall?” she stuttered, as if not quite sure whether she was correct or not. I nodded and gave her a weak smile. She returned it, but it was a stronger, deeper smile. “Thanks.” She smiled with the utmost sincerity.

“And your name is…?” I offered, hoping she was in a decent enough state to tell me. 

“Zoe”, she answered shyly. Pushing her hair out of her face.

“Right—Zoe. I’m really sorry you had to see that. You know, some people in this world don’t know right from wrong. That was unforgivable what he wanted to do, and I hope he is avenged for it.” I didn’t quite know what to say. I have never been in a situation like this before, especially not with a cute girl to render me speechless.

Oh crap… I just admitted that I think she’s cute This was not good, not good at all.

“Now, I think we need to get you back to your friends.” I patted her lightly on the back, trying to pass it as a friendly gesture. This seemed to make her a bit anxious.

“Well I don’t really know where they are, and I-uh I don’t have my phone and I— Oh god what am I going to tell them?” whatever happy mood she had managed earlier was gone.

“I can call your mom for you” I told her, pulling out my white iPhone.

“Well she doesn’t really have a phone…. You’ll have to call mine, I think Taylor has it…” She seemed nervous, biting her fingernails, and shifting her eyes back and forth.

“Ok… well uh—What’s your number?” right when I said it, I knew it meant something more to me, deep down. I laughed silently at my lame attempt at a discreet pick-up line. She giggled nervously, too, as she recited it to me. Instead of just calling it as she said it, I wrote it down in my address book. It was an unnecessary step that told me I was in big trouble with this girl. Big trouble.