The Keepers (Niall Horan FanFic)

Chapter 12-Journey to Nando's

*2 days later, in England*

"Nando's...Nando's..oh for heaven's sake, REVEAL YOURSELF!" I say, squinting aimlessly into the sunlight. I've been driving around these blasted streets for an hour with no luck in finding Nando's, the resturant of Niall's choice, whom I was notified would be attending it today. I grip the steering wheel, immidietly tense as I think back to the message my employer had sent me:

Good afternoon, Miss Aster. I see you've gotten home quite safely after our little meeting, and I am delighted to hear that you've taken my warning to heart; there's nothing I enjoy more than seeing me and my clients getting along and staying, most notably, on the same page.

So, in light of our previous discussion I'd like to bring a tidbit of information to your attention; Mr. Horan will reportedly be at Nando's this Thursday with Louis Tomlinson, fellow bandmate and close companion of Mr. Horan's. I expect you to arrive in the given time slot, between 12-2:00 p.m., Mr. Horan's usual time of appearance. You may then proceed to do whatever you wish; the choice is yours, but this time you have an objective.

Unless I'm badly mistaken, Mr. Horan already seems to have fallen for you, and unless Im badly mistake twice, his feelings for you will lead him to ask you a question, which, I am assured, you are intelligent enough to figure out on your own. 

However, since you come across as a person who isn't particularly fond of riddles, I'll make my request verbally clear: Your task is to make Mr. Horan ask you out on a proper date. You are to do this quickly and subtly, banishing all doubt about his feelings for you. You are to do this cheerfully, and you are to accept willingly. You will make him believe he's falling in love.

Failure to comply and succeed will result in a most unfortunate outcome, as I believe you already know. Good luck, Miss Aster.

-25,000 has been transferred to your account-

I let out an involuntary shudder despite the fact that I've been sitting in the scorching sunlight for more than an hour. I haven't forgotten our 'little meeting', nor do I think I will, seeing as the threat of being killed as a result of failure is constantly hanging over my head. I scowl, what little stored-away happiness I had dissapearing completely. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an attractive basterd who knows they're an attractive basterd, therefor completely defeating the purpose of being attractive in the first place. I look down and realize my knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel so hard; releasing my grip, I try to tell myself to focus.

Spotting the West Merry Hill shopping center for the 7th time in an hour, I park on the side of Brierly street, pushing my head back into my seat. For an hour and a half I've been driving around these bloody streets in one big bloody circle, trying to find bloody Nando's so I can get  'Mr. Horan' to ask me out on a proper bloody date-

I start, squinting into the sunlight; I could've sworn I just say a flash of navy stripes, something Tomlinson is known to wear-

Yes, I think, smiling to myself. Niall and Louis have just (magically, it seems) appeared out of nowhere onto the street opposite mine, Louis holding Niall's hand, singing loudly at the top of his lungs. Niall's laughing and singing along, completely oblivious that I'm watching his every move. I'm staring at the two of them, silent and very grudgingly agreeing with my employer for choosing Niall as the target out of the five. Come to think of it, I could've taken out Louis as well, it wouldn't've really have required that much more of an effort..

I'm jolted back into reality as I realize the two of them are obviously headed toward the place I've been trying so desperately to find for the past hour; I press on the gas, pulling out of my temporary parking space, following them at a crawl. Now they're on my right, laughing like 10 year olds as though they don't have a care in the world. Well, they don't, I remind myself. They're the richest teen celebrities on the planet, not orphans from Africa.

I turn slowly around the corner, trying to look as inconspicuous as one can while trying to tail two teenage celebrites, but thankfully they're so absorbed in each other's marvelous sense of humor they don't look at me once.

"..Alright, alright, listen to this one-Why did the mushroom go to th-" "I've heard that one a million times, L-" "WHY DID THE MUSHROOM GO TO THE PARTY!?" Yells Louis, shaking Niall by the shoulders. "Alright, alright! Becau-BECAUSE HE WAS A FUNGI!!" Niall screams, his face dissolving into a fit of laughter, for Louis jumped on his back piggy-back style and started thrusting his hands into Niall's side.

I'm surprised to feel the small smile playing on my lips; after all, the joke wasn't that humorous. But the way Niall laughed when Louis was tickling him reminded me of something that's playing on the tip of my memory, something dancing on the fine line between remembering and forgetting. Something I once knew, but chose to forget...that laugh, how it sounded just like his did, as if happiness itself had just rang out of his mouth-

I start again, snapping back into reality, my eyes scanning but not seeing. Focus, Aster, I think, shaking my head for good measure. They're gone. They're gone and they're never coming back. I clear my throat, horrified by the closing sensation that's creeping up my throat. "Forget it," I say, aloud this time. The closing sensation ebbing, I quickly glance around the street, catching a glimpse of red just before it dissapears around a corner. Speeding up, I turn the corner, hoping against hope that Nando's is right behind it.

"Ah, there you are, you pesky little waste of space," I say, my eyes sliding over red cursive letters that spell out Nando's, which is tucked away in a tiny corner of handsome shops and boutiques. No wonder I didn't find it; it's barely visable beneath all the vines and flowers hanging off it. I watch as Niall and Louis pass through the door as a distant bell chimes; I'm just able to make out the waiter that very speedily leads them to their seats at a quaint table with yet more potted plants springing up around it.

I close my eyes, trying to think of a plan. Obviously, I can't just waltz right into the resturant, that would give away too much about my recent activity, which includes tailing them for half a mile. Yeah, that'd be a pleasant conversation, I think. "Oh, hello again! Funny that I should run into you here..oh, it's your favorite resturant? You don't say! It just so happens that it's mine too..oh yes, fate is a funny thing..."

 Some brilliant scheme that is. He'd drop me in a second if he got a whiff of what I'm really doing. ..And when have you ever had a plan? Says a small voice, a little smile forming on my lips. Right, I think. You don't.

Stepping out of my car, I wait as vehicles whizz past me, whipping my hair in every direction as I wait for an opening to cross. There's two more cars left when I hear my cell phone ring.

Knowing what it'll contain and who it's from, I don't flinch when I see it's from an Unknown sender; sliding my thumb under the top of my phone, I flip it open, reavealing a message that contains only 3 words:

I'm watching you.