Hollywood and Vines (A One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter 10 - While Walking Louis

"Have a good day." Harry waved to the group of girls who had swarmed Harry and Niall when we had entered Central Park. They had asked us to stop so they could take pictures with the boys.

"Bye, Niall! I love you!" One of the girls cried as they departed from us. She transfigured her fingers into the shape of a heart.

"Love ya too, honey!"

"Woah, Louis," Harry calmed the four-legged beast who tugged on his leash. Louis was standing on his back legs with the leash tightened, beckoning Harry toward a pond.

"Better not let go, Styles, or we'll be walking around the city with a dripping wet dog," Niall challenged smugly.

Harry ignored him though somewhat of a scowl briefly crossed his features. I found myself internally cheering for Niall.

"Got 'im," I whispered.

Niall eyed me and smirked. I really needed to get out if the habit of voicing those fleeting thoughts that pop up in my mind every now and then.

"And I don't think ya wanna ruin ya're fancy tux, either, do you?" Niall continued.

"No,"Harry muttered.

"I'd hate for you to ruin your tux, too," Allie frowned. Someone was oblivious. "We can go back to your hotel if you wanna change."

"That's okay, babe," Harry insisted. "I can be extra careful. It's Niall who might need to change."

Niall scoffed and shook his head.

"Woah, okay, guys," Allie urged them. "Just relax today, you know? You skipped work, you went to a wedding, we're in New York City, just having fun. Today's been awesome!" She actually started bouncing on the tips of her pink converse, but nervously, as she readjusted her hat that appeared much too guyish to be her own. "Come on, Louis, let's go this way."

Louis snapped his head toward Allie when she clapped her hands. Harry redirected the leash so he was heading in the same direction as Allie. Much to his disliking, Louis obeyed them at last.

"Hey. Allie, I like ya're hat," Niall exclaimed proudly.

Allie twisted her torso backward to wink at Niall. "Why thank you, Nialler." The five of us had finally returned to a steady rhythm of walking forward again.

Where did you get it?" asked Harry.

"Niall gave it to me."

Niall laughed light-heartedly. "She loved it so much she begged me to give it to her. This was all when we snuck out on a few dates to have lunch when I broke my ankle."

Niall had a broken ankle?  Where where his crutches?  Perhaps this explained his pained expressions while we danced at at the wedding.

"I wouldn't really label them as dates," Allie considered.

"Yeah, not dates," agreed Harry. "Just bonding time. Because you two are just friends."

"Yep!" piped Allie. "Hey, I don't know how long you guys planned on staying in New York, but I'd love to go shopping. I have to help my aunt cook this big dinner for some relatives who are coming over tonight but we could probably go after."

Harry rose a fisted hand in the air and spun it around excitedly. "FAO Schwarz!"

"Oh my gosh, yes. Let's do it."

Harry glanced back to me and smiled. "Would you like to come, Holly?"

"Sure."

"I'll come, too," added Niall.

"We should probably be back in Denver by tomorrow, but we should definitely hang out tonight."

"You guys don't have a concert tonight, do you?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but we do tomorrow night."

When Niall murmured a swear word, I glanced toward him. He was scrolling through some texts on his phone. "Harry."

"Yeah."

"Have ya been checking your phone? Mine's been off this whole time so I just turned it on and everybody's been texting me all day long."

"I think I left my phone in my hotel room. Who's been texting you?"

"Everyone. The guys, Paul, Simon. They're all asking where we are."

Harry slung his arm around Allie with his free hand. "I could have sworn I told Louis where I was going before I left."

"I don't know how that could've helped, Harry," Allie began, removing Harry's arm from her shoulders. "I don't think anyone would think to ask a dog if they didn't know where you where."

Niall broke into a heartfelt chuckle. I found myself suppressing laughter, not because of Allie's humorous proclamation, but simply because of the way Niall laughed. Just who was this cute and charming Scottish boy who was so easily capable of lifting my spirits?

Scottish or Irish?

"Irish."

"Huh?" I looked to Niall who gazed at me with a twinkle in those vivid blue orbs.

"Irish, I'm Irish."

"Oh, sorry," I sputtered. "Didn't mean to say that out loud."

He laughed again and I couldn't retain the smile that escaped my lips. I think this was the first moment for the past few weeks that I wasn't thinking about Eliza and the inevitable control she had over my life.

Harry turned so that Niall and I could see half his face. "Hey Niall, after you text them and tell them we're alive you should probably turn your phone off again. Just in case."

"Wait, but then they can't text you," Allie reminded them.

Harry shook his head pitifully. "Such a shame isn't it?"

"Such a shame." Niall agreed.

Dang. The boys from One Direction are cutting off connection with everyone else just to hang out with Allie and I -- well, mostly Allie -- in New York City. This ought to be interesting.

A/N hey so I decided to upload this chapter a day early (: