The Keepers (Niall Horan FanFic)

Chapter 13-Run

I'm watching you.

I flip my phone shut, glancing around at my surroundings. There's a mother and child lingering by a toy shop window, the child giggling and pointing towards a giant stuffed dog. To their left, an old man is sitting alone on a bench, smoking a cigarette, more than likely reminiscing about the one who used to occupy the spot next to him. Not likely, I think, menatlly crossing them off my list of people whom my employer sent to tail me.

Feeling another car whoosh by me, I take a step back while squinting into the sunlight, trying to see if Tomlinson and Niall are still sitting at their table. One glance at the window confirms this; Tomlinson is undoubtedly telling another hilarious joke, because Niall is drinking and laughing, trying not to spill the rest of his drink down his shirt.

Suddenly I realize that a girl in a bright red coat standing in the middle of a busy street is bound to attract attention; I turn, walking back to my car, the wheels in my head turning at top speed. How to get into the resturant without making it obvious that I know the target's there while pretending not to? What will I do once I'm in there, waltz up to him and re-introduce myself? "Oh, hi Niall, funny running into you here! Want to tell me all your secrets as I lovingly caress your face?" Ya, tha'd blow over well, I think, smirking. I settle into my seat, turning on the radio, every once in awhile glancing at the window.

A pretty female voice floats through the radio, making me temporarily forget my problems as I listen to it. "I run..my life, or it's running me, run from my past..I run too fast, or too slow it seems.."

Suddenly, an idea dawns like a lightbuld blinking over my head. I start in my seat, suddenly remembering the target; whipping my head to the side, I notice that the table they sat at is now vacant, being cleaned by a teenage waiter. My eyes dart to the cunter; Tomlinson is reaching in his pocket, pulling out a wallet-

I scramble out of the car and slam the door shut. Damn you, cars, part! I think desperately, looking for an opening. A couple more seconds and the boys will be out the door, and I'll have missed my chance-

"Sorry!" I yell, holding my hands up to the red car I just forced to a squealing stop, showing that I am indeed unarmed and trying to prove I'm still sane even though I'm running across a busy road. "Sorry, I'm sorry! Excuse m-hm, that's a cute dog-

"Sorry!" I say one last time to the yellow Prius whose driver is looking at me like I just kicked a newborn kitten and got away with it. I run to the toy shop, taking cover behind a brick pillar; Niall and Louis turn around, trying to figure out the cause of all the commotion; seeing nothing but a busy street full of cars, they turn back around, apparently satisfied.

My eyes dart to a space a couple feet from the entrance, my mind mentally calculating how many steps it will take to reach it and successfully accidentally-on-purpose collide with the target. With my eyes on the target, who's now thanking the employee at the front desk, I begin to count down from five in slow, shallow whispers. Four. On the count of three, I'll begin to walk, timing my movements to mimick the target's own footsteps-

And suddenly I'm walking forward, rummaging in my purse for something that I don't have, watching as the door to Nando's opens and a bell chimes again, hearing Niall's laugh and Tomlinson's hands reaching into what seems to be a brown paper bag, trying to pull something out, no doubt the remainder of their meal. Two..one..

"Oomph-oh, I'm so sorry-here, let me get that for you, I'm so sorry, I'm so c-Willow?" Niall's eyes look up into mine, that same watery-blue I remember them being from the first time I saw them. "Niall? Oh my God, Niall-" "What are you-" "What are you!-" "What are you doing here?" We both say at the same time, though on purpose-my eyes were watching his lips, waiting for him to speak. I notice a rosy shade of pink creep into his cheeks as he gives a small smile, looking at me, waiting for me to answer. "You first," I say, smiling back, hoping to pull off the shy middle-schooler expression. "Well, I, uh, me and Louis were just grabbing a bite to eat at Nando', it's-it's my favorite place to eat, though I don't really mind where I eat, I'll do it anywhere-"