Change My Mind

41 - Will you change your mind?

On one of our last nights in Naples, I overheard Niall and Harry talking on the patio, while I was in the kitchen getting us drinks and snacks. I knew eavesdropping was wrong, but as soon as I heard Liv's name, my ears immediately tuned into their chat. 

"We have to make sure she gets back to LA safely. I reckon it's best if I do it." Niall said. 

"But would you be okay with that?" Harry asked, sounding concerned.

Niall chuckled. "Are you kidding me? It'll be a full journey of silence. I'll get so much work done. Besides one of us needs to go back to the meeting with the investors from Sweden. I can do it." 

There was a moments silence before Harry spoke again. "Thanks, Nialler. I really appreciate that. I'll go back to New York with El, if she wants me there." 

I couldn't hold back a smile as I poured potato chips in a bowl and grabbed their beers. I went out to the patio and sat back down next to Harry. He put his arm around me, leaning it on the backrest of my chair.

"We were just discussing what to do about..." Niall pointed with his thumb over his shoulder, indicating next door. 

"Liv?" I asked quietly and he nodded. 

"She traveled here with us, so we are obligated to make sure she gets back safely. But me and her on a long journey together, is probably not a good idea right now," Harry twirled some of my hair between his fingers. "So I was wondering if I could go back to New York with you, while Niall makes sure Liv gets back to LA safely and checks back into rehab?" 

"Nah, I wouldn't like that," I said and scrunched my nose at him, but I couldn't keep up my pretence and burst out laughing. "I would love that." I couldn't contain the joy I felt, and my face split into a huge smile. He and I needed to be alone after the week we had had. My mind immediately went to some pretty dirty corners, and I had to control myself. 

"That settles that then," Niall said and held his beer bottle out for us to clink with our drinks. "I'll take off tomorrow morning with Liv." 

Syl and Sarah were going to New York for a couple of days, so they were set to travel by train with me. Harry booked a ticket, so he could come along. I told Sarah while she was packing her suitcase and she stopped and clapped her hands. "So he's going with you? For how long?" 

I shrugged and smiled at her enthusiasm. "I don't know, he didn't specify how long he would stay around for. For a while I hope..." 

"I'm seriously so excited for you. Have you spoken more about coming to England?" She offered me a British sweet from her suitcase, which I gladly shoved in my mouth. 

"We haven't, no. But if he still wants to take me there, I'd love to go with him. Might need to take some extra time off from work, but I'll see if I can't make ends meet anyway. I would love to see where he grew up." I smiled at the thought of getting to go away with him, just the two of us.

"If you come over, you have to come see us, okay? We'll take you out for a night on the town." Sarah sat down next to me on the floor. "I know things have been rough this week and your feelings are all over the place, but without really knowing you, I think you've handled everything really gracefully."

I blushed and thanked her. I was sure she thought of Americans as dramatic and exaggerated being British herself, but I guess we had the advantage of growing up with a British dad. Both Syl and I were so much more down to earth than a lot of our friends and peers. Even my mom had a more dramatic past than me, chaining herself to trees and going head to head with powerful politicians and the law.

There was a light knock at the door to Syl's room and Harry peeped in. He smiled at the two of us sitting on the floor. "Do you have a moment?" He asked and held his hand out to help me up from the floor.