Ninas London (One Direction fanfic)

Chapter 40

"This is it," I read from my phone as we exit the cab. The three of us walk the path leading to the cute brick condominium, and step up to the door. The Fallowfield student home is on a quiet street, a bit out of the way but perfect for someone like Eleanor to live on the DL. Lauren, Caitlin and I hike our suitcases onto the doormat and peek into the window.

"I'll text her," I decide, taking out my phone. I scroll down past texts from my old friends back at home ("OH MY GOD NINA WHAT IS GOING ON THERE" "tell harry that chelsea says hi!! oh and give him my twitter name too" "Hey Nina!! It's Alexa from your AP gov class, remember me? We should totally have a sleepover when you get back from London!!!") Rolling my eyes at the messages from people who'd hardly noticed me until now, I find Eleanor's conversation and shoot her a quick text: "here at the door! come fetch us woman!!"

Two minutes later the lock clicks and the door swings back, revealing Eleanor's smiling face. Her hair is pulled back into her signature messy bun, a few curly tendrils falling around her face. She's barefooted and is wearing a white tee shirt and a VERY interesting pair of blue cat pajama pants.

"About time you got here!" she exclaims, holding the door as we walk into the hallway, dragging our luggage behind us. "My room's on the first floor, I'll grab us the lift!" She goes to bring down the elevator as Caitlin, Lauren and I take in the hallway. The lighting is bright but golden, and the walls are a serene beige color. Other doors down the hallway are closed - they must belong to other renting Manchester students.

"Over here!" Eleanor calls to us. Once again, she holds the doors back to let us all squeeze into the elevator. She follows us in and hits the 1, and we rise to her floor.

"So what time are you planning on leaving?" I ask her, as composed as possible. El lifts her wrist and checks her Fossil watch. "Well it's 16:09," she reads. I quickly do the American conversion; it's about eight p.m. "So we have about an hour and forty minutes to get ready? Is that enough, do you think?"

"Perfect!" Caitlin beams next to me. Eleanor grins and squeezes her side. "I totally thought of you, Caitlin," she laughs. "Pizzas are on the way!"

Caitlin sighs with relief. "Oh my god, I love you," she says, gripping her rumbling stomach. Lauren and I exchange understanding looks and giggle as the elevator lets us off.

"This one right here," Eleanor says, pointing to the door directly to our left. I can already hear a dance beat from a Rihanna song playing faintly through the door. She fishes out a set of keys from her pocket and slides one into the lock, turning it and pushing the door open.

"It's not much, but it's home," El laughs as she tosses the keys onto the table. We follow her inside and I take in the bright space with white walls and an open floor plan. The kitchen and its white cabinets are directly to the left, and a dining table that sits six is set up near it. Mugs, a microwave and coffee maker, and a bowl full of apples and Cuties take up some of the counter space. The TV, couches and coffee table are set up across the room, with a top charts channel on and Rihanna's "Where Have You Been" playing.

"Toilet's there," El points to a door off the living room, "and down that hall are the two bedrooms. You guys can store all your bags in the one on the left!" She walks over to grab the TV clicker and turns up the volume as we drop our bags in the empty bedroom. I come back to the loud beat - "Where have you been all my li-li-li-li-li-life" - and immediately start krumping in front of everyone. The girls burst into laughter and Caitlin starts a spastic sprinkler. Lauren wipes tears from her eyes and starts cat daddying, while Eleanor takes up doing the Bernie. I see her and crack up all over again, feeling my stomach cramp up from the laughter.

"As long as you promise not to do that tonight," I cackle, "I'll act like I still know you!" Eleanor laughs and Bernie's some more, leaning back and flailing her arms behind her. I slowly pull my phone from my back pocket, but she catches me in the act.