Guessing Game

Chapter 16

Katie's POV

"Hey Niall, I'm gonna go to the studio." I walked out of the bathroom as I pulled down my white tee.

"Want me to go with?" Niall asked as he set his watch on.

I shook my head. "No. I would like to have some alone time, to think and work on some stuff, before everyone gets there for recording If You Go."

He nodded and pecked me on the lips. "I understand. Call if you need anything, yeah?"

I stole another kiss and smiled. "You got it."

I grabbed my backpack and phone before I left. We're staying at a hotel in LA that's about a block walk to the studio. We could have probably stayed with the boys at their houses, even all of us at just one of them, but that would have caused more drama than we could we handle.

I noted a pap across the street taking pictures. I put my sunglasses on and ignored him. I've only dealt with this for a few months and I'm already done, I don't know how the boys do it.

I pulled the door to the studio building open then walked in, going straight past the receptionist, Betty, and to the elevator. I pressed for the third floor and waited for it to rise up and stop at the third floor to get off.

The studio is actually smaller than I imagined, but bigger than it needs to be. To help explain a little further, there's a couch big enough to sit three, two matching chairs, stands for our guitars, the sound/mixer/recording system, a piano, and booth where we do the recording, which holds a set of drums, speaker system for guitars or ukuleles, and two microphones. It was intimidating the first day, but, now, my fourth day going in, it's not.

I picked up Harold from his case on the couch. I don't trust leaving Harold anywhere except for this studio or with our tour crew. Same with Lucy.

I took out my little notebook and pencil from the front pocket of Harold's case. I flipped through the pages until I found the song I've been working on for a while now. The title is called 'Bragged' and I started it back in last November after I made a change to my major. My parents, more of my mom, didn't support me on it.

I have the words where, and the way, I want them. I'm struggling with how I want the sound. I've gone back and forth between Lucy and Harold, and, obviously, I've stuck with Harold more.

I tried out the strum pattern I worked on previously with chords I thought I wanted and I sung the words lowly to myself. I consumed myself so much into the song, I didn't notice someone else walked into the studio. Not until they spoke.

"What's that you're working on?"

I jumped a little in my place and was short of screaming. "Harold! Why do you continue to do that? Every fucking time?"

He smirked. "Cause of that reaction I get. You girls are too easy. Jen's the best to scare."

I rolled my eyes in response.

I moved to close my notebook so he couldn't see the words. In this time, he was actually quick and snatched the notebook from my lap.

I set Harold aside and tried to get my notebook back. Curse being nearly 5'4, and fuck him for being like 6'2.

He chuckled as he played keep away better and read my words. Suddenly, he stopped and looked at me seriously. "Katie, this is really good."

I shook my head. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"I'm not." He shook his head. "It truly is good. I heard the tune you were trying. I think it'd work better on the piano." He walked over to the piano, sat down, and set up the notebook so he could play and sing.