Speed ➢ harry styles

Ch. 9 ~ Bus 7

The next few days were spent in lethargy. I just laid around my hotel until I got a text from Leo advising me that moping around wasn't going to solve anything and that I should go hang out or something. After all I was in New York, arguably the best/worst city ever. It really depended on who you asked.

It was unbelievable to think that just two days ago, I'd come so close to Anella. Closer than I'd been in years. Gemma would be shocked to know that I'm actually making progress. She probably thought I wasn't capable of doing this. I called her and recounted Saturday's events. She was rather surprised that I'd gotten this far, and she admitted she expected me to give up. She was partially right, I would've given up. I almost gave up yesterday when Anella had gotten away from me, but I'm now realizing there's no giving up now and there's also no use sulking around in my hotel room.

With the furor this new-found determination had filled me with, I pulled on my jacket and beanie, and plastered on a fake beard for good measure. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall parallel to the window. I looked amazingly unrecognizable with my latest disguise. I felt totally content with my unidentifiable appearance and wondered if any of the other lads ever thought about wearing disguises whilst going out alone. 

Once I exited my hotel, I was unsure of what I should do now. Maybe I'll go visit the Empire State? Or visit a museum? Maybe even go to a park? Perhaps I'll shop and buy Gemma one of those snow globe souvenirs? The possibilities were endless.

I walked along the sidewalk and blended in with all sorts of locals and tourists rushing past. No one really seemed to recognize me which felt great because I've been longing for a day to come where I can just be a regular lad and chill like I used to before the fame. People tend to not realize that fame hasn't really changed me or any of the other members of One Direction, for that matter. I'm virtually the same Harry I was before, but according to my mum I've gotten taller and now I'm a young man, but never old enough to lose the title as her little baby.

I stopped walking when I came to a bus stop. I decided I'd take the bus to the art museum I saw a poster for a few blocks ago. I read the Brooklyn bus map that was displayed on the interior of the bus stop right next to an ad for Greek yogurt. The museum was at the 4th stop the 5 pm bus was going to take. Taking the bus seemed simple enough but then again, maybe I could just take a cab like I always did. Wouldn't that be easier? 

Right then the bus arrived and the driver opened the door. A woman carrying a toddler boarded followed by a couple of old women carrying bingo daubers and Esquire magazines. "You gettin' on or not?" The driver called out impatiently.

"Ehrm..yes. I am." I decided. I dug in my pockets to find my MetroCard and inserted it into the farebox but it didn't go in at first. 

"Other way around, with the black stripe facing the right." The driver said. I nodded and inserted it again and it worked this time. "Now you got it, I'm assuming you're not a local, right?." I nodded. "Well in that case welcome to Brooklyn."

"Damn tourists be wastin' my time. Hurry up and get this bus moving, I got places to be." Muttered an old man who was sitting at the back of the bus. I went down the aisle looking for a seat but almost all were full. Except for one next to the grumpy old man who took off his hat and placed it in the empty seat so no one would sit next to him. Not that anyone would want to. He seemed rude. 

Then near the back of the bus I finally found an empty seat. A few seats in front of me two young kids were playing an intense game of rock paper scissors. The bus took off and eventually it halted at it's first stop and a few people got off. 

I rubbed my eyes and realized I hadn't slept much last night. I remembered lying on my bed with all sorts of thoughts plaguing my mind, most of them pertaining to Anella.