21 Directions

Chapter Fifteen

{Emma POV}

"Did you know about this?!" Jasmine inquires, eyes wide open, just like mine.

"I..." I sputter. "Erm..No."

I'm dumbfounded. Just this morning Niall and Grace were...well, they weren't on the best terms. That didn't call for a breakup though, did it?

I pick up my sandwich and nibble it as I kept my eyes trained on the television screen.

"Niall?" The interviewer asks, "Single?"

Niall nodsbashfully, and replies with a simple, "Yeah."

The lady presses on, "What happened between you and Grace? Sources tell that she was your long-term lover of almost two years."

Niall looks panicked for a fraction of a second, but quickly covers it up. His eyes dart to the left, behind the camera, and squint a bit.

"We didn't whore out." Niall asserts

The interviewer looks appalled, "Excuse me?"

"Work out!" Niall corrects himself hastily. "I meant to say that we didn't work out."

I'm still too stunned to even laugh.

The interviewer keeps going at it, "Ooooh! Come on Niall, give us all the deets! Were there tears? Who broke it off with who? Was there someone else involved? How does the rest of the band feel about this?"

Niall is clearly overwhelmed by the rush of questions. He inconspicuously glances towards the left again, clenches and unclenches his fist, and starts to talk, "We broke up on maternal terms, and are still finely."

The lady looks confused, a quizzical frown etched on her forehead, "Are you sure you don't mean to say-"

Paul suddenly walks on set, and whispers a few words into the interviewer's ears. She nods reluctantly, her lips pressed into a thin line. She turns back to the camera.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, but it looks like an emergency of some sort has occurred, and the boys are needed urgently."

The boys stand up in rush, and they walk off stage in a body, with Niall in the middle, obviously appearing distressed.

Jasmine and I shoot each other mutual looks of suspicion at the scene before us. Sure, the guys sometimes played up their quirky side during interviews, but this definitely wasn't normal.

***

Ding-Dong! 

Jasmine and I rush over to the front door, wary to not step in the way of any windows. We peek out through the peephole of the entrance.

Fortunately, the boys were back.

Unfortunately, Paul was there, too. 

Do you think he knows we're here? I mouth to Jasmine. 

Jasmine considers it for a moment, but then shakes her head. Let's play it safe, she mouths back. The boys have a key.                  

I bob my head in agreement, and simultaneously, we scurry up the stairs. 

A few seconds later, I hear the click of a key, and the whoosh of an opening door. Collective footsteps are heard, and stop at what I presume was the living room.

Paul, or at least I think it was Paul, starts to talk with a sigh, "Niall, what have you gotten yourself into? The contract with Grace was supposed to be in place until December 31."