Drive

Chapter 5

I take slow strides back to Niall's car after three hours of filling out applications and scheduling interviews. I have two interviews on Friday, four days away. I pull the car door open and climb in, laying my purse in the floorboard. Low music is playing through the speakers.

"So how did it go?" I nod my head as he begins to pull out.

"Good." I answer simply and he sends a smile over to me.

"Let me take ya'll out," he says and I send him a look.

"What?"

"Just lunch," I begin to object but he stops me. "Please," after a minute of staring at him with his bottom lip poked out I finally give in.

"Let's go into New York," he suggest."It's only about thirty minutes away." I roll my eyes and turn the radio up. Demi Lovato fills the silence in the car as I quietly sing along to the lyrics of Fix A Heart.

"It's like you're pouring salt on my cuts."

As the song ends I see Niall glancing over at me.

"What?" I ask and watch when he can't hide his smirk.

"Nothing," he says and his eyes follow back on the road. I roll my eyes and lay my head against the window, listening to the low music bleeding through the speakers.

"Mommy!" Kaylee booms and I quickly turn around to find the whole front of her shirt and pants soaking wet.

"Kaylee, what happened?" I ask and see Niall looking in the rearview mirror at us.

"I was trying to put more apple juice in my cup.." she says and I see her eyes water before she lets out a quiet sob.

"It's okay, baby." I set my hand on her knee. "Next time tell me, and I'll help you." She wipes away her tears and I turn back to Niall.

"How far away are we from wherever we're eating at?" I ask.

"About ten minutes," he says and I turn back to Kaylee.

"Can you wait a few minutes until we're at the restaurant?" She nods and I reach back, wiping away a tear. "It's okay, baby. Just tell me next time." She nods and I grab her sippy cup from her hands, setting it in the cup holder.

"Take your pick, Chili's or Applebee's." I scrunch my face at Chili's. It's absolutey disgusting.

"Chili's is nasty, so Applebee's." He puts his hand over his heart and takes a dramatic breath in.

"You don't like Chili's? How can you not? You're not American!" I laugh at his choice of words.

"Neither are you," I giggle and his cheeks turn beat red.

"Touché," he touches his pointer finger to his thumb and I giggle again. He pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant and I get out first, walking around to Kaylees side of the car and pulling the door open.

"I'll help," he says when I pull her diaper bag out and hand it to him. Kaylee trys to unbuckle herself but fails, crossing her arms over her chest. I unhook the straps and giggle at her furrowed eyebrows before pulling her out of the seat and setting her on my hip, closing the door.

Niall holds the doors open for me and I thank him as we walk to the podium. The lady standing there greets us with a big smile and her eyes go big when she realizes it "Niall Horan!"

"Oh my! Can I get a picture?" She asks and takes out her phone. Niall gives me a look but before he can walk to her side to take the picture I interject.

"Hate to spoil your evening, but me and Niall came here to eat. Not so he can take a million pictures with all the "One Directioners."" I say, using hand gesture. She scowls at me.