The Exchange

Chapter 22

"Hey Mira!" Niall calls as he sees me take a step inside.

"Hey guys." I say, dropping my bag in front of my room. I step closer and stand next to the love seat. "What's up?"

"Not too much." Niall replies, staring at the "football" game on TV.

"Mira?" Louis calls, gesturing me to his chair. I walk in front of the tv, to which I receive a few groans, and lean closer to Louis.

"There's a grocery list on the counter for whenever you can get around to it." Louis says, lowering his voice. I nod and look him in the eyes.

"I'll do it right now." I say, turning away after a moment and heading to then kitchen. Sure enough, there is a lengthy list on the island written in blue pen. I glance at it for a moment ad notice three items added to the bottom in someone else's handwriting. Probably Harry's.

I run to my room to change quickly into something more comfortable. Darn the hassles of a uniform!

I emerge from my room in a pair of jeans and a burgundy, long sleeved shirt with the words, love\hate on it. The word hate is backwards under the word love because it's the opposite. Clever right?

"I'll be back." I call slipping on my black ballet flats and the black jacket that I bought when the boys toured me around London. I grab my small black purse and throw it over my head as I head out the door. Maybe I'm hearing things but I think I could hear a faint, "good-bye" as I left.

***

"It's Mira right?" I look up from the many cereals at the sound of my voice. Standing next to me is the guy that I ran into the first time I came for groceries. What's his name? Alex, Adrian, Aden?

"I'm Austin we met before."

Austin! that's it.

"Yeah, of course I remember. I'm still sorry about running into you that day." I say awkwardly, playing with my ponytail.

"Oh don't be. You didn't put me in the hospital or anything." He chuckles so I forced a giggle and look at my shoes. Could this be anymore awkward?

"So can I help you again today?" He asks, leaning on a display of canned beans. I shrug and grab a box of flavored Cheerios.

"You don't need to, you're probably busy." I respond, avoiding his gaze. I tighten my grip on the carriage and push it forwards.

"Not really, it's pretty quiet today." he walks with me a few feet as I search for other items on Louis list. So far I have bread, peppers, bananas, chips, and Oreos but there's still quite a bit more I need to get.

"So what else is on your list?" he asks, pulling Louis list out of my hand. For a moment I wonder why he won't just leave me alone. I might as well let him stay though so I can get this done quicker.

"Canned tomatoes." he points to a shelf where they were all lined up. I pick a random brand and plac it in the cart next to the bunch of bananas.

"So what school do you go to?" Austin asks, swinging his arms causally.

"Um, London prep." I say, realizing I sound like one of those prep kids in bad children's movies.

"Oh the private?" he asks, stopping at a shelf of pudding. I glance at the list in his hand and realize Harry added it.

"Yeah I guess. I'm here on an exchange program so I was placed there by the school board." I explain as I choose a chocolate pudding pack.

"Really?  Where are you from?"

"Canada." I say simply, pushing the cart once again.

"Wow. So how did you end up coming to London?"