VALERIE

Chapter 26.6: Strike Two

 Copyright © zylgnagnaba 2013

VALERIE’s POV

Three days passed after Niall’s birthday, he still is in Ireland while the rest of us went back to our normal routine here in London. I attended the Guess magazine launch yesterday, and everything was just heavy and overwhelming. The attention drawn to me was just doubled now that I’m in the cover of one of the hugest magazine label in the international scene. Not that I care, but along with this success comes Dana’s envious wrath. I could feel it even at a distance when she attended the launch. She was just at the corner, trying to be unnoticed because the gossip is out. She sabotaged me.

The boys are recording for their next album despite Niall’s absence. He’ll be back in two days though, I guess. That’s what I’ve heard from Harry.

Harry. I love him and every day I get to spend with him, my feelings just grow over the ceiling. I’ve wanted to tell him so bad how I feel about him, since my first attempt failed when Zayn decided to cut me off by throwing himself at us in the couch. But every time the time is perfect, my tongue gets tied and surrenders to the tip of my throat. I don’t know if it’s the ego or fear of rejection, or maybe both. There are too many considerations if I ever tell him what I feel for him. What if he doesn’t love me back? Everything will just be plain awkward since we’re living in the same house, sleeping in the same room, and I wouldn’t know how to deal with that.

And if he does love me, it’s good because we don’t have to pretend anymore. But what will the management think? Ugh! I’m really torn.

I am dragged out of my train of thoughts when Eleanor pulls up to a drive. I haven’t noticed that we are already at the restaurant until she kills the engine of her newly-fixed car. At the start of the drive, I am a bit hesitant to climb in reminding myself that I just had crashed it days ago. The wreck wasn’t serious, I just smashed the headlights against the lamppost but I am still feeling guilty about it.  We, the girls – except Perrie who’s back on tour with Little Mix—are having dinner with Sophia before she bounds back to Wolverhampton tomorrow. I’m glad I could get rid of her for at least a few weeks. She never attempted a chat with me after we had that confrontation in the holiday home, and I am also surprised that I haven’t heard a word from Liam about it. I’m guessing she never told him, but I don’t care.

The tall tinted glass door is opened by a well-groomed valet as we approach it and he greets us with a quick nod and a picture-perfect smile. We reply with a beam before heading to the lady receptionist behind the counter. The restaurant is not that expensive, not that cheap either. I can tell by the way they set-up the tables and how everything is organized, just the way I like restaurants ever since.  I have serious allergic reaction towards classic restaurants; they just don’t suit my personality.

“Reservation for Miss Calder?” Eleanor informs the lady receptionist. Her black hair is pulled up to a ponytail, her face is white and her lips are bloody red, she looked like she just sucked all the blood out of the pale valet who welcomed our entrance at the door few seconds before. But despite that, she’s pretty—too pretty to become a vampire.

She grins at us and her bleach white teeth that glimmer at us blinded me. Nope, I was just exaggerating.

“Yes, Ma’am. Your companion is already waiting for you at table 9.” The receptionist informs us as she motions her hand to the direction of the booth few more tables away from where we are standing. Sure enough, Sophia is already there waiting for us.

Eleanor curtly nods at her and grabs the two menus that the lady was handing to us. I heave the strap of my bag further in my shoulder as we approach closer to the booth where the brown-haired girl is sitting. She’s grinning at us, Eleanor reciprocated a sweet smile and I just roll my eyes a bit making her smile dwindle by the second. Eleanor grabs my hand quickly and she walks faster to the table and I follow drudgingly.