Darling Harbor (Niall Horan)

Chapter 25: Bitterness

Copyright © zylgnagnaba 2013

Niall’s POV

“I can’t believe this. Why didn’t you tell us, Harry?” Disbelief and exasperation underlies in Liam’s tone as he asks Harry. I, on the other hand, sit on the couch inside our makeshift dressing room dumbfounded by what just happened earlier.

My head leans against the back of the couch as I watch the guilty Harry carefully, rubbing his temples with his two hands. We are all probably stressed out except Louis who is nothing but happy about seeing his old friend again.

We were all walking in group as we enter the studio. The one thing that caught my eye instantly is the way the set has been prepared. The hallway is converted into what seems like a school corridor with columns of green metallic lockers situated on the parallel walls.

We looked around at some of the set, finding out that there is also a makeshift classroom. I, for one, am a bit impressed at the idea behind our new music video.

Jackie apparently told us that it’s going to be a throwback to our high school life, to which we couldn’t have agreed more since the season of graduation has just passed and back-to-school is already fast approaching. We liked the idea that a lot of our fans are going to relate to it—like to most of our songs.

To me, it was really genius.

Until…

“Great. You’re just in time.” We all turn around to see Jackie right behind us with a paper slate in her hands and big headphones loosely dangling around her neck. She’s the assistant of the yet unidentified new director hired for this video. “If you could just wait at the dressing room for a bit, Miss Lawrence will be here any minute now.” She tells us.

The boys might not have been paying close attention to her statement, but I felt my heart skipped a beat at the mention of the name. Miss Lawrence? But it could be another person with the same last name, so I just shrug off the thought. She couldn’t be here.

Pointing us to the direction of our dressing room, Jackie continues, “Your make-up artist and stylist are already waiting for you inside.” With that, we take few steps on our way to pile in the room but then she stops us halfway. “Oh wait, there she is.”

Simultaneously, the lads and I turn around to the direction where Jackie is gesturing her hand at. I felt all the air left my body once I behold the girl who is all smile as she headed towards our direction, looking at no one in particular before she meets gazes with her assistant.

She looked different now. Her hair is way darker now than the last time I saw her, tied neatly in a ponytail. Her slick black leather jacket over her white shirt paired with black tight jeans adorning her fit physique. She’s also wearing make-up now, at least I can notice it now—her plump lips are now painted with shade of bright red and her eyes are framed with dark mascara and eyeliner.

For a brief moment, I couldn’t feel my heart beating any longer and it jumpstarted again once Louis broke the silence that’s deafening the atmosphere since she walked in.

“Bree?!” Louis yells inquisitively as he approached her, both of them chuckling as they pulled each other in a hug. Meanwhile, I notice Liam, Zayn, and Harry’s jaws almost meet the floor while watching the scene.

I was also flustered. I didn’t know what was happening. All that’s clear to me is she’s here, right now at the same room as I am in, breathing the same air that I am breathing. Screw this!