Uptown Boy (Narry Storan)

46. Paris

Time: Sunday, 2:29 PM
Time left before Niall leaves for Paris: 1.5 hours

HS

This is the last place. He has got to be here. I've been to his flat, I've been to the workshop, and even to the playground, but he's in neither of those places. And the last possible place that I can think of, is the bar.

If he really is here, I obviously can't talk to him, seeing as there will definitely be a couple of Leo and Elijah's men around. And if any of them see that I'm with Niall, I'm toast. No, we're toast. But all I want to do is to see him. I'll stand from afar, and just look at him. He doesn't even need to know I'm there. I just want to see him, at least before he goes to Paris because who knows what will happen over there.

The bar is relatively quiet seeing as it's only three in the afternoon. But there are still a decent number of tables taken up. It was a jangle of voices, all of them competing with the rock music that dominates the atmosphere. There's a stagnant stench of cigarettes, stale beer and body odour and even a hint of puke lingering in the air. I scrunch my nose up slightly at the scent, before pushing my way in, towards the corner of the bar. A lady comes over to take my order, to which I just got some random drink she recommended.

My eyes scan the bar, trying to look for Niall, which was relatively easy to do seeing as there's not much of a crowd.

My heart skips a beat as I notice a blonde-brunette quiff at the other end. But as he turns around, my heart sinks. It wasn't Niall. Just another guy who is wearing the same hairstyle as him. Not as well as Niall does, of course.

The waitress comes back with my drink. I gulp down the random drink, waiting for a few more minutes, hoping to see him walk through the entrance. But after twenty minutes, there's still no sign of him. I sigh, before hopping off the high stool, heading for the washroom instead.

I give my face a quick splash to wake myself up, before going into a cubicle, locking myself in there to give me some time for my own thoughts.

What was I thinking? Niall wouldn't be here. Why would he? He would be leaving to Paris in an hour. Why the hell would he be in the bar? But where else could he be? I've checked every other possible place.

I sigh defeatedly. I know I can't see him. But I just want to see his face, even if it was just for a second, and now, I don't even know where he is. Maybe he's already on the way to Paris. If he is, all I'm praying for is that he will be alright, that he'll be smart enough to hide the drugs and escape the cops.

I get startled out of my thoughts when the door to the bathroom slams open, a deep voice speaking.

"Hello?" He asks, and I stay quiet, not knowing if he's talking to me or not.

I breathe out a sigh of relief when he speaks again, knowing that it wasn't me he was talking to. "Is everything ready over at Paris?" Huh, Paris. What a coincidence.

"Ok good. He should be leaving for Paris soon, and the second he reaches the rendezvous point to hand the loot over, that's when we grab him." The oxygen gets caught in my lungs. He can't possibly be talking about Niall... can he? I mean, what are the odds?

I silently peek an eye through the small crack in the bathroom door, trying to see who this guy is. His back is towards me and I can't see his face due to the awkward angle. But he's dressed in a navy blue long sleeved shirt, jeans and black heavy combat boots. And, I did notice a tattoo of what seems to be a sun on the back of his hand which's holding his phone.

It's quiet for awhile with some muffled speaking, until he chuckles darkly, sending an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. "Definitely. Horan's never gonna see it coming. Him and his boyfriend."