Chasing Ari (a 1D Fanfic )

Chapter 7

***Arianna's POV***

I was barreling down the strairs, still so full of energy. Niall  was trailing behind, struggling to keep up. I made a sharp left turn at the stairs heading into a crowded corridor. I slowed down, careful not to get in anyones way. I looked back to find Niall. He was lagging. Sigh. I bet he didn't know the lay out of the house, he was probably just confused. 

I grabbed his wrist and whispered, "Stay close, I'm going to take the back way. Alright?"

"Where are we even going?" He asked. He was paying close attention to his footsteps. He was trying to say out of the way, too, I guessed. 

"We're going to scope out the back porch. Thats where I saw them heading last. We'll move on from there." I said, pulling him into one of the side bedrooms, he closed the door after him.

It was unexpectedly dark. I took an unsure step, only to smash the side of my toe against someone's suitcase.

"Aye!" I wailed. My latin accent made it sound more like a stressed eye. "Can you look for the light switch,? It should by the door somewhere." I asked him softly. I felt his arm shimmy in my wrist as he moved. After a silent second, the room was light.

We were closer than I thought to the sliding door that lead to the back patio. I let go of his wrist and moved the suitcase and another stray object from our path. 

"Hit the switch again, please?" I said again, almost apologetically. I was a little sorry for bossing him around like this. Do this, do that, grab this, give me that. Bow down to my awesome power.

"Yea, sure thing," he smiled at me. I just fully noticed his braces. Wow. My braces were always an insecurity for me, and it took me at least four or five months to smile andfully show my braces off. He did it so easily, as if it never had affect him.

"We're gonna lay on the ground now, okay? The floor is carpet so don't worry about it too much." I tried not to make it sound like a demand.

"Wait, what?" I couldn't see his face, but he was propably past the point of confusion.

"The floor. We lay on it. Simple." I whispered, taking position. He hesitated for a moment before following my lead.

"Tell me again, why are we laying on the floor?" he whispered.

"We are spys on a mission. Spys aren't supposed to be seen, or else the mission is compromised. We have to take precations to stay out of sight. People usually notice things at eye level. If we stay closer to the ground, we are less likely to be seen. " I tried to explain.

I bet I sound crazy. This was just something the girls and I have always done. Gone on spy missions, made fake attack plans on each other, pretended we we're queens under attack, and other stuff like that. I was obsessed one summer with a series of novels where the main character is a spy in training, and another series where they were trained con-artists. That summer, we started spy training. Ever since, this has been part of everyday life for us. Being spies.

Yupp, my friends and I are delusional. We know.

"That's cool. I've always wanted to be a spy." He grined.

I smiled at him in the dark. Unsure if he could see my face or not, I turned back towards the sliding glass door. 

It was covered with a thin curtian for privacy. I slowly peeled back the curtian, with just enough room for both of us to peek outside. The back patio had white christmas lights snaking up the support polls the draped against the ceiling. It gave us enough light to make out some shadows and basic facial figures.

"Tell me if you find Harry." I said, immediatley regretting the way I worded it. I keep bossing him around. I turned my head slightly towards the side to look at Niall. He was staring intently out the window in search for Harry.

"And, I'm sorry." I whispered, after a second of silence. 

"Huh?" he grunted.

"I said I am sorry." I began. "I've kinda been bossing you around and telling you to do all these things, it was kinda rude." 

He turned to look at me, our faces must have been only inches apart and he smiled. "You have got to be kidding me," he scoffed.

I tilted my head a little, "I'm so serious. I should've been kinder."

"You weren't bossing me around. Even if you were," he looked back out the window. "I like girls who can take charge."

I opened my mouth to respond. But he cut me off, "Here, found him. To the far left, almost at the end of the porch. On the orange couch. Sydney's to his left. Do you see them?"

I peered out the glass toward the spot he described. I did see them. Harry had his arm around Sydney, they were snuggled up close. Harry was whipsering in her ear and she was giggling on, her eyes glistening. They were awfully cute together. 

"Now what?" Niall asked.

"Quick recon, to see if they move, or plan on changing postions. If we go out there and they are no longer there, the mission is a failure." I explained.

He nodded as he tried to take in the information. "Where did you learn all this stuff?"

"Spy camp, the summer before eight grade." I shrugged, not taking my eyes off the target.

He turned his attention back towards Harry and Sydney. They were both still whipering, and smiling, and giggling. It didn't seem like they were going to be getting up anytime soon. They were too absorbed with each other to notice if the whole house were  to catch on fire. Even so, we had to watch for a least a minute. It felt weird to just be staring at a couple. So, I decided to make small talk.

"So , you're Irish, right? You accent is a little different from what I'm used too." I said. He must think I'm thick. Duhh, he was Irish. He didn't seem to mind the question though.

"Yea, I'm from Mullingar. What are you used to?" he asked a little confised. Sydney and Harry we still busy giggling.

"My grandmother, from my fathers side, shes from Ireland. Before she came to America, she grew up on Arranmore Island. I hear its beautiful."  Harry and Sydney had barley moved an inch, still engaged in whatever conversation they were having.

"I've heard about that place, word is that its breathtaking in the summer."

"I want to travel there one day." I sighed, dreaming about the day I will get to travel the world.

He laughed softly, "Maybe, I'll take you there. I could be your own personal tour guide." 

"Ha, that'd be nice. But for now, how bout we travel bacl to the front room. They aren't going to be moving anytime soon." I began to get up. He was faster than I was and held the door open for me. I curtsied a little to show my thanks.

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When we reached the front room, Zayn and McKayla were leaning against the arch way, a red plastic cup in each hand. 

"Mission report?" McKayla inquired.

"We are clear. They are both seated at the end of the porch. Orange couch. Very unaware of suroundings. Should be easy target. Only obstacle: Sydney is the first person to be in range, Easily used as a shield if needed. Although, I doubt Harry would use her a shield, she is in the direct line of fire." I disclosed.

McKayla paused for a moment, bringing two fingers to touch her lips. "Easy fix. We'll go around the side of the house, that way, Harry will be the first person we see. Sydney will be out of harms way." 

"Wow, you girls always have everything firgured out." Zayn added.

"But, of course!" McKayla and I retorted simultaneously with a smile and a wink.