Stuck in The Moment with You [Niall Horan]

Chapter Nineteen

After the Sydney concert, everyone was sent straight to their hotel rooms to get rest because we had an early flight for Melbourne the next day. Only two people didn’t listen. I had been out on the balcony, not sleeping like usual, reading in the dim light coming from the hotel sign, when I heard splashing coming from the pool deck below. I got up, figuring it was someone else that staying in the hotel, but when I looked down, I saw it was Emma and Zayn. They were both in the pool, I could hear them talking, but I couldn’t understand anything they were saying. I decided I shouldn’t stand and watch, so I went back inside.

“What time?… It’ll be over about eight thirty or so, but once we get out of the venue it’ll probably be about nine…” From what I had heard from Nicole talking beside me, Niall was on the phone with his cousin that lived in Melbourne, who had called him once we were off the plane, but I didn’t know more than that, and I didn’t even bother listening to rest of it when I met Anna in the hallway, blocking my hotel room door. 

“What gives?” I asked, adjusting my heavy bag on my shoulder. She had already settled her stuff into her room, but I had been in the lobby talking with Nicole and hadn’t yet gotten to my room. 

“I just wanted to talk to you,” she said.

“Well talk,” I said. I had only slept about 2 hours in the past 24, so I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to anyone. Nicole and Niall had already went to their rooms, so it was only me and Anna.

“So, I was wondering… What does it take to get invited to hang out with the boys when you’re not even supposed to be taking pictures?” She asked. There wasn’t any humor or rudeness in her tone, she was serious. 

“They don’t invite me, Nicole does,” I said.

“Oh.. well..” she trailed off. 

“She doesn’t like you very much?” I asked, though I knew the answer, and she shook her head. 

“Okay, well move,” I said and she stepped out of my way, now looking at bit annoyed, but I didn’t care, I wanted to get inside and go to sleep.

The next day, Sunday, was a bit slow. The boys had to leave the hotel early for the Logies Awards Show, and we weren’t able to go, so me and Emma stayed in our hotel room most of the day. She had bought a deck of cards while out shopping with Zayn and Liam and we had been teaching each other games all day. Em was laying out by the pool, while Sarah, Laura, and Anna were out shopping again.

At around 11pm, the boys got back, and Zayn texted Emma and she asked me to go with her downstairs to meet them, cause they were stuck in the vehicle, because of the crowd of girls waiting outside the hotel. Since me and Emma been out on the balcony all day, we slowly watched the crowd of girls show up, so we weren’t surprised when they said they were stuck in the vehicle. 

The lobby was empty, except for the employees, and the security guards was outside trying to help get the boys inside. Since there was no point of going outside, me and Emma sat down on the lobby couch. 

“Could you tell me what room Nicole West is staying in?” I heard a voice from  behind me ask. I turned and looked across the lobby to see a man at the front desk. The woman there said something and the man gave an annoyed sigh. “Look, lady, I’m not a stalker, I’m her father, so you can tell me what room she’s in,” the man said. Emma wasn’t even paying attention, she must’ve been texting Zayn cause her face was glued to her phone. I saw the front desk lady look at me, and I quickly turned back around in my seat. I sat there a few minutes. Nicole’s Dad came and sat down on the couch across from me and Emma. I kept my eyes on my bare feet, that were half hidden from my overly-long sweat pants. Emma elbowed me and I looked up. She raised her eyebrows and glanced at Nicole’s Dad. I just shrugged. He was on the phone, or calling someone, but he then hung up, looking annoyed, and looked at me. I quickly averted my eyes back to my feet. 

“I don’t mean to seem rude, or strange, but the lady at the front desk said you know my daughter. Do you?” He asked leaning forward. I looked up at him. I could definitely see the resemblance between them. I had a sudden wave of sadness about my Dad. I was always told I was looked more like my Dad than anything, and acted like him too. But there was no denying this was Nicole’s Dad, she looked too much like him. “I do..” I said. He gave a slight smile. “Finally someone who will tell me something. Do you know where she is?” He asked.

“She’s with Harry,” I said quietly. He nodded.

“Of course. Do you have any idea where they are?” He asked. 

“Outside, but they can’t get in, so there’s no point of you going out,” I said.

He looked towards the door and nodded.

We all awkwardly waited on the couches for the others to come inside. It was about 10 minutes before Emma suddenly jumped from the couch and walked to the door. One of the security guards came in and held the door open. Now that the door was open the screams were even louder. Liam and Louis were in first, I walked over to Liam, but didn’t say anything since he and Louis were talking. Zayn came in and Emma ran straight to him, though they didn’t do anything because Paul was with them. Niall came in laughing at something, and then Harry and Nicole were behind him along with Paul and a couple more security guards making sure no fangirls came chasing after them. Niall came over saying something to Liam, but I wasn’t listening. Emma and Zayn were already heading for the elevators. Nicole hadn’t seen her Dad yet as Paul told us all to get upstairs, but while we were waiting for the elevators to come, he finally said something. I almost jumped as high as Niall when I felt his hand on my shoulder. 

“Nicole, I see you’ve made a new friend,” he said.

Nicole was playing with Harry’s hair and she turned around so fast she almost hit Louis in the face with her elbow. Everyone was looking directly at Nicole’s Dad and me. I wanted so badly to step sideways and get his hand off my shoulder, cause I felt a bit awkward, but I didn’t want to seem rude. 

“Dad.. what are you doing here?” Nicole asked, she was clearly surprised, but she also looked a bit angry. Harry honestly looked stunned. Liam and Louis stepped into the open elevator and quickly pressed the button, leaving. Niall stayed, he was looking at me. 

“Harry,” he said nodding towards him. 

“Callum,” Harry said nodding himself. 

You’d think those two hated each other, but neither looked angry when Callum reached out and they shook hands. Callum’s hand now off my shoulder, Niall stepped forward and pulled me into the elevator that had just opened up. I didn’t say anything for a few beats, though I was grateful Niall had pulled me out of there, but I wasn’t even thinking about that. I should’ve told my Mom to put flowers on my Dad’s grave that day. Why didn’t I? I’m stupid, that’s why. 

“Nice sweatpants,” Niall said.

I shouldn’t have turned my head, cause my cheeks were blazing and the hot tears running down them didn’t make it any better. For a couple months after my Dad’s death, I would cry at even the thought of him, but after a year, I now would be caught a random moments and I couldn’t stop the tears from coming. It had been about a month since I last cried, I figured I was over it, but when seeing Nicole’s Dad, I was brought back down. Niall’s face faded from a grin to a stunned look. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his voice a bit panic stricken. I shook my head, closing my eyes.

I wasn’t sure if he understood, from hearing me on the phone with my Mom before, or just felt the need to do something, but I do know that when I felt his arms wrap around me, pulling me close to his warm chest, I realized I hadn’t had a hug from anyone in a long time.