Behind It All

Time to Try

I sigh walking to the elevator with my hands in my pockets. My phone lights up with a text from Jack, a member of our management team, informing me that another date with Hayley is tonight, the table at the restaurant has been booked for seven, and to expect a few paps to be there.
I let out a groan shoving my phone back in my pocket.

Great. Another shitty order from management. What a way to start the day!

A couple of hours pass and it's finally 7pm. After picking up Hayley from her room and driving to nandos, we arrive there, the only free parking space being three blocks away.

As we walk through the busy streets I can feel the tension between us.
I never apologised for how I spoke to her last night although I know that I will have to.

Quicker than I expected a number of paps and fans were surrounding us, making it difficult to get by.

The paps begin calling and shouting to us along with a few fans that had been pushed back by the rude paps making them unable to reach us.

I hate how rude the paps can be.

I like being able to have a conversation and take pictures with fans on the streets, but when there's paps around, they always seem to push in front of the fans making us unable to reach them. It's terrible.

I hate the paparazzi so much. Especially when they're rude or have no respect!

We're almost at the restaurant by the time the paps have swarmed all around us.
"Hayley!" calls one pap.

"Hayley!" He calls again.

"Hayley!!" He calls yet again getting even more impatient at her ignorance to him.

I turn around the see him nudging her each time he calls her again. I can see she's getting annoyed and flustered from his constant bothering.

Somehow I can feel the rage building up inside myself. Who does he think he is? First pushing in front of the fans and now bothering Hayley so much to the point where he's nudging and pushing her.

I turn back again and see him grab her shoulder.

I instantly grab her other arm and gently pull her into me, away from the agitated pap.

"Get your hands off her!" I shout in his face.

Flashes immediately blind my eyes due to my sudden outrage.
I can feel Hayley move in front of me, pulling me with her to the door of the restaurant until we're finally in and away from the paps.

"Are you okay?" I ask her as we sit down at our table.

"Yeah, you didn't have to do that for me though" she says looking down.

"Yes I did. He had no right to be bothering you like that let alone putting his hands on you." I state as the waiter brings us our menus.

"Thank you." she says quietly.

"It's okay." I admit.

I can tell she's still unhappy with me from argument last night. I guess I should apologise..

We give the waiter our order and he gladly takes our menus away while getting our drinks.

"I'm sorry" I mumble.

"For what?" She questions.

I think for a second, trying to find the right words.

"For acting like an idiot last night. I was a drunk mess and I know that's not an excuse but I didn't mean anything I said to you, you didn't deserve it. Im sorry." I say looking up to meet her hazel brown eyes.

"It's okay Niall but I'm sick of you treating me like crap, I really am" she sighs.

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm not going to be like that anymore. I hate the situation we're in but Harry really showed me it's not your fault and whether we like it or not, we don't get a say in any of this so I guess we should just try to be friends and hopefully it won't be as bad" I suggest.

I've been rude to her all this time when really, I should've just been friends with her from the start. It's time to try.

"That sounds better" she slightly smiles.

"Why don't we just start over? Hello Hayley, I'm Niall" I say holding out my hand.
She shakes it with a chuckle.

The rest of dinner is filled with small talk and laughter. I've still not gotten to know her but I know that in time I will. I feel bad for treating her wrong but I know I'll make it up to her.