Chills » (Narry)

3. Phone Calls and Burning Cheeks

« PART THREE »
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Phone Calls and Burning Cheeks
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"We've been walking for over an hour," Niall complained, coming to a stop to rub his lower back. "It's just past noon, Harry."

I sighed, shoveling my fingers through my hair as I rested my shoulder against a street lamp. It had been quite a while, and we were only right back to where we originally started. We had walked past building after building in hopes of finding our apartment building, but to no avail. We had even stopped to ask a few people, but we were only brushed off rudely or they turned out to just visitors and had no idea where nearly anything was.

"And we are just right across the street from the bus stop where we were dropped off," I murmured hopelessly, hanging my head low.

"Perk up, you negative, pessimistic little boys," Aunt Edith demanded, scowling as she slapped my shoulder, knocking me off balance (I was leaning against a pole, after all).

"Negative and pessimistic mean the same thing," Niall grumbled and he crossed his arms over his chest, only to be smacked on the shoulder too.

She huffed, adjusting the hat atop her head. "Now, Niall, I want you to hush, okay? Will that work for you? And Hippie, you can cool it. Like ice, got that? It's winter, it shouldn't be too difficult for you," she instructed, and she pointed her finger at both of us, making her appear to be slightly intimidating.

"Like ice," I replied quietly, giving her a lazy salute. "Got it. Winter. Yeah."

"Woo hoo," Niall said not-so-enthusiastically. "The hot hippie over here needs to get cold."

I knitted my eyebrows together, repeating his words under my breath confusedly because did he really just call me hot? I wanted to dwell on it forever and ever, his very smooth compliment (unless it was a slip-up, them yeesh, bad luck for him) running through my mind over and over again until I was sure I had started drooling. But I didn't.

"Yes," Aunt Edith said with a firm nod. "Now, why don't we just find a hotel? That'll work, won't it?"

I shook my head glumly and replied, "Nope. Costs too much. We don't have enough on us, not even for a single night stay, especially not in good ol' N-Y-C."

Her mouth became a straight line as she furrowed her eyebrows together, lost in thought. She looked up to the sky and spun around a single time before stomping her foot slightly, muttering colorful words under her breath.

"Well, shoot," she spoke tremulously. "You're sure?"

"Positive," Niall nodded. "There's no way twenty-eight bucks is going to pay for a night in a hotel."

I looked around, searching for any possibilities- literally anything that we could do. I grew nervous once I started to realize that our options were extremely limited now, and my breathing quickened for what was probably the sixth time that day.

"Well, what're we going to do?" I asked nervously, my voice small, becoming higher. "We can't just sleep on a park bench- that's never a good idea. We'd be dead by morning, maybe mugged. Who knows? And there's no way we'll last all night out here. It's cold. And we're already tired. Niall?"

He almost seemed dazed, his eyes wide and breath caught in his throat. I frantically waved a hand in front of his face, desperate for his attention (only because I need his help, duh). He gulped, staring straight ahead, not even acknowledging my presence.