Chapter 29         Charlotte POV            Day 51 of Tour: New York City

It was two whole cities later and I found myself face to face with the Big Apple. We were fifty one days into the tour. It was the second or third Tuesday of muggy August. People pushed and shoved across shopping bag littered streets; packed into one busy city like a can of sardines. The sun was ten times hotter here: the fans ten times as crazy. But I liked it.

“Hey! Hey wait up!” I scrambled to get my suitcase into the swirling door of our hotel. My calls were drowned out by a screaming siren.

The wheels of my bag flipped on me. I dropped the heavy thing, staring down at it irritably. I kicked it.

“Be nice to suitcase,” I heard Louis’ voice say. I turned around and saw him standing behind me, a hand on his waist. He came up and took the stubborn bag from me. “And suitcase will be nice to you,” Lou finished with a grin.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “He started it though,” I mock whined.

Louis pretended to be disappointed in the lifeless piece of luggage. He lifted it to his face and scolded it with a shaking finger. I giggled.

“Louis! Charlotte!” Grumpy Harry hollered from inside the hotel. “We need to check in now! Stop messing around!”

Lou threw his bag over his back and held onto the handle of mine. As we walked into the resort Louis approached Harry. “If you weren’t so bossy maybe we wouldn't be so rebellious.”

Hazza rolled his eyes while I gave my best bud a well-deserved high five.

We each got our assigned rooms. I was bunking with Louis, but Niall and Zayn were in an adjoined suite next door. Liam and Harry got to spend the week with Paul and our security guards in a fancy area upstairs.

Louis and Niall raced to our floor.

On the stairs.

I preferred the elevator.

They beat me to the third floor by a matter of seconds. I came out of the automatic doors with Zayn trailed behind me. He talked about another time when he and the rest stayed in New York before. I smiled and nodded; my mind swirling with song lyrics and photo shoot schedules.

We had a very busy week ahead of us.

“Charles! Charles Lindberg!”

“I’m here,” I came up behind the bouncing boy and slit our keycard into the door; which was just what he had wanted from me.

“Thanks!” Lou ducked into the suite.

“Hey,” An Irish tongue purred. I turned my head and smiled up at Niall. “Why don’t you swing by my room after you get settled and we can go for a walk?”

I nodded and shuffled my shoulder in attempt to keep my leather bag from falling. “Sounds good. I’ll be over in a minute.”

Niall left a lingering kiss on my lips. Fireworks went dark as he pulled away at the sound of Zayn calling him.

“You have our keys, man! Let me in.”

Niall shot me a handsome grin before trotting to the room to my left.

With a content sigh I slipped into Lou and my room. I leaned up against the door. My eyes inspected the room.

Three stairs ran down from the front door to a big open flat. Two beds were facing each other on opposite walls; one on the left and another on the right. From there you kept walking to a patio balcony that overlooked Times Square. A round modern light hung down to the middle of the room where the ground dipped down into a small sitting area with table and chairs.

“Pretty nice,” Louis told me. He swatted a pillow to check for fluffiness. “I think it’ll do.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be such a diva.”

“Can’t help it, love. It’s in my blood.”

With a laugh I jumped the stairs. I flung my over the shoulder bag on the right side bed to claim my territory. I started to push my suitcase next to my nightstand when I heard some shuffling coming from Lou’s side of the room.

“Louis,” I sighed. “We’ve literally been here for three minutes. How did you manage to do all… this?”

Tommo looked down at the scattered mess of clothes I was pointing to. “I’m a bit on the messy side. You are too you know. Just, with the snacks.” He shrugged. “I’m messy when it comes to the rest of life.”

I giggled. “I know. It’s what makes you beautiful.”

“Ohhhh that was good.”

“You know what else is good?” I wandered over to our patio with my arms crossed. “This view. It’s so perfect it’s almost stupid.”

“That comment was a bit on the stupid side.”

I looked down at the bustling streets that ran below me. “And I’m so into this view right now I’m not even going to respond to that.”

Tourist groups stopped to take pictures in front of our hotel. The corners of my mouth smiled at the young group of girls. My eyes wandered to the high end shops that were bursting with people. A young girl wearing a princess costume walked out of the Disney store with her dad and younger brother.

“When you and Niall go on that little spree of yours would you mind asking him if I could borrow his grey shirt for tomorrow?”

I glanced at Lou. “Sure… but why?”

“I really like that shirt. But we had a bet that I couldn’t make it a week without asking him to borrow anything-”

“So you need me to ask him for you,” I said with a nod of comprehension.

“Bingo.”

“Okay, I can do that.”

“Thanks a bunch, Charlie Saint Cloud.”

“Mhmm. Speaking of which, I should get going now. It doesn’t take him but five seconds to get settled and then he’s ready to go,” I said with a final peak out at New York. “We should be back soon. If my mom calls tell her I’ll get back to her by dinner.”

Louis tossed me my purse. “Sure thing.”

I made my way up the three little steps. Before I slipped out the door I remembered something else. “Oh and could you call the lobby and ask for extra towels?” He nodded. “Thanks.” I took his shoulder and pecked his cheek. “See you later, alligator.”

“Bye,” He shut the door behind me as I left.

I shuffled across the grey carpeting to the big black door marked with a 3 and a 16. I rattled my knuckles against it and waited for someone to let me in.

“SHE’S HERE!” I heard Zayn announce from the other side.

“I KNOW!”

The door swung in.

“Hey babe.”

I smiled at him. “You ready?”

“Yeah… I just can’t find my phone.”

I pointed to my bag. “You gave it to me.”

Niall laughed. “Right. Forgot about that.” I stepped back so he could join me. He shut the door and swung a lazy arm around my waist. His fingers slid into my belt loop. I smiled at how normal and fated it all felt: to be going on casual walks with him like that. Everything felt so meant to be with him. I knew he felt it too.

“Where are we headed?”

His shoulders shrugged. “We’ll see where we end up.”

“This should be interesting.”

“This should be fun.”

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Niall POV

Walking around in broad daylight in one of the busiest places in the US attracted some attention. Cameras flashed as we walked by and people stopped me for autographs. I would look up at Charlotte in concern, but she was always just patiently waiting. It didn’t seem to bother or faze her.

Damn I loved that girl.

“Thanks guys,” I waved goodbye to a young group of girls with their parents. They squealed as I took Charlotte’s hand and led her down the waterfront.

“Just let me know if you want some privacy,” Our bodyguard Chris nudged my shoulder and repeated.

“It’s Charlotte’s call.”

“I really don’t mind the fans, Niall. I know I have to share you.” Her big brown eyes sparkled. “I actually like to watch you interact with them.” She leaned into me as we walked side by side. Her heart shaped lips barely moved as she whispered, “It’s kinda hot.”

I grinned like an idiot.

Chris fell back behind us again where we could have our space. Charlotte’s fingers squeezed around my own and pointed to a ferry that floated by on the water. I smiled and told her about the boat rides I’ve been on back at home.

Charlotte seemed to take my story in with sincere interest. “It sounds so great over there.”

“It is. You’d love it.”

She smiled at the ground. “I bet I would.”

“I’ll take you someday soon. I promise. You’ll meet my family in person, we’ll walk around the town together, and I’ll show you everything.”

Her black Converse kicked a pebble. “I like your family.”

“They like you too.” I remembered the couple times my folks had forced me to put her on Skype. They absolutely loved her. I knew they would. Because she was Charlotte.

Charlotte bit down on her lip. I stared at her wandering eyes as they scanned the tall building tops. “What are you thinking?” I asked.

She sighed. “I told you how my mom called earlier.”

“Mhmm.”

“And how she and Matthew are moving in together.”

“Mhmm.”

She rolled her tongue around her lips before continuing. “Apparently they’re moving to Virginia.” Charlotte took a deep breath. “And they want me to live with them.”

I scratched my jaw. “Wow. That’s… what are you gonna do?”

She laughed tiredly. “I have no idea. That’s why I’m telling you.”

“My offer still stands, you know. You can come back to Mullingar with me.”

Charlotte nodded. “I know. Now I have to choose,” She kicked another rock. “Honestly: I was ready to move with you. I was going to tell you today… but then she calls and mixes up my head.” Charlotte glanced over at me. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”

“You won’t lose me,” I said. “Sorry babe but I’m here to stay.”

She giggled.

“Niall?” Chris said my name. Charlotte and I both turned to him. “Management wants me to remind you about the photo shoot tomorrow,” He said while his eyes read off of his phone screen.

“Yeah thanks.”

“I’m coming to that,” Charlotte told me. “I’m pretty excited.”

I laughed, “It’s nothing fancy.”

“Oh right. Because it’s totally normal to have your face on the cover of Seventeen Magazine.”

“I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted you in some of the shots.”

“That’s what Paul said. I’ll try not to have a panic attack before then.”

“You’ll do so well,” I said to her. Something tickled my nose. I twisted my head and saw that I had guessed correctly. We were in front of a pretzel cart. “Want one?” I asked her. She bobbed her head up and down in reply.

“Two pretzels please,” Charlotte politely asked the young man in the cart. A quick flash of interest sparked in his eyes. He smiled and reached into the little oven. With a wink he passed her the things. She thanked him, unaware he was attracted to her. I threw the money at the bloke.

I reached out to hold onto the small of Charlotte’s back, wishing I was understanding and patient as she was when it came to being jealous. We started to walk farther down the waterfront.

“So,” Charlotte started our next casual conversation. “How’s Harily doing?”

I laughed around a bite of dough, “You mean Harry and Emily?”

“Yep. Who else?” She giggled. 

“They aren’t steady yet if that’s what you mean.”

“Darn,” She shook her head. “I thought Emily was just trying to keep secrets from me.”

“Nope. Harry’s an open book. He straight up told me everything. He wants her though, just doesn’t really want to ask. Hazza said something about her being nervous.”

Charlotte seemed to think this over in her pretty little head. Finally she said, “Emily likes him a lot. After their date the other night I thought for sure he had asked her out. She was just glowing…” After a bite of her pretzel she continued. “But I guess she is sorta scared. Emily wouldn't know what to do if it ever got serious.”

“Harry hasn’t dated anyone like her before.”

Charlotte laughed, “I’ve never even met anyone like Emily Marie before. She’s the perfect friend. She can tell the best jokes and be so crazy fun sometimes. But then she’s also down to earth and caring… I don’t know. I think Emily would be perfect for Harry.”

“And in the words of Hazza himself.” I repeated what Harry had told me the other night in an awful impersonation, “I think it went something like… “She’s unbelievably gorgeous. There isn’t a single girl out there who compares. I don’t what it is about that red hair… those green eyes… I didn’t even think, I mean, freckles never looked so damn good…Good Lord Niall what’s happening to me? I can’t even think straight!” And that’s what he told me.”

“That was a pretty spot on Hazza impression.”

“You think? Thanks, I wasn’t sure whether to go for a teenaged girl hair flip or the cracking of the old man knuckles. So I went with both.”

Charlotte giggled.