If You Let Me Know... [N.H.]

33. Close As Strangers

My finger is somehow able to press the pick-up button, my eyes still locked on the ID of the call: Niall Horan.

The screen goes black until a familiar face appears on it.

"What are you doing?" I say, my heart thumping.

"Just a little experiment" he answers with a grin, "I have a surprise for you"

"You mean other than calling me from an Skype account that isn't yours and almost giving me a Heart Attack and not because you're looking like you do-o-o?" I answer with a tone, joking with the lyrics from the Take Me Home song; "It must be one hell of a surprise, Liam"

"All right, I'm sorry" he apologizes chuckling, "My laptop ran out of battery and I borrowed Niall's. I didn't want to log out of his account because he probably doesn't remember the password and he wouldn't have been able to log back in"

It was too good to be true.

"Fine, apology accepted" I smile, "What's the surprise about?"

"It's more of a proposition rather than a surprise" Liam says.

"Shoot"

"Why don't we catch up on Monday, the 4th?"

"Don't you have a concert?" I ask, pulling a face.

"We'll be done in Dublin tomorrow and fly to London right after the concert. We don't have to be in Edinburgh until the 5th, so..."

"I have to go to the hospital on the 4th" I cut him.

"I know. And I've talked to the hospital and I'll be wandering the Children and Young Care services while you are at the operating theatre. When you're done, you'll pick me up and Piya is dying to have dinner with us"

"Piya?" I ask.

"Well, both Piya and Zayn, but... yeah"

I look at Liam on the screen.

"I really have no way out of this one, have I?"

"I don't think so, no" Liam giggles.

"All right, fine then" I give in, "I'll guess I'll see you on Monday"

"Half past nine under Nelson's column at Trafalgar Square" Liam says.

His smile suddenly disappears and his eyes dart to one side.

"Take care, Vic" he says quickly.

"You too!" I smile, "And say hello to the b..."

I leave the sentence hanging and Liam ends the call; but it's too late because I've seen why his eyes were darting and I understand the rush in saying goodbye. And I've seen Niall appear from behind to see what Liam was up to and I've seen his eyes bulging when he's seen me on the screen.

"Everything okay?" Dan asks.

"Y-y-yeah" I answer, and focus on the update's blog.

The first post is called 'SAD NIALL DURING THE SOUTH AMERICAN LEG' and a compilation of GIFs and pictures of Niall being either crying or on the verge of tears.