The Bagman's Destiny

NIALL AND NICOLA

INVITATION
Dear Harry Styles - The Former Dead Dakota
You and a plus one have been invited to attend the annual Secret Pirate Ball. It will be held in the usual location, if this is your first invite make sure to contact the PPFPA for instructions on how to get there.
•Show this invitation at the door to gain entry.
•Be sure to wear a mask.
•Strictly NO weapons or fighting // put aside prejudices and enemy history and dine and dance with them instead.
From the Past, Present, Future Pirate Association.

•••

TXT MESSAGES

H:
Niall, I have a proposition for you.

N:
I'm not staying at the hotel again tonight just so you and Louis can get it on, Haz, I mean I'm home already...

H:
No, not that kind of proposition 😅 I've been invited to the Pirate Ball but I'm not ready to be reintroduced to society (especially pirate society) yet.  Wanna go for me? 😘

N:
Why would I want to go to a pirate ball?

H:
Why wouldn't you?

N:
...

H:
There'll be a banquet and pretty girls...

N:
Why can't you just go?

H:
Louis and I are about to go on our honeymoon! It's cutting it too close. I don't want to fly to Russia just to fly back to Italy before flying to Rio. Plus you have to go - I'll start an accidental war if I don't show up or send someone on my behalf.

N:
Fineeeeeeeeee. Only cause I've always wanted go to Russia. I'll talk to ya about details when you get home. Make sure to buy and bring dinner home (for all THREE of us this time)

N:
Also Louis says he wants ice-cream too!

•••

JOURNAL ENTRY

Dear Diary - or whoever ends up getting their hands on this:
As a psychologist I've always encouraged my patients to get diaries. It helps with not only memory but feeling. I decided to take my own advice, just this once (I may write later in the future but for now, in my mind, just this once) because I don't want to forget anything about tonight.
I went to the Pirate Ball like Harry insisted. Russia is cold but beautiful. I didn't get much time to explore. I was already running late. I felt odd racing down into the sewers in a tuxedo and Harry's old long-nosed porcelain mask. I wasn't held up though. I got some side-ways-glances but no questions. I found the abandoned subway easily after Harry had drawn me up a map to follow. Stalking up the weary yellow glow of the entrance, two pirates stopped and asked for the invitation. I explained I was Harry's fill-in for the night and that he was sorry he couldn't make it - after just hearing his name and seeing his mask, they treated me like royalty. I had never felt that special before in my life. They sent me in with a bodyguard, they introduced me to the host, they let me pre-order my meal, they put me at the main table. Yet for some reason, I felt disheartened. At the top of the world I found myself slipping. I was surrounded by laughter and the echoes of beautiful women and all I could see was the reflection of silver masks and flickers of ball gowns and chandeliers and my ears were flooded with elegant music but I was disheartened. I was alone. I didn't want to be alone. I recognised not a single face. I suppose that's what plus-ones were for, to bring someone you know and can chat to and love until you make new friends. I didn't bring anyone because the only plus-one I've ever had was Liam. That was enough to make me hang low all night.
Until after dinner, there was a game. A 'get to know you' game. Each person at the table wrote on a bit of paper and tossed it in the middle than took one out again. Then you have to guess who wrote it and write a reply to that person and give it to them. If you won, you continued sending notes to get to know them better - if not you just had to keep trying. Somehow I knew the message I received was from her. Somehow my eyes knew where to look after reading it, my head shot up and my eyes connected with hers and I just knew. I knew everything then and there; everything in the world. I just knew. She made me know.