Dare To Love

Chapter 8

Carmen’s POV

Hannah and I have been in London for two weeks and I’m homesick. Which is crazy considering how much I hated being in Los Angeles before we left. Don’t get me wrong, London is beautiful. I mean it’s really beautiful. We were even blessed to find a place that’s bigger than the one in LA but cheaper. Because let’s say we did stay here for 6 months, we’d need a place to live. It’s nothing real fancy, just a cute little…flat. Everything is just so different here. We don’t know anybody. I don’t know where anything is at. I’m still trying to figure out this damn money. And I swear looking at the streets make me dizzy. Bottom line; I am in way over my head. This was not smart. It was idiotic to think that moving to another country was not going to solve all my problems. All I did was waste good time and money.

“Alright. I’m out.” Hannah walked out her room wearing a short tight grey dress.

“What? Where are you going?”

“Where you think? Girl I’m goin’ clubbin! Or wait, no it would be ‘pubbin’. That’s what they call the clubs here in London, ‘pubs’.”

Out of all the things she could have chosen to learn about London, she choose what they call their clubs.

“Why are you goin –”

“Because one, I haven’t done shit but sit in this apartment with you watching stupid British Soap Operas since we got here. Two, it’s Friday and three, I want a hot British guy to buy me a drink. But, you are welcome to come with.” She walked to the door and looked at herself once more in the mirror.

“First of all, Coronation Street is not stupid.” Coronation Street is the new show I started watching since we’ve been here. It reminds me of what my mom use to watch, her “stories”. Coronation Street is my stories and its way better than that Geordie Shore mess Hannah watches now. “And second, today is not just Friday. It’s Friday, September 13th.”

“And? That suppose to scare me and keep me from going? I love that movie.”

“Look, I don’t care what you do. Go on and go out there and get lost if you want to.”

“I won’t get lost the club is a few blocks away from here. So you coming or not?” She turned to look at me.

“Not.”

“Fine, suit yourself.” She grabbed her coat from off the rack and opened the door. “Don’t wait up.” She said before shutting the door behind her.
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Hannah’s POV

I could’ve been at home watching Gaz’s sexy self on Geordie Shore. This was such a waste. Club my ass; this is nothing but a dirty old little bar. It took me 15 minutes to get here and 20 minutes to decide whether or not I wanted to stay. I’ve been sitting here for over half an hour and not one hot British guy has came in or asked to buy me a drink.

I got up from my seat and slapped down the money for my bill. “Leaving already?” A voice said behind me.

I turned to see a brown-haired boy with blonde highlights smiling at me. “Already? I’ve been here for over 30 minutes.” I told him.

“Oh well, I’m sorry I’m late.” He said while taking a sit on the stool next to me.

I sat back down. “I guess I could forgive you.” Thank you God! This guy is hot! “Hannah Matthews.”

“Nice to meet you Hannah Matthews, Niall Horan. Would you like a pint?”

A pint? “Yeah, sure, I could go for a pint.”

“Two pints please.” Niall said to the bartender then turned to look at me. “So what brings you here Hannah?

“Oh, I was just tired of staying home. My friend didn’t wanna' join me so, I’m riding solo tonight.”

Niall nodded. “Alright, but I meant what brings you to England. You’re clearly a tourist.”

I grab my drink from the bartender. “Thank you.” I looked back at Niall. “What makes you say that?”

“Your sweet accent. Where’re you from?”

“California.” I smiled.

“Nice.”
“Thanks. I like your accent too; it’s different from most British accents I’ve heard.”

“Well that’s ‘cause I’m an Irishman.”

Lucky me. “Oh really?”

Niall nodded his head and took a drink. “Yup.”

“You know you look very familiar.”

Niall turned to look at me and chuckled a bit. “That right?”

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve seen you before.” I really did too.

“Really? Huh, I can’t imagine where.”

“It’ll come to me.”

“Be sure to let me know when it does, alright?” He looked at me with his gorgeous blue eyes.

“No problem. But in the mean time, tell me, what brings you here?” I drank some of my pint.

“To England or –”

“To this bar.”

“Today’s my birthday.”

“Wow, happy birthday. How old are you?”

“Twenty.”

“Ooh, the big Two-O.”

“Yeah.”

“Ok well, I just have one question for you.”

“And that is?”

“What in the hell brings you to this old crusty bar on your twenty birthday?”

Niall laughed. “I had a party. A big party actually. I just left so that I could come here and enjoy a nice cool pint.” He took drink. “I’m glad I decided to come here though. You know why?” He looked at me again.

I couldn’t even speak; I just shook my head left and right. I want this guy. “Because if I hadn’t, I probably would’ve never met you Miss Matthews.”

Just ask me to go home with you already. Don’t you know you could get it? “I should get going. My friend is probably wondering what happened to me.” I stood up to leave.

“Well please; let me give you a ride home.”

I nodded. “Alright.”
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Carmen’s POV

“Hey, what are you still doin’ up? I thought you’d be sleep.” Hannah said once she walked in and saw me.

Truth is I was. I fell asleep on the couch. “Have fun?”

She sat down next to me. “Oh my God, girl yes! I met a guy, Niall Horan.”

“Fantastic.” I stood up and stretched.

“Oh and get this, he’s Irish!”

I started walking to my room. “Interesting.” I am so tired.

“He’s twenty years old and drives a Range Rover. I’m not even sure what he does for a living.”

I just shook my head. The only twenty year olds I know rolling around in Range Rovers are drug dealers.

“He’s really sweet too and a gentleman. Carmen.”

I turned. “What?”

“He opened doors for me. No guy, I mean no guy, has ever done that for me before.”

I don’t know if all that is true or not, but I do know Hannah has a long list of assholes in her past. “I’m glad to hear that Hannah.”

“I know you aren’t really feelin’ London right now but, c’mon I have a really good feeling about this.”

She’s only saying that because she went out and found herself some drug dealer to lay up with. “Sure.” I walked in my room and was about to shut the door.

“You can’t expect the food to cook if you aren’t even willing to turn on the oven Carm.”

What hell is she talking about? Hannah is the only person I know who would find a way to use a damn food metaphor. She can’t even cook. “I’m going to bed. Glad you had such a nice time. Goodnight.” I walked in my room and shut the door behind me.

“Fine, go on and go to bed. I’m not tired so I’m just going to sit here and think about Niall. Might even read this magazine.”

She could stay up all night long and think about that drug dealer if she wants to. I’m not going to lose any sleep over him.

“Oh my God! Carmen come here!”

Shit! What is it now? Cockroaches here too? I walked out my room. “What?”

“It’s him.” She stared down at the magazine in her hands.

“Him who?!” Damn I’m tired; I wish she get to the point.

“Niall!” She tossed the magazine my way with so much force that I almost dropped it. “Niall Horan, he’s the guy I met tonight! I knew he looked familiar! He’s in…oh my God he’s actually in –”

“One Direction.”
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Notes