o n e

                                    

                                          
Don't look anywhere but the road, Rose. Don't look anywhere. Don't do it. I look aside to see a girl with her phone out video taping me. Crap, I curse at myself. I look ahead and see that the light it a go. I pull away before anyone can bombard me with photos. 
                          
They always wanted photos, no matter if he was here or not. Now that I was his girlfriend officially I was dragged into the limelight. I pull into a parking lot and turn off the car. Stepping out into the cold, damp air of Ireland. I just moved a few weeks ago and i was getting use to it some. 
                          
I moved from warm and hot Los Angeles to cold, wet Mullingar. I moved for him and I travel some with him. I walk inside of the building, I was picking up Charli from the groomers. I worried that the over travel was tough on him and he didn't make it. 
                          
"Hello, Niall's Girlfriend, right?" The front receptionist said, her hair was a bright pink and her arms covered in tattoos. 
                          
"Rose. Rose Inferna." I say with a smile and hold out a hand. "I'm here for Charli." 
                          
"Jane. Inferna? Interesting name." She shakes my hand and leads us to the back of the building. "Niall said you would be here to pick him up. How are you adjusting to Ireland?" 
                          
"It's going good. I can't think of anything bad here. The rain is a bit getting use to." I reply as she reaches into a pin to grab the small kitten of black and white fur. 
                          
"Rain is a downer here but it's a good country. Here you go." She hands me Charli and pets him slightly. "I hope you grow to love it here, Rose." 
                          
I start to hand her money and she shakes her head. "He payed already didn't he?" I scowl and she nods. "Dang it. Thank you. Have a nice day." 
                          
I rush out the building and put Charli on a pillow in a small cage, heading back to Niall's house. Or flat as Niall says repeatedly. I make it to the house in peace, no paps or girls. I grab Charli's cage and head inside. 
                          
Niall meets me hugging me tightly. "I've missed you." 
                          
"I've been gone for half an hour, that isn't long." I chuckle and tousle his dirty blond hair. 
                          
"I started a live stream but had to end it was getting brutal." He glances down and smiles widely his blue eyes gleaming. "That Charli?" 
                          
I nod and set the cage down picking up the small kitten. "I didn't think he would make it in one piece." 
                          
"Come on, babe," He nudges the kittens head. "I told you he would make it in one piece. Even promised." 
                          
I roll my eyes, scratching Charli's head. "I also told you I would pay for the groomers." 
                          
He looks up and smiles sheepishly. "I didn't want you to pay for any of it." 
                          
"I agreed to move in with you as long as..." 
                          
"As you helped. Rose, can I not pay for my girlfriends groomer bill?" He kisses my cheek and walks away as if dropping the conversation. 
                          
"Next time run it by me so I can pitch in." I say and put down Charli in his cage leaving the door open so he can wander. I follow Niall into the outside patio. Deo was cooking on the BBQ pit and was surrounded by friends. "Hello, Deo." 
                          
"Hello, Rose! Hungry?" He asks as he piles food onto a plater. 
                          
I shake my head. "No thanks." I've been feeling slightly home sick since I have moved to Ireland. Niall noticed mostly when I don't eat I will put it off and wait till late at night. 
                          
"Babe, you gotta eat something." Niall says, he hands me water. 
                          
"I'm not hungry, Niall." I retreat back inside. "I'll be upstairs, yeah?" 
                          
"Sure," he said slowly, he looked worrisome lately. 
                          
I nod and back into the house grabbing Charli as I head for my new comfort zone. I look around the room it's a bit messy scattered with boxes and bits of Niall's clothing were thrown in piles. Oh, how I miss Los Angeles. 
                          
I make a small space for me and Charli setting my MacBook on the floor. I wait for it to turn on and pet Charli on his head. "New home, Charli. New home." 
                          
It wasn't that bad to live in but I didn't like the idea that I was in a new country far away from my family. Where I couldn't walk down the road to see them or see if they needed me. Instead I had to count on emails and text messages even Skype calls.
                          
I log onto the internet and go straight for Skype calling my mom, the woman I most trusted. I wait for her to respond and see her weathered face tired. Her salt and pepper hair pulled into a sloppy pony tail. "Hi, mom." I smile.
                          
"Hi, Rose. I thought you would never call!" She sighs and looks to study me. "How is everything over there? Things change yet? Did you get Charli?" 
                          
I let out a sigh of relief and hold up Charli. "He's here. He made it in one piece. It's going good. Sort of." 
                          
"Sort of?" Her brown eyes scrunch together. 
                          
"I just miss you guys. I miss home. But I am trying to adapt here but I miss home." I complain and place Charli on my lap. "Did I do the right thing?" 
                          
"I don't know. Did you?" She questions me.
                          
"I love him. I wanted to be with him, I feel like I did the right thing." 
                          
There is a bit of shouting from behind her and it sounds like my oldest brother. "I'll kick his ass if you need me to!" 
                          
"Shut up, Antonio." My mom chastises my oldest brother. 
                          
I let out a shaky laugh and I feel wetness on my cheeks. I wipe at them and smile at my mom. I missed them so much. 
                          
"I need to go before these little kids go starving." She blows a kiss and smiles for a second. "We will talk tomorrow, Mija. Night." 
                          
"Night, mama." I end the Skype call and shut my laptop breathing in and out. They are there when I need them and I can count on them. I let out a yawn and lay over clutching Charli near me feeling his steady purr lull me to sleep.