October 1; Los Angeles
Mob launches in: 6 days
"Ashley? Can I─" Niall started, only to be cut off by Ashley's finger on his lips: a touch that sent chills running─no, sprinting─down his spine.

"Shhh. Not here." She quickly took his hand and pulled him into the back office, where a feast─if you could call a medium sized cheese pizza and a liter of Coke a feast─was laid out for them.

"Mmm. Cheese," Niall murmured, hungrily licking his lips.

"Hold it, leprechaun. Talk first, eat later."

He tore his eyes from the steaming pizza and focused on Ashley's: blue as the sky on a sunny day in Mullingar. He took a deep breath and, standing there in that vaguely stuffy room, the words he had been dying to say ever since he met her came flowing out in a never-ending waterfall.

"Look, I'm really sorry for yesterday. It was rude, and I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. But there's just something about you that makes me go crazy whenever you're around. I can't explain it, it just happens. And no one's ever made me feel this way before. I never knew what it felt like to fall in love…until you came along. So what I really want to say is: would you do me the honor of having dinner with you this Friday night?"

"You don't have to apologize. Okay, fine, I admit that I was pretty offended when you said that, but only because…I really like you, too."

"So is that a yes?" Niall asked hopefully, his voice pleading with her to say it.

"Don't get your hopes up, lover boy," she teased, "But yes, I'd love to have dinner with you this Friday."

"Awesome. You know, for a moment there, I thought you were gonna say no."

"Yeah, I'm a tease like that," she laughed, "Pizza?"

When he looked back on that day, Niall, in retrospect, could have opted not to ask Ashley out, because they had an amazing time in their own little corner of the world─devouring pizza, talking and laughing like they were best friends.

Thanks Max, he thought as he watched her clutching her stomach, a laugh lighting up her face in the cutest way.

October 3; Hollywood
Mob launches in: 4 days
"We've got a problem," Jay said, nervously fiddling with the zipper of his jacket and casting anxious glances at Harry.

"What is it this time?" an exasperated David asked. He had just come back from the computer repair shop after his laptop crashed and 4 days before the big day, they couldn't have any more problems.

"Edward here's lost his voice."

"Seriously?!" David shot Harry a look so deadly the younger boy shrank back.

"Sorry," he managed to croak.

"No, wait, don't be. I shouldn't blame you for something that couldn't be helped. With all the practicing I've made you do, one of you was bound to lose their voice, and I'm sorry for that. We just have to work something out, that's all. This mob is not getting cancelled all because we're down one singer."

October 3; Los Angeles
Mob launches in: 4 days
"We've got a problem," Tabitha sighed, sitting down across from Garrett and Howie, who were enjoying a pizza.

"What's happened? Please don't tell me we're down a dancer. We've already lost a singer, and we can't afford to lose anyone else."

"We've lost a singer?! Which one?"

"Harry. Tabitha, get to the point," Garrett said, rubbing his temples to relieve the stress of running a mob that was slowly falling apart.

"Sorry, yeah. What was I saying? Oh, right. Unfortunately, we have lost a dancer. Ryan fell off his skateboard yesterday and tore a muscle. Needs at least a week to heal."

"Shit. Okay, tell him to get well soon and find a way to make this fucking mob work. I believe in you and Napoleon. This show will go on."

October 5; Los Angeles
Mob launches in: 2 days
The show─or, at least, rehearsals for the show─did go on, with Siva taking over Harry's solos perfectly and the husband-and-wife duo flawlessly choreographing around the vacant space left by Kevin. In two days time, The Mob (as they had taken to calling themselves that) was back in form and raring to go.

For Niall, however, there was one more little matter that had to be taken care of.

"Good luck, Niall!" Nathan said, patting him on the back.

"Remember my pep talk. It always works. Always," Max advised, jabbing his finger into Niall's chest for emphasis.

"Okay, okay," the latter laughed, "Zayn, how's my hair?"

"Not as perfect as mine, but it's acceptable," Zayn joked.

"You're good to go, mate. Now get out of here and don't come back without her heart!" Tom half-dragged, half-shoved Niall out the door, "Have fun, loverboy!"

"But─" It was too late. Tom had already shut the door and he was locked out of the flat they had rented. He couldn't chicken out now. He had memorized Max's pep talk and he and Ashley were practically best friends now. So why am I so nervous?

Pull yourself together, Horan. You asked for this. He gritted his teeth, straightened his coat for the nth time, and hailed a taxi.

"Where to?" the driver, who introduced himself as Larry, asked, more out of habit than actual curiosity.

"The Domino's downtown. You know, the most isolated pizza place in the world."

"Yeah, I know it."

Throughout the drive, Niall's every second was filled with thoughts of Ashley. He tried to get some extra minutes of sleep, but the image of her angular, beautiful face was imprinted in the back of his eyes. He noticed that Larry was sneaking casual glances at him in the rearview mirror─no doubt he had already realized that his passenger was, in fact, Niall Horan from One Direction.

"We're here." The taxi pulled up in front of the pizza place. Within all the lights were blazing, but it looked like a ghost town─seeing as there were no customers because of the upcoming mob.

"Thanks," Niall said, handing over his fare, "Keep the change."

As he made to get out, he felt a hand tap his shoulder. It was Larry, a notepad and pen in hand. "Um, excuse me, if it's not too much to ask, could I have an autograph for my daughter? She's a huge fan. If you're not in a hurry, I mean."

"Sure thing," Niall answered, thankful for the distraction, "What's her name?"

"Jessica."

Dear Jessica, Stay beautiful and thanks for being an amazing fan xx -Niall

"Here, mate. Thanks for the ride."

"No, thank you. Have a good night."

"You too," Niall replied with a smile. And with that, he mustered up the courage to push open the taxi door and step out onto the driveway.

The walk to the main door seemed endless; with every step, he seemed not to be getting any closer.

You can do it. You can do it. You can do it.

He stepped onto the landing.

Come on, you're in a boyband for Christ's sake. You've performed in front of thousands of screaming fans in a sold out arena. How hard can an evening with one girl be?

He clammed up as his hand touched the cold knob.

Remember what Max said: Be yourself and the rest will follow. Okay, here goes nothing.

He took a deep breath and knocked.