Twisted Fate

eighteen

After last night, there was this awkward tension that haunted the whole bus and it was still hanging around in the air the next morning. I could tell that all four of us were trying to forget about it. But I could not. I just felt dirty and bare. I was caught straddling my boyfriend half naked, thats not something that I can just forget about overnight. And I hurt Liam as well. That was the one thing I never wanted to do, ever. I wanted to rid my memory of last night so badly. But no matter how hard I tried, it always came back like it was branded on my brain.

When I finally had the courage to leave my bunk, I found the boys eating their breakfast at the booth. Louis and Liam sat together on one side, and Harry sat alone on the other. I noticed the way that they behaved that they haven't forgotten last night either, especially Liam. He just looked down at his food and was just detached from the conversation.

I grabbed an apple and joined them at the table. "Morning Lina," Harry said. I didn't reply, I just sent him a smile back. Louis gave me a weak smile, but I received nothing from Liam. I awkwardly took a bite from my apple and the noise from it sounded like a gunshot in the terribly awkward silence.

I sighed and looked over at Harry for some help.He gave me a slight shrug, and I saw that the hickey I gave him last night was still faintly on his neck. I looked up at Liam and tried to get something out of him, but he just stayed quiet.

Louis finally broke the silence, "How did everybody sleep?" Most of us just murmured in reply. "Harry and Lina would've slept better but-" I kicked his shin under the table to shut him up.

Harry sighed, and Liam glared at Louis as if to say 'Don't remind me'.

I went back to eating my apple as Liam and Louis had a silent conversation. I felt Harry look at me. He put an arm around my waist and pulled me to him. "Just forget about it, Babe," he whispered in my ear.

"I'm trying," I whispered back. The four of us sat in dead air again, and when my phone started to vibrate on the table I saw all four of us jump. I looked down and saw it was my father. "It's my dad," I said.

I looked at all of them and they all sat up a little straighter.

"Holy shit, what do I do?" I asked.

"Answer it, dummy," Louis said.

I picked it up and answered the call. "Hi, Dad," I said. I was so nervous, I knew this call was coming but I was never actually prepared for it.

"Lina, do you have time to talk?" He said.

I nodded, but then remembered I was on the phone. "Yes," I replied.

"Put it on speaker," Harry whispered. I did as he said and put the phone on the table.

"Lina," My father's voice said, "We need to talk about when you plan on coming home." I silently sighed. I didn't want to do this, not now, not ever. I looked at Harry for some help. I saw his face light up, and if there was a lightbulb over his head, it would be glowing. He reached for a notebook that was on the counter behind him and took the pen from the spiral and started to scribble something down on the paper. "Alina?" My father asked, "Alina are you still there?"

"Y-yeah, I'm here" I stuttered. Harry turned his notebook and I read what he wrote. "Dad, I'm making this decision. I want to stay. I need to stay," I said. The words were strong, but my voice made them sound weak.

"Alina, its been long enough. Its time for you to come home."

"Dad, you don't understand. I want to stay more than anything I've ever wanted," I said, using my own words this time.

"I understand Alina, but what I've taken from this situation is that you're God knows where doing God knows what." His voice was stern, I knew that this wasn't going to be an easy fight.

Harry was trying to write as fast as he could. All that he wrote was 'We're in North Carolina'. I looked at him. "Really?" I mouthed.

"Give me that, you're shit at this," Louis said almost silently.

I read his words as soon as he turned the notebook around. "These boys take care of me Dad," And then I added, "Its like I'm with a security team twenty four-seven." Louis sent me a thumbs up.

"That doesn't help me." And Louis slowly dropped his hand. "Alina, I saw you and Harry on a tabloid magazine the other day."

Harry cringed, "I hate those things," he whispered.

"The press is making this out to be something more scandalous than it is, and it is not helping our family's image." My jaw dropped to the floor. That was what he was concerned about?!? Louis angrily wrote something on the note book. He wrote "FUCK YOU" and underlined it several times.

I smiled at him.

Liam took the notebook, surprising me, and wrote something. I took a deep breath before I read the gutsy words he wrote. "Dad, this is my life. I know what's right and what's wrong." He wrote a little more. "I'm not here to hurt anyone or do anything bad, I just want to have fun with the people I love." I held eye contact with him as I read what he wrote. He faintly smiled, and I instantly knew that this wasn't just about my dad anymore.

My father was silent on the other end of the line. I spoke for myself when I said, "I'm seventeen, Dad. I'm practically an adult and its time you started treating me like one." My nerves grew the longer my dad stayed quiet. We all looked at each other, waiting for his reply.

"You're not leaving the country." I brought my hand to my hanging open, aghast mouth. We won. We all silently celebrated. Harry held me tightly to his chest, Louis threw a fist in the air, and Liam simply smiled. "And I want a text or a call or something every time you're in a different state."

I was so happy I was on the verge of tears. "Of course, anything."

"And I swear to god, the minute you do something stupid, your ass is back in New York."

That really pissed me off, but it was gone in a second thanks to our combined overwhelming joy. "Okay Dad, I promise."

"Goodbye Alina, I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

I was about to hang up when he said, "And Alina, I really do miss you."

My tears of joy turned to tears of longing. "I miss you too, Dad." He could be a major pain in the ass, but he was my dad and I loved him. "I'll be home eventually, I promise." He hung up, and the four if us immediately started to celebrate.

We were yelling, and in my case crying. We shot out of the booth and started to jump around like we all just won the lottery. I hugged Louis, and then before I knew it, Liam's strong arms were holding me. He stopped celebrating for a moment and I said, "Thank you Liam." I smiled up at him, and he smiled back.

And then Harry grabbed me away, and surprised yelp escaped my lips. His lips crashed onto mine, and I knew I should've felt some guilt for kissing him in front of Liam, but this time I didn't. He pulled away from me and said, "You stuck up to your Dad."

I laughed, still slightly in shock from what I just did. "I stuck up to my Dad. I'm staying here."

He was so proud of me right now, it was beaming out of his eyes. "I love you so much Alina Morris."

I giggled, and said the same thing back to him. He and I were still celebrating, and as I expected Liam sulked back in the booth. He had that sad look he always had whenever he saw Harry and I together. And as I expected, it made my heart hurt every time.