Reason to be - Harry Styles ✓

46. Day 2

As I let my back rest on the sand and the golden particles get lost in my hair, I looked up at the sun, the sky. Then, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sound of the waves. But I couldn’t remember what happened next; maybe I had fallen asleep, because it seemed like I had been looking at the blue of the sky that was now even more covered with grey clouds only for a few minutes when a voice startled me and I lifted my head and back off the sand.

“Hey.” Niall murmured, sitting down on my right. I soon realised that he wasn’t alone, as Zayn joined us quietly, making himself comfortable on my left.

“Oh, hi. How long have you been gone?” I questioned abruptly, wondering how much I had been standing on the shore, motionless.

“An hour or so. Why?” he answered, as I mentally slapped myself for dozing off. Again?! How in the world could I be so tired, after all the sleep I’d had recently?

“No reason.” I murmured, and neither of us talked anymore. A tensioned silence fell between us, as I felt them shift uncomfortably next to me. I didn’t want to force them to tell me anything, so I kept my mouth shut and consciously followed the rhythmical move of the water, as the waves got bigger, crashed into the shore, then returned only to create another wave. I was actually quite captivated by this when Zayn awkwardly broke the silence;

“We talked to Simon.” he murmured, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

“Yeah, I guess this is why you went to meet him.” I shrugged, playing with a hand of sand.

“And, well, we found out what the interview is for.” Niall trailed off, unsure of himself.

“So?” I urged him nonchalantly, although I was starting to get alarmed when he still didn’t continue. I looked at him questioningly, then my eyes set on an uncomfortable Zayn and back on the blond lad. I shook my head and sighed, before standing up and shaking my clothes off the sand. “Fine.”

I began walking away from them with determined steps, pursing my lips together, when I heard a loud, exhausted voice call after me. I stopped, telling myself not to overreact. But then Zayn repeated his words and my blood froze in my veins.

“It’s a tour, April. A world tour. Everything we do now on the stage is watched and judged by our future sponsors.” Zayn spoke, his voice calm and articulate, pronouncing every word slowly as if he wanted to make sure that I understood everything; I felt like a little kid. “And can you imagine this?” he continued, “Travelling around whole Europe and a few states in America? It’s unreal!”

“Oh, um. That’s… That’s great.” I said, as my throat felt dry. I couldn’t turn around and face the two boys as I was still wondering if I was capable of processing their words.

“You do understand what that means, right?” Niall murmured, as I heard his voice getting closer as he walked to me. “We won’t be in London anymore, but kilometres away and normally with an ocean between.”

A pale of wind blew gently over us, so I used it as an excuse for the way my body started to shiver uncontrollably. Niall started to rub my arm, but I shook him off.

“April, we didn’t know…” Zayn began, standing right in front of me and waiting for me to look at him, but I couldn’t.

“No, um... It’s fine, really. I’m… I’m fine.” I breathed, trying to block their words out of my head, as pathetic tears were threatening to spill.

When I blinked, two drops of warm sadness fell on the sand, and when Niall put his arms around me I didn’t protest. Soon, my body was shaking violently in his embrace, but I was struggling to keep the sobs silent. I was just standing there, trembling, as tears continuously fell down my cheeks and on his shirt, and every time I told myself to stop and step away, more tears flooded my eyes.