Bittersweet

10

"Lets play hide and seek, Esme please let's play!" West begs again.

"I'm in." Harry says from the living room. "Come on, Fin, Zayn and his sisters are at that family barbecue so it's just us!" West continues. "Fine, fine! Tell everyone to meet in front and we'll make a person it." I give in, finishing my coffee and moving it towards the sink. "Yes!" He cheers before running away screaming, "EVERYONE TO THE FRONT."

He was genuinely serious about this, wow.

"Okay, who wants to be it?" Matt asks when we all gather together. No one answers but then Louis yells, "Not it!" and touches his nose, causing everyone to do the same.

Dammit.

"Ugh, fine. You guys better be good at this because I'm the best seeker." I announce. "Challenge accepted." Louis smirks as they all begin to scatter. I cover my eyes and count down from twenty before yelling, "Ready or not!"

"Harry, I think the objective is to hide from me? Not stand in front of me." I laugh at him. "But now I know where everyone is and now we can make 'em sweat it out wise we chill." He smiles, taking my hand and running up the stairs. "Slow down!" I whispered sharply but he doesn't listen as he speeds down the hallway.

"Oh!" A squeaky voice stops us both. I look around Harry's tall drake to see Emma in only a towel. "Where is everyone? I just got out if the shower and everyone disappeared."

"We're playing hide and seek." I answer for her. "Oh come on, what are you really doing?" She laughs. "Playing hide and seek." Harry repeats, playing with my knuckles in his hand. "Really, okay. Well, have fun?" She looks taken aback wise Harry looks bored with the two minutes conversation we were having. What's gotten into him? Last I remember he was buddies with Emma.

"Great, bye." Harry grunts before swiftly walking passed her. When we turn the corner my eyes shoot to Harry who looked deep in thought; when his eyebrows furrowed and his lips tighten. Trying my best to slow him down I ask, "What was with the cold shoulder?"

He looks around then down at me before his features soften and his pace eases as he answers with a shrug. "She's boring, really. I've tried my best to listen to her babble but it's just annoying."

That's not what it looked like yesterday. I didn't want to push him about it because he looked blatantly upset by her.

"Louis, get out of there." Harry says, emotionless, rapping his fists on the wooden door. A few noises came from the room but soon enough out rolled Louis with a pout. He eyes our intertwined hands but quickly looks back up like he was afraid of getting caught.

"Man, how'd you know?"

"I heard you giggling when we were walking down the hall, stupid." I hit his chest and he continues to pout as he follows us.

At random, he grabs my available hand that yanked me back a little, catching Harry's attention. "What?" Louis smiles evilly, "I thought we were holding hands just in case we don't get lost? Am I wrong?"

I burst into laughter, releasing both of their hands as we continued down the hallways.

"This is taking forever, we should just spilt up." Louis yawns. "I'm down, Harry?" I agree and look ahead of me. "Yeah, they're pretty good at this game." He sighs in agreement. "I'll hear back, Esme go right and Harry go left." Louis orders, turning himself around and walking away. Without a second look, Harry does what he's told and turns left, leaving me heading right.

This wasn't a good idea, I don't like being alone in this place. I rather be outside which had a massive garden area and pool farther down. Imagine wandering around at night. I wouldn't know yet since Fin demanded I get some rest since for some odd reason I wasn't jet lagged like everyone else. Supposedly I was bound to get sick if I didn't rest.

"Whoever you are, you're a horrible hider." I say to the person who's Nike wearing foot popped out.

"I gave up on hiding ten minutes ago, I was just to lazy to get up."

Ugh, no. I quickly turned to walk away, but he grabbed ahold of my arm to pull him up. "Thanks." Niall grins, fixing his hair.

"Welcome, bye." I mutter under my breath, walking farther away. "Someone's still upset." He says, reaching my pace.

"Well I'm not one of those people who don't mind being lied too."

"You still think I lied? Well, I hope enjoy believing that." He sounds anxious, like he wants to curse me out some more, but instead he turns down the hall, away from me with out continuing on.

At least he's learned by now to not keep whatever this was on going.

*

"Alrighty, this is an old tune I learned back home when I was young." Niall smiles as his fingers land on the strings of his acoustic. When I saw him bring it out to the deck, my heart fluttered. Not that I wanted it too, maybe it was just the cold night air that caused it, I don't know. All I know is, I remembered when he'd try to teach me how to play. He'd sit behind me, holding my two hands and leading them to the right places as he sung in my ear. After Emma said, "I didn't know you played?" to Niall, I was less jealous of the thought he did the same thing with her.

"You okay babe?" Zayn whispers over at me, taking my attention away from the fire surrounding us all. He knew about Niall and I with the guitar because I gushed like a preteen when it happened. I simply nodded, sipping more of my tea and hiding my feet under the blanket I shared with West and Matt. After today's weirdness, we finally got together and decided roasting marshmallows since the stars were super bright at night. It was nice to have some normality for a change, to hang out with the people I had cared for years ago and still do till this day. If I said I didn't care about Niall, I'd be lying. Horribly at that. I could try to hate him with all my might, but if anything ever happened, I'd be there in a heart beat.

We all remained quite as he sung one of his favorite old Irish folk songs and for once in a long time, we were all at ease. We were too caught up in thought to start more conflicts, which is what we do best. My eyes lingered over at Niall who was staring up at the stars, still singing softly along with h,s guitar. His cheeks were pink like they always got when it was too cold out and his hair was messy, like he just ruffled it up and it stayed. As thought he felt me staring, he looks at me and surprisingly winks.

And surprisingly, I smile back at him.

(A/N: I know it's a sharty [combo of shit and fart lol] chapter but I had to keep the good stuff for later (; MY TOTAL VOTES IS AT 666!!!! NOOOO!!! *Does sign of the cross* lol

Maybe I'll double update, we'll see how much writing I'll get done! If you're in school, I'm sorry for you. Truly sorry.

Please vote me out of the devils number, comment your opinions on my sharty chapter lol, and tell yo sista's from anotha mista's about this [aka share] :D

Adios!!! Ox, Dee)