When the stars align

Chapter thirty eight

Skyler's POV:

The court case starts tomorrow. Paul checks us in at a hotel by the airport so we can sleep in that bit extra before our early morning flight.

Becuase of the late booking, there are only two rooms available on the same floor, so I share a room with Paul, Liam and Harry, while Louis, Zayn and Niall are in the room down the hall.

It's late, but nobody really feels like sleeping. The boys are acting much more wild and crazy than usual, a sure sign that they are nervous for tomorrow and I know Paul is almost as terrified as I am.

We hang out in the room I am sleeping in, which is slightly larger than the other, but still feels way too crowded for all of us.

Liam and Zayn play chess three times in a row for hours, Harry watches TV, Paul and Louis battle on a video game with their phones, and Niall and I sit by the window for ages, watching planes take off while eating chocolate.

I want time to move faster, but at the same time I wish it stayed still.

We stay stuck in that small room for hours before Paul finally shoos everyone to bed.

I guess the others must have been pretty exhausted even though they were acting like they'd just drowned seven packs of red bull, because it doesn't take more than five minutes for the room to be filled with gentle snores.

I sigh and turn in my bed, it's hot in the room and I am uncomfortable and nervous, I don't think I will be able to sleep any time soon.

Tomorrow I am actually going to face Jerry, actually, I check my watch, it's four am. Today I'm going to face Jerry! I am so nervous that I feel physically nauseous.

After what feels like hours of tossing and turning I get out of bed with a sigh.

My foot neatly lands on Harry's stomach, as he's lying on a mattress next to my bed.

He lunges for my leg in his sleep and grabs hold of it, clinging tightly.

I try not to laugh out loud and I wriggle out of his grasp and he turns in his sleep, muttering "must find it tomorrow," under his breath.

I grab the spare key to the other room and pad, bare footed, down the hall.

Letting myself in quietly I jump when I see Louis sitting upright in his bed, listening to music and my heart leaps that there is someone awake for me to talk to.

"Skyler!" He exclaims in a whisper, taking off his headphones and leaving them around his neck, "what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I say sighing, "can't sleep, that's all."
He pouts at me and I think how cute he looks, hair messy, still wet from the shower, just his face lit up by his phone.

"Me neither," he whispers and I climb onto his bed, sitting at the end of it.

He reaches for my hand and grabs it, pulling me to sit next to him on the bed.

He leans over me and reaches for the lamp and switching it on.

Zayn groans in his sleep, mumbling through closed eyes.

"Who's there?" He calls out crankily.

"Sorry," Louis whispers, "it's me and Skyler. Go back to sleep."

"Are you guys making out?" He croaks.

Louis chuckles.

"Yeah, yeah sure we are," he says.

"Good." Zayn mumbles, smiling slightly and burying himself further under his covers.

Louis shakes his head at him and I laugh slightly.