Chapter 77
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It's only a mild 91°F and about as humid as hades outside in the Texan summer. The sun beating down made the decision to go out a unanimous no. An even more resounding yes to the decision of keeping the windows closed and the A.C. on high.
"Why is it so hooot here?" Aston groans, him and the other boys sprawled out across on the four beds of a pair of adjoining rooms. The remaining three grunt in agreement.
"You do know there is an indoor pool downstairs." Rachel muses while boredly scrolling through her laptop.
"A what?" The four band mates say in sync, all jumping up from the previous lounging positions.
"Yeah! It's on the main floor, just like in every other hotel." She sarcastically stated. All the boys jumped from their beds, and before Rachel could get out one more snide comment, the door was slamming shut.
"We should probably get down their also, ya know, before they break anything too valuable." I say and exit the boys connected rooms and enter the one I share with Rachel. We both quickly change into our swimsuits and rush to the pool where the boys have plunged themselves o the cool water. We weren't the only ones who has decided to refresh in the clear water, there was another whole group of boys who were splashing at each other. Rachel and I decided to keep to the outskirts of the room, as to avoid being pulled in by one of the rambunctious boys.
"You guys gonna come in?" Ashton asked us, we looked at each other and then Rachel answered for the both of us.
"Maybe later." The four man-children all exchanged glances.
"Well that's just not gonna do," Calum muttered. They rose out of the pool, being the six feet giants they are, it wasn't exactly difficult. Rachel and I got up from the chairs we were reclining in, as the boys approached, the pool water dripping off of their skin.
"W-What are you guys doing?" Rachel voiced the question I dared not ask, afraid of what the answer might be. We backed up at the same slow rate they approached, all of them with the little devilish grins.
"I will kill you, I swear-" That was the last thing I said before I was scooped up and thrown into the crystal water, shrieks from Rachel echoing around us. We both resurfaced, mouths agape, not quite believing that the boys had the audacity to throw us in. I looks up at them for a second, their amused and smug faces staring down at is both.
I decided to torture the boys a bit and instead of giving them the satisfaction of pissing me off I just simply swam to the side of the pool and got out. Rachel was close behind me and as we began to strip of our soaked clothes so we were just in our bathing suits.
"Um, what are we doing?" She asked, completely unaware of what I was doing.
"Not giving them what they want."
"And.... that is?"
"They want us to blow up, so that's exactly what I'm not going to do." Rachel nodded her head and winked understanding just what I was doing. We had finished, and now we're slowly making our way to the steps leading into the shallow end of the pool. The boys following us like lost puppies, but also scared of what we were doing. Or of what we weren't doing, rather. I swayed my hips slightly as the water enveloped my lower half, just to further confuse them.
"Uh, Nikki, why aren't you mad?" Luke's voice came out timidly, as if he was scared of the reply.
"What is there to be mad about?" I drew small circular patterns in the water before looking up at him with an innocent look.
"Well, you could've had your phone on you." Calum added, the three of them nodding in agreement.
"But I didn't, so no harm done." Their faces twisted in udder and complete bewilderment.
"Okay, so I was never very good at maths, but something definitely does not add up here." Mikey was the first to speak up, the other three still staring blankly.
"I don't see how you mean." Rachel simply replied, and with that we fully submerged ourselves, swimming toward this other group of now giggling and trying-not-to-laugh boys. We make it to the other side of the pool before we came up, the boys still have yet to move from the position they were left in.
"Well, aren't you coming?" I taunt them further, just enjoying this entire situation, their dull faces enticing me to keep up the act. The boys around us keep trying to hide their stuttering laughs, having our boys' faces turn a light shade of pink. A round of high fives went around between us and the three other guys on our side of the pool.
"Hey, what's your name?" A particularly beautiful dark brunette looks to me with even more stunning light brown eyes.
"Nik, with a 'k', and only a 'k'," I raised a single eyebrow, still feeling far too good from my previous taunting. "And what should I call you?"
"Dylan, with a 'y', and only a 'y'," His lips curve up in an ungodly smirk.
"So it's not Dylan, it's Dlyn?"
"You can call me whatever you want, Nik." I giggle and look down, not able to hold his gaze any longer. I peer quickly to the band mates, Luke practically fuming just from my short conversation with Dylan. "So uh," He started again, "How bad was your guys' fight?" I look back up at Dylan, a slightly confused expression on my face. "Oh c'mon, that blonde over there is getting ready to kill me. What was it about? You wouldn't be over here with me if everything was just fine and dandy."
"He left and didn't tell me where he went. And then came back, and he still wouldn't tell me, acted like nothing had ever happened." I walk my fingers up his muscular arm, "If you know, why are you still talking to me?"
"Because it is so much more fun this way." He leans down and whispers in my ear.
"Nicola, can I speak with you for a moment?" Luke can barely contain himself, and everyone knows it, their silence speaking in volumes.
"Looks like I've been summoned," I sigh and pull away, starting towards Luke.
"Have fun," The Brunette winks, which is the last I see of him as Luke rips my arm, nearly dragging me out of the water. We get into the hallway leading to the pool and Luke all but yells at me.
"Okay, Nik, you had your little fun, your little game and it was great, really. Now what is wrong?" I just stare blankly at him, "I can't read your mind."
"Yeah, and I can't read yours either." I spit at him and take off, running down the narrow hall towards the elevators, I jump in one that some group had just gotten off of. I quickly hit our floor button and pound the close door button until the doors began to shut, Luke just coming into sight as the door closed. The ding of the elevator could not have come soon enough and I rushed to my room, retrieving the key from my clothes I was able to grab as I was being forcibly removed from the pool area.
I closed and bolted the door behind me, sliding against it until I reached the floor. I heard a door slam from down the hall, and then another one from just across the hall, Luke's room. Why didn't he come over here? Did I finally do it? I had never seen him so mad before, not when he was chased by Kendra, not when he forgot how to play the guitar, never. I did it, and it was all my fault. If I wasn't so mean, if I hadn't talked to Dylan, we would still be okay. Water coats my lips, but this time it's salty, tears had mixed with the pool water that was still dripping from my hair.
I can't let it end like this. It won't end like this.
I get up to go and talk to the person I never want to see mad again. I fling open the door, vision still blurry and rush into the hall, only to hit a dark, wet wall. I nearly fall back before two hands cover my arms, stabilizing me. I Look up, to find the usually baby blue eyes, a dark, steel gray. I step back, and feel very cold, goosebumps appearing on my skin.
"I am so so sorry, Luke. I know what I did was wrong, and uncalled for and way, way out of line, but please don't leave me. Don't leave me for her." His stone cold expression wavered when the last sentence came out. But he still remained an emotionless figure, there was not hint of a response coming. "I know that must've been where you went while we were on the bus ride down here. Why else would you fly? But I guess if she makes you happy, I'll just leave now, because all I want is for you to be happy, that's all I ever want for you." My voice fades down into a whisper, turning away to lead myself back the hotel room, to pack up everything before I take the next flight to Sydney. "You, Luke are the only thing that ever went right in my life. But I guess I should've known that even this couldn't last."
"You don't understand," His voice came out scratchy, yet still forceful.
"Oh, I think I quite understand." I turn my head and this time, instead of my arm, he takes my face in his hand and gently leads it to his. He is kissing me.
"Ew, Lucas, get away from me. I can't believe you!" I take half a step back to my room before he speaks again.
"It wasn't a girl."
"Oh was it a guy then?" I ask in a severely mocking tone.
"Your Dad, actually." I whip around so I am fully facing him, not believing what my ears told me he just said.
"Say that again?"
"I had to ask him something, about you actually. And he said yes." He pauses and looks intomy eyes, and his seem nervous, almost scared." Now it doesn't have to be now and this doesn't have to be soon, but I just have to know," He pulls something from his pocket and lowers down to one knee, "I have loved you since I cant remember when and I will love you until I can't remember how, Nicola Ann Crawley, will you do me the incredible honor of marrying me?"
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This was such a long time coming, I don't even know how to properly apologize.
So an epilogue is on it's way, couldn't tell you when, but I am hoping for it to be soon.
thank you to everyone who saw my story and took time out of their lives to read this book, means more to me than you will ever realize, thank you. I hope you enjoyed the rollercoaster of emotion, because I sure enjoyed writing it and seeing your varied reactions. I'll check back in with the epilogue later
xx
Noelle