LAUREN:
It was nine in the morning, and Camila and I had to make it to the Los Angeles airport by ten. I shook Camila who was still sleeping peacefully on the bed, wrapped in covers. She hit my arm, and groaned, but didn't open her eyes.
"Camila wake up! Our flight is at 10:45, and we still have to get to the LAX." Still nothing.
"Wake up!" I was officially getting irritated. She popped her eyes open. "Just five more minutes." She breathed, holding up five fingers. "I already called a cab, if you're not awake when it comes so be it. I'll leave." I said.
I pulled up the handle on my suitcase, and wheeled it out the room. No one was awake yet, and I'm sure by the time we left they'd just be getting up.
I grabbed a notepad from the living room table and wrote a note to the girls. "I'll miss you ladies so much, and I can't wait until I see you again in 2 weeks. I love you! -LAUREN" I signed. "P.S. Camila was sleeping when I wrote this but I'm sure she feels the same way."
I secured the note on the fridge by a palm tree magnet and stood by the door awaiting the cab. A few seconds later I heard a loud commotion behind me. I turned around to see Camila, clearly still half asleep dragging her suitcase down the stairs.
"Goodmorning to you too sunshine." I said. She scowled at me. There were a few beeps out front. I pulled the curtain back. It was the cab. "Are you all ready?" I asked excitedly. Camila didn't say anything, she just half nodded, propping sunglasses onto her face.
ZAYN:
I was looking at my reflection in the mirror. "Looking good." I said. I was wearing a black suit, and a black tie. There were two knocks on the bathroom door. "Come on in." I said. The door opened and in walked Harry. He had on a grey beanie, sweatpants, and a white tshirt. "Are you ready to go? The girls plane lands in--" He stopped talking, and began trying to hold in laughter, but he burst.
"What are you laughing at?" I ask, looking at myself in the mirror once more. "We're going to the airport, not an awards ceremony." He gestured to my suit and tie. "Is it the tie? I knew the tie was too much." I loosened the tie, and pulled it off.
"It's not just the tie, it's the entire suit. Sure you look spiffy and all, but you are not that Timberlake lad; and it isn't okay for you to be on your suit and tie shit at an airport." Harry said.
I walked out of the bathroom and into my room. I began digging through my carry on bag, and pulled out a black v neck tshirt, and jeans. I pulled off my suit, and slipped on the jeans, and the shirt. Harry passed me a black beanie, I pulled onto my head. "That's much better." Harry said. I sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on sneakers.
"What were you thinking anyway? Only buisnessmen, butlers, and chauffers would show up to an airport in a suit." Harry said as we headed down the hotel hallway. "I was thinking that I would try to impress Lauren." I shrugged, pressing the down button on the elevator. "She would probably laugh at you as well lad." I ignore his remark and follow him out to our waiting ride.
"We should make greeting signs, so Camila and Lauren can find us, like in the movies." Harry suggested, as we stood in the middle of the crowded airport. "No. I'm sure they'll find us."
It was 2pm now. The girls flight has landed and I was just excited to see Lauren. I don't think I can ever get sick of seeing her. It's always something new.
Probably twenty minutes had passed and I was sitting on a bench. No Lauren, or Camila. Harry sat down beside me. "I left my phone at the hotel, call them." I said to him. Harry started to pat his pockets. "Equally bad news lad, I also left my phone at the hotel. I told you we should have made signs.."
"You're so stupid." I stood up. "What if their flight got delayed and we don't know? What if we just look like idiots waiting here?" I said, frustrated. I began pacing back and fourth. "Why am I to blame if you forgot your phone too?" Harry asked. I shrugged.
"I just need someone to blame and you're all I've got." I breathed.
"Well take a chill pill, they're right there." Harry pointed. I turned around and in the distance were Lauren and Camila walking toward us. "Camila!" Harry said, jogging toward her. Lauren grinned as we got closer to each other.
Once we were a few feet away, she dropped her suitcase and we ran toward each other. "I'm so glad you came!" I said, squeezing her in a tight hug. We shared a kiss. I could never get bored with those soft lips. She was truly an irresistable being.
"When are the other girls going to join us?" Harry asked as we headed back to the hotel, where our tour bus was awaiting. "The last week. They have some things they want to establish before coming." Lauren said.
"Where are we going to sleep?" Camila asked. "Bunks in the tour bus, just like us." Zayn said. "We have plenty of extra bunks."
"We stay in hotels most nights, unless we're heading to another state." Harry said. "I think you will enjoy the expirience. It's a great one."
"Here is your home for the next three weeks." I said, as we walked into the tour bus. "Wow, this is so much more luxurious then I expected." Camila gasped, examining the bus. Harry led her off to be her tour guide. "This is incredible." Lauren said. I nodded.
"Just pick the bunk of your choice." I said. Lauren looked around. "Well which ones yours?" she asked. I pointed to the only one with the curtain open. "I guess I'll sleep below it." She said. I shake my head. "That's not the best idea. Louis has already called that spot his home." Lauren pouted. "You can always sleep right across from me." I say, about the bunks that are not being occupied. She nods, pulling the curtain open and placing a brown bear inside.
"Is that the bear I gave you on your birthday?" Lauren begins to blush and turns her head quickly. "Maybe.. maybe not." She says.
I chuckle, grabbing the bear. "This is the bear. Why do you still have it? I didn't even win it on my own. I was given it out of pity." I say, looking at the small brown bear, with it's beaty black eyes. Lauren snatches the bear from me and places it back on her bunk. "But you tried, and that means something to me."
I smile, looking at Lauren as she places her pillow onto the bunk she is going to be sleeping in. The comfortable silence is cut short. I start to hear faint screaming, and it starts to get more noticeable. "What is that?" Lauren asks turning to me.
The door swings open and in runs Niall, Louis and Liam. Niall's shirt is ripped at the sleeve. "The Directioners have found us." Liam begins catching his breath. "They chased us three blocks from the hotel to here." Louis said, grabbing a water bottle and taking a gulp from it. "And they ripped my shirt, my mam got me this shirt." Niall sighed.
They all noticed Lauren. "Lauren hey, nice to see you." One by one they gave her a hug. "Where's Camila?" Liam asked. I pointed toward the back. They nodded, and made their way back there. "They ripped his shirt, that's insane." Lauren said.
"That's actually not the craziest thing they'd do."
Suddenly, there was banging on the outside of the bus. I looked out the window to see the crowd. It was perhaps fifty screaming girls. "Is this a normal thing?" Lauren asks. I nod. "This is actually a pretty small crowd compared to what we usually get."
"That's terrifying." She says.
Bruce our bus driver walks into the bunk area. "I was just paged to head out to the venue, just so you know." He says. We nod, and he walks away. "I'm so nervous, what if your fans hate us!" Camila panics. "They already hate me." Lauren says, rolling her eyes. I put my arm around her shoulder. "No they don't Lauren." I kissed her cheek.
We arrive at the venue and there are handfuls, upon handfuls of screaming fangirls outside. Security opens up the door. "Let's go guys." He says to us.
"Stay close." Harry says to Camila. We all head out of the bus in a line. I hold my hand out, and Lauren wraps her fingers in mine.
"Zayn! ZAYN! You belong with me! Drop that zero and be my hero!" Someone shouted, and that starts up a ton of crude remarks. I look at Lauren and I can tell she feels uncomfortable just by the way she is looking at her feet as we walk. "Ignore them." I whisper into her ear. Her grasp on my hand tightens.
"My shirt survived!" Niall cheered once we were inside. "I want to go see what stage we're performing on tonight!" Liam says. "Same here." Harry says. They all begin to walk in a pack, following the stage signs. Lauren begins following them, but I grab her hand pulling her back toward me.
"What?" She asks, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Don't let what they're saying get to you Lauren." I say.
"I'm not." She fakes a smile, and tries to walk away. "You're lying. I know it's bothering you." She sighs. "Okay, it is. I just don't understand how they can be so harsh. Fans should just want to see you happy, and doing well. Not bringing you down because you're in a relationship and slandering your girlfriend."
I nod. "Directioners can be like be, all fandoms can actually. I tried to address them yesterday, but some just don't listen. I ignore it. I know, they're not getting my attention by doing that." Lauren smiles, and I hold my arms out. She walks in and we share a tight hug.
LAUREN:
The boys were in rehearsal and Camila and I were with the merch. director, Anna. "Here is the table you ladies will be sitting at before and after the show." She says pointing to a long table. Behind the table were a ton of shirts, cups, socks, lanyards, hats, bags, books, pens, pins, you name it; it was probably there with the guys faces on them.
"I have that shirt!" Camila points to a white t shirt with One Direction on it. "No shame in my game." She says.
"Follow me around." Anna says. We follow her around the table.
"Right here, we have the money drawer. It already has some money in it, so you can make change. The customer will tell you what they want and you'll grab it and hand it to them, but take their money first. There were instances where they would run off with things and not pay." She laughed. "Prices are on this paper. If at any time you need assistance, I'll be in the booth right over there where the meet and greets going to take place. You got it?" Camila and I both smile and nod. "Feel free as well to put on whatever you want to deck yourself out to show your One Direction pride."
"This is going to be so fun." Camila chimes. "Hopefully I don't get murdered by a psycho Directioner who is anti accepting of me and Zayn." I say.
"Lauren, that pyscho Directioner is going to be me if you don't stop talking about that. Just free your mind."
"You don't understand how it feels Camila. Have you gotten hate from being with Harry yet?" She shrugged. "I haven't gone in my mentions. I stay on my timeline, and plus Harry and I aren't a thing. Camarry isn't an item."
"It doesn't matter. Say you never met Harry in your life, you don't know who he is, but you're both standing at a stoplight waiting to cross the street; paparazzi snap a picture of that you'll be on every gossip site and magazine as Harry's new fling, and that's how Hollywood works and his fans will hate you for it because they wanted him."
There are two hours before the concert, and half an hour before doors open and Camila and I have to be at the merch table. For the time being, we are in the boys dressing room eating and hanging out.
"We should have a small shin dig in the tour bus after the show." Louis says biting into a carrot. "Shin dig? What is this the 1950s?" Liam laughs.
"I don't think we should, I'm already tired and the shows going to wear me out." Niall says. They all look at him.
Zayn throws a piece of bread at him. "Well aren't you a just little party pooping leprachaun." Louis shrugs. "Who cares what Horan says, we're still gonna live it up." Louis reaches over and high fives Zayn.
"What do you think?" Harry asks Camila. She shrugs. "I might be a party pooper like Niall and sleep." Zayn throws a slice of bread at Camila. "Boo!" Niall high fives her. "You are my kindred spirit." He jokes. "What about you Lauren, don't be a party pooper." Liam says. I shrug. "I don't know, it depends if I'm tired." Zayn gets ready to throw bread at me but Camila grabs his arm. "Watch it Malik."
"Well it doesn't matter, we are still going to play our music so good luck getting any shut eye." Louis smirks. Camila grabs the bread out of Zayn's hand and throws it at Louis, but misses. "Come on, you can do better than that." Harry laughs.
My phone starts to ring. It's my mom. I scurry into the hallway, and answer. "Hey mom." I greet her. "Hey, what are you up to?" She asks. Zayn walks out of the dressing room. I gesture for him to stay quiet. "What's wrong?" Zayn mouths. I shake my head and mouth back, "Nothing." He still stands in the doorway.
"You there?" My mom asks.
"Yeah, sorry Ally was asking me a question." I lie. "Uh, we're just hanging out in the room, deciding on what movie we're going to watch."
"Watch Selena it never gets old." My mom says. "Well I'll let you get back to that, tell the girls I said hi. I love you."
"I will, love you too, bye." I hang up.
Zayn is standing in the doorway with a confused look slapped on his face. "Wait. Why'd you just lie to your mom?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "I had to." I say. Zayn shrugs. "Why?" I let out a breath. "She doesn't know I'm here."
"She doesn't know you're in Nevada?" I shook my head. His jaw drops. "Why not?"
"I already got in trouble for stealing the car, do you really think she'd let me spend three weeks touring with a boy band she'd never met?"
I try to walk back into the dressing room, but he stands in front of the door. "You better tell them." He says, pointing to my phone. "Are you crazy? I'd be in so much trouble."
"Your parents are going to hate me. They're going to think I'm influencing you to do this stuff."
I let out a sigh. "Zayn, don't worry about it. I've got it covered. Dinah, Ally, and Mani are covering for us."
"And how are they doing that?" He asks.
BACK AT THE HOUSE:
"Lani's coming!" Normani said looking out the window, as Lani get's out of her car and walks toward the house with two brown bags in her arms. Ally runs up the stairs, and turns on the shower in the bathroom.
Dinah opens the door to greet Lani. "Hey ladies." She smiles. They wave. "I just came to bring you guys some groceries." She walks into the kitchen, and places down the two paper bags full of food.
As she's doing this Normani begins shoving pillows under a blanket. "Where are Camila and Lauren?" She asks, as Ally walks down the stairs. Dinah places the milk in the fridge and turns to Lani. "Lauren is in the shower." Ally lies. "and Camila, she's uh.." Dinah starts thinking.
"She's right here." Normani points to the pillows, masked by blankets. She places her hand on them. "She's sleeping?" Lani asked, walking toward Normani. Normani starts nodding and stands up. "She's not feeling well at all." Normani lies.
"Yeah Lani, you'd better just stay away, wouldn't want you to get sick." Dinah says.
"Yeah, Normani is already getting sick." Ally said. Normani faked a cough. Lani took a few steps back. "I'm gonna go then. Send her my blessings. I'll stop by with medicine tomorrow." She waves, and heads out the house.
Normani plops down on the pillows, letting out a breath. "That was a close one." Ally said.