I stumbled off the ride, Zayn holding my shoulders to keep me up. Laughing at me, the boys earned a glare in all of their directions until they finally sobered up and we walked along the rides. Okay, Gravatron? Not a fan. That ride had me spinning out of control and made me feel like my head would explode from all of the constant motion. The boys, on the other hand, took my hatred of the ride as amusing and forced me to go on with them.
Never again.
"I'm going to get a bite to eat," Liam chirped.
"Me too," Louis and Harry choroused.
I nodded, dismissing them as Niall, Zayn, and I continued to walk through the crowds of people and eventually reach the Ferris Wheel. Waiting in line, we all joked around about getting stuck at the top and jumping from cart to cart until we reached the bottom. Really, it was all nonsense, but it helped pass time. When we were in the front of the line, all three of us hopped in a four-seat cart, two seats across from another two.
Zayn sat beside me, Niall across from us wiggling his eyebrow suggestively. I laughed as the ferris wheel beginning to move slowly and rythmically around before stopping halfway up so somebody new could get on the cart. Our cart suddenly shook as I snapped my gaze to Niall, who was thrashing around violently in an attempt to sway the cart. Soon Zayn joined him as I held onto the side of the cart, looking at the boys wide-eyed.
"You're going to get us killed!" I cried, my grip tightening to the cold metal cart.
Zayn watched me amusedly. "What, Rose is afraid of heights?"
"No, I'm afraid of being in a shaking cart while I'm far away from the ground." I deadpanned, putting on a pout. "Please stop?"
"What was that? I couldn't hear you over the shaking cart." Zayn answered teasingly, cupping his ear and leaning towards me.
The Ferris Wheel began moving again, and the boys chuckled while stopping. Once again, it stopped - but this time, it stopped at the top. We all high-fived, proud of being at the very top as Zayn started thrashing about again. Scared, I slipped to my knees and crawled across the small space in between the two rows of seats and managed to get to Niall. Holding onto him for dear life, I felt him vibrate with chuckles.
Zayn pouted this time, "What, you'd rather go to Niall than me?"
I glared at him, "Because he isn't trying to get us killed, and you are. Duh."
Both boys now took their turn with laughing as Niall slung an arm around my shoulder casually, an attempt at comforting me. We all fell into a surprisingly easy conversation as Zayn stopped with shaking the cart, allowing me to relax more and let go of my tight hold on Niall. After five minutes, though, the wheel still hadn't moved. Cautiously, I looked over the end and saw a group of people surrounding the controls.
Both boys joined me in looking over the edge. What the hell were they doing? Around me, I noticed people were looking as well with confused expressions and even started screaming down at the group of people for what was going on. Someone got a microphone as the background music stopped playing, one man stepping out of the circle of workers and tilting his head up to look at us sheepishly and apologetically.
"We're experiencing some technical difficulties," The guy said. "We'll be figuring out how to fix it soon, however, so just hang tight up there."
Wow.
Just wow.
"So we're just supposed to sit up here and do nothing while they try to fix their shitty control system?" I muttered.
Zayn chuckled, "Or we can jump from cart to cart down to the bottom," He joked, and then seriously offered, "We can just hang out. Maybe play a game?"
"I'm sleeping," Niall mumbled, going back to the empty bench and laying across it. "It will take my mind off of food."
Niall managed to stretch out across the bench with his feet dangling off the side so he would fit, but other than that, it looked like a good idea. So, I went over to Zayn's bench that he sat at the end of, and laid down as well. My head landed in his lap as I bent my knees so I could fit on the bench easily, glancing up at his face to see a grin.
"Going to sleep as well?" Zayn questioned, his accent making me smile instantly.
"I'm not really tired," I told him. "I just wanted to lay down."
He noticed my slight shiver as the breeze rolled over us and frowned. "You cold?"
Before I could even give a real answer, he stripped himself of his varsity jacket and laid it out over me, making me warm instantly. I sent him a look that said 'Take it back', but he shook his head, sending me a warm smile. I smiled as well and shut my eyes, comfortable with my head in his lap as his hand played with the ends of my hair.
"Thank you," I mumbled, growing tired.
"No problem."
"If you get cold, just take it back."
"Will do." He said, but I could tell he was lying.
Tiredly, I mumbled, "I'm not kidding."
Zayn chuckled. "Go to sleep," He whispered. "I'll wake you up when we're down."
* * *
"I don't, I don't, don't know what it is, but I need that one thing. You've got that one thing."
The boys all high-fived, grinning at each other with a good atmosphere surrounding us. Turning to me, they all looked expectant as Niall strummed the guitar.
"Your turn, love." Harry told me. "What will it be?"
We were currenly out on my back deck surrounding a fire pit that was lit, keeping us warm even through our sweat shirts. It was eight or so at night, the sky dark as we all jammed out. Since the boys had sung three songs already, it was time for me to sing a song by myself. Normally I would be nervous, but after I sang in front of them for the first time, my nerves melted away. These were my friends - it was fine. Grinning at them, I turned to Niall to request the song he would be playing on my guitar, whispering it to keep it a secret. He grinned as well, nodding as he began strumming the guitar.
"Beauty queen of only eighteen, she had some troubles with herself. He was always there to help her, she always belonged to someone else. I drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door. I've had you so many times but somehow I want more. I don't mind spendin' everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile.
"And she will be loved. And she will be loved. Tap on my window, knock on my door I wanna make you feel beautiful. I know I tend to get so insecure, doesn't matter anymore. It's not always rainbows and butterflies; it's compromise that moves us along. My heart is full and my door is always open, you can come anytime you want, yeah! I don't mind spendin' every day, out on your corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl with the broken smile, ask her if she wants to stay awhile.
"And she will be loved. And she will be loved. And she will be loved. And she will be loved. I know where you hide, alone in your car. Know all of the things that make you who you are. I know that goodbyes mean nothing at all; comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls. Tap on my my window, knock on my door I wanna make you feel beautiful.... I don't mind spending everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain, oh. Look for the girl with the broken smile.
"Ask her if she wants to stay awhile, and she will be loved. And she will be loved. And she will be loved. And she will be loved..."
Niall strummed the last chord as I opened my eyes, unaware I had closed them and started swaying to the beat of the song. When they did open, all the guys were staring at me openly with open mouths and dropped jaws. Biting my lip to hold back from a smile, they all started a round of feverish clapping, making sure I got a respectable amount of support.
"That was bloody awesome!" Harry cheered, flinging himself at me and crushing me in a hug. "You're perfect!"
"I agree!" Louis cried, joining in on the hug. "You're more than perfect... You're perfectly perfect!"
I laughed, hugging them back. "Thanks, weirdos."
"How can you have that much talent and not be famous?" Zayn questioned, giving me a sideways grin. "Well, not for long..."
"What do you mean? I'm pretty sure I won't be famous anytime soon." I answered, rolling my eyes.
"Actually-" Louis started, but Liam elbowed him in the gut.
I frowned, "What?"
"Your hair is so pretty."
"Your eyes are gorgeous."
"I like your shoes.
"SMORES!" Niall cried.
They were all trying to change the subject. But why? What did they mean? Groaning at their secrecy, I stood up from my seat and excused myself from outside, trailing in the house and up the stairs. Upon reaching my room, I pulled my sweatshirt over my head and tossed it to the side, leaving me in track shorts and a tank top. I threw my hair up into a pony tail before switching the lights off but the fan on and climbing into bed.
A few minutes later, the door opened slowly and Zayn stuck his head in. I frowned at him, remembering their secrets that they refused to share with me and rolled over in bed. Chuckling, Zayn shut the door and his feet padded against my wooden floor as he approached the bed. Sitting on the edge of it, he shook me until I turned over on the bed and conjured up a glare. He still laughed as if saying 'Aw, so cute'.
"What do you want?" I mumbled questioningly.
"Aw, don't be mad at me." Zayn frowned. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Secrets, secrets are no fun unless they're shared with everyone."
"Seriously?"
"Yes!"
"You'll find out soon, don't worry." Zayn said, rolling his eyes. "But I came to check on you. Sleeping at eight thirty?"
I nodded, "I'm tired."
"But you slept for an hour on the ferris wheel!"
"Why aren't you tired?"
"Because I'm normal," Zayn said, rolling his eyes at me.
"That's your opinion."
"Ouch."
"Just stating the truth, Malik."
"You wanna know the truth?"
"About?"
Zayn chuckled at me, "I don't know."
I giggled tiredly, shutting my eyes and stiffling a yawn. "Is the couch comfortable in the basement? I've always wondered..."
"Yeah, actually, it is. For a couch." He told me as weight disappeared from the bed and he stood up. "You're falling asleep one me, so just go to bed. See you tomorrow."
"Mhm, night..."
Zayn laughed. "You're cute. Sweet dreams."