[AN: This chapter took a lot longer to write than I expected. So I'm going to hold a contest for a girl character! PM me your name and physical description along with one sentence describing your love for Harry! Jordan and Jericho, you don't get to enter because you're already in the story. Send me entries ASAP! I'll choose and end the contest once I am ready to write the chapter where your character appears. My posting is a little erratic so I don't know when that will be.]
Samantha’s POV
“She’s seventeen and my baby sister!” Those words kept echoing in my head. I glanced over at the second bed in the hotel room where Annie slept soundly. She had fallen asleep on the ride to the hotel. I wish that sleep had come to me that easily. I just couldn’t stop repeating Nora’s words in my head.
“Hey! Are you girls awake?” Louis’ voice called out through the door. “The buses are here!” I stood up and walked to the door opening it. Louis and Harry stood there with identical grins on their faces. “So are you ready?”
“I’m ready,” I said before glancing behind me at Annie’s bed. “Annie is kind of out like a light.”
“We can fix that!” Louis said happily. “ZAYN!!!” The Bradford boy immediately materialized making his way into the room. I just stood inside the door watching them all in surprise. Louis walked over and pointed at Annie’s suitcase in the room. “Is this hers?” I nodded, and he picked it up. “Zayn you get Annie.”
“Sure thing,” Zayn said saluting ridiculously as he picked up Annie and tossed her over his shoulder. She made a murmuring noise before settling back into his arms. She must have been really tired after all the excitement from last night. Plus it was only six in the morning. I laughed as Louis and Zayn marched out of the room.
“Need help with your luggage?” Harry asked pointing to my own suitcase.
“That would be great thanks,” I said softly walking past him to the door.
“Sam?” Harry asked softly. I turned to face him. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s really okay Hazza. I was just kind of terrified being pulled on stage like that. I forgive you.”
“Sometimes I can’t help, but flirt,” he said flashing me a cheeky grin. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Of course, why do you ask?”
“You look exhausted.” Should I tell him?
“I didn’t sleep much last night.” Or at all. “I guess I was just too excited for our trip.” Harry nodded, but I could tell he didn’t believe a single word that came out of my mouth.
“You can rest on the bus once we get settled in. You look almost as tired as Liam does.” Liam. The minute he said that name his face flashed in my mind. Liam was the reason I hadn’t been able to sleep. I just kept hearing the tail end of his conversation with Nora last night. I knew they had to be talking about Annie. Liam had a crush on Annie, and Nora was warning him away from her. Whenever I turned my head he was always blushing no doubt thinking about Annie. “Sammers?”
“Yeah Harry?” I asked looking up breaking from my thoughts.
“I’m always here if you need me, okay?” I smiled as he hugged my side. Why couldn’t I be obsessed with Harry? He would make more sense than Liam. Oh well. I followed him out of the hotel to the front where two giant tour buses stood. “That one over there is your and Annie’s bus.”
“We get an entire bus to ourselves?” I asked admiring the vehicle. Louis’ head popped out of the bus Harry pointed to, and he smiled over at us.
“We’re all going to ride with the girls for the first half of the drive!” he shouted out. “We’re going to play truth or dare and eat carrots and play and—“
“We get it Lou,” I said cutting him off as we walked onto the bus. “So much for my nap, huh?” I asked looking over at Harry.
“If you want to nap then you can rest at the back,” Niall suggested from his spot on a small couch. “We’ll do our best to keep quiet.” I mouthed a thank you at him as I took in the impressive vehicle. Louis was bouncing around the room with Harry following. Niall was eating a snack as always, and Annie, who had finally woken up, was sitting on the couch talking with Zayn.
“We’re ready to go,” Liam’s familiar voice said from behind me. I turned around to take him in. His hair was limp, and the bags under his eyes were noticeable. He was pale and unhappy. I wanted to reach out a hand and stroke his cheek, but I held myself back. I glanced over my shoulder at Annie who was still happily chatting with Zayn. Had he been up all night thinking about her? I could feel the tears rushing to my eyes.
“I’m going to go rest,” I shot out before running from the main room on the bus. I kept walking forward until I came up a small room with a bed at the end. This was far enough away that I was sure no one could hear me crying. I sat on the bed and pulled my iPod from my pocket shoving the earbuds into my ears. I hit shuffle and “Moments” started playing through the earbuds.
Shut the door
Turn the light off
I wanna be with you
I wanna feel your love
I wanna lay beside you
I cannot hide this
Even though I try
I hit pause as the tears fell down my face. Why did it have to be him singing right at that moment? Stupid music playlist! If only he really did feel that way about me. But it was Annie he had feelings for; not me. I scrolled through my playlist landing on “All Time Low” by the Wanted. I hit play letting the lyrics wash over me.
Praying won't do it
Hating won't do it
Drinking won't do it
Fighting won't knock you out
Of my head
Hiding won't hide it
Smiling won't hide it
Like I ain't tried it
Everyone's tried it now
And failed somehow
So when you gonna let me
When you gonna let me out - Out
And if you know
How do you get up from an all time low
I'm in pieces
Seems like peace is
The only thing I'll never know
How do you get up
Get up
I snuggled up against the pillow at the top of the bed as my tears fell. Why did I have to have a crush on Liam Payne? Why did he have to have a crush on Annie?
'Cos driving won't do it
Flying won't do it
Denying won't do it
Crying won't drown it out
What you said
“Sam?” I wiped my face and turned around to see Liam standing nervously in the doorway. We watched each other carefully as the music continued in my ears.
When I'm standing on the yellow line
Waiting at the station
Or I'm late for work
A vital presentation
If you call me now girl
Without reservation
I would try to break through
I hit pause and took the earbuds out to look at him. He gulped nervously again.
“What is it Liam?” I asked softly. He eyed the bed and then nervously sat next to me. I scooted closer until we were sitting next to one another. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Liam said softly. “Harry said I should go and take a nap. I didn’t sleep very well last night. I thought I heard crying and—“
“I wasn’t crying. I’m just tired.” He sighed as he fiddled with his hands. “What’s wrong Li? Why couldn’t you sleep?” I don’t know why I asked. I really didn’t want to hear him go on about Annie.
“There’s this girl,” he said confirming my worst fears. So he had been thinking about Annie last night. “She’s a little young for me, but not that young. I want to tell her how I feel, but that would be taking advantage of her trust in me. Her sister’s trust in me. Besides I don’t even know how she feels.”
“Have you tried asking her?” What was I doing? I’m in love with him, and here I am giving him advice on how to get together with my best friend?!?
“I think she might have feelings for someone else,” Liam said softly looking over at me. I wondered who he thought Annie had feelings for. Was it Zayn? Or Niall? Maybe Harry? Perhaps Louis? I shook that last thought away from my head laughing a little. Louis was meant to be with Nora, and we could all see that. [AN: What? I’m possessive.]
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just thinking about Louis and Nora,” I chuckled. “He is just so determined to get her, and she’s so determined to run from him.”
“If I know Lou, he’s not going to give up.”
“Did you know that he autographed a carrot for her before we left the apartment?” Liam started to giggle and I sighed. He had a beautiful laugh.
“Nora is pretty protective of you and Annie huh?” Liam asked as his giggles died down.
“She just doesn’t want to see us get hurt.” He looked up at me, and I got lost in his brown eyes. They sparkled in the light that cast down from above us. I felt my heart begin to race as he leaned closer. What was going on here? His breath fanned out over my lips. He was going to kiss me. Liam Payne was going to kiss me, and I was going to let him. His lips settled on mine and I felt my heart skip a beat. He kissed me gently lifting his hands up into my hair. I wound my own arms around his neck as the kiss grew deeper. He nibbled my bottom lip before his tongue joined mine.
“Sammers, do you want---oh my God!” I heard Harry shout out from the door. Liam pulled away in surprise and I frowned missing the feel of his lips on mine. I glared at Harry who smiled sheepishly. “I was going to ask if you wanted something to eat, but I guess I’m interrupting?”
“I’m sorry,” Liam said, and I could feel my heart sink. “I-I shouldn’t have--I didn’t mean to—this was a mistake. I have to go!” Harry and I watched as he raced out of the room as if his feet were on fire. Why did he kiss me? And why did he run off?
“You have the worst timing ever Haz,” I groaned shooing him from the room. Harry kept apologizing as I shoved him out the door. Once I had shut it behind him I stuck my earbuds in and pressed play letting the song continue on.
But if you know
How do you get up from an all time low
I'm in pieces
It seems like peace is
The only thing I never know
How do you get up from an all time low
I can't even find a place to start
How do I choose between my head and heart
Till it ceases I never know
How do you get up from an all time low
A low [repeat]
Can you hear me
A low [repeat]
Can't you hear me
And if you know...
Niall’s POV
“Nialler are you feeling okay?” Annie asked as I looked up from my phone. “You were looking pretty serious there for a minute.” I shoved my phone back into my pocket trying to pretend that the text I was reading hadn’t upset me.
“I’m just hungry. Really,” I replied. Annie looked at me suspiciously but then let it go.
“Geez Nialler,” Zayn chuckled. “Is there a time when you’re not hungry?”
“Be nice,” Annie said reaching up to ruffle his hair. “At least he’s not obsessed with hair products!”
“Hey! Stop touching the hair,” Zayn complained. “It took me forever to get it just right.”
“There are more snacks in the fridge Nialler,” Annie said as she kept trying to mess up Zayn’s hair.
“Anners, can I borrow your phone?” Louis asked bouncing over to her.
“What happened to your phone?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nora won’t answer when I call her from my phone. Apparently I’ve been calling her too much,” Louis whined as we all laughed.
“She’s probably working,” Annie said hiding behind Zayn as Louis tried to take her phone from her.I sighed and stood up as they continued to goof around. I wandered into the kitchen to find the snacks Annie mentioned. Liam was there sitting at the small table with his head in his hands.
“Li?” I asked. Liam turned and looked at me before dropping his head back into his hands. “Li, are you okay?”
“Just let it drop Nialler,” Liam said with a crack in his voice.
“Are you crying?” I asked. I heard him choke back a sob. “Just stay there. I’ll make us some tea.” I bustled around the kitchen until I had two warm cups of tea set out in front of us. “Is this about Sammy?”
“I said drop it,” Liam mumbled into his hands. Looks like I hit the nail on the head. I sat there quietly waiting. I knew that Liam really wanted to talk, and I just had to wait it out. Eventually he would open up and tell me what was wrong.
“The driver said we would stop soon for some lunch. They don’t have a Nando’s around here—“
“I kissed her.” I choked on my tea as Liam looked up at me. “I kissed her Niall.”
“Sammy? You kissed Sammy?” He nodded weakly. “Then why are you sitting here instead of being with her?” He looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Li, we all know you like her. Well, all of us except for Sam. Did you tell her how you felt?”
“Sort of,” he choked out. I laughed. Leave it to our own Daddy Direction to be helpless in the face of a girl. “I hinted.”
“Hinted?” I rolled my eyes. Liam might be able to control every aspect of his life, but he has always been a total wreck when it came to girls. He was just too nervous and shy whenever he liked a girl. I always thought his shyness around girls was kind of ridiculous. You had to tell a girl how you felt. Usually it worked out well for me. Usually. I sighed and focused on my best friend. “You hinted, and then you kissed her? Li, you need to grow a pair.”
“Shut up Nialler,” he said sipping his tea. “I promised Nora I would stay away. Sam doesn’t need somebody taking advantage of her.”
“Did she kiss back?” I laughed as he choked on his tea. “It’s a simple question Liam. If she kissed back then you aren’t taking advantage of her.”
“But what about Nora?” he asked. So she did kiss him back. “She warned me.”
“Did she specifically say ‘no dating Sam’?” He shook his head no. “Then I don’t see the problem. Nora probably just doesn’t want to see her hurt. If you really like her and can see this going somewhere, then I say go for it.” The worst she can do is say no, I thought. But Liam would be able to move on eventually if she did. Just like I hoped to be able to do one day.
“I’m afraid I’ve already hurt her.”
“What did you do?”
“I kissed her, and then Harry barged in so I freaked out and ran.” I couldn’t help it. I just started to laugh. I could totally see it now. Liam probably bumbled around before racing from the room in a panic. “Stop laughing at me Nialler! I need help here. What am I going to do now?”
“Talk to her,” I managed to get out between giggles. Liam kept glaring at me as I tried to stop my giggles. It was just too funny. Liam knew what to do in every situation, but put a pretty girl in front of him and he was a blubbering idiot. I finally managed to calm myself down. “I mean it Li. Just talk to her.” I stood up and began to walk from the room. “And this time actually tell her how you feel.”
“But what if I can’t? What if I chicken out, and she goes for someone else?” he asked from behind me. I looked down the hall where Louis stood chatting into Annie’s phone happily. He must have gotten hold of Nora. I pulled out my own phone and pulled up my text messages. I clicked open the one that Nora had sent me maybe ten minutes ago tearing my heart in two.
[NORA’S TEXT]: Sorry Ni. You’re a great guy, but there’s someone else.
I looked back up at Louis who was laughing into the phone as he talked to her. It was pretty obvious who that someone else was.
“Then you wish her the best,” I said softly. “But you’ll never know until you try.”
[AN: I know what you’re going to say Jericho. Where’s my love story? It’s coming! It’s coming! My plans for you are a lot more simple and sweet. Sort of. You’ll see when I get to it next chapter.]