Charlotte's POV
My eyes remained focused on the moving land beneath me. As the plane began to lower, I caught glimpse of the familiar, yet small, Omaha skyline. The sun was rosy and orange behind the buildings as it set low in the sky.
"We have been cleared for landing," the captain's voice was soft over the crackling speakers. "Welcome to Omaha."
The lower we flew the more freaked out I became. I was more nervous to be home than I was to leave and go to London. I just hoped that I didn't actually have a reason to be nervous. I plane jerks as it touched ground, leaving us all flying forward in our seats. Then the brakes kicked in sending us into our seatbacks.
It wasn't the smoothest landing ever, but I was home. I pulled my phone out and checked for any new messages. I had one from Louis thanking me for the birthday wishes and one for Liam wishing me a safe flight—such gentlemen.
When the plane stopped at the gate I was eager to get off. I pulled my stuff out from under the seat and made my way towards to door. The second I stepped into the jet way cold air blew across my face. I shivered, adding quickness to my step so I could get into the heated building.
I emerged into the terminal and it was surprisingly empty. There was a gate full of people across the way but other than that there was hardly anyone there. I made a quick trip to the bathroom before leaving the checkpoint.
Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I added a touch of lip gloss to my dry lips and ruffled my hair. It was finally time to face my family.
I made my way up the slope and stopped at the waiting area.
I looked around through the mass of people immediately spotting Grant who was jumping up and down. His blonde hair bounced from side to side. Behind him was the rest of my family, bringing a smile plastered to my face.
I creeped around back so that I came up behind them, and I wrapped my hands around Talia's eyes.
"Anastasia don't...." she whined.
"Don't what?" I heard Anastasia snap. "I'm not... CHARRR!" She screamed when she saw me.
Talia grabbed my hand from over her eyes and turned around. When she saw it was me, she spun into my arms, throwing her nine year old body at me forcefully.
I hugged her tightly before adding Ana and Grant to the group for one big sibling hug.
—
"Get ready quickly," my dad set my suitcase on the floor of my room. It felt so good to be home. "We are leaving for Grandma's in about an hour, so shower fast. And Char, lots of people are going to be there to welcome you home. Not just family, if you know what I mean.
I nodded, "Got it."
My dad stepped to me, wrapping his arms around me. "It's good to have you home."
I breathed sharply, desperately wanting to believe what he was telling me, "Is it really?" My voice was uneven.
"What?" he pulled back in shock. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"Because of Liam."
His eyebrows pinched together as his tongue snaked over his bottom lip.
"Let's just talk about that later, hm?" He patted my shoulder. "Go take a shower, Char," he winked. "We have a party to get to."
He closed the bedroom door quietly behind him.
I stumbled backwards against the now closed door, listening to his disappearing footsteps. I ran a hand through my somewhat greasy hair and sighed. It seemed like he was going to be a problem.
Shaking my head, I turned my radio on and blasted the music while I found my outfit in my suitcase. I padded to my own bathroom and turned on the water.
I left my clothes in a pile next to the toilet before stepping into the heated cubical. The warm water kneaded away at the sore body parts that had arose after two long days of travel. I rubbed the vanilla shampoo through my hair; the scent reminded me that I was home.
Once I was clean, I scurried out of the shower and slipped on shorts and a t-shirt so I could finish getting ready before I got dressed.
I was in the process of straightening my hair when Anastasia's head popped in my room.
"Can I come in?" she asked with a smile.
I nodded, normally I would have said no, but I hadn't seen her in months. "Get in here," I smiled with a wave of my hand.
She came in and sat on my bed. "So how is it?" She asked eagerly as I continued running the straightener through my hair. "What's London like?"
I turned to face her with a grin, "Oh it's so cool. It's way better than I thought it was be."
She tilted her head against the headboard, hugging my pillow pet to her chest. "And what's Liam like?"
I laughed, "You'll have to wait to meet him and tell me what you think."
"I won't let them influence me," she turned so she was on her stomach.
"What do you mean?" I turned my straighter off and headed over to my vanity to do my makeup.
"Mom and Dad, they have different opinions about him."
"Dad thinks he's some self-centered musician doesn't he?"
She nodded, "Mom keeps telling him that it's not fair to me judgmental until they've met."
"Mom's right," I huffed. "No one can judge a person until they've met."
I pulled my brush out and rolled a baby pink blush over my cheeks.
"Is he as cute in person as the photo shoots make him out to be?"
I laughed, "Pull out my laptop."
I heard the bed quake as she landed on the floor, picking through my bag. As she turned the computer on, I finished applying my makeup, and then turned to get dressed.
I slipped a tight fitted, black one shoulder dress over my head and pulled it down around my waist. I fastened diamond stud earrings in place and tussled silver necklaces around my neck. Deciding to wait to put my shoes on, I threw myself on the bed next to my sister.
"Click on that," I pointed to the screen. She clicked the mouse, pulling up a file with all my pictures I had taken the first few months of school.
The first picture was of Marisa and me shopping for room decorations. "That's Marisa." Anastasia had talked to Marisa during various Skype calls.
"Who's that," she pointed at the next picture.
"Amalia." The picture was of us at a sound check.
She hit the arrow button sending the picture away and brought up a picture of Liam and I dancing on our first date. Amalia had sneakily taken my phone in order to capture the picture.
"Funny," Anastasia's eyes widened, "I never took you as a grinding girl."
"Give me that!" I slammed to the next picture. "You are eleven you shouldn't even know what grinding is!"
We continued flipping through pictures and she was constantly vocalizing how cute we were together.
"COME ON LADIES!" Grant ran into the room. "Time to goooooo."
I rolled off the bed and slung Grant over my shoulder.
I twisted him sideways and pretended to be getting ready to chuck him on the bed.
"One...." I swung him forwards.
"No, no Char don't!" he flailed in my arms.
"Two...." I brought him back.
"You wouldn't!" he screamed.
"I wouldn't?" I questioned. "Are you sure because I'm already at three......." I swung him forward and pretended to let him fly, only to maintain my grip and settle him back on the ground.
"I missed you little buddy," I rubbed his head before heading to my closet to find my shoes. I grabbed bright pink heels and slipped them on my feet.
"Let's go," I wrapped my arm around Grant. "Time to go party."
"Nooo," he looked up at me, "Time to go open presents and eat sugar cookies."
"Okay," I laughed. "Time to go open presents and eat some sugar cookies."
—
Louis' POV
I lifted my drink in the air so that the crowd of dancing people wouldn't bump into it and cause it to spill.
"Lauren?" I hummed quietly to myself. "Where are you?" I could feel the alcohol buzzing through my veins. I wasn't completely wasted, but I was a tad tipsy. I was completely aware of my surroundings, however the pulsing veins were sending courage and need all through my body.
"Zayn," I whined. He and Marisa had returned from who knows where and were now grinding to the beat of Turn Me On.
"Come on Louis, I'm busy," he snapped as his hands dug into Marisa's waist. "What do you need?"
"Lauren," I pouted.
"There," Marisa pointed across the room. "Talking to people." She was clearly in a hurry to get rid of me, not that I wanted to stay. I pushed various bodies out of my way so that I could cross the room.
Finally, I stood behind Lauren who was talking to my mom, her mom, and Christina. I wrapped my arms around her waist, instantly pulling her backwards.
"Hi Louis," she gasped as I placed small kisses on her neck.
"Hello Louis," my mom laughed. "Can we help you?"
"If I asked to steal this," I picked up Lauren's arm and raised it in the air, "and you say yes, that would be very helpful."
Mrs. Sorin laughed, "Run along children." Her emphasis was on the children.
I pulled Lo around and escorted her out of the room.
"You can't just ditch your own party, Lou," she scolded me as I pushed the elevator up button.
"And why not?" I questioned, "Because all I really want to do is go and put on a pair of sweats, curl up on the sofa with you in my arms and fall asleep."
"I feel like you are processing your thoughts so they come out a heck of a lot more innocent than they really are," her eyebrow rose.
"What are you accusing me of?"
"Oh nothing," she shrugged with a smirk.
The elevator drops flew open and she waltzed it, leaning up against the back wall.
"Aren't you coming?" she asked.
I laughed, walked into the elevator and pushed the close doors button repeatedly so that no one could join us. When the doors finally closed, I slowly walked over to her, pushing my body into hers.
She arched her back meeting me half way.
"Know what was really funny?" My lips were so close they were almost brushing hers. Almost.
"What?" she gasped.
"I was totally turning you on in front of both of our mothers," I chuckled.
"Louis!" she exclaimed in a chorus of laughter. She pushed my chest, shoving me away. "Never say something like that again! Gross!"
"What?" I stumbled back over to her looking down at her innocently.
She leaned forward slightly, teasing my lips with a motionless kiss. "You're drunk."
I shook my head, "No."
She nodded, "No you are drunk. You taste like beer."
"How would you know?" I winked. "Underage drinker, are you? I think you can serve jail time for that."
"Probably, but I'm pretty sure you could serve jail time for dating a sixteen year old."
"You are nearly seventeen," I huffed.
"And yet, that's still illegal," she giggled sheepishly.
"Well... that's... unfortunate." I stuttered, "But I'm still not drunk." I wasn't, I had to convince her I wasn't otherwise she would stay with me.
"Prove it," she crossed her arms over she chest challenging me.
"Okay," I stepped closer to her. Thank goodness we were on the top floor of the sixty-five floor hotel. "Have we ever kissed when I was drunk?"
She nodded, "Plenty of times."
I pursed my lips, "if I was drunk, would I be able to kiss you like this?"
I look her arms and gently uncrossed them. She flung them around my neck.
I pushed her back into the wall, forcing our bodies together, tight as possible. Our eyes met, hers were filled with a lustful expression. My head lowered as my lips attached to her neck, kissing her. I kissed my way up her neck and along her jaw line. She let out a small whimper, which I skillfully shushed with my lips. Our lips moved together as my tongue traced her lower lip causing her to whine again.
I pulled away slightly, and by the gasp that left her mouth when my lips left hers, I could tell I left her wanting more.
"Has drunken Louis ever kissed you like that?"
She shook her head.
"That's what I thought," I winked smugly.
As if on cue, the elevator door opened. I took the still star struck Lauren's hand and pulled her from the little carpeted car. Hand in hand we strolled down the hallway till we got to my room. I pulled my keycard from my back pocket and opened the door.
I spun Lo through the doorway, and she twirled out of my hand collapsing on the sofa.
"Want something to change into?" I called to her as I made my way to my room.
"Yes please," her sweet voice replied.
I shrugged off my clothes, ditching them on the floor of the closet. I pulled on a pair of sweats over my boxers, nothing bothering with a shirt.
"Boxers or basketball shorts?" I called to Lauren.
"Boxers," she answered. "They're more comfortable and they fit better. And can I borrow a sweatshirt?"
I grabbed both for her, returning to the sofa with them in hand.
"Just turn around," she sighed. "I'm too tired to go and change in the other room."
I did what she asked, respecting her privacy. About a minute later she told me it was all clear.
"Mmm," I sighed as I sank down next to her. I pulled her over on to my lap and laid down with her cuddling to my side.
"Did you have a good birthday?" she hummed against the skin on my neck causing me to squirm.
I nodded, "I did indeed."
"I'm glad," she smiled as she hoisted herself up on her elbows kissing me gently. "Happy birthday, birthday boy."