Love Will Tell Us Where To Go

The next three days went by faster than I had expected. Besides going out a few times for food, we didn’t go out much more except to a store or two out of fear of spending too much money.

Harry started messing around with his guitar and I started to write more again. I used to write short stories for no reason a lot when I was younger (and some stuff on Tumblr) but I slowly started doing it less and less. It was nice to get my mind off of worrying about things I have no control over.

“I’m so glad we never unpacked.” Like, seriously. It would have been pointless and a complete disaster.

“Me too. You know, it really is going to suck having to carry all of this to the train station.”

“Do you think it’ll even be possible?” I asked as we finished gathering all of our bags together.

“Maybe we could keep the car to drive to the train, then one of us, me, could drive back to the rental place then walk back!”

“I don’t know…” I don’t like the thought of him walking by himself that long. Which sounds so silly, but I mainly don’t want him to drive by himself.

I didn’t have to finish my sentence. Paper was slid under the door. I picked it up and gasped from shock. It was a bill for the b&b. Not only had we already paid, the price here is way, way more than what we paid. I’m talking ridiculously no-way-do-we-have-enough-money-for-this kind of expensive.

Harry had walked over to me to read it as well and was the first to speak. “This has to be a mistake.”

“We have to talk to them.”

“And now. At the latest we have to leave in two hours to make it to the car place in time.”

I hate confrontation. Even when I am completely and totally right in a situation, all it does is stress me out. I’m so glad Harry is willing to talk to them.

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. That shouldn’t have happened. You weren’t suppose to - here, let me take that.” Allison took the bill and threw it in the trash.

Harry had obviously thought what I did because he asked, “Allison, that’s how much we should be paying, isn’t it?”

“I have to be honest…yes.”

“Why would you guys - “

“I just felt so bad for you guys. You seemed so tired, and when you said how long you’d need a room, well…I was just so concerned. I wanted to make sure y’all stayed in a nice, safe place”

“Thank you so much.” I said absent minded.

“Yeah. We can’t thank you enough.”

“No problem. Is there anything else we can do?”

I looked at Harry and wondered if we were thinking the same thing again. I almost asked her myself, but I felt that we were pushing our luck.

“Well…” he started off hesitantly. “we rented a car and have to turn it in in two hours. An hour and a half after that, we have to be on a train. We’ll have to drop the car off then carry our luggage to - “

“I can give you guys a ride!” she exclaimed. “I promise, it’s no trouble. I can just follow behind you guys, then we can move the stuff to my car, and I can drop y’all off. Sound good?”

“Better than good.” I said.

“Great! Let me tell my manager. What time will we be leaving?”

“Since we have a car now, how about…9:15?”

“Works for me! See you guys then.”

“What just happened?” I asked as we walked back to our room.

“I don’t even know.”
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An hour and forty five minutes later and we were in the lobby waiting on Allison. Not long though. We walked out to our car and showed it to her so she’d know who to follow. We had already put our stuff in the trunk.

The drive there was pretty short, and before I knew it the car we had “owned” for two weeks was no longer in our possession. Allison helped us move our stuff to her car, then we were on our way.

The car ride there wasn’t awkward like I’d expected. She played some music so that started a conversation. I sat in the passenger seat and Harry sat in the back.

We got there with plenty of time to spare. “Good luck, y’all.

“Well, good luck Megan and Harry. I hope you have a safe trip to wherever you’re going.”

I wasn’t planning on it, but as I thanked her, I hugged her as well. I couldn’t help it. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude came over me as I thought about how different things would have been if she hadn’t been nice enough to help us.

“No problem, Megan.” She gave me a concerned look as she said, “Stay safe, okay?”
“We will.”
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We had over an hour to spare at the train station, but we didn’t mind. After being late last time, it was great being early.

I texted Chloe while we waited.

Chloe: I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU GUYS ARE COMING TODAY DHJAKHSAK I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED
Me: ME TOO!!!
Chloe: I’ve been cleaning up my room all day…lol. My mom brought the air-mattress in here for you. Sorry. :/
Me: I assume Harry will sleep in the guest room?
Chloe: Yeah…sorry you don’t get an actual bed. Maybe Harry would be willing to take the couch in the game room and you can have the guest room? :P
Me: I’ll see what I can do. :P

“Hey!” Harry said. “I get the air-mattress if you get the bed.”

“We’ll figure something out.” I told him.

Time passed by slowly, but noon came eventually.

“One step closer.” he told me with a smile as we began to board the train that would finally take us to our destination.

“One step closer.” I replied.
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“This place is nicer than I thought it would be.” It was a bit cramped, but I’m sure Megan and I can manage to have fun anyway.

She seems happier than she was a few days ago. I’m glad she’s started writing again. She says she can’t write songs, but I know that if she tried she could. I’ll convince her to write a song with me one day.

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. The top bed sucks though. It’s so claustrophobic.”

“I can sleep there.”

“Thanks babe, but you’re way too tall for that. And I’ve done it before, so I’m more use to it.”

“Thanks.” I told her. I’ll convince her to take the bottom bunk later.

“What do you want to do?” I asked as I opened my laptop. “We could watch a movie.”

“Sounds good to me. But I need to go to the restroom first. I’ll be right back.” she left to go to the toilet that we share with some other people. It’s a bit down the hall. It’s kind of annoying, but I don’t really mind too much.

I began searching for a movie when there was a knock at the door. That was rather fast. Maybe the toilet was occupied.

As soon as I opened the door something didn’t feel right. Two men I had never seen before stood in front of me. They were wearing all black.

“Umm…can I help you? I think you went to the wrong room.”

“Harry Edward Styles?”

“…yeah, that’s me.”

“It’s over.”

“What are you - “

I didn’t finish my sentence. The last thing I saw before blacking out was a gun.
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I jolted awake and it took me a few seconds to realize that I had fallen asleep and had been dreaming. None of that happened. It wasn’t real. It was just a dream.

That isn’t the first time I’ve had that dream. I’m pretty sure this is the third time. It started after we had looked at so many pictures and videos of the train. I guess actually being on it and seeing it in person caused it.

And the worrying. I act like I’m not that much, but it’s only for Megan’s sake. Okay, and partially mine. I try denying my fear in hopes it’ll make me less afraid. It’s obviously not helping.

I checked the time just as Megan came back in the roomette. “Hello, sleepyhead.”

“Hiii. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“You only slept for an hour. Besides, you need rest.”

“What have you been doing?”

“Texting Chloe. She’s so excited, I love it.” She sat down close to me and I had to hold back from kissing her. She probably wouldn’t think it was strange if I did, but knowing how she is, she’d probably be able to tell something was wrong.

“I have to say…I’m kind of freaking out over what her parents are going to think of me.”

“Why?”

“Come on, I’m your boyfriend…we traveled from another country by ourselves. Are you sure they haven’t talked to your mom?” Wow. Great job. I wanted to avoid letting her know how scared I am and I somehow did it anyway. Brilliant.

“I know what you mean, but I’m positive. If they had called my mother, she would have told them all of that was a lie, and believe me, we would know about it by now.”

“Yeah…yeah, you’re right.” I am so stupid.

“Are you alright?” she asked me. She intertwined our arms and held my hand.
“I’m fine. I just can’t wait to get to Minneapolis.” She looked at me a few seconds as if she was trying to figure out if I was lying. Which I technically wasn’t.

I guess my answer was good enough because she let that conversation die and moved on. After a while we went to the dining area and ate a pretty awesome meal.

“This is so weird.” she told me as we ate. “And by weird I mean completely and totally awesome.”

I smiled in reply. I love when she’s happy and not worrying, but in a way, that makes me worry more. I mean, shouldn’t we be worrying? I have so many thoughts running around in my mind…I need to just stop over thinking.

It’s so funny how I can give Megan such great advice, but I don’t take any of it myself.

“So, …exactly how are we going to tell Chloe’s parents the truth?” she asked suddenly getting serious. “I mean, you would think they would understand how crazy my mother is and feel bad and not tell on me.”

“Why do we even have to tell them? We just stay there for what, a week maybe? Then we see your father. They shouldn’t have as much of a problem with it then. Even if they do, so what? We’ll be having to contact your mom then anyway.”

“I know, but…” she played with her food as she hesitated. “what if I need more than a week? What if I can’t get the nerve up to talk to my father?”

“Megan, I understand, but you know how urgent it is for us to see him as soon as possible.”

“I know that.” she snapped. She quickly looked up at me with wide eyes. “I am so sorry I did not mean to say it like that.” she sighed before adding, “I’m just scared.”

I reached across the table and she put her hand in mine. “It’s going to be okay, Megan. Your father reached out to you. He loves you. I know that he would be willing to do anything to make things better for you. Especially if that involves him being in your life.”

“You’re right.” She cracked a small smile. “It’s just hard to wrap my mind around it, you know? I just can’t believe I’m actually going to meet him.”

“And it’s going to be great.”

“You always know what to say.”

“I try.” I tell her with a smile, because I really do try. I try so, so hard.
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After we ate we went back to our roomette and snuggled up close together while watching a movie on my laptop. I wasn’t as sleepy as I was earlier, but by the middle of the movie, Megan was fast asleep.

I hated to wake her, but I had to. “Come on love, time to go to sleep.”

“But…but the movie.” she said groggily.

“Sorry babe, it’s over. We still have about three hours left on the train, you have plenty of time to sleep. Come on.”

She got awake enough to move for me to get the beds ready. She was also sleepy enough for me to get her in the bottom bunk. I questioned for a second if that conversation only happened in my dream, but then I recalled it happening before that nap as well.

“Styles.” she said as I covered her with her favorite blanket. “Oh, fine. Be cramped up in the top bunk, loser.”

“Alright, I will.” I kissed her forehead and got in my bed. Yeah…a bit claustrophobic. “I love you, loser.” I told her after I finally got in a bearable position.

“I love you too.”
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I slept for two more hours before waking up. I was pleasantly surprised to see Harry asleep when I got up. I hated that he slept up there, but oh well. I tried.

I left him a note telling him that I went to our seats that had yet to be sat in. I mean, we payed for them, why not sit in them?

There’s a good amount of people here, but I don’t mind. I took the seat next to the window and immediately looked outside. I’m nervous. So, so nervous. But somehow, the sound of the train is calming. The view isn’t bad either.

I took a deep breath as I took in the moment; I’m starting over. I’m making things right. I might be doing some wrong along the way, but it’ll all even out in the end.

Some birds flying about caught my attention and suddenly I was reminded of the night I don’t like thinking about. The night I almost jumped.

I was so jealous of them. Jealous of how free they were. I felt so trapped. Looking back, I don’t know how I made it. Meeting Harry woke me up. Meeting him made me feel alive.

Seeing these birds reminds me that despite the circumstances, I have so many reasons to be grateful for how much better my life is. Seeing them reminded me…

I’m more free now than I’ve ever been.

Notes