Unexpected
Chapter 19
After the bus started moving, the boys got up and showed Tess, Aleanbh, and me around. There was a bathroom with a shower – which I needed after Tess’ rude awakening – a small kitchen toward the middle of the bus, a booth with enough room to seat all of us plus a few more, and 6 bunks – 2 stacks of 3 – at the back. Zayn slept on the bottom of one, Louis in the middle, and Niall on the top. On the other, no one had claimed the bottom, Liam slept in the middle, and Harry on the top. The boys left it up to us if we wanted to take the bottom bunk or sleep with our boyfriends.
When we had gone through the entire bus, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. I knew I would feel a lot better once I got whatever Tess had dumped on me out of my hair.
*Aleanbh’s POV*
The whole time the boys were showing us around the bus, Chloe seemed distracted. I’m not sure if it was because she was tired, because she didn’t care about the tour, or if something was bothering her.
I decided to leave it alone. It was none of my business. After the boys were finished with their little tour of the bus, all of us except Chloe went to the kitchen for some breakfast.
“I’ll cook,” Harry offered. “What does everyone want?”
“Pancakes!” Zayn answered. Everyone agreed with him and Harry got to work making us all pancakes. We all slid into the booth and chatted a little.
Chloe came into the room about 5 minutes later with her hair damp from taking a shower. She wore some loose pajama pants and a tank top.
“Come sit down, Harry’s making us pancakes,” I said, patting the spot next to me for her to sit down.
She nodded and took the seat, her mind seeming to be somewhere else.
“Are you okay?” I asked quietly so none of the boys or Tess could hear.
She sighed and nodded. “Just a lot on my mind right now. I’ve never really lived on a bus before,” she answered. It seemed like a pretty reasonable answer to me so I let it go.
“Pancakes are done,” Harry said, bringing a platter piled high with pancakes over to the table. He threw his apron onto the counter and grabbed 8 plates. He sat on the end next to Chloe and dished them both out some breakfast.
“Thanks, Harry,” Louis said right before he took a bite.
“No problem.”
Everyone ate quietly and quickly, no one wanting to be in the cramped space any longer than necessary.
“How’s everyone doing?” Paul asked, coming in from the front.
“Good,” Niall mumbled through a mouth full of pancakes.
“I see you’ve all got a pretty big appetite,” he commented.
We all nodded and finished our breakfast. When we were finished, Niall and Louis went to talk to Paul and the rest of us went back to the bunks. Instead of sitting on the beds, we sat in a circle on the floor between them.
“Have you been on tour with the boys before?” Tess asked me.
I shook my head. “This is the first time I’ve even been on the bus,” I admitted. “I wanted to finish school before getting myself into something I would need to force myself away from.”
She nodded in understanding and turned to Liam. “You take good care of her,” she ordered.
“Don’t worry,” he said with a chuckle, “I will.”
*Harry’s POV*
I watched Chloe out of the corner of my eye all through breakfast and I knew she was having second thoughts. Even when we were finished and all went to sit by the bunks she was keeping to herself.
While Tess was talking to Aleanbh and Liam, I took Chloe’s hand in my own and gave it a squeeze. She looked at me with a sad smile and lay her head on my shoulder.
Maybe she’s just uncomfortable, I thought.
I rested my arm across her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
“Awww,” Zayn gushed from across the circle. “Look at them.”
His comment caused everyone to look our way and smile.
“You are such a cute couple,” Tess added.
Chloe picked her head up off my shoulder and looked at me. “I know,” she said softly.
I felt a smile spread across my face at her words. She was most definitely not having second thoughts.
*Chloe’s POV*
I have to admit, after Harry and I slept together, I thought he would grow more distant, decide he didn’t want me anymore. The way I caught him stealing glances at me every few seconds and when he grabbed my hand, I knew I was wrong.
Stop worrying, I told myself. You’re turning 17 in a few days, you can make your own decisions. Harry’s a great guy, don’t push him away because of your stupid insecurities.
“Awww,” I heard Zayn say. “Look at them.”
Everyone’s gaze fell on Harry and me. There were smiles around the group. I looked at Niall to see if I could tell what he was thinking. His smile told me all I needed to know. He was happy I wasn’t letting it get to me. He was happy I was dealing with it. He was proud.
“You are such a cute couple,” Tess said.
I smiled at her words. I looked up at Harry, whose green eyes were soft and caring.
“I know,” I heard myself say. A warm smile crossed his lips and he planted a kiss on my cheek.
This was definitely not a mistake. Or, not yet.
When we had gone through the entire bus, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. I knew I would feel a lot better once I got whatever Tess had dumped on me out of my hair.
*Aleanbh’s POV*
The whole time the boys were showing us around the bus, Chloe seemed distracted. I’m not sure if it was because she was tired, because she didn’t care about the tour, or if something was bothering her.
I decided to leave it alone. It was none of my business. After the boys were finished with their little tour of the bus, all of us except Chloe went to the kitchen for some breakfast.
“I’ll cook,” Harry offered. “What does everyone want?”
“Pancakes!” Zayn answered. Everyone agreed with him and Harry got to work making us all pancakes. We all slid into the booth and chatted a little.
Chloe came into the room about 5 minutes later with her hair damp from taking a shower. She wore some loose pajama pants and a tank top.
“Come sit down, Harry’s making us pancakes,” I said, patting the spot next to me for her to sit down.
She nodded and took the seat, her mind seeming to be somewhere else.
“Are you okay?” I asked quietly so none of the boys or Tess could hear.
She sighed and nodded. “Just a lot on my mind right now. I’ve never really lived on a bus before,” she answered. It seemed like a pretty reasonable answer to me so I let it go.
“Pancakes are done,” Harry said, bringing a platter piled high with pancakes over to the table. He threw his apron onto the counter and grabbed 8 plates. He sat on the end next to Chloe and dished them both out some breakfast.
“Thanks, Harry,” Louis said right before he took a bite.
“No problem.”
Everyone ate quietly and quickly, no one wanting to be in the cramped space any longer than necessary.
“How’s everyone doing?” Paul asked, coming in from the front.
“Good,” Niall mumbled through a mouth full of pancakes.
“I see you’ve all got a pretty big appetite,” he commented.
We all nodded and finished our breakfast. When we were finished, Niall and Louis went to talk to Paul and the rest of us went back to the bunks. Instead of sitting on the beds, we sat in a circle on the floor between them.
“Have you been on tour with the boys before?” Tess asked me.
I shook my head. “This is the first time I’ve even been on the bus,” I admitted. “I wanted to finish school before getting myself into something I would need to force myself away from.”
She nodded in understanding and turned to Liam. “You take good care of her,” she ordered.
“Don’t worry,” he said with a chuckle, “I will.”
*Harry’s POV*
I watched Chloe out of the corner of my eye all through breakfast and I knew she was having second thoughts. Even when we were finished and all went to sit by the bunks she was keeping to herself.
While Tess was talking to Aleanbh and Liam, I took Chloe’s hand in my own and gave it a squeeze. She looked at me with a sad smile and lay her head on my shoulder.
Maybe she’s just uncomfortable, I thought.
I rested my arm across her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.
“Awww,” Zayn gushed from across the circle. “Look at them.”
His comment caused everyone to look our way and smile.
“You are such a cute couple,” Tess added.
Chloe picked her head up off my shoulder and looked at me. “I know,” she said softly.
I felt a smile spread across my face at her words. She was most definitely not having second thoughts.
*Chloe’s POV*
I have to admit, after Harry and I slept together, I thought he would grow more distant, decide he didn’t want me anymore. The way I caught him stealing glances at me every few seconds and when he grabbed my hand, I knew I was wrong.
Stop worrying, I told myself. You’re turning 17 in a few days, you can make your own decisions. Harry’s a great guy, don’t push him away because of your stupid insecurities.
“Awww,” I heard Zayn say. “Look at them.”
Everyone’s gaze fell on Harry and me. There were smiles around the group. I looked at Niall to see if I could tell what he was thinking. His smile told me all I needed to know. He was happy I wasn’t letting it get to me. He was happy I was dealing with it. He was proud.
“You are such a cute couple,” Tess said.
I smiled at her words. I looked up at Harry, whose green eyes were soft and caring.
“I know,” I heard myself say. A warm smile crossed his lips and he planted a kiss on my cheek.
This was definitely not a mistake. Or, not yet.
6/16/13