The Misfits

I walked back from class feeling ominous. My professor had just informed us that our final projects were going to be entered in the art show at the end of term, and we needed a minimum of ten pieces by then. I sighed and checked my phone only to receive a disappointment, Harry still hadn’t texted.

It had been nearly five days since I last heard from him. You knew this was going to happen Thalia. I mentally kicked myself for letting him get to me this way. We had talked everyday since he had left a month ago for tour, everyday except for this past week. I had begun to let myself believe that it could actually work. Silly, stupid Thalia.

As I headed upstairs I heard loud voices coming from inside our flat. Assuming Maeve just had some friends over, I didn’t think much of it. We usually always had people over since it was so close to the university. It was a tight squeeze with only two bedrooms, but we made it work. During our first week in the house we had found the drop down ladder that lead to the attic. A wall divided the space as though the owner had intended to turn it into additional rooms, but had given up. Maeve and I had set to work and turned the small area into two very small but separate spaces.

Stepping into the flat, I thought it had exploded from the sudden burst of noise. And a second later I was being tackled to the ground.

“THALIA!” After a moment I was able to breathe and I looked up to see One Direction staring at me.

"What...how...you're back!" I managed, a smile spreading across my face. "How was tour? You all look exhausted! Do you want something to eat?"

"We're alright love," Louis said with a laugh.

"I want food." Frowned Niall, but Harry ignored him and added, "How are you? How are classes?”

“They’re classes,” I shrugged, as they helped me up. Harry was still smiling at me, acting as if nothing was wrong. Don’t do it Thalia. Don’t make a scene. Be cool. I reminded myself as we headed over to the couch where the girls were sitting. I turned my attention to the girls. “Did you know they were coming?”

“No! I came home and there was a weird car sitting out front, when I walked by the doors open and these idiots jumped out!” Mackenzie cried out, her wild hand gestures adding to the story. “I thought I was being kidnapped!”

“Sorry for giving you a fright,” Laughed Liam. “We didn’t mean to!”

“Well, maybe a little,” Louis shrugged.

“What are those?” I frowned and turned to Harry who was pointing to our wall with a curious expression on his face. Of course he was admiring the room rather then paying attention to the conversation.

“It’s my gallery,” Maeve said, flipping her hair.

“Lookin’ good Tootles,” smirked Harry, motioning to Maeve’s favorite photo of me. Last year Maeve had made me help her out with portrait photos, and happened to catch me right when I was yawning. Much to my annoyance, she had it printed and it now hung on our wall.

“Shut it.” I said, sticking out my tongue at him. The boys all turned to look at the wall of photos.

They were mostly photos of our life in Birmingham. There was one of Hugh and I both eating out of a can of whipped cream, Mack and Jasper goofing around at the beach, and the younger kids playing in the yard. They were moments of everyday life that Maeve had captured and made special.

“How come there ain’t one o’ us?” asked Niall with a frown. “Aren’t we pretty enough?”

“No,” Maeve replied flatly as we all burst out laughing.

“Okay, when did you all get back?” I asked.

“Yesterday,” Harry replied, scratching his chin. God it was good to see his face. His hair was longer than ever and he had what looked like the beginning of a scruff growing on his chin. He turned to look at me with those bright green eyes looking happy, but exhausted. All five of them had bags under their eyes and looked as if they could pass out right then and there.

“We got in at…what seven in the morning?” Liam frowned.

“Yeah,” nodded Zayn. “Cause Perrie was mad that I was only awake for like three hours before I passed out…and then I didn’t wake up until this morning.”

“Aw how is Perrie?” I asked excitedly.

“She’s good. You’ll probably see here within the next few days actually.”

“How long are you guys here for?” Maeve frowned.

“Month?” Guessed Louis. “Maybe a little less than?”

“WHAT!” We all screamed.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Asked Mackenzie. I noticed her and Niall were sitting inches apart, both leaning in to be closer to the other.

“Because we wanted to surprise you!” They all laughed.

We continued to talk and joke around, sharing stories about our lives for the past month. The boys relayed their favorite tour moments and I nearly peed my pants at some of their hilarious stories. But they quickly turned the tables and interrogated us about what we had been up to.

Mackenzie told them about her first classes and a performance she was supposed to give as a final for her dance studio. Maeve informed the boys that she managed to get a boyfriend. Her and Nate had bonded over their hatred for Calhan and had been official for nearly two weeks – which was a big deal for Mae. When my turn came I told them about my classes and new job at the art center.

“Are you guys getting hungry?” Mackenzie asked after a few hours.

Maeve let out a gasp. "Oh my god. Can we get Chinese Pizza? Please, please, please! You guys have been promising me for a week!"

"Chinese Pizza?"

"That sounds fucking disgusting." Louis, along with a few of the other guys, wrinkled his nose.

"Fuck you it's amazing,” snapped Maeve.

"That shouldn't even be a thing!" Laughed Liam.

"Its not Chinese food on pizza dumb-asses. They just sell both."

"Then why do you call it Chinese Pizza? It gives a bad image."

I let out a laugh as Mackenzie added, "It's better than Cat Pizza."

"That's worse."

"She doesn't know the name so she calls it Chinese Pizza,” I giggled in response to their faces.

"So…can we stop talking about it and go eat it?" Maeve was already standing up with her bag around her shoulder. The boys shrugged and agreed.

"So why is Cat Pizza called Cat Pizza?" Harry asked as we stepped out the door.

"They put cat toppings on it. Catnip is good, but don't get hair ball,” I responded. Harry stopped walking at stared at me with a mixture of confusion and disgust. His face was priceless and I bust out laughing at his expression.

"Careful love," laughed Zayn, dropping back to join our conversation. "We all know how gullible Harry is."

"I am not!"

"Remember when I told you I was quitting the band on February 30th and you cried for an hour before you remembered there weren't 30 days in February?"

"Aww," I said with a giggle.

"That wasn't even-"

"Or that time we were walking and I said 'look there's a dead bird' and you looked up in the sky and said 'where?'"

I burst into a new fit of laughter, clutching my side in pain. Harry opened his mouth to protest but Louis beat him too it, "Way to go Harold you’re killing her!"

"Maybe she broke her funny bone.”

I lost it.

"Noooo," Louis groaned at Harry's pun.

"Thalia thought it was funny," Harry shrugged, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"It hurts!" Harry helped me up as I continued to grip my side.

"Pull yourself together Thal! Chinese Pizza is a refined establishment!" Maeve whispered at me as we stepped inside.

Chinese Pizza was a hole in the wall restaurant with a large bar and plastic tables and chairs. Passing by, you would never guess that this place was one of the best pizza parlors in London. Maeve and I had discovered it one night on our way back from Nate’s and have been obsessed with it ever since. We each placed our order and sat down on to wait for our food.

“So what are you guys going to do now that you’re home for a whole month?” Maeve had been drumming her fingers on the table and decided to make conversation.

“What ever we want,” sassed Louis. She shot him a playful glare, which he quickly mimicked. I rolled my eyes and felt Harry place his arm around the back of my chair.

“Do you all have class tomorrow?” He asked.

“No, but I work at five,” I responded. While Mackenzie nodded, “I have dance from noon to seven.”

“On a Friday?” Niall gaped. She nodded.

“Well if you don’t start until noon, that means you can still come out with us,” Smiled Liam.

“Out?” Maeve asked, curiously. “Where are we going?”

“Our friend Josh’s place.”

The girls and I exchanged looks and shrugged. “Sure.”

“As long as someone can get me back in the morning,” Mackenzie said, jumping up to grab the food. We all stood up and began making our way back to the apartment to eat, not wanting to risk being spotted by any fans.

“You alright?” Harry asked as we walked.

“Yeah I’m fine,” I lied easily. But he narrowed his eyes and threw his arm around my shoulders. I took in his intoxicating scent as he pulled me closer.

“Tootles…”

“It’s nothing,” I laughed, and quickly came up with a distraction. “I was just wondering why my father hadn’t called, that’s all.”

“Because we asked him not to,” he shrugged.

“Why?"

“Because we wanted to surprise you.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, he just made it home…” Harry held up his watch. “Five hours ago. He’s probably passed out.”

I let out a laugh and nodded in agreement. I had been a little annoyed my father hadn’t called, but even more so at Harry. Now, seeing him in person, I don’t blame him for not calling. They wrapped up a leg of their tour, flew halfway around the world, and were still fighting jet-leg. But hadn’t they still made sure to come and see her and her friends even after all of that?

After we ate, the boys told us more about the party we were going to tonight. Apparently this Josh character was throwing a big homecoming bash in honor of the boys being home, and we were all invited.

Once Elaine got back from work we all began running around the apartment in attempt to get ready while the boys made fun of us. Elaine had tried to convince us to let her wear pants but thanks to Maeve’s power of persuasion we convinced her to wear her white crop top and patterned skirt. Mackenzie wore a similar outfit but in pink, her long blonde locks making her look like a Disney princess. Maeve had her usual leather on leather, while I wore a short black dress and my favorite floral kimono.

“Finally!” cried Niall. “I think I aged ten years! Do ya see any gray hairs?”

“Yep,” nodded Mackenzie as he wrapped his arm around her. “But you’re pretty attractive for an old fart.”

“Where are Louis and Zayn?” I asked, as Harry took my hand and began leading me out of the flat.

“Picking up the girls,” he replied.

We got into the car and I paid little to no attention as to our destination, instead I talked and joked around with the others. When we arrived I followed Harry inside the large house, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. Did I mention how much I had missed him?

Notes