Collision Course

The large table in Niall’s place was full of food he had ordered take out. Unable to decide what he wanted, there was quite a variety of food. Indian, of course, was the main dishes, but there were also pizza, some Chinese and even French fries to top it off. Everything I had been craving for the past few days and more. Finding myself one of the last people to the table, there were only three seats left. Carefully, I weighed by choices and ended up sitting near the foot of the table next to Zayn and across the way from Liam.

“Seriously, Harry. She has apologized profusely. You have been pining over her all week. Can you just please make up already?” Louis said, sick of hearing Harry moan about being a little butt hurt.

“Let him be Lou.” Eleanor said from his side, placing a tender and perfectly manicured hand on Louis’ arm. “He has his own way of dealing with things. Unlike you, he does not make a joke out of every situation.” Eleanor was calming to not only Louis but to the whole room. What had been a loud rumble of tension became inaudible.

“Can you pass the Lou Mein?” Niall asked with a mouth full of Indian food, already digging into the food set before him.

“Here” Harry almost threw it across the table to him.

Taking my time to soak in my surroundings, I noticed that the walls were a shade of light blue with white trim. His wood floors were dark, but the table we were all sitting at was made of light, reclaimed wood. With everyone sitting around the table, there was still plenty of room, even if there were a grand total of eleven people.

“Hey Niall?” I yelled down the table.

“Yes Love?” He replied in his normal cheery Irish accent.

“Why is there an empty seat?” I asked.

“Ed will be here in a few.” He replied.

Ed, Ed who? I wondered as I began to serve myself food. Everyone had already served their selves, so my pickings were a little slim in Niall’s mind. However I was able to serve Thanksgiving sized portions of food from every dish I wanted.

It was not until I had served myself did I realize I did not have a fork with which to eat the food with. “Any one has an extra fork?” I asked as loud as was necessary for everyone to hear me over the din of dinner. All of the boys with the exception of Zayn and Liam looked up at me with a sneaky expression. All of a sudden, seven forks came flying my way having been thrown at me by the boys and a few of their guests with the accompanying “Here”’s.

Instinctively, I stood up as I saw the forks being tossed at Allie. Her hands had gone up in a reflex to protect herself. Slightly upset rather then angry, I yelled. “Stop this! She is fragile.” I said, unthinking about the words that flowed through my open mouth.

Allie shot me a death glance, as if to say that I should not make a big deal about it, prompting me to sit down. Instead, I went over to her, kissed her on the head, and gathered up the forks that had just been thrown at her. “I thought we had all decided to welcome Allie into our ranks gently.”

“Rewind there a bit, Liam. What do you mean she is fragile?” Lou asked looking at both of us under a microscope.

“Nothing.” Allie said, a little too quickly and possibly too defensive.

“Spill.” Meg said, knowing that something was up. “I knew something was up when you had me come, so stop stalling and tell us what is up.”

“You heard the girl, tell us what is up.” Harry said, taking Meg’s side more to look good for her rather then wanting to know what was going on.

“So much for waiting for the end of dinner.” Allie said quietly to me, looking up from the table.

Leaning slightly on Allie’s chair, and resting on hand protectively on her shoulder, I began. “We have something we want to tell you all.”

“You’re getting married!” Niall blurted out, adding for the first time to this conversation.

Allie laughed and Zayn spat at him “Shut up mate, let the man talk.”

“Not that, no. We are not getting married. However we do have big news. Allie and me are going to have a baby.” I said, excited to announce the news, but scared whittles to the responses I knew were brewing.

Allie’s hand grabbed mine and pulled me closer, holding me as a safety blanket. It felt like it took ages for anything to happen. Everyone was moving in slow motion. Meg’s face was one of pure shock, yet most everyone else’s slowly upturned into a smile.

The world went back to normal speed and Niall jumped up out of his seat causing the chair to topple backwards. “Daddy Directioners!” He yelled as he ran open arms at me, barreling me over backwards, almost knocking me to the floor.

Out of the corner of my eye as I continued to hold Niall up, I saw Zayn cup Allie’s face, smile on his face. He kissed her on the cheek before pulling her into a hug. Clearly he whispered something to her, but with all the other noise, I could not hear it.

Everyone forgot about the food momentarily. Niall was in Liam’s arms, with the two of them nearly on the floor. Everyone was getting up in order to come congratulate us. Before the hoopla became too overwhelming Zayn look my face in his hand, cupping it gently. Looking me in the eyes, he first kissed me on the cheek before pulling me into a tight hug. With his mouth next to my ear, he quietly whispered, “Take care of him. Take care of both of them.” Although it was small, it was the most affection I had seen from Zayn and I realized that we were now friends. He was someone that I was going to be able to count on from now on.

Pulling me out of Zayn’s embrace, Lou pulled me out of my chair and had me in the air as he hugged me a tight bear hug. “I’m going to be an uncle.” He proclaimed as he spun me around, almost kicking multiple people in the process.

“Put her down.” Meg commanded from behind us somewhere.

“Megs.” I said as I regained my equilibrium. From the look on her face I feared the worst.

“I can not believe you didn’t tell me before all of these dorks.” She said. The façade of someone upset fell off her.

“We just found out ourselves.” I said.

Every one in the room, even those I barley knew, gave Liam and me a hug. Congratulating us on out good news. Harry had me in a tight embrace when an unfamiliar voice behind me said, “Looks like I am missing all the fun.”

Not skipping a beat, Liam went strait up to the stranger and the two hugged. He looked strangely familiar, like I face I had passed by on the streets. Red curly hair sat atop his head, disheveled like he had just rolled out of bed. All of his clothes seamed well-worn including the torn sneakers adorning his feet. An army green shirt helped to make his hair pop, but it was his sleeves of tattoos that attracted me. Both arms were full of colorful artwork and he was a walking peace of art.

“You did miss it, Ed. Daddy Directioner is really going to be Daddy Directioner.” Harry said as he too hugged Ed.

“Congrats Liam! And this must be the girlfriend then.” He said as he approached me, hand held out to shake mine. I placed my hand in his but instead of the expected shake, he brought it to his lips for a soft kiss. “I’m Harry’s best mate Ed Sheeran.”

“It’s good to meet you Ed. I am Allie Halloway.” I exclaimed, realizing that I knew him from my iPhone and the picture that came up every time one of his songs came on.

It took a few minutes for everyone to calm down and make it back to the table full of now cold food. Ed took the last of the twelve oversized chairs surrounding the table. It did not take long for the laughter and boisterous talk to continue around the table. Meg and Harry, who were sitting next to each other, were deep in a conversation. If I knew either of them half as well as I thought I did, they would be excusing themselves from the table early and leaving together.

Liam had settled into conversation with Hektor, their choreographer. He seemed to be enjoying the wide spread of food Niall had offered, the very food that he was criticizing to Liam as he at it. Apparently he did not think it was good for the boys to be eating all this processed and greasy food when he expected them to be functioning on all cylinders the following morning as he gave them a workout.

Zayn had apologized profusely as he excused himself to answer a phone call from his mother. Seeing the seat empty, Ed took his plate and moved into the empty seat next to me.

“So, Allie, how is it you have so enamored Liam and captured not only his heart, but the heart of everyone’s?” Ed asked.

“That is a very good question. Maybe you should ask Liam or one of the boys. They could probably answer it better for you.” I said, taking a sip of water. I was a little awestruck with Ed since I actually knew who he was.

“Then we will skip that one. Harry has told me a bit about you, about how you are American and working or studying or something along those lines here. How are you finding the UK?” He asked.

“I am loving it here. Oddly enough, I much prefer the drizzly London weather to what I have back home.” I said.

“Where is back home? I have spent quite an extensive time in the states with my music.” He said.

“Yeah, I know. My brother is a big fan and he got me into your music a few years back.” I said.

“You guys are a fan, did you ever see me play?” He asked, not being cocky but authentically curious.

“Unfortunately I was unable to see you. Last year you played a show in DC. I had planned on going but I ended up becoming quite sick so I had to give my ticket to my brother’s girlfriend.” I said.

“So then you are from DC?” he asked.

“No, I went to Georgetown there. I am from a little Podunk town in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. You have never heard of it.” I said.

“Georgetown, that is pretty prestigious isn’t it?” He asked.

“Yeah. It is quite hard to get into and it cost an arm and a leg. But it was worth it.” I said, excited to be talking with someone who was genuinely curious and wanted to have a conversation.

“I never was one for school, but good for you.” He said.

“Then you and me are quite the opposite. I will be in school for the rest of my life seeing as I will be doing research for a living.” I said.

“Researching what?”

“Medieval history. I am Medievalist.” I said.

“Well that is a new one. But sounds quite interesting.” He said.

“Sorry, I am boring you. What about you? What are you doing in London?” I asked.

“Well I have moved back for now. Actually, I came back because I was asked too. Which reminds me, I have an announcement too.” Ed said. He stood up an used a booming voice to get everyone’s attention. “Alright guys, I used Niall to lure you all hear under false pretenses. You all should hear this from me first. You are looking at your opening act for the tour!” Ed exclaimed.

A round of hoops and hollers once again filled the dining room. Obviously excited, all five of the boys hugged Ed and welcomed him to their crew.