All Hidden Away

I couldn’t hold back the sob that slipped through my lips. I don’t really understand why I was crying so badly, but the silence on the other end of the line absolutely didn’t help.
“Tasha… you do realise that is any eighteen year olds dream right?” he asks uncertainly. I sniff and smile.
“I guess you meant girl?” I ask wiping at my eyes.
“NO! Jesus Fuck! If I had to date him I’d be… actually you’re too innocent to know what I would be doing right now…” he laughs and makes me smile harder.
“Shove off asshole.” I say sniffing while tears still roll down my face.
“But seriously… why are you so upset by this? Is it that bad?” he asks for clarification while I flop over on my bed and hang my off the end.
“I don’t know. I mean he’s such a nice guy and like, he’s not exactly ugly-” I hear him scoff on the other end. “But… it’s just…”
“He’s the first guy you’ve dated other than Peirce…” he says understanding immediately what I was going to say.
“I don’t want to fall for my brother’s friend, Stu… it’ll just make everything so fucking awkward.”
“But why is Simon making you date him?” he asks as I hear people coming up the stairs and thankfully walk past my room.
“I don’t really get it, but it was Luke and the 5sos guys’ idea for it to be him. He basically offered himself up for the terrible job.” I say thinking what if I had to date Niall, Liam or Louis.
“Hey… don’t talk about my awesome best friend like that. You know she’s amazeballs.” He chides. I smile. “but seriously… just think about it as something fun to do while on tour while Jar and I are stuck here learning stupid fucking things for careers we don’t want to really be in.”
“How is Jared?” I ask remember I needed to text him sometime.
“Uhm… hold on two seconds.” I hear him get up and walk around before hearing a door slam closed.
“Stu?” I ask sitting up with a frown.
“OH MY GOD NATASHA! You don’t even understand! Right so the other day we were having some fun, drinking and what not… and uhmm…” he goes silent.
“Stuart… tell me right now what happened.” I say sitting up really straight.
“Well uh… I don’t usually kiss and tell but-” he says coyly.
“Oh my god!” I exclaim covering my mouth with my hand in surprise.
“I KNOW RIGHT! And unh…. We kinda have a date tomorrow night… he’s cooking me supper!” he says squealing like a little girl. I smile and congratulate him.
“You have to call me and tell me everything!” I say, so excited for my two best friends. “I can always send him Lou’s ‘Chicken stuffed with mozzarella wrapped in Parma ham with a side of homemade mash’ recipe. That seemed to work well for him.” I say smiling fondly.
“Oh my god! NO! That is their meal. No way’s he can replicate that shit!” he says faking his anger…I think. I smile and shake my head.
“But seriously, let me know how it goes…” I yawn and check the time. “Come visit sometime. I need to be around not famous people for a bit…”
“Shut up, you are living my dream life.” He says so sassy I can hear the eye roll.
“Okay, well yeah… You tots need to like, come visit my new bae and like see us togets and shit.” I say imitating an annoying American girl from those TV shows. He laughs.
“Anyway, it’s getting late and unlike you I have a dawny tomorrow.”
“God I do not miss 7 am lectures.” I say smiling.
“Shut up! Love you…” he says before hanging up. I stand up and shake my head before reaching for my sketch pad and pencils. I pull out my earphone and start playing some music, sufficiently blocking out the world for an hour or two while I sketch a girl with her hair in a bun and her back turned to the viewer. About half way through, Always by Blink – 182 came on and suddenly I was drawing something completely different. I rip out the old sketch and begin on a new page. I wonder if Harry or Lou would take me to a tattoo parlour? I wonder as I finish the perfect (if I do say so myself) sketch I now want just below my left boob on my ribcage. I smile and check my phone for the time. How is it already two in the morning?! I pause my music and take out the earbuds before pulling myself out of the chair and downstairs to where I hear voices talking.
“Hey, I thought you went to bed?” asks Ashton who basically walks into me while I come down the stairs. I smile back at the dimpled giggler.
“Couldn’t sleep so I started to sketch… is Hazza or Lou still in there?” he smiles and nods his head before pulling me into a hug.
“I’m sorry for earlier… for everything. I hope you don’t hate us for it.” He says seriously. I pull back and look at him.
“You guys are already family. Really, it’s no problem. If I had to date someone, Im glad it was one of you guys.” I say honestly. His smile grows, now covering his whole face.
“Can I tell Luke that you said that? He still feels kinda bad.” I nod my head and wish him goodnight before walking into the living room to see Mike and Calum chatting to Niall about something they were laughing about and to see Lou and Haz having a sort of serious looking conversation. I stand in the door way a few moments before seeing Harry smile at Lou and taking that as a sign enough to go chat to them.

“Hey! Thought you were asleep?” asks Cal with a smile. I shake my head.
“Was just doodling…” I go and sit on the floor in front of Lou.
“You okay?” asks Harry gently while Lou starts playing with my hair. I nod and smile.
“Jared and Stu hooked up.” I say making my smile grow.
“Fuck…” says Lou frowning. I quickly turn with a scowl on my face before I see him pulling out his wallet and handing Harry a 20.
“I called it.” He said smiling while pocketing the cash. I roll my eyes.
“But seriously, that’s awesome. He deserves a good guy.” He says smiling down at me. “You sure you okay?” he asks frowning. I nod and smile.
“Yeah… I uhm, was just wondering if there was a good tattoo place around here?” I say as Harry frowns and Louis smiles.
“Is there?” asks Cal putting their conversation on hold as he looks at me with a big smile. “I didn’t realise you had ink?” he asks. I nod and laugh.
“I’d hardly call it ink though. It’s more like “hey that looks cool I want that here!” I say pointing to my forehead jokingly. He laughs and shakes his head.
“I’d take you.” He offers. I turn to see Harry shaking his head.
“No you won’t! She’s my sister and I’ll take her.” He says sternly. Louis chides him and gently places a hand on his knee.
“We can all go.” He says trying to not make Harry seem like the overprotective douche he can sometimes be. Mike stands and come to sit down next to me.
“What are some of the ones you got?” he asks smiling. I show him the small dot and the “Little Things” I have on my ribs.
“Whoa… cool! I like the dot!” he says getting excited and showing me some of his tattoos.
“Tasha?” asks Niall cautiously. I turn to him and he continues. “I thought you said you had three tattoos the other night?” I automatically blush thinking of the tattoo I didn’t tell the guys about.
“Oh my god! It is a tramp stamp!” screams Harry in horror.
“NO it isn’t! I just… its…”
“It’s in a dirty place isn’t it?” teases Mikey. I shake my head and glare at him.
“No, it’s not. I just. It’s hard to explain without sounding too deep.” I say looking down.
“Deep ones are easier to explain than stupid ones. Ask Louis, he should know.” Offers Cal with a gently smile. Lou hits him on the side of his head. I laugh and look up, meet Cal’s gaze and nod before pulling down the strap on my left shoulder. I hear Harry gasp as they see the beautiful but small design on my shoulder blade. I smile at the memory of getting it done.
“It’s gorgeous Tasha!” says Niall gently reaching out to touch it. I smile in thanks before I start pulling up my sleeve again.
“Wait! I want Ash to see this!” screams Mikey before running upstairs. Calling for him and Luke to come see. Harry was very quiet and I turned to see his face. A huge smile was plastered across it. I knew he would know what it was.
“Is that…” I slowly nod and smile. I should have shown him this one first.
“Your tree?” asks Lou quietly. We both nod and smile more and Luke and Ash come back with Cal.
“- it’s just so awesome! This girl has some really decent ink, guys. Check it out! And tomorrow we going to get another one… right?” he asks me. I nod slowly and smile showing them the beautiful tree I have that always reminds me my brother will always be there to support me and love me.
“Can we come? We love seeing Cal cry while he gets a new tat.” Says Luke smiling. I laugh and pull my strap back over my shoulder.
“Why do you cry, Cal?” I ask turning to look at him. He looks at me like im crazy.
“Uh, because it’s fucking painful?” Mike shouts and I smile.
“MICHAEL YOU ARE SHOUTING!” screams Ashton causing me to smile and shake my head. There will never be a quiet, peaceful moment with this lot.
“Do you really think it’s that painful though?” I ask frowning at him. His mouth drops open and Ashton even turns to look at me. “No, im not saying you can’t feel it… it’s just… I didn’t think it was that bad?” I try to explain. I hear Louis chuckle from behind me. Luke turns to Harry.
“Is she okay? Like in the head I mean…” he says smiling but frowning at the same time.
Harry laughs, “I’ve been wondering the same thing for a while…” I turn round and give him a middle finger. “She broke her arm once and wouldn’t see a doctor so she went and hid in our secret hiding place. And when I asked her what was wrong she showed me her arm and it was fucking disgusting! Like the bone was halfway through her skin and she was barely crying. It’s like you feel no pain!” he says smiling at me.
“That story is just a tad exaggerated though…” I say.
“Hardly! It’s like you’re not even human sometimes.” I roll my eyes.
“Asshole…” I mutter before standing. “So we can go tomorrow?” I ask him. He looks over at Lou and Cal before setting some rules.
“Claire would literally kill me if you were seen out with any of us without Luke being there… so if Lou, Mike, Cal and Luke take you id be fine with that. Does mum mind if you get more? She’s kinda told me to not get more.” He says laughing.
“Well she was fine with the first three… I’ll check in the morning.”
“Aren’t you curious as to what tattoo she’s getting?” asks Mike from behind me before I feel him pick me up and throw me over his shoulder upside down.
“MICHAEL!” I shout laughing at him. Harry laughs and shakes his head before turning to Lou to continue their conversation. Mike runs around a little bit before stopping in front of someone. I can’t sit up to see who but I can see a pair of black converse and black skinny jeans… Great! That makes it so obvious to who it is!
“How ticklish are you?” I hear Ashton ask. I tense up.
“Don’t you dare!” I warn.
“Her feet are the worst.” I hear Niall and Lou say at the same time and then high five.
“I am not responsible for any injuries!” I scream as I feel someone start taking off my socks. I try kicking the hands away but it doesn’t help. I scream in laughter as they start tickling the souls of my feet. My legs going around in every direction.
“Lads. Its two in the morning. Shut the fuck up.” I hear Liam groggily say. Obviously we woke him up but he didn’t stop the boys from continuing to tickle me.
“I surrender!” I say in-between laughing. “Now put me down so I can get some sleep!” slowly Mike puts my feet back on the floor. Louis is practically wetting himself from laughter. He’s normally the one to tickle me. Liam looks halfasleep on the couch and everyone seems to be settling down for the night. I walk over to Harry and hug him good night before saying cheers to everyone. Tomorrow they can find out about the new tattoo.

Notes

Hey, hope everyone enjoyed it! Please vote and comment if you enjoyed it! xx L.