it's not living if it's not with you | harry lewis/wroetoshaw

chapter eleven

15th December

Somehow, Stella had been able to force herself out of bed to get ready for the trip at one in the morning. It was most likely due to the fact that she couldn't really sleep anyway, nervous or excited for the trip, but also because she kept wondering whatever she did wrong to make Harry become so distant with her. She had tried to speak to him every so often, but he was either blunt or incredibly awkward. It was like being back at square one, like the two didn't even know each other.

This was probably at a shitty time, considering the two would be in a house together for the entire trip, for almost a week. Stella put on her clothes absentmindedly, slipping into comfortable clothes for the airport and the plane journey. Stella splashed cold water onto her face, trying to stay awake for the time being and relying on being able to go to sleep on the plane. Until then, she had to try and stay awake until Talia picked her up.

Stella got a text from Talia, signaling that she was waiting in the car outside her building. Quickly, Stella laced up her shoes and grabbed her bags to hurry down to the ground floor. Standing in the doorway of her building, Stella spotted Talia's car door opening as the girl hurried out in the light rain and darkness, helping Stella pack her bags into the boot.

"Morning sleeping beauty." Stella chuckled, closing the car door behind her as she slipped into the passenger seat.

"Don't remind me," Talia replied, clicking her seatbelt into place. "I've been deprived of enough sleep."

Soon enough, Talia and Stella arrived at the airport, hastily pulling their suitcases and bags out of the boot. The girls spotted a select few of the group stood outside the airport, checking that everyone would be there in time.

"Morning, you two." JJ chuckled tiredly, shielding his face from the light patter of rain.

"Morning, JJ." Stella replied, sidling up to him to get as much warmth from anyone that she could.

JJ looked down at her, a small smirk on his face. "Not trying to hide again, are you." He teased, earning a loud laugh from Simon.

"Shut up."

In enough time, the whole group was there. Cal wasn't lying when he said there was enough of them there, because there was roughly twenty of them in total.

After the large group had walked into the airport, they checked their bags in and did all of the boring things before getting into the shops area of the airport.

As several of them decided that they wanted to go into a few different shops, Stella was left browsing with a few of the others still there. Freya and Talia were debating going into one of the perfume shops, as Simon, Josh and Tobi scrolled through their phones, discussing something random. Stella's detached mood must have shown as JJ threw an arm around her shoulder.

"What's up? You not excited?" JJ asked, wearing sunglasses, despite being inside and going on a winter trip.

"No, I am," She insisted, as the two strolled past some of the shops. "I'm just a bit tired, I guess."

"You can sleep on the plane." He advised, shaking her shoulder slightly, trying to cheer her up. "Do you know who you're sat next to?"

Shit. Stella hoped that she wasn't going to be sat next to Harry, to avoid all awkward interactions.

Judging by her expression, JJ continued. "We can check each other's ticket later, come on."

JJ then dragged her into the nearest shop, saying that he wanted to look for a new aftershave or something like that. Stella followed behind JJ, looking absently at the different perfume displays herself.