Daytona Baby [N.H]

41

Olivia Campbell

It's been hours since everybody left and I've been too restless to do anything but wander around the empty penthouse. The guys went to work, Nova had to go to the arena, and Aven wasn't here either. You'd think after being stuck with them all on a tour bus every other day, going everywhere with them, and sharing a living space that I'd be relieved to be left alone.

But I've only been left with my thoughts. And sometimes that's worse.

I tried anything I could think of to distract myself from the intruding worries of what kind of trouble the guys are getting into right now. I unpacked, folded, and re-packed everything in my bag, spent half an hour trying to hold a handstand for longer than two seconds, paced every inch of this apartment, ate quite a few croissants, stood on the patio watching tourists on the strip and entertained myself with dropping grapes on them from way up here.

Now I've found a somewhat comfortable position hanging upside down off the couch letting the blood rush to my head. Letting my mind run in circles with no real destination. Letting my anxieties get the best of me.

The fact that Liam even felt the need to tell me to stay here must mean something. If it didn't concern me at all, he wouldn't have brought it up, right? What's different now where I need to stay hidden here, but last week there wasn't a sign of danger?

I sighed heavily, my chest tight due to my inverted position and partially due to the questions eating away at me. Maybe I just need to remind myself that they've been doing this for however long now, so they must know what they're doing. They don't need me to worry, they can manage themselves.

It was so much easier to be blissfully ignorant when I didn't care.

I checked the time again and it's been almost five hours since they left. Every tick of the clock had me starting to worry a little bit more. My gut flipped as the question crossed my mind:

What if they don't come home?

If I lost Liam I might as well wander aimlessly through the streets for the rest of my life. I wouldn't even know where to start to get back on track. He's been the most reliable constant in my life for a long time, even more so now with us getting closer again on tour. Losing him would be an irreplaceable loss.

And Niall...I just know I'd be crushed. That's not a secret anymore. I'd be fucking miserable. I got a glimpse already of how that would feel after what happened in Denver. The time I've had with him, overall, has been such an incredible high—to fall from up here would put me at my absolute lowest.

It's a terrifying thing, realizing how much you need someone. Especially when you've grown used to not needing anyone at all.

The sound of the door handle turning had me jumping up so fast I got a head rush and almost needed to sit down again. But the weight of my worries lifted from my shoulders seeing them all walk through that door.

To say I was relieved would be an understatement.

I quickly acted as though I was already getting up, grabbing my bowl of the last few grapes and bringing it to the kitchen. I'd barely set it on the counter when Niall rushed straight for me and picked me up.

"Hey—Niall!" I squealed in surprise, laughing while he took me away, up the stairs and towards our room.

He put me down on the end of our bed, wasting no time as he leaned down to kiss me hard. I think we both held onto the kiss a moment longer than usual, breathing each other in like we've been deprived too long. Only when he pulled back slightly did I see the fresh cuts on his face. And the mirage of safety and happiness faded like it was never there.