Growing Apart

Simon

Harry has been driving for twenty minutes and he hasn't told me where we're going. I tried bribing the other boys to tell me where we were going, but they just took my money and stayed quiet. I even tried flirting with them but they just ended up flirting back. 

After about a twenty-five-minute drive we stop in a parking lot of a skating rink. I haven't been skating since I was a kid and Harry knows that. There aren't many cars that are in the lot, the only cars there are big black SUVs. I love these boys with all my heart but all I can think right now is that they're going to kill me.

Harry jumps out along with the rest of the boys, while they each grab a bag from the trunk. I hop out as well joining the boys at the front entrance to the building.

Once we step into the building, there are cameras flashing at us around every corner. 

I stop in my tracks, not used to having so many flashing lights around me. I can feel my heart rate start to rise and my stomach start to twist into knots. I look around trying to find the nearest bathroom. Nothing but a garbage can in a long hallway with windows at the end. That'll have to do. I bolt into the hallway and hunch over the garbage can waiting for my pancakes to come back up.

I guess Niall sensed that something was wrong and followed me out into the hallway without anybody noticing. He walked over to where I was standing and stood in front of me so I was looking at him. "You okay, Ash?" He looked at me with the kindest yet most worried eyes.

I pull up my index finger to say I needed a minute and in the minute, I hunched over the garbage vomiting all the food I ate in the last day. I bring my head out of the trash can and slide down the wall.

My mouth felt dry and my throat felt tight. Niall reaches into his bag and grabs a water bottle and hands it to me.

I hesitate to take a sip but I take it anyway. "There's j-just a lot of people," I say taking another sip of the water. "and let's just say I don't do good with... well... people." I saw with a chuckle.

He ducks his head into his chest and sighs. "I'll be right back."

Niall's pov

I walk into the main hallway and start jogging. The hall is still crowded with screaming people and flashing cameras. I make my way to where Simon is standing behind a video camera.

"What's going on, Niall?" Simon says, keeping his eye on the people.

"Get these people out of here," I say sternly. I don't like being stern, it makes me feel like I'm being rude but Ashley is freaking out because of these people that Simon brought here.

Simon looks at me dead straight in the eye and pauses, he almost looks deep in thought. "Fine, but the video cameras are staying," he says reluctantly.

"Thank you."

I jog back into the hallway and see Ashley still sitting on the floor, sipping on my water bottle that is now empty. 

I sit down on the other end of the hallway and this time I take out my phone and some headphones. I move forward while I plug the headphones in and put them over her ears. I scroll through my playlists and choose to play some Bon Jovi 'cause she seems like the type of girl that likes his music. 

Ashley leans back against the wall and soaks in the music. I can see that her breathing is slowing down and her eyes are slowly closing and she looks like she's going to fall asleep. 

I scooch beside her on the wall to make sure that if she does fall asleep, she won't fall and hit the floor. Once I get beside her, she rests her head on my shoulder. I wrap my left arm around her shoulder and run my hand up and down her arm trying to comfort her, I used to have anxiety attacks when there was a lot of noise and I always wanted somebody to comfort me.

Simon's pov

I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to get the people out of here but Niall told me to do something and that's never happened so it had to have been important. Which is why, after I instructed everybody out, I grabbed one of the cameramen by their shirt and followed Niall. I made the cameraman set the camera out around the corner so that they couldn't see us but we could see them. 

Niall and Ashley were sitting against the wall, Ashley was resting her head on his shoulder with headphones covering her ears. They stay quiet for a long time so that's going to have to get edited out.

Finally, after five minutes of uncomfortable silence, Niall says something. 

"You okay?" he asks turning his head to face her.

Ashley lifts her head and takes off the headphones and looks up at him. "Hm?"

"You okay?" 

Ashley sits up, adjusting herself on the floor and turning her head to face Niall. "It was just a lot. I don't like people, especially crowds," she takes a deep breath. "I have no idea how y'all do this."

Niall chuckles, "I don't know either. You get used to it though." Niall's facial expression changes, "If you ever need somebody to talk to, I'm always gonna be here."

"Thanks." Niall and Ashley pull each other in for a hug, Niall kissing Ashley on the head.

"Cut it," I whisper to the cameraman.

I walk around the corner and knock on the wall like it's a door. They let go of each other and look at me.

Ashley points to me, "Y-you're Simon Cowel."

Niall leans toward Ashley's ear and whispers something in her ear.

I walk toward them to introduce myself and I put out my hand for her to shake it. "Yes I am, and you must be the Ashley. Harry can't stop talking about you."

"All good things I hope," she says nervously.

"Of course. I was wondering if I could pull you aside for a moment and talk."

She looks over to Niall and he just shrugs his shoulder. "Uh, sure, I guess."

"Follow me, please."

As Ashley and I walked around the corner, I grabbed a cameraman's shirt and told him to start rolling. We walk through the hallways, up a couple of flights of stairs, and one more hallway. 

I pause in front of a big wooden door. "Ashley," I say as I open the door which revealed Harry, Louis, Liam, Zayn and Niall, "welcome to One Direction."

a/n: I don't know about you, but there was a lot to unpack in that chapter.

- Niall and Ashley are becoming close
- Simon is being sneaky as always
- And um, oh yea, Ashley is in One Direction now