Lights (Niall Horan)

thirty-five

Anna Holden

There are fifteen unopened messages on the iPhone 5S Niall bought for me, nearly two hundred on his own.

But we don't pay attention to any of them as we sit around the campfire with everyone else, singing songs and telling stories.

More like off-tune songs and horribly embarrassing tales.

And not to mention the awkward tension still growing between some of us.

Louis and Eleanor are still not speaking, sitting on both sides of, ironically, Harry. Harry himself is joyous, usually being the one to begin the chorus of some terrible tune.

Niall and I sit together on a collapsible chair, me stationed diagonally across his sturdy lap. He has to use my own lap as a storage place for his food, but I don't mind.

"A toast," grins Liam, lifting his Corona, and the rest follow his example. "To Anna's birthday, the memories we share from this summer, all the wonderful people we met on tour, and the future to come."

"Well said," Harry muses, smirking, "I'd like to give a toast to Anna, happy birthday, the random memories we collected over the summer, and the crazily fantastic times we will have in the future."

His statement deserves the eye-roll from Liam.

"Both One Direction and Little Mix's success," Zayn adds and squeezes Perrie's hand.

"For Zayn and the rest of you cheeky lot." Perrie smiles, squeezing back.

"For Anna, and the band, because I honestly don't know what I'd do without you all." Niall confesses.

"AWWW!" Zayn and Perrie cut in.

"For One Direction, because I don't know what the world and myself would be like without you?" I offer, and they chuckle appreciatively. "No, but really. I love you all to death."

More cheeky grins.

"For everyone, because you are my life now." Louis says dully.

"We feel so appreciated, Lou." Harry snickers.

"Beautiful. Eleanor, anything to add?" Liam asks rather gently.

"For the past, present, and future, because my life is officially altered." Eleanor says quietly.

"Amen." Zayn says, causing us all to stare at him quizzically. "What? Because I'm Muslim means I don't pray? Really, lads?"

"I-I guess so." Louis cracks a smile.

I glance around at everyone, examining my surroundings and thinking about how fortunate I am. Almost all of us are clothed with some sort of winter gear, basking in the warmth of the fire.

So this is what the personal life of One Direction is life.

Mystery = Solved.

But there is so much more I would like to uncover, when the time comes.

"Last time we were here, 3/5 of us were single," beams Liam, "And here we are now, and none of us are."

"None?" Louis and I ask at the same time.

"Yeah, didn't Harry tell you? He met a girl at the pub the other day."

Ohhh.

"No, I meant you." Louis narrows his green eyes at Liam suspiciously.

"Oh! Well, while I was home, one of my old friends from Wolverhampton came over, and... It just sort of happened." Liam beams. "Her name is Sophia Smith."