Water Under the Bridge ›› n.h. mature

Seventeen

Kate Marshall

"You ready for this?" Louis asked with a grin.

"Nope." I shouldered my duffel.

"That's the spirit!" He climbed onto the tour bus ahead of me.

I really don't feel ready. I'm insanely nervous and the first show is tomorrow night in Cardiff. It's not a long drive but they want us to have time to get settled in the hotel, which I really appreciate, so we're leaving a day early.

Basically I feel like I'm going to be a burden as we travel on the bus. I obviously don't have the type of status at the label for them to spring for a bus and everything for me. I'm on borrowed equipment, borrowed band members, and squeezed into the extra bunk on the boys' bus. They had an empty bed but still, I'm sure if it were up to them they'd prefer the additional space to having me crowding in with them.

Niall had already gotten on the bus right before Louis. He seems to be avoiding me and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't kind of doing the same thing. I'm just clueless about what to do! He's seemed so moody and mad at me ever since that night.

I climbed into a bunk that looked unclaimed and tried to stay out of the way. I didn't want to take up any of the limited common space.

I'd been lying there going through lyric after lyric and trying to memorize the order of my set. Which shouldn't be hard considering I'll only play for maybe 45 minutes. But I like to focus on what I can control to calm my nerves.

But it didn't take long before this plan to make myself scarce became very boring.

I decided to venture out to look for something to drink. It'll be really quick, I can stretch my legs, and then it shouldn't be much longer before we arrive.

My bare feet touched the floor — I need to get some slippers for this bus — and I looked in the direction of the mini-kitchen at the front of the bus.

"Listen, we don't bite!" I gasped at the voice from my other side and jumped up from the bunk nearly hitting my head. It was Harry. "Gah, you scare easily. You're welcome to hang out with us if you want."

"Thanks. Sorry, I'm just...out of it." My go-to vague non-answer answer.

"Niall and Louis and I are in the back there. I think Liam is taking a nap."

"Thank you. I'll come back."

I went to the mini fridge on the opposite end of the bus from where they are and looked for something to drink. I want a Dr. Pepper but should probably have a water to stay hydrated for the show tomorrow. My hand is shaking. It's a little bit from Harry making me jump but mostly from thinking about performing tomorrow.

I got some water then went to the back and took a seat a comfortable couple of feet from Louis. Niall looked at me from his spot between the two boys then his eyes met the floor.

"Are you guys excited?" I asked, unsure of what to talk about other than the tour.

"Thrilled," Louis said dryly. I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not.

"Yes," Harry said a lot more positively. "You've got to be excited though! It's your first time, right?" Why does he always sound like he's talking about a less appropriate thing than what he's actually talking about? Niall looked up at us.