Everything in Between

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

I waited at the gate, silently counting down the minutes until I would see them. Their flight landed at around 4:30 in the morning, partly because of the time differences and partly to avoid swarms of fans.

"Cassidy!" I looked up to find Liam smiling from ear to ear as he came towards me.

"Liam!" He gave me a tight squeeze and even went as far to spin me around in a circle.

"I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too! Hopefully Zayn didn't beat you up too bad?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle. He likes to think he's a lot stronger than he actually is."

"I heard that, you twat." I looked over his shoulder to see Zayn looking pissed off, although I could see a hint of a smirk threatening to take over his tan face.

I chuckled. "It's nice to see you too, Malik. What, no hug?"

"No, you're twenty. You're too old for hugs."

"Shut up, nobody ever said there was an age limit," I mumbled into his shoulder as his arms engulfed my tiny body. "Any progress with that girl while you were away?"

A smile took over his face. "A little bit, not much, but a little bit. Listen, I'd talk to you longer but Harry's giving me the death stare so I better pass you on to him."

I stepped away from Zayn and turned to Harry who already had his arms open and waiting. "And how are you, Harold?"

"Watch yourself, Sassy. It's practically five in the morning and I don't have time for your shit."

"Really?" I quirked up my eyebrow. Tired Harry made Pissy Harry and Pissy Harry just made him all the more funny. "Last I heard you were supposed to be marrying a lesbian. Care to explain that one?"

He groaned causing a bubble of laughter to escape my lips. "Why'd you have to bring that up? We had gone almost twelve hours without anyone saying anything and now, I get home and you of all people mention it. Do you know how long it took to convince people that that rumor was actually only a rumor? How'd you hear about it, anyways?"

"Your lovely boy, Niall, over there sent me a letter."

Harry pouted. "Of course he did. Hugging you doesn't seem all that appealing anymore considering you've traded over to the Irish view of life. Go hug him. Besides, he looks like he could use it more than me."

Rolling my eyes, I walked up to Niall and pulled him into a hug without him realizing it was me. He made a small 'oof' noise from the surprise force but his arms encircled me all the same.

"I barely even recognized that as you, Sassy."

"How are you feeling, Niall?" I searched his eyes, and although they seemed bluer than the last time I had seen them over Skype, I could still see the hint of sadness behind them.

"Better," I saw a genuine smile appear on his face, "but we can talk about it later. You were greatly missed, and it would seem by some more than others." He smirked and headed off towards the other three lads, leaving me face to face with the boy who had been constantly on my mind for the last three months.

"Cassie," he breathed out slowly before pulling me into a warm embrace. "I missed you so much," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear.

I leaned back as he held me out at an arms' length. "You look . . . different. Twenty has changed you."

"In a good way, I hope."

"In the best way possible."

For a while we just stared into each other's eyes. I was memorizing the way the soft colours mixed in with one another, the way the blue slowly turned into green, when Niall's rough voice brought me out of my hypnotic trance.