With a Lack of Wanderlust

Harry could not decide what on earth he could tweet including my username, since nothing that funny had happened since he had last done so. I assured him he didn’t have to tweet anything immediately, just that I didn’t mind him letting their fans know who I was. He had still insisted though, and Louis somewhat hesitantly suggested we take a picture, to which Harry agreed happily. Soon, a photo of Louis kissing my cheek and Harry pouting beside us with the added text of “@Louis_Tomlinson and @IsabelleSanchez are making me feel like a third wheel ):” was added to twitter.

Now, I was lying down beside Louis attempting to fall into unconsciousness, my phone lighting up every five seconds. I turned to my other side with a groan and faced Niall, who had sneakily replaced Joy before we all decided to get to sleep. He was still awake, laughing at me.

“Just turn your phone off,” He said.

“My mom’s probably going to call in the morning to make sure I’m okay,” I answered, “If it’s off, she’ll get worried.”

“Then…turn off your replies.”

“How do I do that?” I grabbed my phone from behind me and looked to see that over 200 messages had come since I last looked at it. This was absolutely crazy. How popular were they?

Niall verbalized his uncertainty before his eyes no longer shined back at me in the light of my phone, him trying to fall asleep again. Still turned toward him, I began to actually read the messages that were coming nonstop as best as I could.

“@Louis_Tomlinson and @IsabelleSanchez are so cute! @Harry_Styles I’ll keep you company ;)”

“@IsabelleSanchez You’re so pretty, I’m jealous! Omg.”

“@IsabelleSanchez Louis is mine! You should know!”

I laughed at that and continued to scroll through the tweets, noticing one being repeated a few times:

“@IsabelleSanchez Do you like carrots? :P”

Confused, I decided to respond to the one I had just opened.

“@Larry_Stylinson What? No, actually, I don’t really…”

More texts kept coming and I was surprised I even had the chance to type a reply at the speed in which they were. After a moment, Louis turned and wrapped an arm around me. He hugged me tight and lifted his head from the crook of my neck to look at my phone. I had a text open from the girl who I had just replied to. ‘Prepare for Louis to break up with you then, lmao,’ it said.

“What’s that?” He asked, sounding defensive, “Are they being rude to you?”

“No, but it’s keeping me awake,” I yawned, letting out a light laugh, “What’s this carrot thing about?”

He pulled out his own phone before quickly explaining the Xfactor video diaries that he boys had done and how he claimed to ‘like girls who like carrots.’ He turned and showed me his phone, a message that he had just tweeted on it:

“Guys, Isabelle is trying to sleep. Please stop for tonight, she isn’t used to this. Also, @Larry_Stylinson I would never break up with her (:”

I smiled my thanks at him and his arm soon returned its place tightly around me. Almost instantly, I was calmly dozing off, not thinking of anything stressful for what seemed for the first time.

–

“C'mere,” Louis laughed, wrapping his arms around my stomach from behind and placing a kiss on my neck. We were on Liam's couch, and I'd just beaten Louis in a game of Mario Kart. He continued kissing me as I struggled to get away.

“No, stop it!” I giggled and continued to attempt to pull away from him.

“I'm not letting you get away! You cheater!” He began tickling me, but even over the sound of our laughter and my occasional squeal, we heard the doorbell ring. Louis didn't stop though, continuing to chuckle. My head was now in his lap as he kissed me upon the forehead. “Someone else will get it.” He said as I smiled up at him.

However, no one came down the stairs, even as the doorbell continued to ring dramatically. I was becoming annoyed, getting a head ache even, as this person who was at the door would not go away. “I'll get it,” I stood up. Louis grabbed my hand, but I continued to move forward, letting go eventually.

Opening the door with a smile on my face, my expectations were that it was most likely a fan, since the boys had told me stories of how fans tended to come to their houses when they knew they were there. However, it was not who I had expected. Not in the slightest. Yes, it was Valerie.

I swallowed the forming lump in my throat, looking back at Louis. But he wasn't there anymore.

“Ha, silly. You'd think he'd stay? Not likely.” She was leaning against the door frame and looking at her nails, chuckling lightly to herself. I stood watching her, and almost jumped when she looked up at me quickly. Valerie began backing me up, entering through the door.

“How did you even find me?” I mustered.

She merely continued to laugh. It was then that I noticed that she had a hand behind her back and an evil smirk was playing on her face. It was a look of her's I'd seen before...a look of revenge, “I have my ways.”

She continued to back me up until I was pushed toward the couch that Louis and I had just been on. I nearly fell backward, but threw my hand back to catch myself, “I-I don't think you should be here,” I let out, “They're all here. All five of them.”

“Oh sweetie, they won't save you,” She now looked as if she was talking to a five-year-old, “It's not like they actually...give a shit about you. If that's what you're thinking?”

Without responding, I made an attempt to escape, to scream, to run toward the kitchen and out the back door, but Valerie stopped me from moving, and my voice didn't seem to be able to work. “So that's how it's going to be, huh?” She shook her head at me and grabbed my wrist, surveying the damage she had already done, proudly. My breath sped up quickly, “Well good, I can end this once and for all.”

It was nearly at the speed of light that she pulled out the razor from behind her and trapped me on the couch. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same exact razor she had used on me back in L.A.

As quick as she had pulled it out, she held it up to my throat. “Say you're sorry!” She yelled, showing her anger now.

“For what?” I managed to let out. Considering the situation I was in, why wasn't I begging for mercy? I wouldn't be able to answer that if I tried.

Valerie continued to shake her head at me, before gouging the blade into my neck. I could feel the blood dripping quickly around myself before everything went cloudy. I was anxious now, much more than when I was only in danger. But I couldn't do anything; my world rapidly turned black.

–
“Isabelle, Isabelle wake up, you're scaring me!” Niall's somewhat childish voice rang in my ear, continuing to say my name over and over again. He shook me, my face being scratched against the rough carpet beneath me. I let out a moan, finally becoming aware of my surroundings.

When I sat up, it was still dark, and I could hear the sound of someone snoring loudly. My forehead was covered in sweat and as I felt it, I noticed my hair was most likely sticking up as well. I looked around me; Louis and Niall were staring, concerned.

“Are you okay?” Louis questioned, feeling my forehead for himself, “Are you sick?”

“Valerie was here,” I mumbled. My voice was shaking, everything that had happened finally sinking in. I felt like I was going to collapse, ”I don't know what is going on.”

“It was a bad dream,” Niall pulled me toward him, hugging me. Falling into him, I felt like I couldn't breath, “You were screaming like crazy. It's a wonder no one else woke up.”

“I wasn't screaming in my dream.” I looked up at him, confused. He only shrugged and embraced me tighter, looking to Louis with a questioning look of what should be done. I could sense Louis shrug behind me.

The snoring that I had heard continued, only it was louder this time, now that I was fully tuned in. I jumped and Niall rubbed my back lightly, shushing me. I hated being like this, I hated feeling and being treated like a child. But there was nothing I could do about it.

“I won't be able to sleep,” A tear escaped from my eye and I scolded myself for not being stronger in front of them. Why were they even helping me, being friends with me? Why was Louis dating me? No one should ever have to deal with such a wreck like this.

“Do you want me to sta--” Louis began, but Niall seemed to stop him, holding his hand out. I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat as he spoke, attempting to slow my breath.

“I'll stay awake with her,” He finally said with a light laugh, “I'm the best at staying up.” I assumed that Louis had nodded as Niall stood, me seemingly rising with him.

“What are you doing?” I lifted my head from his chest and looked at him, a small smile forming. Looking down at the ground, my arms instinctively wrapped themselves more tightly around him.

He chuckled at me, “Getting you away from the beast,” his head nudged toward Liam, who had stayed sleeping. His snores were what would probably keep me awake the most.

“I like carrying you,” Niall grinned at me once we had got into the kitchen and I was placed down in a chair, “You're practically weightless.”