Any Other Heart

The drive from Holmes Chapel to London took two and a half hours, on a good day. The flight, I had been told, took nineteen minutes.

I still scoffed just thinking that an actual flight had almost been arranged for me.

What a bloody laugh.

Now that I was actually riding back to London though, I almost wished I had taken them up on the offer for a flight. It was snowing, and while the weather wasn’t awful, I knew by the time I got to London it probably would be.

I wasn’t even supposed to be in Holmes Chapel, in all honesty. I should have been in London all ready to prepare for the tour. It wasn’t like my mum actually needed me at home. It wasn’t like she was even speaking to me right now anyways, so being home for the extra few days had done nothing but add extra stress on my life that I didn’t need.

I wasn’t bitter or anything, but hell.

That’s how it’d been since I’d taken my current job though, so I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me, and I guess it didn’t. It was just incredibly frustrating.

When I knew I was getting close to London, I pulled my phone out and dialed the one number I knew by heart. “‘ello Mia! How’s the drive?”

I heard commotion in the background and sighed. “Please tell me you aren’t fitting the boys already, Caroline. Alone. With no help. Without me.”

She was quiet, which gave me my answer. “When will you be here?”

I sighed again and checked the time. “Should be there by 1.”

“Don’t hit traffic! Just come through when you get here, you know where to go. They’re expecting you.”

I assured her I would, and after a promise to drive safe we hung up. If I hadn’t been in a cab, I knew I would have been accelerating, wanting nothing more than to get to my final destination five times faster than I’d originally planned.

The O2 in London was an impressive venue, without a doubt. After paying my slightly ridiculous cab fare, I climbed out with my bags in hand and tried to navigate my way through the venue. Thankfully I had my All Access laminate already, so no one hassled me as I stumbled around the venue, trying to find my way.

After several failed attempts, I pulled out my mobile and dialed Caroline’s number. “Where the bloody hell’s the dressing room?” I hissed into the phone as soon as she answered. “I feel like I’m in a maze and the joke’s on me.”

Her laughter rang out. “Where are you love?”

I had no idea. My silence obviously translated this thought into words, because Caroline was telling me to stay put and one of the boys would come find me. “They’re going mental in here anyways. One of them needs to run off their energy before I lose my sanity.”

After pocketing my mobile, I leaned against the wall and slid down until I was seated in the nameless corridor. With my eyes closed, I rested my head against the cold wall and hoped the boys hurried.

Of course, they did. I heard them before I saw them, which was usually how it went. I didn’t even bother standing until Louis and Harry were standing in front of me, out of breath from having sprinted down the hall in my direction.

“Twats,” I muttered before getting off the ground. “On a scale of one to ten, how mad have you driven poor Caroline and Lou?”

Louis grinned devilishly while Harry just smirked. I rolled my eyes and latched my hands onto my bags. “Right, silly question. Let’s go then.”

“How was the ride?” Louis asked me as we walked.

I shrugged. “Not a nineteen minute plane ride, that’s for sure.”

He laughed. “Should have taken the plane! I told you!”

I rolled my eyes. “Piss off. How’s the fitting going?”

From my other side, Harry shrugged. “Almost done I think.”

Which translated to an absolute disaster of course. I couldn’t help but pick up my pace as we headed down the hall.

Eventually we got to the dressing room, which was less of a disaster than I was expecting actually. It was currently Zayn’s turn, and I think without Louis and Harry in the room things were less chaotic. I clucked my tongue at the two boys before giving them a look that said behave and then I headed over to Caroline, who was crouched on the floor fixing Zayn’s pants. “I’m sorry,” I said immediately. “Hopefully they haven’t done much damage?”

She waved me off. “Nonsense, love! You’re fine. The boys have been... fine.”

I gave her a look that said I knew better before I straightened up. “What do you need me to do? I’m all yours.”

And it was true. I was technically Lou’s assistant, being more into hair and makeup than fashion, but they both used me whenever the needed to. I didn’t mind. I loved it, actually. I was only nineteen and I was living the dream. Well, maybe not everyone’s dream, but certainly mine.

“Well, you could start pressing the outfits we’ve fixed? They’re on that rack over there.” She nodded her head in the direction of the other side of the room where a rack half full of outfits was situated. “The lads--”

“Made a mess, as usual,” I finished for her with a smile. “I’ve got it.”

When I crossed the room the start steaming the boys clothes, I gained a following. A following of one boy, but honestly it was more than I wanted. “What do you want Louis?” I asked him as I got to work.

I caught his grin out of the corner of my eye. “Merely saying hello to my mate! Am I not allowed to do that? Are you too business-y for such shenanigans?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be a tosser or I’ll unroll your pants each night.”

“You wouldn’t!”

I gave him a look that screamed try me. He laughed. “I’m just saying hello, Mia. Haven’t seen you in awhile! Where have you been hiding?”

I frowned at him. We both knew the exact moment we had last seen each other, and I really didn’t want to think about it. “Stop it, Lou.”

“Have you talked to him?”

I glared at him from my crouched position. “You know, I’m steaming your clothes right now. I could easily make them a mess and no one would be the wiser. Don’t tempt me, Louis.”

He chuckled and shook his head, stuffing his hands into his front pockets. I felt the air around us change, and suddenly Lou was serious. Or more serious than he had been. “You’re just going to ignore it aren’t you, love?”

I shrugged, focusing on his trousers. “That’s what I’ve done a lot longer than I’d care to admit. What’s a few more months?”

“You’re mental.”

I nodded. That was one thing I was certain on. “I know, Louis. More than you realize.”

“Mia!” I turned around just before I got tackled by a certain one year old who had my entire heart.

I grinned up at her mom. “I was wondering when Luxy would come out of hiding!”

Lou smiled at me. “How you been love? How are things at home?”

I shrugged, tearing my gaze away from, technically, my boss. “They’re fine,” I mumbled, setting Lux down on the ground and standing up fully. “Do you need help with anything?”

She sighed and gave me a look that said we’ll talk later before shaking her head. “Just giving all the boys a trim. Louis, you’re next.”

He pulled a face, which made me laugh, before Lou walked away. “Sure you’re all right? Your attitude changed drastically when Lou brought up--”

“Don’t wanna talk about it,” I mumbled, focusing completely on the pair of trousers in front of me. “Go get your hair trimmed, wanker.”

He frowned but left me alone, obviously sensing I didn’t want to talk about it. When I was alone, I went back to work, focusing on the task at hand and knowing full well that this was what my life looked like for the next few months.