Passenger Seat

“You know, I won’t say I told you so, but I want too,” Blue said a week later. We were both in the kitchen at the bakery making more cupcakes.

I popped a tray in the oven, “What are you talking about?”

“You and Niall,” she said matter-of-factly. “You were so sure there was nothing there and that it wouldn’t work and now look at you! It’s been half a year, you guys never fight and you even have drawers at each other’s places. It’s precious.”

I rolled my eyes at her, “Shut up.”

She threw her hands up in surrender, “All I’m saying is… well I told you so!”

“Thanks,” I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “So are you going to meet the band in America?” You Me At Six had left for the states a few days ago to go on a quick tour. Blue had been flirting with the idea of going out there and take pictures.

She shook her head, “No. I’m just gonna wait until the All Time Low Tour. It’s a longer tour and more worth it.”

I groaned, “You’ll be gone for six months! And Niall will be gone too in the states, what am I supposed to do?”

“Come with me! You can sell merch or something, we’ll see America together!” she said enthusiastically, “You know they guys would love it, they’ve asked you to be merch bitch countless times.”

I bit my lip in thought. Going on tour with Blue and You Me At Six sounded so appealing. Especially since I would have something to focus on while Niall is gone on the world tour. “I don’t know. I don’t want to abandon my aunt. It’s one thing if one of us is gone, but both?”

Blue scoffed, “So she can get a new hire while we’re gone. This place needs a bit more help anyway, we’re getting busy lives these days.”

I barked out a laugh, “Well see, yeah?”

*****

“Do you have plans tonight?” Dakota asked me as soon as I answered the phone after getting off work.

“No, not really. What’s up?”

“You wanna go to a party with me?”

I shrugged, walking into my room and dropping my purse on my bed, “Yeah sure. What kind of party?”

“A Uni party, low key, and no celebrities.”

She said that was almost a snide tone, “Yeah sure.”

“Great, I’ll pick you up at 9,” and then she hung up.

*****

Niall showed up at my flat an hour later and found me lying in my room watching the tellie. He crawled up next to me and practically laid on top of me with his face in my neck, as usual. “When is Kota picking you up?” he said against my skin. I had told him of my plans when he called to come over.

I glanced over at the clock, it was a little after 6 now, “She said 9.”

“Just be careful, yeah?” He asked popping up to look at me.

I laughed, “Of course Ni, you don’t have to worry.”

“You say that like I can help it,” he scoffed. “What am I supposed to do with my night?”

“Hang out with your friends?” I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world… because it was.

“I guess,” He sighed dramatically. I rolled my eyes at him before I reached up and captured his lips with mine completely shutting him up. He hummed in approval as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. The way he kissed me made me never want to leave his side. Why was I going to this party tonight?

His hand crept up my shirt, but I grabbed it, “No, no time.”

He glanced over at the clock and scoffed, “We’ve got like 3 hours, how long do you think this will take?”

I couldn’t help but giggle then, “You realize you just insulted yourself, yeah?”

“Whatever it takes to get you to let me take your pants off Ayd.”

*****

Niall walked me out when Kota called that she was here. “Be careful.”

“I know Nialler,” I sighed at his ridiculous over protectiveness. I mean, I was the older one here, remember?

We walked out and saw Kota in a passenger seat of someone else’s car, a girl I’d never met before behind the wheel. “Who’s that?” my boyfriend asked, stopping us a few feet from the car.

I shrugged, “No idea, one of Dakota’s friends I guess.” I reached up and placed a kiss on his lips quickly, “I’ll see you later.”

He kissed me again, “Call me when you get home.” It was a demand.

“I will,” I pushed his lightly, “Relax, you don’t act like this when I’m at parties with other friends.”

“Yeah but Kota’s been acting weird, and I don’t know these Uni kids.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled, “I’m 20, I think I can handle it.”

He pulled me into another kiss, this one longer this time, “I love you. Have fun.”

“I love you too. See you later.” I walked out of his embrace and over to the backdoor of the car waiting for me.

“Finally,” Kota joked, “I thought he was never going to let you go.”

“Sorry,” I blushed.

She shrugged, “It’s fine. This is Hailey by the way,” she said gesturing to the brunette behind the wheel.

“Hi,” she said cheerfully.

I smiled at her, “Hey, nice to meet you.” I glanced out the window at Niall who was climbing into his truck as we pulled away.

“I’m so ready for this party!” Kota said excitedly.

*****

This party was insane, in a massive house. It reminded me of what an American fraternity party might be like. When we got here Dakota and Hailey went straight to the alcohol and started drinking- heavily. I watched them dance with sketchy guys, trying not to judge but it was hard.

This was not the Dakota I knew. Granted I’d only known her a few months, but still. Before the breakup, she wasn’t like this. Distant, a bit sad and a heavy drinker, who’d be found at a party like this. I’d be found here, but not her.

I had lost Dakota and Hailey a while ago and was venturing around the party alone. I had met a few people and had a nice chat, but mainly I kept to myself. Mostly because I’d seen a few girls glaring at me, and a few snapping pictures with their phone, which I was sure I’d find on the internet soon enough.

A few guys had tried hitting on me, for the simple fact that I was Niall Horan’s girlfriend. I’d figured that out as soon as they’d bring up “that boy band guy.” This crowd wasn’t my scene, and I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that it was apparently Kota’s.

I wondered upstairs in hopes of finding one of the girls I came here with. I walked past locked doors with questionable sounds coming out of them, and couples making out against the hall walls. Well, until I recognized one of them. “Kota?”

The girl dethatched herself from the random guy she had just been sucking face with, “Auden! Hey!” She slurred. She was drunk, really drunk.

“Hey, we’re busy,” the guy barked at me. He wasn’t anywhere near as drunk as Dakota was, and I wasn’t about to let her go off with this guy.

“Yeah, I got that,” I snapped at him. “But we’ve got our own business here.” I reached over and pulled Dakota away from him and into my side, “It’s not happening tonight, get out of here,” I snapped at him.

He glared at me, “Cunt,” he shot before stalking off down the stairs.

“Aw,” Kota pouted at me, “He was cute Ayden, why’d you do that?” She drunkenly rested her head on my shoulder, almost becoming dead weight. The shock of her weight on mine almost toppled us to the floor.

“Because Kota,” I said trying to get a better grip on her, “You’re about to pass out.”

“So,” she whined.

I sighed and tried my best to get her down the stairs without both of us falling to our death.

“Where’s Hailey? We need to get you home?”

“She’s, uh, she’s,” she started to giggle, “She’s with Royce upstairs. She might be a while,” she said giggling more.

I huffed, “Come on, let’s get you some fresh air.” I practically dragged her out of the house, past people sending us side glances.

I sat her down on the steps outside and leaned her against the railing as I pulled my phone out. “Who are you calling?” she hiccupped.

“Blue so we can get a ride home since Hailey is busy.” I listened as my phone rang and rang before it went to voicemail. I sighed as I ended the call without leaving a message. With You Me At Six out of the country I didn’t have very many options to call for a ride. I called Eleanor but she didn’t answer either. I knew Dani wasn’t in town so trying to call her was pointless. I sighed, finally deciding to bite the bullet and call him, “Ayden?” he said picking up after the second ring.

“Hey love,” I sighed into the phone. “I hate asking but can you come get me and Kota?” I turned to look at the girl when I said her name, she was leaned over the side of the stairs puking. Lovely.

“Of course. Where are you?”

I gave him the address, “Dakota is really, really drunk Ni,” I added. “I’ve never seen her like this.”

I heard him sigh, “I’ll be right there babe.”

“Okay, thanks. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

I hung up and went over to sit next to Kota. She had stopped puking and was just leaning against the railing. We sat in silence as we waited for Niall to get here. “Is he happy?” she croaked.

“Who?” I asked even though I knew exactly who she was talking about.

“Harry,” she confirmed. “With Taylor.”

“With Taylor?” I asked confused, “Their just friends, and how do you even know about that?”

“People talk,” she waved off. She sighed, “I just want him happy.”

“He was happy with you,” I shot.

“We fought, its better this way,” her eyes were closed and I was sure she was about to pass out.

I wanted to tell her how wrong she was, but I had a feeling that this wasn’t the right time to do that. Her head started to droop down, “Hey, Kota don’t pass out yet.” I pulled her up to try and jerk her awake a bit.

“Okay, okay,” she said softly leaning into me.

About 15 minutes I saw a Range Rover pull up that wasn’t Niall’s. I saw Harry jump out from behind the wheel as Niall climbed out of the passenger seat. I pulled Kota up as best as I could and practically dragged her towards the truck. Harry was on her other side in seconds, “How much did she drink?”

“I don’t know, but clearly a lot.”

He pulled Kota from my grasp completely and picked her up bridal style. “What are you doing to yourself love?” I heard him whisper, but I don’t think she heard him. I was pretty sure she was officially knocked out. I watched him take her to the back seat as Niall came up to me grasping me around the waste, “You alright?”

I nodded, “Fine. You shouldn’t have brought Harry.”

“I know. But he heard you on the phone and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Niall will you drive?” Harry asked handing the keys over, “I’m gonna sit in the back with Kota, she’s out cold.” His face was thick with stress and I started to feel guilty.

“I’m sorry Harry,” I rushed out, “I didn’t know she was going to drink so heavily, and she wondered off and I didn’t see her for a while and-”

“It’s okay Ayd,” he cut me off, “It’s not your fault. Kota’s an adult she knew what she was doing.” He pulled me into a side hug, kissing the side of my head, “Now let’s go we need to get her home.”

The drive to Kota’s flat was silent. Kota was passed out across the backseat. Harry had her upper body cradled in his lap, running his fingers through his hair. “This is the closest I’ve been to her since she broke up with me,” he said when he saw me look back at them. “I miss her. What’s she doing to herself?”

I shrugged, “It might just be one bad night Harry, don’t stress yourself out.”

“I just want to know what happened to her,” he huffed.

“We all do,” Niall said.

When we got to Dakota’s building Harry carried her the whole way up.

“I’ll stay with her,” I said as he placed her on her bed.

“I’m not leaving,” he stated.

Niall sighed, “Harry, mate. I know you’re just worried about her, but I think you’re probably the last person she wants to wake up to after a night like this.”

He glared at both of us, “Do I look like I give a fuck?”

“Harry,” I warned, “This isn’t about you, it’s about her,” I said gesturing to the sleeping girl. “I’ll keep you updated. She’ll probably just sleep it off and wake up with a massive hangover. She’ll be fine.”

He shoulders slumped in defeat, “Why did she shut me out?” he said so softly that I don’t think we were supposed to hear.

“She’ll come back Haz, I’m sure of it,” Niall promised.

Harry just looked at me with a questioning face, asking me if Niall was right. I shrugged, I didn’t want to give him false hope. “I’ll I can promise is I’ll try to get through to her. Try and figure out what’s going on.”

He sighed running his hand through his curls, “You call me if something happens,” he demanded.

“I will,” I promised. He nodded at my words before leaving the room.

Niall pulled me into him, kissing my forehead, “He’ll be okay.”

“I don’t know if either of them will be anymore.”

He pulled my face up to look him in the eyes, “It’ll work out somehow. Everything does eventually.”

I sighed at his optimism, and reached up to kiss him softly, “I’ll see you later?”

He hummed against my lips, “Probably not until tomorrow night. Got 1D stuff to do tomorrow,” he brought his lips back to mine after he answered.

I let him deepen the kiss for a moment before I finally pulled away, “You should go. Get Harry’s mind off things.”

He nodded, “You’re right.” He kissed me once again, “I love you. Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”