Still the One

Sam walks beside Harry and I while we walk around in the field to find Niall. I turn around but Melissa wasn’t following us anymore. Fans rush along side us with their arms extended and their iPhones clutched in their grasps. Sam uses his large arm to keep people back as much as he can. Harry places a hand on my back holding me close to him as everyone crowds over us.

‘There’s Niall.’ Harry points out to Niall who was standing near Louis and Louis’ friend Stan near the stage while Calvin Harris was on stage.

I follow behind Harry and in front of Sam, both of them stood as shields. Niall looks at his phone before eyeing us as we walk backstage. I’m guessing Melissa sent him a quick text warning him.

‘I need to talk to you.’ Harry mutters over to Niall as the music blares loudly. ‘Now.’

‘Listen, I don’t want to hear whatever shit you’re trying to pin on Melissa.’ Niall growls angrily, ‘save it.’

‘Stop being so naïve!’ Harry shouts causing Louis to turn around with concerned eyes towards his band mates. Not too far away reporters were soaking in this incident between Niall and Harry. I place a hand on Harry’s back, attempting to calm his nerves. ‘Listen to me Niall. Why in the hell would I try to take something away from you for my own personal gain? You’ve known me for years – you’ve know her for weeks!’ Harry breathes pointing at Melissa who scurried her way beside Niall. ‘If you don’t believe me, you cannot deny the video. It’s actual proof, right in your face.’

Niall takes Harry’s phone in a shaky, pale hand eyeing the screen. Louis hovers over Niall’s shoulder curiously watching on. Both are silent as the evidence of the real Melissa is laid out right in front of them. Niall squints at the screen before looking up at Melissa with a sign of disgust as well as pain then glances back down at the phone. Louis places a hand over his mouth, a sign of disbelief as he slowly shaking his hand.

‘Niall it’s not what you thi-…’

‘Don’t.’ Niall holds up a hand, followed by a single finger in the air. ‘Just don’t.’

‘Niall, really I-…’

‘Go, now.’ Harry is the first to speak up, ‘I’ll get someone to run you to the hotel and then to the airport. I think you’ve done enough.’

‘This is all his fault! He tricked me!’ Melissa defends, with a wobbly tone. Her dark eyes were already clouded with tears. I honestly didn’t know if they were real or not but after this, I couldn’t say that I actually cared. I just wanted to see her go.

‘Sam, do you think that you could give Melissa a ride to the hotel?’ Harry calls out, ‘as soon as possible please.’

‘I actually want to get out of here.’ Niall stiffs out an uncomfortable laugh, ‘I’m not really into this.’

‘All right, I’ll let Bas know what’s going on and we’ll head out. We have a few hours before we’re due in Cardiff.’ Sam speaks as he pulls his sleek black iPhone out of his large, baggy jeans.

Niall and Louis walk off with Basil while Harry and I would be riding back to the hotel with Melissa. The car ride was dead silent except for Melissa’s short sniffles behind us in the very back. I was thankful when we made it back to the hotel. I jump out of the car and follow Harry up to the room so we could get packed and ready to leave.

‘I feel so bad for Niall.’ I speak after awhile looking up from the stack of clothes on the floor, ‘I cannot get the look on his face out of my mind.’

‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’ Harry replies from the other side of the room, ‘he’s tough though, I’m sure he’ll find someone better than Melissa who doesn’t have some sort of agenda.’

Once we finish up, we had to wait for Liam and Sophia to get back before everyone split up into two separate SUVs to meet at the airfield. Melissa was getting inside of a small black car with her luggage and a chic pair of black sunglasses covering her eyes. I follow Harry to the car with Liam and Sophia while Louis and Niall took off first.

‘Melissa’s leaving?’ Sophia wonders looking over at Liam.

‘Niall found out what she was really like.’ Harry answers running an anxious hand over the slight stubble on his chin.

‘Do you think he’ll be okay for the show tonight or should we go ahead and postpone it?’ Liam chimes directing his attention to his band mate.

‘I guess we ’ll just ask him on the plane. It’s up to him. It’s been hard enough with just four members, how would that work with three of us on the stage even for just one show?’

‘Knowing Niall he’ll probably want to keep it going,’ Liam pushes out a genuine laugh, ‘bless him.’

I sit next to Sophia on the plane while Liam and Harry sit with the others for the short flight to Cardiff. Sophia throws her long dark hair over her shoulder while she digs in her bright red Saint Laurent bag for her phone.

‘I am absolutely dreading classes tomorrow.’ Sophia frowns taking her eyes off of her screen, ‘aren’t you?’

‘Do not remind me. I wish I could just travel with them all the time.’ I look over at the four boys huddled together in their seats, Niall already had the slightest sign of a smile on his face.

‘Why don’t you after exams? Liam brought the idea up to me a few days ago but I’m still trying to figure out if I’ll take courses over the holiday break.’

‘I wish. Ever since I got the permanent position over at Glamour I haven’t wanted to take off all the time so I’ve been saving up my hours. I’m planning on taking a week or two off when the boys are in the states.’

‘Definitely let me know so we can coordinate our schedules. It’s always better when there’s someone to talk or dance with.’ Sophia laughs leaning over in her seat. ‘Is that insta?’

‘It is, I’m just checking my feed. See if anyone’s posted anything interesting.’ I retort, ‘I’ll add you. What’s your user?’

‘It’s sophiaxsmith.’ She chimes holding her phone in front of us, ‘shall we?’

‘Yes.’ I agree posing with Sophia, staring at the front camera. ‘Send those to me.’ I beam leaning over her shoulder to look at the pictures.

Pretty soon we were back in Cardiff and at the empty stadium. Harry leads the way to the dressing room where Niall was sitting playing around on his guitar.

‘Sorry and thanks.’ Niall murmurs as Harry sits beside him on the dark leather sofa.

‘Any time.’ I watch as Harry and Niall playfully hug each other, instantly easing the tension. I was starting to think that things would be back to normal now that Harry and Niall have finally made up. I open my mouth to speak when my phone lets out a subtle chime. It was a text from my younger brother, Tanner. I squint my eyes at the group of words followed by exclamations. My mother was being released from the rehab facility.