Sequel: Over Again ›
More Than This
17
I closed my eyes as I leaned further into Harry’s side as the car drove us all to the hotel in the city they were playing the first show of the tour in, and he kissed my temple, humming softly.
“Are you excited, Bails?” Zayn asked from his place on my other side. I nodded once, smiling.
“This is going to be my first One Direction show, you know.” I stated. The boys all looked up at my comment, and I knew that this fact had just dawned on them. I laughed.
“We’ll have to make it special then, won’t we?” Louis smirked. I groaned and turned to bury my face in Harry’s chest.
“Don’t embarrass me.” I mumbled. Harry laughed and stroked my hair softly.
“Never.” He said. I smiled and ran a hand softly up and down his side, feeling the goosebumps raising on his skin, and blushing at the fact that I caused them.
“Oh, get a room you two.” Niall called to us. I lazily flipped him off and continued my previous actions.
“You’ve got to stop doing that.” Harry hissed lowly in my ear. “Or I won’t be responsible for what I do to you in front of our friends.” I giggled.
“Save it for later.” I winked at him and parted from his body, settling on just holding his hand as we pulled in front of the hotel we were going to be staying at.
When we saw the swarm of fans and paparazzi outside the building, my eyes widened. This was a bigger group than I had ever seen, and I tensed up. Harry gripped my hand tighter and kissed my cheek.
“You’ll be alright, B.” He promised and we all focused our attention on Paul, who turned around to talk to us.
“Unfortunately, you can’t stop for pictures today, boys. There’s just too many of them and we have a schedule to keep. You need to just keep walking forward. Liam and Sophia first, then Harry and Bailey, then Zayn, Niall, and Louis, okay?” I nodded, trying to process the information as everyone chatted excitedly about how great their fans were. Everyone except one that is. I looked over at Niall and my heart ached. I silently crawled over to him as Paul opened the door of the car, preparing for us to start leaving.
“Niall James, I need you to look at me.” I said, firmly, grasping his head between my hands. He was shaking and breathing rapid and shallow, and I shuddered. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us, but I ignored them.
“Bailey.” I heard Harry calling for me, and I knew it was our turn to step out of the car, but I focused on Niall.
“Harry, I need you to walk with Louis and Zayn right now.” I said calmly, never taking my eyes off of Niall.
“What?” Harry and Paul exclaimed at the same time. I turned to briefly glare at them, and Harry growled in the back of his throat.
“Bailey.” He said. “I don’t think this is a good idea. Be careful.” I nodded once and focused back on Niall.
“Niall, I need you to know that I am right here, okay?” I said, looking into his eyes for a sign of confirmation. When I got none, I kept talking. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you right now, I’m right here. I promise you. I’ve got you.” I laced my fingers through his and we slowly got out of the car, but I kept repeating things like that over and over again in his ear as we started walking through the screaming crowd.
It was going well until I felt someone grab my arm and start pulling me into the crowd. I gripped Naill’s hand tighter and tried to pull myself back towards him, but it wasn’t happening. I started to panic. If our hands got separated, who knows what would happen. Just then, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me over their shoulder easily. I noticed it was Paul, and I instantly relaxed. He walked me into the hotel lobby and shut the doors. I ran to Niall and he picked me up in a hug.
“Thank you.” He muttered in my ear.
“Please, Niall, I’ve had enough panic attacks in my time to know when someone is having one and needs help.”
He put me down and Paul led us to the room where the rest of our friends were. Immediately, my boyfriend ran up to me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.
“They almost kidnapped her.” Paul stated. I groaned and Harry growled again.
“Oh please.” My sister responded. “My sister is tough, there’s no way she wouldn’t go down without a fight.”
I smiled at the comment and pulled Harry aside.
“I’m sorry, Haz.” I stated. “Niall needed me and I know firsthand how bad panic attacks can be. I just wanted to help.”
Harry groaned and pulled me close to his body.
“I know, Bailey. That’s your best character trait.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m not mad. I just wish I could protect you all the time. Our fans are way too aggressive. They probably thought you were dating Niall and they wanted to separate you. I just don’t want to lose you, Bails.” His voice shook and I looked up at him before capturing his lips in a kiss.
“I’m not going anywhere, Styles, I promise.”
“Are you excited, Bails?” Zayn asked from his place on my other side. I nodded once, smiling.
“This is going to be my first One Direction show, you know.” I stated. The boys all looked up at my comment, and I knew that this fact had just dawned on them. I laughed.
“We’ll have to make it special then, won’t we?” Louis smirked. I groaned and turned to bury my face in Harry’s chest.
“Don’t embarrass me.” I mumbled. Harry laughed and stroked my hair softly.
“Never.” He said. I smiled and ran a hand softly up and down his side, feeling the goosebumps raising on his skin, and blushing at the fact that I caused them.
“Oh, get a room you two.” Niall called to us. I lazily flipped him off and continued my previous actions.
“You’ve got to stop doing that.” Harry hissed lowly in my ear. “Or I won’t be responsible for what I do to you in front of our friends.” I giggled.
“Save it for later.” I winked at him and parted from his body, settling on just holding his hand as we pulled in front of the hotel we were going to be staying at.
When we saw the swarm of fans and paparazzi outside the building, my eyes widened. This was a bigger group than I had ever seen, and I tensed up. Harry gripped my hand tighter and kissed my cheek.
“You’ll be alright, B.” He promised and we all focused our attention on Paul, who turned around to talk to us.
“Unfortunately, you can’t stop for pictures today, boys. There’s just too many of them and we have a schedule to keep. You need to just keep walking forward. Liam and Sophia first, then Harry and Bailey, then Zayn, Niall, and Louis, okay?” I nodded, trying to process the information as everyone chatted excitedly about how great their fans were. Everyone except one that is. I looked over at Niall and my heart ached. I silently crawled over to him as Paul opened the door of the car, preparing for us to start leaving.
“Niall James, I need you to look at me.” I said, firmly, grasping his head between my hands. He was shaking and breathing rapid and shallow, and I shuddered. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us, but I ignored them.
“Bailey.” I heard Harry calling for me, and I knew it was our turn to step out of the car, but I focused on Niall.
“Harry, I need you to walk with Louis and Zayn right now.” I said calmly, never taking my eyes off of Niall.
“What?” Harry and Paul exclaimed at the same time. I turned to briefly glare at them, and Harry growled in the back of his throat.
“Bailey.” He said. “I don’t think this is a good idea. Be careful.” I nodded once and focused back on Niall.
“Niall, I need you to know that I am right here, okay?” I said, looking into his eyes for a sign of confirmation. When I got none, I kept talking. “Nothing bad is going to happen to you right now, I’m right here. I promise you. I’ve got you.” I laced my fingers through his and we slowly got out of the car, but I kept repeating things like that over and over again in his ear as we started walking through the screaming crowd.
It was going well until I felt someone grab my arm and start pulling me into the crowd. I gripped Naill’s hand tighter and tried to pull myself back towards him, but it wasn’t happening. I started to panic. If our hands got separated, who knows what would happen. Just then, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me over their shoulder easily. I noticed it was Paul, and I instantly relaxed. He walked me into the hotel lobby and shut the doors. I ran to Niall and he picked me up in a hug.
“Thank you.” He muttered in my ear.
“Please, Niall, I’ve had enough panic attacks in my time to know when someone is having one and needs help.”
He put me down and Paul led us to the room where the rest of our friends were. Immediately, my boyfriend ran up to me and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.
“They almost kidnapped her.” Paul stated. I groaned and Harry growled again.
“Oh please.” My sister responded. “My sister is tough, there’s no way she wouldn’t go down without a fight.”
I smiled at the comment and pulled Harry aside.
“I’m sorry, Haz.” I stated. “Niall needed me and I know firsthand how bad panic attacks can be. I just wanted to help.”
Harry groaned and pulled me close to his body.
“I know, Bailey. That’s your best character trait.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m not mad. I just wish I could protect you all the time. Our fans are way too aggressive. They probably thought you were dating Niall and they wanted to separate you. I just don’t want to lose you, Bails.” His voice shook and I looked up at him before capturing his lips in a kiss.
“I’m not going anywhere, Styles, I promise.”