Happily

When I woke up the next morning I heard voices already coming from the front of the bus. When I walked out I found Hunter and Tyler propped up in front of the TV playing Call Of Duty while Gabe sat spooning Coco Puffs into his mouth and reading a skateboard magazine in the booth.

"Good morning." I yawned as I settled down across from Gabe.

"So how was your first night on the bus?" he asked.

"Not bad. I slept pretty solid. Except for that 5 minutes where you were talking about placing bets on when I would pass out." I replied.

Gabe stopped mid chew and looked at me, "Oh you heard that did you?"

"How could you take bets on me you jerk?!" I laughed picking up a stray coco puff and flicking it at him.

"Hey it wasn't my idea. Blame Hunter. He's the one that suggested it." Gabe said holding his hands up.

"Really now? Hey! Hunter!" I yelled.

"What?" he asked turning to look at me.

I grabbed the pillow from next to me and threw it at him, "Don't make bets on me anymore!"

He laughed, "Sorry Love, couldn't resist."

I stuck my tongue out at him before standing up and finding a bowl and spoon to make my own breakfast. I had just filled the bowl with cocoa puffs when there was a ringing from across the table. Gabe reached out and grabbed his phone which was sitting across him.

Looking confused Gabe looked up at me, "You're calling me."

I frowned and held my hands up, "Um...no?"

Gabe shook his head and showed me the screen where my name was displayed along with my photo. We had all exchanged numbers and photos the first day so that we could get in touch with one another should something happen like one of us getting lost in the venue or getting left behind at a stop. However I had yet to actually call one of them and as far as I knew my phone was back in my bunk.

"Answer it." I urged and Gabe hit the 'answer' button.

"Hello?" he asked.

A moment later his face relaxed and he held the phone out to me, "It's for you."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's you from the future telling you to give me your cereal because if not I'll turn into a giant beast and eat you." Carson said coming and sitting beside me.

"Not happening." I replied and pulled my bowl closer to me while taking the phone from Gabe.

I put the phone to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hey Rylie it's Zayn." Zayn's voice came from the other end of the line.

"How did you get my phone?" I asked.

"I don't know. I think it might have some how have gotten into my jacket pocket when you tackled Niall and I last night." he replied.

"I didn't tackle you. I ran into you. There is a difference. One involves purposely ramming your body into someone. I was simply unable to stop." I said.

He laughed, "Well either way I have your phone. When we stop come over to the bus and i'll give it back."

"Alright. Thanks for letting me know." I replied.

"Welcome." Zayn said and hung up.

"Who was it?" Carson asked as I handed Gabe back his phone.

"Zayn. Somehow last night my phone got into his pocket when I ran into him and Niall. I'm glad he called. If not I would've thought I lost it somewhere. I thought it was in my jeans from yesterday." I said taking a bite of my now soggy cereal.

"So how did you like your first show last night?" Carson asked.

A grin spread across my face at the memory, "It was so much fun. Way better than playing in a bunch of crappy little pubs."

"Yeah but it's nothing like playing your own songs." Gabe said.

"True." Carson nodded.

"Very much so. But at least I'm not getting garbage tossed at me. That happened with the last band I was a part of. I got hit with a bottle at one point." I replied

"That explains a lot." Gabe smirked and I kicked him under the table.

"So how much longer until we get to wherever it is we're going?" I asked after draining the milk from my bowl.

"Tonight is Lyon and we should be there in about an hour." Gabe replied checking his phone.

"I'd better get dressed then. I have to call Alex and I'm going to need my phone to do that." I said and Carson scooted out of the booth to let me by.

I headed for the bunks and dug around until I found something to wear. Grabbing the clothes and my bag of toiletries I headed for the bathroom.

I went through my normal morning routine of brushing my teeth and washing my face before changing out of the clothes I'd worn the previous night. In place of my sweats I pulled on a pair of jeans that hung around my hips but were loose and baggy and a little more than just worn in the legs. I paired it with a heather gray t-shirt and plain black sneakers before brushing out my hair and putting it in a ponytail.

After swiping on a little eyeliner and mascara I exited the bathroom and went to the living room, settling down to watch Hunter and Tyler duke it out over XBOX 360. They had switched to playing some game involving racing cars. I wasn't really into cars but I sat back and screamed random things at them as they drove, trying to trip them up.

Eventually the bus slowed and pulled into the venue for that night. Once we were stopped Tyler and Hunter abandoned the XBOX to get dressed leaving me to put it up so no one would trip over the cords and break something, me especially. When it was safely tucked away I headed for the bus where the guys were.

Reaching up I rapped on the door before hearing someone yell to come in from inside. Opening the door I climbed the steps and walked in, finding Niall sitting at the table with Louis talking about soccer, Liam leaning against the counter listening to them as he drank a bottle of water.

"Morning." I smiled.

"Morning. You here for your phone?" Liam asked.

"Yepp." I nodded.

"Hold on I'll get Zayn for you. ZAYN!!!" Niall yelled.

"That's what you call getting someone?" I laughed.

He shrugged, "It works sometimes."

A minute later Harry came walking out from the bunks only in his boxers, "Zayn's still sleeping."

I was a little taken aback at the fact that Harry was just in his shorts. I had lots of guy friends but they never just walked around in their underwear.

"Don't worry about him Rylie. Just be happy he's got something on. I'll go get your phone from Zayn." Louis said and disappeared only to come back a few moments later with my phone in hand.

"Here you go." he said and handed it to me.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"No problem. Honestly I don't know why he didn't notice it was your last night. You've got the same phone but I don't think he's much of a Hello Kitty kind of guy." Louis replied pointing to my case.

"No...doesn't strike me as the type at all." I smirked.

The two of us started heading back to the front when my phone began to ring.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Louis asked as I glanced at my phone and grinned.

"No...it's Nikki, my friend from the states. You wanna say hello?" I asked.

He smiled, "Sure."

"Here...answer it. Pretend you don't know who I am." I said handing him the phone.

"Won't she know who I am?" he asked.

I laughed, "Um...probably not. At least not at first. She's um...not exactly a directioner."

"Ah. Gotcha." he nodded and answered the phone.

"Hello." he smiled at the screen.

"Um...hi?" I heard Nikki reply, obviously confused.

"Can I help you?" Louis replied.

"I was looking for Rylie...is she there?" Nikki asked.

"Rylie...that name sounds familiar...can you describe her for me?" Louis asked.

Nikki paused for a moment, "Curly brown hair, normal height, green eyes. Responds to Rylie?"

"Well she sounds hot. In fact you my dear a quite a looker yourself. Would you like to go out sometime? Maybe I could take you back to my place after? I have a lovely room full of all sorts of toys I'm sure you'd enjoy." Louis winked.

"What?!? No!!! Where the fuck is Rylie?!? What have you done with her you sick fuck?! I know that you know where she is because I know that this is her Skype!!! Either you tell me where the hell she is or I'm calling the police and her boyfriend and...other people that will kick your crazy ass!!!" Nikki screamed.

I was sure that I had done some sort of internal damage from keeping my laughs in for so long. Finally though the broke through and I dissolved in laughter.

"Wait...RYLIE?!? WHERE ARE YOU?!?! KNOCK TWICE IF YOU NEED ME TO CALL 911!!!" Nikki yelled.

Collecting myself as best as I could I walked over to stand beside Louis, "I'm fine Nikki calm down. See? Not chained up in a basement! Just here."

Nikki's eyes went wide, "You bitch!!!"

"I'm sorry. I love you." I said trying to frown which was hard when I couldn't stop smiling.

She sighed and tried to look angry but couldn't fight the smirk, "I hate you."

"I know. Anyhow this is Louis." I replied.

"Oh! From the band!" Nikki said, a look of recognition coming over her face.

"That would be me." Louis smiled.

Nikki nodded, "Nice to meet you. Oh and sorry for calling you a sick fuck earlier."

"Don't worry about it! You hit the nail on the head!" Harry yelled from where he sat eating breakfast.

"Who was that?" Nikki asked.

"That was Harry." I replied and a moment later Harry's head popped over my shoulder.

"I'm Harry!" he grinned.

Nikki laughed, "Nice to meet you too."

"What are we? Chopped liver?" Niall asked. He and Liam were on the couch playing FIFA.

"Sorry! Nikki, meet Liam and Niall." I said turning the phone around so she could see them.

Niall and Liam both yelled their hellos before I turned the phone back to me.

"Isn't there one more?" Nikki asked.

"Yeah but Zayn is asleep right now." I said.

She nodded, "Oh okay. Well I'd better get some sleep. I know it's early there but it's really late here and if I don't get to bed now I might as well just stay up."

"You go get some sleep then. I shall talk to you in the marrow good lady." I smiled.

Nikki laughed, "Okay. Bye."

I hung up with her and tucked my phone in my back pocket after glancing at the time, "I'd better go. We have to get everything set up before sound check. Thanks for getting my phone for me and for helping me out with that little prank." I smiled.

Louis nodded, "No problem. If you need anymore help you know where to find me."

"Totally." I nodded and started for the door, only to be blocked by Louis who was moving out of my way so I could go through.

"Oops, sorry." we both said and moved only to find ourselves still blocking the other.

"Here." Louis laughed and took me by the upper arms turning us so that we were able to pass the other.

The aisle of the bus was very narrow and as we moved my chest pressed against his. Suddenly I was vary aware of his hands on my arms. I guess he realized how close we were too because he dropped his hands and scooted past me so that we weren't pressed together anymore.

"See you guys later!" I said and made my way to the door.

As I started down the steps I felt a pair of eyes on me, looking up I saw Louis still watching me as I left. He gave me a small smile and a wave which I returned before heading out the door.
When I got back to the bus I could hear the guys talking as they got dressed for the day.

"Hurry up ladies! Less talking and more getting dressed! We have set up to do!" I called through the curtain.

I got a mix of replies that ranged from grunts to declarations of almost being done to curses. Shaking my head with a grin I plopped down onto the couch and pulled out my phone to wait. I saw I had a half dozen or so text messages waiting for me and began to pick through them.

Three were from Alex alone so I quickly texted him back to let him know what had happened to my phone before going through the others. One of them was a text from my sister asking me to send her a photo I had snapped of the two of us the last time I'd been home.

Flicking through my apps I found my gallery, ready to find the requested photo and oblige her request. However the moment I opened it I was met by a series of familiar faces. Laughing I pulled the first of the bunch up.

Apparently in the hour between Zayn calling me and me collecting my phone Harry, Liam, Niall and Louis had managed to snap a couple dozen photos of themselves along with a couple of Zayn sound asleep in his bunk. I highly suspected that Louis hadn't gotten my phone from Zayn at all but had retrieved it from somewhere else if he'd retrieved it at all.

I smiled as I looked at each one but stopped when I came to one in particular. Niall was making a face into the camera but over his shoulder you could see Louis smiling and laughing. Butterflies filled my stomach and my mind turned back to the moments he'd had his hands on my arms in the bus.
While walking back to the bus the thoughts of him and I pressed together as we'd passed had moved to the back of my mind. However now I found them at the forefront as things I hadn't even realized I was aware of at the time emerged slowly. Sitting there I could feel his hands on my arms and his chest pressed against mine. I could smell his scent in my nose...

I shook myself.

What was I doing?

Where had these thoughts about Louis suddenly come from? They hadn't been there before.

Had they?

I couldn't have these thoughts! I had a Alex who I loved and he had a girlfriend that I was sure he loved as well.

"Rylie?"

My head shot up from where I realized I had began to stare into space. Standing next to me was Gabe. He was fully dressed and looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked.

He frowned, "You were the one telling us to hurry up. What are you doing?" he asked.

"Sorry. I just...spaced." I said feeling my face heat up.

Gabe shook his head, "Well come back to Earth and move your feet."

With that he grabbed my hands and pulled me from the couch, the two of us heading towards the venue.

"So what were you thinking about back there?" Gabe asked as we walked.

I looked at him and quickly replied, "Nothing."

Gabe looked at me for a long moment before putting his arm around my shoulders, "I know we've only been around each other a couple of days but you know that if you need to talk you can always come to me. No strings attached, no judgments, just a friend. I know it feels to need someone to talk to on tour because everyone is thousands of miles away."

I smiled and put my arm around his waist, "Thanks Gabe. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Now c'mon. We have work to do." he said and yanked my ponytail before laughing and taking off in a run.

"Jerk!" I laughed and ran after him, happy to have the distraction.

I could figure everything out later.