Happily

"Rylie! Wakey wakey!"

I felt someone shaking my leg but I was not in the mood to wake up, tugging the blankets over my head. Without even opening my eyes I knew that this wasn't going to be a good morning. I was afraid if I moved I would puke and my head felt like someone had taken a cleaver to it. Then there was the fact my eyes were sore and swollen from crying all night.

At the thought of the previous nights events I felt the tears threaten to return. However I didn't have time to reflect on it any further before the covers were jerked back. I cracked my eyes just enough to see Nikki standing next to my bed before I quickly shut them again against the light coming from the window.

"C'mon Ry...sit up..." she coaxed.

"No." I replied and attempted to pull the pillow over my head only to have it pulled out from my grasp.

"I hate you." I groaned covering my eyes with my hands.

Nikki chuckled, "Here....hand out."

I reached out, one hand still covering my eyes and I felt something settle in my hand. Wrapping my fingers around the object I realized it was my sunglasses. I gladly slipped them over my eyes. I had always loved my black Ray Bans but now I loved them even more.

"Can you see now?" she asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Then sit up." she said.

I groaned but followed her orders knowing it was pointless to argue. Once I was reluctantly sitting up against the headboard she handed me a glass full of Orange Juice and a couple of aspirin. Popping the pills in my mouth I swallowed them with a swig of Orange Juice.

"That tastes awful." I frowned putting the glass to the side.

"Yeah but the Vitamin C is good for you now smile." Nikki said and before I could even comprehend what she said there was a click.

Turning my head towards her I saw she bad her phone out.

"Nuh-uh. Delete that bitch." I said.

"Don't you want to remember your first hangover forever?" She teased.

"No. In fact I want to completely forget last night ever happened." I replied.

Nikki frowned, "Why? Last night was a blast! Those guys of yours are a blast and so is the band. I mean the costumes, dancing-"

"Kissing Louis..." I sighed.

"WHAT?!" Nikki yelled and I flinched.

"Voice levels please?"

Nikki shook her head and sat down beside me, "You kissed Louis?"

I sighed, "Sort of."

"What do you mean sort of?" Nikki asked obviously confused.

"I mean I'm not sure who kissed who first." I replied running my hand through my tangled hair.

"So he could have made the move first then?" She asked.

"Does it matter? Either way our lips touched and both of us participated." I said.

"Okay tell me everything." She said and laid down on the bed next to me.

"I asked him to lay down with me for a moment because I wasn't ready to be alone, the next thing I know we were face to face and then we were kissing. Then it was over and ran out of here like the devil was on his ass.And what am I going to tell Alex?! I'm going to have lie to him! This is what he was afraid of! And Louis is probably never going to talk to me again which is going to make the whole rest of this tour awkward! Oh god I'm just going to quit. Tell the others I'm leaving and-"

Suddenly my stomach lurched and I went running for the bathroom.

Once the contents of my stomach had been purged I flushed the toilet, quickly brushed my teeth and walked back to the bedroom, flopping down next to Nikki.

"Feel better?" She asked.

I nodded, "Surprisingly yes."

"Good. Now look it's not like you had sex with the guy okay? It was a kiss. That's it. You're not quitting the tour because this is what you love. And I'm sure things won't be awkward forever. You were both drunk and it happened." Nikki said.

I sighed, "I guess."

"Good." Nikki nodded.

I sat up, "I think I am going to take a shower."

"You should. You smell like puke and old liquor." Nikki laughed.

"Shut up." I smirked and headed for the bathroom.

The shower felt nice and it made me feel better. When I was done I slipped on my robe and walked out to get clothes. Nikki sat on the bed tapping at her phone and from the sounds I could tell she was playing Angry Birds.

"I ordered breakfast." She said not looking up from her phone.

"I don't know if I can even eat." I said my stomach churning.

"You need to." Nikki replied.

I sighed and grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt along with underwear and headed for the bathroom.

Walking back into the bedroom I sat down on the bed next to Nikki. No sooner had my body hit the mattress than there was a knock on the door.

"Not it." I said quickly putting a finger on my nose.

"Lazy ass." Nikki muttered and got up.

I listened as Nikki opened the door. There was an exchange of voices and a moment later the door shut again.

"I hope you didn't get me anything too heavy Nik. I don't know if I can stomach anything..." but the words died on my lips as I sat up and saw Louis standing in front of me instead of Nikki.

"Where did Nikki go?" I asked.

"She uh...went back to her room for a bit." Louis replied.

"Oh." I said looking down at my socks.

"What's with the glasses?" Louis asked pointing to my sunglasses.

"Headache from hell. I feel like shit and I am never drinking again." I replied.

Louis let out a little laugh and started to sit down next to me but seemed to think better of it before sitting in a chair near the window.

"We need to talk." He said running his hands through his hair.

"That we do." I sighed.

"So...um..." Louis started but trailed off.

"Lost for words Tomlinson? That's a first." I smirked.

He gave me an incredulous look for a moment before a smile stretched across his face.

"I'm trying to be serious here and you're cracking bloody jokes." He chuckled.

"Sorry. Continue being serious." I said looking at the floor of the room.

He sighed, "Can't now. You've ruined the mood."

When I looked at him again I saw he was still smiling which I took as good sign. However I knew that we couldn't get away with ignoring the previous nights events.

"I'm sorry." I said after a few beats of silence.

"What happened last night wasn't all you Rylie. My lips were there too. I'm just as much to blame. If not more so." He replied.

"What do you mean? If I hadn't asked you to stay then nothing would have happened." I said looking at him.

Louis shook his head,"Rylie you were drunk last night. Way more than I was. I shouldn't have stayed. I just...I don't know."

"What?" I pressed, wondering what he had stopped himself from saying.

"Rylie...you're an amazing girl. You're a total smart ass, you're awesome to hang out with and you're attractive. And as much as I want to tell you I want to pin the blame on being drunk or on missing Eleanor the truth is...I can't. And that's the worst part of all of this." He sighed as he ran his hands through his hair, making it stick up on end.

"What do you mean you can't?" I asked.

He made a frustrated sound and stood up,"I like you Rylie. Like really like you. Way more than I should."

"Oh." I replied, my voice small even to my ears.

"Yeah. I know you have Alex and I'm sorry. I can't help it and last night I-" but before he could continue I reached out and wrapped my hand around his wrist, his eyes moving up to mine.

"I like you too."

Louis was silent for a long moment before standing, pulling me up from the bed and to his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face in his neck.

"So...what now?" I murmured against his skin.

He squeezed me tightly before pulling away.

"I don't know." He sighed.

I looked at him, pushing my sunglasses up. I could see the storm behind his eyes as his mind whirled. He was just as confused as I was.

"We can't do this Louis." I said quickly.

He frowned, "We can't?"

"No. We can't do this to ourselves or to Alex and Eleanor. It's not fair." I replied.

"Right." He nodded.

"If everything was different I wouldn't hesitate but..." I sighed.

Louis nodded again and smiled a sad smile, "Don't worry I get it and you're right. Just please...tell me things won't be weird with us."

I smiled, "I promise."

"I guess it goes without saying that last night should stay a secret right?" Louis asked.

"That's probably a good idea." I agreed.

"Then we're in agreement then." He said.

"Rylie? Since this is going to be a secret anyhow can I do one last thing?" He asked.

I knew where this was going but I didn't try to stop it. Instead I nodded and wrapped my arms around Louis' neck and moved in just as he did.

Our lips met again and electricity seemed to radiate through my body. His hands found my hips, toying with the skin that sat just under the hem of my t-shirt as our lips moved in tandem. My hands wove through the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer.

The kiss said everything that we couldn't. It spoke of want and temptation but was laced with sadness and regret. Even when it ended and we stood there with our foreheads pressed together, catching our breath, those feelings lingered,shimmering in the air around us like water vapor on a hot summer day.

The spell was soon broken by a knock on the door.

"You should get that." Louis said.

I nodded and dropped my arms from his neck before making my way to the door. Opening it I found that it was room service. I thanked the guy and tipped him before pulling the cart back in the room.

"I forgot that Nikki ordered food before she made herself scarce. She was playing nursemaid this morning." I said.

"What did she get?" Louis asked.

"Um...looks like pancakes and a fruit salad." I replied.

"The salad was probably for you." He replied.

I nodded, "It sounds good too. You want the pancakes?"

"Wouldn't Nikki want them?" He asked.

"Who cares? She left. It's payback for taking a picture of me this morning when I looked like hell." I said darkly.

"I'm sure you were adorable." Louis said and beeped my nose.

"Do that again and you're getting a finger bit off." I said.

He laughed, "Fair enough. C'mon let's eat."

We settled down and dug in. I had just started eating when suddenly a piece of pancake came flying at me, smacking my cheek before sliding down, leaving a sticky trail in its wake.

"You did not!!!" I gasped.

Louis just grinned. Staring him down for a moment I reached onto my plate and grabbed a wedge of pineapple, flinging it at him. It hit him right between the eyes and I burst out laughing.

"So. You want to play that game? Fine." He said and a moment later a piece of bacon smacked me in the face.

From then it was on. Both of us took refuge on either side of the table, flinging food back and forth. I couldn't stop laughing.

"Whoa! What are you two doing?!"

Louis and I stopped and turned towards the door. I had left it cracked in case Nikki had come looking for her pancakes but now Liam and Zayn stood looking at us, both stunned at the sight of us.

"HE STARTED IT!" I accused, pointing a syrup covered finger at him.

"I did not!" Louis replied looking at me aghast. However the sparkle in his eyes gave him away.

I grabbed a piece of banana and threw it at him, the fight starting over again.

"Hey! Both of you cut it out! You almost got us!" Zayn yelled.

Louis and I stopped and exchanged a look before grabbing handfuls of food, turning on Zayn and Liam. Laughs and curses filled the air as the food flew through the air. Looking up at Louis as he pelted Liam with bits of bacon I couldn't help but smile at the grin stretched across his face. Despite the fact I was feeling like hell somehow he had managed to make me laugh and that fact made me believe that we would be okay.