Daytona Baby [N.H]

45

Niall Horan

Liam was discharged from the hospital this morning and we went straight to the tour bus. We all seemed a bit relieved to be leaving. I know I don't feel like coming back to Vegas any time soon.

Liv slept the whole way, waking up briefly a few times in a panic. She refused to tell me what the nightmares were about, but with all the shit she's seen in the past few weeks...I can only imagine.

The first time she woke up I walked in on her sitting on the bathroom floor by the toilet having just thrown up. There were tears trailed all down her puffy face and dark circles under her eyes. She was embarrassed to be seen like that but let me carry her back to our bunk anyways. I stayed with her, just rubbing my hand up and down her back while she fell in and out of a fitful sleep for the rest of the bus ride.

Seeing her like this made me feel even worse for what I put her through the last couple days. I'm just glad she hasn't completely pushed me away after what I did. It was stupid and I wasn't thinking straight. All I could focus on at the moment was the fact that Harry and Aven were missing and we needed to find them right away or we might never see them again. Louis knew that Liam would be alright, and he told us himself that if we had to go, we didn't need to stick around for him. He's been there, done that. And we're all familiar with gunshot wounds.

It turned out that Malikai got to Harry and Aven, and he wanted to teach Harry a lesson after the stunt he pulled at the concert. I still can't fully wrap my head around why Harry thought that was a good idea, but it's beside the point.

Malikai went after Aven to lure Harry in, and of course he followed and got himself taken hostage in the process. They were being held in an old underground bunker out in the desert. Nothing around for miles. They both got roughed up; Harry more than Aven because I'm assuming he put up a pretty good fight. Louis and I got to them before any permanent damage was done. Physically, at least. I can't speak for their well-being.

We had to eliminate quite a few of Malikai's men to get in there, but Malikai himself was nowhere to be found. I'm not sure if his plan was to kill Harry and Aven or not, but either way, he spent a lot of effort to get a point across.

Nobody has heard from him directly but our security has now doubled. And considering we haven't been sniped through the bus windows yet, we might be in the clear. For now. We're gonna be on our best behaviour for a while and let things settle, hopefully get back to normal. As fucked up as normal is, anyways. I'll try to focus on what good I can while it lasts.

The bus came to a stop outside the hotel and I exhaled a heavy sigh of relief.

San Francisco.

A fresh start.

•••

With one last powerful strum of my guitar, the song ended, lights were cut, fans screamed for more, and we were off the stage within seconds.

I was eager to get out of here and see Liv. I noticed she left a few songs before the end and I just hope she's feeling okay. It's been a rough day for her.

Or maybe she's just had enough time to think and decided she'd rather not see me tonight.

After the thought crossed my mind while I navigated the halls backstage, I almost expected that would be the case. But when I got to the dressing room well before the others, there she was.

She'd just made a coffee and turned around as I shut the door behind me. She smiled and walked over to me, holding the mug out. "Here."

An olive branch. Maybe she doesn't hate me after all.