Look at Me - H.S.

~ Chapter 31 ~

"Okay, this one is more of a two-part question. You ready?" With a look on their faces that could only be described as pure determination, they all simply nod, once, completely in sync, like it was choreographed. Pens poised and ready to scribble their answers as if this is life or death, the tension in the air is so bloody thick, I have a new found respect for that dude who used to present 'Who wants to be a millionaire?'

After we had headed back inside from the pool, Harry whipped up some food for everyone while I got showered and changed and we sat around his dining room table chatting and spent some time getting to know each other. Like I didn't already know everything about them. They told me what they had been up to and even told me a few secrets about work they had coming up but hadn't been announced yet. My fan girl heart was ready to explode. I felt kind of guilty, like I was betraying the rest of the fandom by having this information and not sharing it. Not that I ever would, I think they must know that too, otherwise they wouldn't have been so eager to share, would they? All I will say is, I can't fucking wait!

These lot are so competitive. They're on the same team, all five of them against me and they're still trying to one-up each other. I think it's safe to say I've won this little game though. It's funny how I know more about their band than they do, also, a little scary. For them, not me. All I'm worried about is that they're going to leave this place later and head straight to whoever they need to speak to in order to get a restraining order against me. Like, my level of knowledge isn't normal. At all.

Some of them have had to use google to check that the answers to their own questions, are in fact correct and then again to check the answers to my questions. Honestly, I should be hurt by the lack of trust.

Is it weird that I know the release dates of all their albums, exactly how many songs they've released as a band and individually and what their best seller is? Yes, yes it is but only because, unless you're planning on meeting all five of them and challenging them to a quiz, it's pretty useless information, however at this particular moment in time, I'm just grateful for my loyalty and dedication over the years.

"How many ambulances does it take to save a saviour and how loud would that light be?"

Silence.

I return the stare of their unblinking eyes, trying to remain as serious as possible but it's fucking difficult. The laughter is fizzing up inside, I can feel it emerging from the pit of my stomach and working it's way up my throat. My lips are starting to quiver and my eyes are stinging but it's Louis who breaks first.

"Oh, piss off! That's not even a real question, it don't even make fookin sense!" He throws his arms up in the air along with his pen and paper. That's when the dam bursts and I cant help the laughter that erupts, this in turn makes the rest of them relax and join in, Louis though, he's already left the room and gone out the back, for a cigarette, I assume. Harry uses the knuckle of his index finger to rub the corner of each eye and says though a chuckle, "It took Liam so fucking long to sing that line right." The others just nod in agreement, the laughter having died down to random little giggles. Even Liam can't defend himself against that statement, by the looks of it, he totally agrees. With a shrug he adds, "It just didn't make sense."

Niall and Zayn stand up from their chairs at the same time, the sound of the feet scraping against the marble tiles as they do. "That was really fun," Niall says, not really addressing anyone, while he stretches his arms above his head, "but, I gotta get going." Zayn turns to give him a bro hug and pats his back, "See you soon, man," before doing the same to Liam, who, I'm assuming is also heading out. None of them actually live here in LA so I know that they probably have work to get back to. Me and Harry both say our goodbyes to Liam and Niall before seeing them out and I can't help but stand at the door, like some sort of grandmother, waiting until their cars are out of sight before closing it. I then head back through the house and out to the back patio to find Louis, Zayn and Harry, all laying on their own sun loungers, Louis in the middle, Zayn on his left and Harry on his right, chatting amongst themselves.