Forever (h.s.)

Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Blue in Sydney

One Direction was so crazy busy over the next month that I hardly saw Harry. It was straight from bed in the morning to rehearsal, a promo, a signing, to the nightly concert and by the time we got back to the bus he was too exhausted to talk and fell asleep in my arms.

I'd lay there, gently brushing his curls off his forehead, memorizing each dark freckle that blemished his flawless skin. Resting my cheek on his head and breathing in the smell of his shampoo. He'd sigh in his sleep and subconsciously nuzzle into me.

But he was sleeping, and I was sad and lonely.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, we reached the last destination of their tour: Sydney, Australia. George took one look at our shambled, messy bus and rented us a hotel for the four days we were spending down under.

We roamed around as the sky grew dark, giggling and listening in awe to the array of incomprehensible accents that walked the busy streets. Ashton was ecstatic, running around and introducing us to Australian foods and people he knew. Eventually Lux started to get fussy and we all decided it was time to settle down for the night.

"Wait, does it have like, actual beds?!" Rach joked, following us into the hotel lobby with wide eyes. "I've forgotten what beds feel like." I giggled, nodding in agreement.

"It's been so long since I've been in a bed bigger than a twin. Time to sleep like a starfish," I groaned, leaning on the wall and spreading my arms out against it. Harry caught my eye from where he was standing with George at the checkout desk. I grinned softly, and he returned it. Before he could pull me in with his smile, I looked away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harry's eyebrows furrow confusedly as he turned back around.

It was only eight o'clock but everyone was exhausted. I saw Harry stretch his arms above his head and disappear into our bedroom, but I hung back in Ash and Claudia's, where we were talking about what would happen when we returned back to London.

"I want to go to uni," I said, sitting cross-legged on the bed and braiding Claudia's hair back. Ashton was laying on the floor, head in Claudia's lap, his phone screen lighting up his face. Claudia agreed and was talking about her desired majors when Harry appeared across the room, arm resting up on the doorframe of our room.

"Lovely, are you coming to bed?" he asked quietly, cocking his head shyly, avoiding my gaze. I pressed my lips together, waiting until he looked at me. Then I nodded. Harry swallowed, dipped his head, and retreated back into the bedroom.

I tied off Claudia's hair and was reaching up to put my own into a bun when Claudia's head turned slowly to face me. "Sarah?"

"What?" I asked, caught off guard by her tone.

"What's going on with you and Harry? You two haven't been all over each other since....I don't know, Michigan?"

"Oh." I let out a deep breath. "I don't know, he's just been so busy, I feel like we're kind of....disconnected." Claudia put her hand on my knee and squeezed it gently.

"Tell him," she said softly. Ashton put his phone on the floor and nodded.

"If it were me, I'd want to know why you were upset," he said. "Harry's a sensitive guy. He's probably beating himself up for something he didn't do." I swallowed hard, my heart aching because he was right. Just because I was feeling alone didn't mean I had to make him feel alone, too.

"I'm going to bed," I said, clenching my hands nervously and sliding off the bed. I looked back just before I reached the door to where Harry was, smiling weakly. "Thanks, you guys." Ashton and Claudia nodded, blowing kisses.