SIX - One Direction

30

The weeks zipped by in a blur, and suddenly they were all knee-deep in prepping for the Midnight Memories tour. Rehearsals had completely taken over their lives. Every day was a mad mix of guitar riffs, setlists, and the lads trying (and failing) to hit dance moves. The energy was unreal. Being back on the road, playing to all those fans who'd been there through thick and thin—well, they were absolutely buzzing.

One evening, after a proper knackering day of rehearsals, Alex flopped onto the couch in the living room, trying to catch her breath. Harry plonked himself down beside her, stretching out with a sigh. The rest of the boys were scattered around the flat—Niall and Louis were deep into a FIFA match, shouting at each other like their lives depended on it, while Liam was sprawled out on the armchair, half-asleep. The place felt like a madhouse, but it was home, and there was nowhere else she'd rather be.

Alex nudged Harry with her shoulder. "Mental that we're off on tour in a few days, yeah? Feels like we were just crammed into that tiny garage, practising till we were half dead."

Harry snorted, a fond grin spreading across his face. "Tell me about it. That garage was rank. Can't believe we survived it," he chuckled, a bit of nostalgia sneaking into his voice. "Feels like a blink ago we were messing about, and now it's like, full stadiums, loads of fans. Almost doesn't feel real sometimes."

"Completely," she nodded, feeling that familiar buzz of excitement. "But honestly, it's the fans that make it, innit? Their energy's something else."

"Yeah, that's true," Harry replied, but he gave her this look, like he was thinking a bit deeper. "But it's not just them, is it? S'like... it's us lot too. Dunno what it is, but we've built somethin' proper special here."

They both went quiet, just soaking in the moment. The kind of comfortable silence that only happens when you're dead close to someone. After a while, Harry looked at her, his expression shifting, getting a bit serious. "Y'know, Al, I've been thinkin'... about us."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Oh yeah?" she said, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish but determined. "Yeah. I reckon there's... I dunno, something different between us these days, yeah? I feel it. And I don't really fancy ignoring it anymore."

Her heart was thumping now, and she felt that mix of excitement and nerves bubbling up. "I... I feel it too, Haz. It's just, I dunno, a bit scary, yeah? Like, what if it messes things up?"

He shrugged, leaning in a bit closer, voice going soft. "Doesn't have to be scary. We can take it slow, see what happens. I just don't wanna pretend there's not somethin' there anymore. S'too special for that."

Before she could even think of what to say back, Louis burst into the room, loud as anything, completely oblivious to the scene. "Oi, you two lovebirds gonna sit there all night makin' googly eyes at each other, or are ya gonna get stuck in with us? Niall's trashin' me at FIFA, and I need backup!"

Alex let out a laugh, her cheeks going pink as the moment shattered. But she couldn't help glancing at Harry one more time, her heart racing. "Alright, alright, we're coming, ya big baby!" she called, giving Louis a playful shove as she stood up. Harry shot her a little smirk, eyes twinkling with that same glint that made her insides feel all wobbly.

As they joined the rest of the lads, the room filled with shouts, laughter, and general chaos. The telly was blaring, Niall and Louis were going at it, and Liam had woken up just enough to throw in some commentary. They were all joking around, taking the mick out of each other, but Alex's head was somewhere else entirely.

She couldn't shake what Harry had said. That unspoken tension between them hung in the air, thick as anything. She tried to focus on the game, but her mind kept drifting back to him, sitting there on the couch with that serious look in his eyes, like he could see right through her. She wasn't sure what was going to happen, but deep down, she knew something big was on the horizon for them.