Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 7: Welcome to the Circus

Savannah had no idea what the hell she was getting into.

Sure, she'd known Louis for years, but nothing could have prepared her for the next few weeks of her life. Nothing could've gotten her ready for the utter chaos that came with living on a bus, surrounded by five teenage boys who, let's be honest, acted like they'd just discovered hormones and freedom at the same time.

She was about to get a crash course in what it really meant to be the only girl in the middle of the madness. And God, was it madness.

Every morning started the same way—loud, with the boys fighting over who got the last can of energy drink, who was hogging the bathroom, and who had the loudest snore. For someone who had lived a pretty quiet life in Doncaster, it was a rude awakening. Savannah quickly learned that "personal space" was a foreign concept, and "quiet time" was something for the weak.

But for Louis, of course, this was his life. He thrived on it. This was his circus, and she was just here for the ride.

The first few nights were the worst. There was no escaping the sound of the lads. Harry would start singing in the middle of the night (badly), Niall would laugh at something on his phone like he'd just discovered the funniest joke on earth, and Zayn would act like the entire bus was his personal soundstage. The whole thing felt like being stuck in a constant whirlwind of noise and movement. She didn't even need a calendar. She could tell what day it was by the way the bus shook when Louis and Harry were arguing about who was the better singer. Spoiler alert: it was always Louis.

"Oi, Sav!" Louis would call from the front of the bus, his voice already loud enough to shake the windows. "Do you think I should release my own perfume line?"

Savannah would groan into her pillow, tugging the covers over her head. "Please, just go to sleep."

He would laugh, of course. "But think about it, love—Tomlinson by Louis—you know it'd sell out. I'm basically a walking, talking trend."

"More like a walking headache," she would mutter, but Louis was never one to listen when you told him no.

Still, there was something oddly endearing about it all. The boys, despite their teenage antics and their knack for making everything a bit too loud, had this... unspoken bond. They didn't need to say much to know how the other was feeling, and in between all the chaos, they were there for each other. It was like watching a dysfunctional family go through a whirlwind tour, and for all the complaining she did, Savannah couldn't help but find herself warming up to them.

At least she wasn't completely alone.

It was one evening, as they all sat in the lounge area after a show, that the real madness began.

Savannah had spent the day navigating through a mix of rehearsal schedules, fan meet-and-greets, and what felt like an endless parade of interviews. By the time night fell, all she wanted to do was find some peace and quiet, maybe even catch a few hours of sleep—if she could manage it with all the noise.

But first, the bus bathroom.

She had to change into something more comfortable for bed, and since Louis was always a generous friend, she found herself slipping into one of his old shirts. The fabric was soft, and the familiar scent made her smile—like Louis but with a hint of something else she couldn't quite place. Maybe it was the years of laundry mixed with his ridiculous personality. Either way, she wasn't about to admit how comfortable it made her feel. Instead, she tugged on a pair of sweatpants, because—let's face it—there was no way in hell she was wearing shorts on this bus, surrounded by five horny teenage boys.

She'd already learned that one the hard way.

By the time she emerged from the bathroom, the lads were already gathered on the couches in the lounge, chatting amongst themselves about the next day's show. Louis was sprawled across one of the seats like a king, as usual, while Harry was loudly recounting some ridiculous story about a fan encounter, complete with over-the-top hand gestures.

Niall was already snacking on something (probably a banana, because apparently that's not all he ate), and Zayn was looking unbothered, with his arms crossed, leaning back in his seat like he was too cool for this whole situation.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Louis yelled over the noise, waving his hand dramatically. "Sav's here now, so we can all calm the fuck down, yeah?"

Savannah shot him a playful glare as she flopped down onto the couch next to him. "You're such a diva, Tomlinson."

He winked at her. "Well, someone has to be."

She gave him a nudge with her elbow. "You're really pushing it, you know that?"

The lads went back to their chatter, but Savannah was already half-distracted, watching the chaos unfold. It wasn't long before the inevitable happened: the moment when it was time to go to sleep, but no one knew exactly where she was supposed to sleep.

"Alright, I'm going to bed," Harry announced dramatically, standing up and stretching. "I'm knackered."

"Me too," Niall chimed in, his accent thick and ready to drag everyone into a late-night snack binge. "Who's got the last chocolate bar, though?"

Savannah looked around, not exactly excited by the idea of trying to sleep on the couch while the five of them fought over who was going to take the last spot on the bus. "Where am I supposed to sleep, then?" she asked, sarcastic edge creeping into her voice. "The couch? Because that's not awkward at all."

"You can bunk with me, mate," Liam said, ever the gentleman, flashing her a smile. "I've got a bit more space than the others. I'll crash in Niall's or Zayn's bunk for the night. Don't worry about it."

Savannah stared at him for a moment, her brain running through every possible scenario. He was being nice, but... it felt a bit weird, you know? Sleeping in a bunk with Liam? That Liam, who was always the sensible one, the quiet one?

"I'm not sure," she started, but Louis cut her off with a dramatic hand wave.

"Don't be an idiot, Sav. Take the damn offer. You don't want to sleep next to Zayn's snoring, trust me."

Savannah shot a glare in Zayn's direction. "What is it with you lot and your constant snoring?"

Zayn smirked. "I'm just a manly sleeper, what can I say?"

Liam's voice broke through their banter. "Seriously, take it. It's no big deal."

"Fine, fine," Savannah said, groaning. "But you better not steal the covers."

As Liam grinned, Savannah moved toward the back of the bus, where Liam had already set up his bunk for her. As she climbed in, she shot him a smirk. "This isn't going to be weird, right?"

Liam raised an eyebrow, his smile still in place. "Only if you make it weird."

Savannah rolled her eyes and settled into the surprisingly comfy bed, trying not to think about how, just hours ago, she'd been in her own bed, probably complaining about this exact scenario.

And just like that, the first night of madness was over—at least for now. As Liam slid into Niall's bunk with a shrug and a laugh, Savannah settled in for what she knew would be an unpredictable, wild ride.

"Welcome to the circus, mate," Louis's voice came from somewhere near the front of the bus, followed by a loud, obnoxious laugh.

Savannah sighed, turning off the light. What had she gotten herself into?