Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 9: Rockstar Reality check

Savannah was starting to wonder if she had accidentally signed up for a survival challenge instead of a backstage tour. The bus was chaos, the guys were messier than she'd ever imagined, and privacy was a concept none of them seemed to understand. She'd lost count of how many times she'd caught Harry wandering around in just his boxers, or Louis loudly complaining that he "was too much of a superstar" to be sharing a bathroom with four other blokes.

But then there was Liam. Reliable, calm Liam, who was always the first to offer her a place to sit or hold a door. And there he was now, lounging shirtless on the bus with a bottle of soda in his hand, abs on full display like he was just casually sculpted by the gods. Savannah tried not to look—tried being the key word—but it wasn't easy. And of course, Louis was right there to notice.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Sav," Louis said, catching her mid-glance. "You're about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Just ask him out if you're gonna stare that hard."

Savannah shot him a death glare. "I wasn't staring. I was... observing," she defended, cringing the moment she realized how ridiculous she sounded.

"Right," Louis smirked, grabbing a bag of crisps from Niall, who was already halfway through his third bag of the day. "Observing. Got it. You're basically a scientist now."

Niall, too focused on his snacks, didn't even notice Louis snatching the bag. "Oi! That's my last bag of crisps!" he whined, snatching it back and holding it close. "You divas eat all my food as it is."

"Don't worry, Niall," Harry said, leaning back with a grin and cracking open a soda. "You'll survive. Maybe."

The show that night was at another sold-out stadium, and Savannah couldn't deny the pride bubbling up as she watched Louis strut around the stage like he owned it. The lads were all in their element, dancing, singing, and working the crowd like pros. And the fans were just as wild as ever, holding up signs and shrieking so loud, Savannah was sure her ears would be ringing for days.

Louis was on fire, hyping up the crowd between songs, throwing out cheeky winks and poses that had the fans screaming. When they hit the bridge of "What Makes You Beautiful," he even added an extra wink in Savannah's direction, making her roll her eyes so hard she thought she might sprain something.

After the show, they piled back onto the bus, sweaty, exhausted, and full of post-show adrenaline. Liam and Harry collapsed onto one of the couches, passing around sodas, while Zayn sprawled across another seat with his feet up. Niall, predictably, had his head in another bag of crisps.

"So, how'd we do, Sav?" Louis asked, leaning back with that cocky grin she knew so well. "Was I brilliant? Or was I brilliant?"

She rolled her eyes. "You were alright, Tomlinson. But I think Niall stole the show with that dramatic chip-eating performance."

Niall, with his mouth full, shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a natural-born entertainer."

Louis scoffed. "Niall, the only entertaining thing about you is how fast you inhale those crisps. You're lucky we don't start charging you for the snacks."

"Oh, piss off, Louis," Niall shot back, grinning through a mouthful of crisps.

The boys laughed, and Savannah found herself smiling. This was what she loved about being with them—moments like these where they were just friends hanging out, the fame and chaos of the show momentarily forgotten.

Just as she was getting comfortable, though, Louis nudged her with his elbow, giving her a knowing smirk. "So, Sav... you were checking Liam out earlier, yeah?"

Savannah groaned, feeling her face heat up. "Would you drop it already?"

"Not a chance," Louis grinned. "We're gonna need an answer. The people demand it!"

Liam, overhearing, looked over with an amused smile. "Demand what?"

"Nothing!" Savannah said quickly, glaring at Louis. "Ignore him. He's being a diva as usual."

"Excuse me," Louis shot back. "I'm just trying to help my best friend find true love. I think that's what heroes do, actually."

"Right," she said dryly. "You're such a hero, Louis. Truly."

Harry chimed in, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I dunno, Sav, I think Louis has a point. You could at least give Liam a chance. He's shirtless a lot, you know. That's gotta mean something."

"Fuck off, all of you," she muttered, though she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.

Zayn, barely lifting his head from where he was half-asleep on the couch, smirked. "You're never gonna survive this tour, Sav. They're gonna eat you alive."

Savannah sighed, leaning back as the bus rumbled on through the night. Maybe Zayn was right. This rockstar life wasn't what she'd expected, and neither were the lads she'd come to know so well. But for better or worse, this mess was her mess now—and she wouldn't have it any other way.