Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 19: Unspoken things and Staring Contests

Another few weeks had passed since Savannah joined the lads on tour, and at this point, she was starting to get really used to the chaos. The endless travel, the loud fans, the sound of the boys shouting over each other on the bus—this was her life now. And, despite her complaints, she loved it. But there was one thing that hadn't escaped her attention in all this time, and that was the way Louis and Zayn seemed to have... well, something.

It wasn't overt—Louis wasn't out here announcing that he had a crush on Zayn. But when Louis looked at him? It was a different kind of stare. Savannah had been around enough to know the difference between a "we're friends" look and a "I'm kinda feeling you" look. And lately, Louis had been throwing a lot of the latter in Zayn's direction.

And Zayn? Zayn was Zayn. Cool, collected, and as mysterious as always. But there was something in the way he'd catch Louis's eye, then look away like he didn't want to give too much away. Savannah could practically hear the unspoken conversation between them. If she were a betting woman, she'd bet her whole stash of snacks that there was something going on between those two—at least, in one of their heads.

Meanwhile, Harry and Niall were practically glued at the hip these days, and if anyone could be oblivious to it, it was them. It was painfully obvious to everyone on the bus but the two of them. Every time Harry reached for a drink, his hand brushed against Niall's. Every time Niall laughed, Harry would grin like he'd won a prize. Savannah could see it—the unspoken feelings that they danced around like it was some kind of game. But no one talked about it. Not even Louis, who loved poking fun at everyone, especially when it came to relationship drama.

Tonight, after another insane concert—crowd screaming, the lads killing it on stage—Savannah was on the bus with the guys. As usual, the after-show chaos was settling down into the usual mix of tired chatter, laughing, and snack-eating. She sat on the couch, trying to ignore the madness around her, her phone in her hand, but she couldn't help but notice the flirtation happening right in front of her.

Harry and Niall were leaning in close, speaking in hushed tones, laughing at something only the two of them could understand. There were too many accidental touches to be overlooked. Niall was practically sitting on Harry's lap, and Harry was looking at him with that goofy grin of his—the one that made Savannah roll her eyes. If they weren't careful, they were going to give themselves away at some point. But, hey, who was she to judge?

Then there was Louis. Oh, Louis, with his "I'm too cool for this" act, throwing smirks at Zayn across the bus like he was some sort of forbidden fruit he wanted to taste. Savannah had been in the middle of a conversation with Niall about something random when she caught Louis staring at Zayn, again, like he was sizing him up.

She made a mental note of it: Gotta keep an eye on those two.

The conversation was getting louder now, with Niall playfully accusing Harry of always stealing his snacks, and Harry not-so-subtly flirting back. But, as always, Louis wasn't far behind, making sarcastic comments from the other side of the bus, directing them at Zayn, who, honestly, was doing a damn good job of pretending not to be interested.

But Savannah noticed.

She could tell Louis was up to something, and Zayn was only pretending to be unaffected by it. As Louis leaned back in his seat, he flashed Zayn a grin—one of those "I know something you don't" grins. And Savannah could practically hear the thought running through his head: Don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at me, Zayn.

And just as she was about to comment on it, Liam came over.

"Hey," he said quietly, like he was trying not to interrupt the ongoing chaos. "Can we talk for a minute?"

Savannah glanced up at him, surprised by the sudden shift in tone. Liam wasn't the type to be all secretive, but tonight something was different.

"Sure," she said, standing up and following him to the back of the bus. The others barely noticed, too caught up in their own little drama.

Once they were alone, Liam looked at her with those deep brown eyes of his, as serious as he'd ever been.

"Look, Savannah," he started, running a hand through his hair, clearly nervous. "I've been thinking... about us."

Savannah blinked. "About us?"

"Yeah." Liam shifted uncomfortably, clearly trying to find the right words. "I don't know how to say this, but... I'd really like for us to be something more than... just friends."

Savannah's breath caught in her throat. The way he was looking at her, the vulnerability in his eyes—Liam Payne was nervous. And that was probably the most attractive thing she'd ever seen.

"You mean, like... boyfriend and girlfriend?" she asked cautiously, not sure what to expect.

Liam nodded, giving a small, hopeful smile. "Yeah. I want to be with you, Savannah. I like you. More than just as a friend."

Savannah's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but smile. "Well, I guess you finally said it," she teased, not able to hide the grin on her face.

"I've been trying to get the nerve up for weeks," Liam admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "But every time I see you with the lads, I feel like I'm about to lose my chance."

Savannah chuckled softly, feeling a sense of warmth spread through her chest. "Liam," she said, stepping closer, "Of course I'd be your girlfriend. You've always been sweet to me. I'm just glad you asked."

Liam's face lit up, and for a moment, it was like the world paused. She was with him now. And it felt... right.

But, of course, the moment had to be ruined.

"OH MY GOD, FINALLY!" Louis's voice rang out, loud and clear from the front of the bus, making both Savannah and Liam jump in surprise. "Took you long enough, Payne! Took you weeks to figure it out!"

Savannah turned around, ready to shoot Louis a glare, but she saw that he was already grinning like a cat who had caught the canary.

"Yeah, yeah, don't act like you didn't see this coming, Sav," Louis continued, winking at her from across the bus. "You two have been eyeing each other up for months. I'm just glad it took Liam this long, because I wasn't sure how long I could deal with the sexual tension in this damn tour bus."

Savannah shot him a look. "Shut up, Louis."

Liam just laughed, his cheeks flushed. "You're a bloody nightmare, Tomlinson."

"Oh, I know," Louis said with a wicked grin. "And don't forget it. Now go make out or whatever, I need my beauty sleep."

Savannah shook her head and laughed, turning back to Liam. "So, boyfriend, huh?"

Liam grinned, reaching out to take her hand. "Yeah. Boyfriend."

And as the bus rocked on, filled with the sound of Louis's antics and the boys teasing each other, Savannah couldn't help but feel like maybe this tour wasn't just about the music or the fame. It was about figuring out what really mattered—and maybe, just maybe, it was going to be a hell of a ride.