Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 20: Truly Madly Deeply

It had been months since Savannah first boarded that tour bus, expecting just a short stint to hang out with her best friend. She had no idea that it would turn into an adventure filled with chaos, laughs, and—somehow—love. Who could've guessed? Certainly not her. Not when she was stepping on that bus as just Louis Tomlinson's best friend. Now, she was so much more. And it felt... right.

The boys had gone from being loud, bratty teenagers to her crazy second family. Harry and Niall were still flirting like a pair of hormonal 16-year-olds. She had lost count of how many times they'd shared a touching moment, only for it to end with a burst of awkward laughter and the promise of a "just joking" cover-up. But the truth was, everyone could see it. Everyone except them. Harry would flick his hair dramatically and roll his eyes every time Niall looked at him for too long, while Niall pretended he was too busy eating a packet of crisps to even notice the blatant flirting happening between them.

Zayn and Louis, on the other hand, were far less subtle. Their playful back-and-forth had become its own form of entertainment. If they weren't joking about each other's fashion choices, they were throwing out lines that had everyone rolling their eyes—and probably more than a few hearts racing, too. But there was something about it. Something undeniable. Zayn would glance at Louis with this look—half exasperation, half admiration—and Louis would smirk like the world was just waiting for him to conquer it.

And then there was Savannah. She had never seen herself as the kind of person who could get caught up in all the drama, but here she was. She'd spent months watching these boys in their own little world, caught in their flirtations, their fights, and their friendship. It was messy, loud, and exhausting at times, but also beautiful. And, somehow, it all fit together. Every single piece.

The tour had come to its final stop. It felt surreal—like they'd just blinked, and the whole world had flipped upside down. Savannah stood backstage one last time, watching the boys prepare for their final show. The last few weeks had flown by, with their concerts getting bigger, the crowds getting louder, and the bond between them growing even stronger. Louis had never been more of a diva. Niall had never eaten so many snacks. Harry had never flirted more with Niall, and Zayn and Louis had never thrown more side-eye at each other than they had in the last few days.

And then there was Liam. Her Liam. The one who'd been patient enough to let her figure things out on her own. Who had waited until she was ready. And now, with the tour winding down, it felt like everything was falling into place.

"You alright, love?" Liam's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her from the backstage chaos. She turned to find him standing there, looking like he just stepped out of a fashion magazine—again. Liam Payne. The one who had been there for her from day one, making her laugh when she felt out of place, letting her have her space when she needed it, and always knowing when to hold her hand.

"Yeah," Savannah smiled, trying to ignore how her heart skipped a beat. "Just... taking it all in. Hard to believe this is the end."

He smiled, walking over to her. "It's not the end, Sav. We've still got each other."

She nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I know. But it feels like... I don't know, like it went by so fast."

Liam chuckled, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "You and Louis always act like the whole world is spinning out of control. But the truth is, this tour was just a chapter. We're all going to be alright. I'm not going anywhere."

That was Liam. Always so grounded, so sure. But when he took her hand and led her back to the bus that night, the finality of everything hit her like a ton of bricks. She was leaving this madness behind, and she didn't even know what was next.

When they got back to the tour bus, the chaos began to settle. Everyone was tired—physically drained from the show, emotionally exhausted from the end of an era. But as always, there was time for one more round of teasing, one last round of jokes.

Savannah, still in shock from the final show, noticed Louis making his usual rounds, chatting with Zayn, throwing playful jabs, and causing chaos as always. He caught her eye from across the bus, and his ever-present smirk made her roll her eyes.

"Hey, you," Louis said, sidling up to her with an exaggerated strut, "Don't get all sentimental on me, alright? The world is your oyster, you've got plenty of time for that."

Savannah chuckled. "Oh, I'm not getting sentimental. You're just too much of a diva to handle."

Louis raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "Diva? Me? You should be thanking me for introducing you to the most amazing, talented group of idiots. You're welcome, by the way."

She shook her head. "You know what, Louis, you're impossible. But I wouldn't have it any other way."

He grinned. "I know. I'm your favorite disaster."

And he was. He was definitely her favorite disaster.

That night, after the final show, the bus was quieter than usual. The lads had all headed to their bunks, but Savannah and Liam weren't quite ready for the end yet.

Liam's bunk was always the coziest, the one he made sure no one else ever slept in—except for her. And tonight, as the world outside the bus started to quiet down, Savannah climbed in beside him.

"You know, I never saw this coming," she said softly, resting her head on his chest.

Liam smiled, brushing a kiss against her forehead. "What?"

"You, me... this." She gestured vaguely around the bus, as if the whole situation could be explained in one word.

"Maybe you didn't see it coming," Liam said, running his fingers through her hair, "but I did. I've always known we'd end up here. Together."

Savannah couldn't help but smile, feeling at home for the first time in a long time. The crazy, unpredictable life of being on tour with Louis and the lads—her best friend and the four other boys who somehow fit into her life—had turned into something even better than she'd expected.

"Everything happens for a reason, right?" Savannah murmured.

"Right," Liam agreed, kissing her forehead once more. "And maybe this was always meant to be. The way it all fell into place. The tour, the lads, you and me—just the way it's supposed to be."

As she drifted off to sleep in Liam's arms, surrounded by the sounds of the guys bickering and laughing on the bus, Savannah realized that sometimes, life had a funny way of surprising you.

Maybe it didn't always go according to plan. Maybe you didn't always know where you were going. But in the end, it was perfect. Truly, madly, deeply perfect.

And as the bus rolled on into the night, she couldn't wait to see what the next chapter held.

The End.