Dark Shadows

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Lauren's POV.

When we were finished with the discussion of my next mission all of us scattered off into different directions and activities. Louis went back into his room without saying much more. By the look of his droopy eyes and dragging walking style I suspected he was going back to bed. I wondered if the Coca Cola pyjamas he was wearing was available for purchase or if it was just a gift from the company. If I ever found one I would most definitely buy a pair for myself.

Niall and Zayn - who were both dressed now, casually in t-shirts and sweats - went down to eat breakfast on a restaurant after a quick departure wave. Paul went out into the corridor, his phone pressed to his ear. Another important call, I presumed. Liam stayed in Harry's room, walking over to the panorama windows. He peeked through the thick curtains. Irrevocably, the inaccessible gate had a sea of girls outside, which immediately let hear a squeal as soon as Liam peered through. He beckoned tiredly at them, then came back into the room. I was sat on the arm chair once again, not feeling like I belonged in this messy hotel room which obviously wasn't mine. Yet I didn't know where to go.

Harry finally got up from his bed. "I'm taking a shower. Feel free to do whatever you please." He grabbed a plaid button-up shirt and a pair of dark denim and disappeared into the bathroom.

Which left me alone with Liam. 

"Sooo," I began awkwardly, struggling to come up with something to say. "Do you guys have any plans for today?"

Liam smiled,  sitting down cross-legged on Harry's unmade bed. 

"We've got a photoshoot later this afternoon, but the lads never get ready until the last minute. Which makes us arrive wherever we're supposed to be just before it can be called 'late'." He used two fingers from each hand to air quote the last word.

I laughed. "Oh, really? You would think that superstars as big as the British-Irish boyband One Direction would be a little bit more sophisticated."

Liam chuckled. "That's what I try to tell them, but it's like talking to a brick wall. They wouldn't listen." I played with a fray on my jeans, still smiling. Each one of their accents were beautiful in their own way, it was almost impossible to pick a favourite. 

"Then maybe you should all get a nanny to look after you and make sure you're always in time," I suggested.

"I think Paul genuinely considered that," he mused. Why wasn't I surprised?

"Hey, what happened yesterday anyway? Harry texted us that he was in the hospital with Paul and a lady in need"- he smiled as he said that -"and that he was going to stay there all night."

"So Harry didn't say anything?" I was surprised.

"No, I think he wanted you to be the one to tell." Aww, what a gentleman. I had to thank him later.

"It was nothing really, other than me being stupid. I shouldn't have gone out in the middle of the night. I was lucky Harry was there to save me before anything happened... Before the man caught me."

"Oh," was all he said. He looked thoughtful. "At least something good came out of his midnight walks."

"But wasn't that a once-time thing he did?"

"No, he hasn't been able to sleep properly ever since Lux disappeared. It was the third night in a row he got out to clear his head. He's been getting about four hours of sleep or less each night."

"Hmm. He told me he couldn't get on the right time schedule after you guys got back from Australia," I mumbled, more to myself.

The bathroom door opened and Harry came out with water droplets shimmering like diamonds in his wet hair and a towel wrapped low around his hips.