Perfect Harmony || l.t.

Chapter Three

    Inside the small hotel room Max would be sharing with herself and no one else, Liam, Zayn and Niall laid on the beds. They were catching up on much-needed sleep while Max was in the shower, letting the jets of hot water relax the muscles in her back and shoulders.

    The jets of water hit her skin, relaxing it as she weaved her fingers through her hair, applying her favorite shampoo, Herbal Essences, to it. More than once Max had found herself closing her eyes as the toll of time zones hit her. She needed more sleep than the three guys on her hotel room beds, and it showed. Stepping out of the shower and inspecting her face quickly before the mirror fogged up, Max noticed the heavy bags under her eyes, the sign of a lack of sleep.

    Sighing as she wrapped the towel around herself, she dragged the suitcase that lay beside the bathroom door in, changing inside the cramped room. Multiple times she found herself hitting her elbow on a wall or fixture as she pulled on her clothes and even more so as she began to brush her hair. The thick black curls required an extra amount of force and when applied, Max couldn't stop the momentum they possessed when the brush finally got out of her hair, resulting in her hitting her arm rather harshly.

    "Ow," Max muttered after hitting her arm on the wall behind for what seemed like the twentieth time. Finally, she gave up, realizing that Lou would probably redo the whole thing later on. Max stepped out of the bathroom and into the main part of the suite. The three guys were still sound asleep, light snores escaping one of their mouths. Smirking at the sight, she quickly took a picture with her phone.

    "Wake up!" She yelled once having saved the picture. Liam jerked up, hitting Zayn in the process. Zayn yelled out in indigence, and hit Liam back. Niall slowly rose up, yawning contentedly as he escaped the brutality of the other two.

    "Why are we up?" Zayn murmured, flopping back down on the mattress.

    "I don't know. Maybe because we have to be at the venue in say, forty-five minutes?" Max responded, a hint of sarcasm tinging her words. Rising back up, Zayn stared at her, as if to say "Really?" She just smirked back in response, and grabbed her wallet from the table.

    "Well, what are you guys waiting for?" Max asked after turning around and seeing the guys still on the beds. "Let's go!"

    Arriving at the O2 Arena about thirty minutes later, Max was the first to step out. The screams reached her first, and behind her aviators, she winced, not used to such a loud crowd. Still, she marched forward, flashing her ID at the security guard, who let her through. Somehow, Max was able to remember the intricate twists and turns one had to make in order to reach the main part of backstage.

    "Max!" Cried a girl's voice. Looking behind her, she realized that it was Lou. She let the older blond girl hug her, and place a kiss upon her cheek. "Ready to get made over?" Lou asked with a suggestive wink. Max smiled and nodded, following her to the dressing room.

    In front of a mirror lay the largest array of beauty and hair supplies Max had ever seen, and she was pretty sure her eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked at them. "This is all for me?" She asked with a hint of disbelief and annoyance in her voice. The annoyance was for the fact that they thought she needed so much supplies. Lou just laughed, reassuring her that it was not.

    "No, some of this is actually for those five idiots." Lou said, lightly pushing Max into the chair. She sat in the cushioned chair as Lou worked her way through Max's hair, brushing and pulling at some knots before styling it.

    "So," Lou began, a twinkle of mischief beginning to form in her eyes. "I hear that Louis can't stand you." Max felt her cheeks flush. Louis didn't show the least amount of cordiality towards her, and it was no secret that he loathed the fact that her stage time was longer. But she didn't think that it was so extreme that he hated her. The feeling wasn’t mutual, either.