I glanced in the mirror one last time. My white t-shirt contrasted with the deep brown color my skin had turned after three weeks in the sun. Satisfied with how I looked I took a last glance at the room I'd lived in for the last few weeks, picked up my bag and joined Harry by the door.
"You ready?" he asked. He was wearing shorts, his ramoens t-shirt. His suitcase was propped up next to him. He was also quite tanned; he was out in the sun every chance he got, which wasn't often as they were working so hard.
"Yeah, let's go." We filed out the door and into the corridor where we were met by Louis who had just left his room next door to ours.
"I hate leaving." He sighed. As we got into the lift the doors swept shut, hiding the familiar hall from sight. We weren't going to see it again. The three weeks had gone so quickly. We mumbled in agreement as the lift started sinking.
"I'm so tired." Harry yawned. His hair was slightly tousled as he'd had a nap before we'd left.
I reached up to flatten a bit that was sticking out at the same time as Louis. Our hands collided on Harry's head. We all looked at each other and laughed. Louis was like another girlfriend for Harry. They get on so well, always laughing and joking. They have no secrets and do everything together. I'd quickly had to accept that this relationship was between three people and I was fine with it. Louis is hard not to accept.
We had to push through the people waiting outside the hotel. They'd found out where the boys were staying by the end of the first week and had been waiting outside 24/7 ever since. The boys signed a few autographs and had a few photos but they couldn't spend too long with them.
We all sighed a sigh of relief once we were in the minibus. We'd met up with the others on the way out and had to push through together.
"I don't want to leave yet I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed." Zayn mumbled as he zipped up his hoodie and settled down into his seat. He rested his head against the window and instantly fell asleep, his chin bouncing slightly with the motion of the bus.
"I hurt all over" Bay grumbled. "Stupid sunburn. Why do I have to have stupid skin? I've used factor 50 every day! It's not fair." She was trying to get comfortable without her skin hurting but was failing miserably and we all got to hear about it.
"Did you put moisturizer on before you left?" I asked.
"No. I forgot." She sighed.
We all settled down and got comfortable. It was a long drive to the airport.
*****
I sank down onto Harry's bed, the soft mattress cushioning my body as I landed. The soft material of the pajamas I kept at Harry's apartment was soft against my skin. Harry flopped down next to me and I lifted my head up to rest it on his outstretched arm.
"It's nice to be home." He sighed.
"Tell me about it. As much as I loved L.A and I had so much fun, nothing beats being back where you belong." I rubbed my hand up and down Harry's stomach, lightly tracing the grooves of his muscles with my fingers. The light hairs stood up as goose bumps broke out on his skin in response to my touch.
He pulled me into him and I rested my head on his stomach, my knees curled up by his side. His arm was wrapped around my waist and held my tightly. That's how we fell asleep. On top of the sheets with the balcony door and the curtains open. The summer air of London floated into the room, cooling but heating us at the same time. The sound of traffic faintly echoed as the night sky blanketed the city.
"Wake up Lilo."
My eyes opened in shock, expecting to see Harry but finding Louis leaning over me instead, nudging me with his hand. He grinned when he realized I'd had a fright and sat down next to me on the bed.
"Harry's in the shower, he told me to wake you up 'cause he said you read somewhere that to get over jet lag you have to just jump into the routine of the time zone you're in."
"Oh god, I forgot I'd said that." I rolled over onto my back and sat up. We both sat on the end of the bed, our legs hanging over it. I looked at what he was wearing and realized he was in his pajamas too. I say pajamas; he was just in a pair of jogging bottoms.
"What's your plan for today?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hands.
"Just relaxing and hanging around. I'm going to go home tomorrow to see everyone, so I'll get my stuff ready today. What about you?"
"How long are you going home for?" I have to go home and get some clothes to take to Holmes Chapel. I'm meeting Harry's family."
"Ooooh! Meeting the family! About time! A week, I haven't seen them for ages." He grinned.
"I know. I'm really nervous." I smiled sheepishly at him and fiddled with the tie on my pajama bottoms.
"Don't be, they'll love you, especially his sister. She loves anyone that loves her younger brother." He patted my leg reassuringly and stood up.
"Thanks" I smiled.
"I'd better get ready then. See you later. Harry's cooking later." He grinned wickedly as he left the room.
As Louis left Harry sidled in passed him. His towel was wrapped around his waist, water droplets still clinging to his chest shined in the light and his muscular arms flexed as he rubbed his neck.
"Morning sleeping beauty." He winked. He walked into his wardrobe so I shouted my reply.
"Morning. What time do you want to go back to mine?"
"Umm, it's 1 now so we could go whenever you're ready." He came back into the room fully dressed in chinos, a t-shirt and his tanned bare feet.
"Yeah, that's fine. I'll shower now and then we can go." I said, jumping off the bed.
Walking into my house was like walking into a stranger's home. It felt like I hadn't been there in ages. Everything was how Bay and I had left it the morning we left.
"I'm literally going to throw all this in my washing basket, grab some new clothes and we can go." I handed Harry a Red Bull from the fridge, the only things we had in there, and went upstairs to my room.
Some of the clothes I wanted to take with me I'd washed at Harry's and packed ready to take with me.
I picked out the white box with the scarlet red ribbon from my bag. I opened it with the same amount of excitement I'd had the first time. The tissue rustled as I lifted out the dress and hung it on a hanger inside one of the protective covers Harry had given me especially for it.
I jogged down stairs with my bag and dumped it near the door. "Done!"
I called into the living room where Harry was sat.
I walked through the door expecting to find him watching t.v or something but he wasn't there. Confused, I tried the kitchen and didn't find him there either.
I looked out the window and saw him sat on the bench under the tree. He was holding his Red Bull can, looking at the sky.
"Penny for your thoughts" I called out as I leaned through the open kitchen door. He looked up and his smoldering eyes met mine. He grinned as he stood up and came over to me.
"I was just thinking of the first time I laid my eyes on you. You are the most amazing person I've ever met." He wrapped his arms around my waist and I pulled him back into the kitchen. "Have you finished?"
"I am indeed."
"Then let's go. I want to spend as much time as I possibly can in the next few hours before I have to share you with my family tomorrow!"
I giggled as he pulled me through my house. He picked up my bag and swung it back and fore as we went down the steps towards his car.
