I hid quietly in the room I previously studied in. There weren’t many places back stages we were allowed to go in that we could play a game without being yelled out and sent into another room for “safety reasons” as if we were going to get killed by something.
And there weren’t many hiding places in our study room, so I opted for behind the door.
The sound of Luke’s footsteps filled my ears and I quieted myself. The door slowly opened and he stepped into the room. “I know you’re in here,” he laughed quietly, beginning to search around the room, not having checked behind the door yet.
He paused and stood up straight, slowly spinning in a circle until his eyes landed on the door and a smirk slipped onto his face.
“I can see you,” he laughed, walking over to me and closing the door, opening me to the room.
I giggled and leaned back as he stepped closer to me. My back slid onto the light switch and soon the room was pitch dark. I jumped forward slightly and Luke chuckled under his breath, pulling me closer to him and reaching behind me and flicking on the switch.
He stared directly in my eyes as he whispered softly, “You’re it.”
~~~~~~
“Dal,” Ashton called, knocking on the wood outside my bunk. I pulled the curtain back and smiled at him. I was sat on my bed in my pajamas, going through more papers and events I was in charge of for the next few weeks. “Yeah?”
“Me and the boys are heading to the gym at the hotel tomorrow morning. Do you want to come with us?”
I shrugged, “Yeah, sure. I think I have a pair of leggings I can wear.” “Why don’t we get you some shorts to wear? You’ll be hot in leggings.”
“Ash, you know about my legs,” I said.
He glanced behind him quickly before leaning into my bunk, “I know you’re insecure about your scars, so I got something that might help.”
He walked over to his bunk and pulled out a small blue bag, walking back over to me. “We went to some general store today and I picked this up. My mum used to make me put this on my wrists. It makes your scars fade and after a few months they’re completely gone.”
I took the bag from his hand and opened it to find a jar of vaseline.
“Thank you, Ash,” I smiled, pulling him into a hug.
He grinned happily, “Just put it on at night or whenever you’re home alone or I guess around me if you don’t care. Whenever you can, really.”
“I’ll do it tonight,” I smiled, placing the jar on my covers. He smiled and looked down at my papers and the pen I held, marking off and signing papers.
“I never knew you were left handed,” Ashton said.
I nodded, “Yeah, I am.”
He looked back to the living room where a crash sounded followed by Calum and Luke’s laughter and Michael screaming, “Fuck!”
“Want to take a break and come join us? We’re making food and then watching a movie.”
I giggled and pushed my papers away from from me, “I’ll come to the rescue,” I laughed, “I know you guys don’t cook.”
I slipped off of my bunk and followed Ashton into the front room where the three boys all stood around the small “kitchen”.
Michael was sweeping up broken glass and Luke and Calum continued to rummage for food.
“Dalaiah, oh thank god,” Luke laughed, “Can you make us food?” “You guys are pathetic,” I laughed, “Yes, I will.”
“Guys,” a loud voice called from the doorway. The driver, Jim, was getting on, “We’re leaving in a few minutes so make sure you’re sitting.”
“We’re just getting food then we’ll go watch a movie,” Ashton said.
He nodded, “Make it quick.”
I pulled out a bag of popcorn, pulled the wrapped from it, and threw it in the microwave, “We don’t have time to make food. Just grab something.”
“I’m gonna get fat,” Calum pouted, grabbing a bag of chips from the cupboard.
“You already are,” Luke joked, poking his stomach.
Calum playfully glared at him as Luke pulled him in for a tight hug, “But I love you.”
Calum cracked a small smile and pushed Luke off of him.
The boys all gathered up tons of sodas and various forms of junk food, carrying it all the the back as I got the popcorn from the microwave.
“You guys done?” Jim asked.
I nodded, “Yeah. We’ll be in the back.”
He nodded and I quickly made my way to the back, sitting on the couch between Michael and Calum in the corner of the ‘L’ shaped couch. Ashton sat next to Michael. The small couch was soon filled with no more room for Luke, whom was currently putting the movie in.
We passed out the snacks as Luke walked back over to us and sat on the floor in front of me, leaning back and resting against the couch between my legs.
"What movie did you pick?" Ashton asked, opening a bag of chips and pulling a few out.
"Finding Nemo," he laughed, "everything else just seemed too... I don't know. Boring?"
Calum smiled and leaned further into the couch, resting his head on my shoulder.
Michael copied him and rested his head against me.
"I feel like everyone is cuddling Dalaiah except me," Ashton pouted. Michael laughed and pulled him into his side.
"It's because it's true," Luke teased, grabbing a soda off the table.
The bus began to move and I smiled, looking at the four boys I had to become blessed to know.
