She's Not Afraid

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE: WON'T GO HOME WITHOUT YOU

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE: WON'T GO HOME WITHOUT YOU

"It's not over tonight, just give me one more chance to make it right! I may not make it through the night... I won't go home without you!" Louis stated stubbornly.

"The thing is, I'm going home already. And isn't that a song?" I said.

"Wow, that was fast. My charms aren't that great, really. And yes, I just recited a lyric from one of Michael Buble's songs." Louis bragged.

"Whatever. That's Maroon 5, smarty pants!"

"What made you change your mind?" Niall asked.

Is it wrong if I say 'Zayn'?

Somehow, his words got under my skin which made me feel guilty for just going with the flow with whatever my manager says that I'd do.

"I, um, I'm thinking about how much control Marshall has over me and I just think that it's about time I stand up for myself, you know? So I'm thinking of getting a new manager." I managed to say instead which is also true.

"Ooh, can I apply?" Louis clapped his hands eagerly.

"I don't think you're manager material, Tomlinson." I said with a straight face.

And as much as I would like to ignore my growing feelings for 'someone' in particular, I just can't keep quiet anymore.

"I have someone I like." I said out in the open.

"Whoa, don't tell me it's that Cody guy or his friend Austin..." Louis contemplated.

"No." I just met them.

"Oh, thank God!" Niall and Louis said in unison.

"So who is it?" Niall asked.

"Someone we all know."

"That's not very specific, Cher. We know a lot of people considering that we're popstars."

"I'll tell you when I'm ready." I told them.

It's hard to choose, that's all I can say. And honestly, I don't think I can but I just can't stop feeling guilty for some reason for starting to like five guys all at once.

I've come to realize this when I ran off to take a break as a compliance to Marshall's orders.

I like them all as friends... I guess?

It started off with hate, really but once I got to spend time with them, I realized that they're not so bad after all.

Plus I'm this close to figuring out which guy I like in a romantic way.

Which is a bad idea because I don't want to hurt any of their feelings...

******

"You're firing me?!" Marshall was furious.

"Yep. I can't take it anymore. I want to be MOSTLY in control of my career. I rarely get to make decisions." I explained.

"Then you get to make all the decisions if that's what you want! Just don't dump me." He panicked.

Marshall's like a father and friend combined that I never had so I decided to give him another chance right away.

"Okay then. I'm staying." He sighed with relief once he heard this.

"And I promise not to meddle in your love life ever again... as long as you don't runaway with any of the One Direction guys unexpectedly." He said sternly.

"I'll keep that in mind." Even though I'm not really the type who would just runaway with someone in a heartbeat... that's just stupid and irrational.

******

My manager dropped me off to my house after we dropped Niall and Louis off to their apartment.

"Home sweet home!" I yelled once I entered my house.

What I didn't expect to find inside were three guys waiting for me.

"You're talking to yourself now? But that's okay, I still love you!" Harry wrapped me in a warm embrace.

"What are you? The welcoming committee?" I can't help being mean to them because that's what friendship is all about, right?

"No. We're the sleepover committee." Liam said seriously so it was hard to tell if he was joking or not but then the guy rarely jokes... or never jokes at all.

"You're going to let us sleepover for a whole month whether you like it or not since we have a lot of catching up to do and because you're clearly at fault here." Harry said.

"I thought only girls do the sleepover thing?" I eyed them skeptically.

Zayn didn't utter a single word. He just keeps on tickling Sharon's belly.

"And I thought that you made it clear that you don't like me anymore?" I directed the question to him.

"But I never said that I'll stop liking you as a friend." He retorted.

Right. As a 'friend'. That could work.

And here I thought it was going to be awkward between us... he did show me his emotional side... or maybe he was just drunk?

"And get this, we're all sleeping in your bedroom!" Harry changed the subject.

"Why can't you guys stay in the guestroom instead?" I crossed my arms.

"It's a SLEEPOVER, Cher. God, am I the only girl around here? I could use some help, Liam. Tell her the rules." Harry said.

"Well, I don't really have ANY experience when it comes to sleepovers. I don't have any girlfriends, remember?" I have trust issues.

"But you have boyfriends now..." Zayn chimed in which sounded rather weird.

"Anyway, the rules are pretty simple. We get to talk about boys all night long, paint each other's nails, do makeovers, naked pillow fights and etc. well, at least that's what I researched." Liam said.

"All of that sounds pretty GAY! But I do like the last one though... looking forward to that." Harry winked my way.

"I'm guessing you guys don't have that much experience either? When it comes to sleepovers, I mean. This is the very first one that I'm hosting... with guys, that is." Which doesn't morally sound right at all.

"Oh, you'll do fine. Just don't let Niall and Louis join us if they come begging to sleepover too because it's totally unfair that they get to stay in your lodge while you were on vacation." Harry said selfishly.

"It was only for one night and how---"

"Austin filled me in on some info. I believe you two have met? I fired the guy right away when he mentioned that you're very 'crushable' which is totally obscene from the way I see it." Liam interjected.

"Okay... I'd like to point out another concern among the long list of never-ending concerns that this 'sleepover' is going to have. I don't think all four of us are going to fit in my bed which could only fit about three people." I said.

"I call dibs on the bed!" Harry said first.

"Me too!" Liam and Zayn both said at the same time.

For a friend, Zayn sure loves to get all 'cozy' around me which doesn't convince me that he's 'moved on' at all.

"Okay then, I'll sleep on the floor since all three of you wants to sleep on MY bed."

"WHAT?! The whole point of this is to sleep beside you! I just lost interest knowing that Zayn and Liam's faces is what I get to see first thing when I wake up!" Harry shivered at the thought.