the photographer. [zdh]

twenty-six

i yawned as i got off my bunk.

it was almost midnight, and we'd just arrived at the first location of the invitation tour in europe less than an hour before.

helsinki.

the boys had already gone to sleep; i'd let them all use the bathroom before myself, as they had a longer day ahead of them tomorrow. soundcheck and performing was going to take more energy out of them than me, and they needed their sleep.

after brushing my teeth and changing to a t-shirt and sweatpants, i almost fell asleep right there in the bathroom, but forced myself to walk back to my bunk.

my head hadn't hit the pillow before sleep consumed me entirely.

**

i woke up the next morning to a cup of cold water splashed on my face.

"gaahh! w-wha-?"

i opened my eyes only to see the looming figure of jonah above me.

"jonah!" i exclaimed, annoyed.

he shrugged. "jack's bathing, corbyn's sleeping, eben and tyler are out buying food, and both daniel and zach refused to do it to you. it had to be me."

i glared at him. "do it to corbyn."

"excuse me?" i heard a gasp as corbyn's face appeared.

"what did you say? i heard my name" he demanded as i blinked. wasn't he sleeping?

eyes landing on the cup in jonah's hand, corbyn smirked. "leah..."

"what!" i yelled, sitting up quickly and almost banging my head in the process. "i didn't mean it!"

jonah and corbyn laughed as we heard the bus doors open, and the delicious aroma of freshly-brewed coffee and with a blast of cold air followed tyler and eben into the bus.

**

"why don't we! why don't we! why don't we!"

the chants of the limelights awaiting the boys in the venue grew louder.

"why don't we!"

as the boys were about to go onstage, zach suddenly made eye contact and ran over to me. "what are you doing?" i asked, confused.

"go on a date with me? when we're in amsterdam?"

"zach, you're about to go on-"

"WHY DON'T WE!" the fans called their loudest yet.

"yes? will you?"

i laughed. "yes, now get on!"

he grinned, kissed my forehead, and ran off. shaking my head as i smiled, i walked off into the audience to take pictures.

"zach distract you?" joseph asked once i had set up my tripod next to him. as i was drinking water while he asked that, water nearly came out from my nose.

"h-how-" i sputtered, coughing.

joseph shrugged, turning back to the stage as he adjusted his video camera. "you were blushing. not that hard to tell. he asked you out, i'm guessing?"