A Dreamers Dream

From bad to worse. Travelling to Philadelphia, USA

Maddie's perspective.

"Good morning Trouble, how'd you sleep?" Harry asks me the next morning when we awaken in the massive, soft bed in his suite. I try and summon a smile for him as he pulls me into his arms, resting my head against his muscular chest and feeling his heart beating rhythmically under my ear, but its no use, not even being in my safe space can make me feel like any less of a shitty friend today.

"I've had better nights," I admit quietly, as my fingers wander to the soft brown hairs that scatter his chest and idly start twisting and twirling them.

"I know this is a horrible situation, but Sammy will calm down. I know it. It was just a shock to her, that's all and on top of everything with Freddie... She just needs a little time. Give it a few days, and I'm sure that things will go back to normal." He tries to reassure me,

"I hope you're right."

"I was thinking, given all of this, would you like to fly to Philadelphia with me this morning instead of getting the bus?" Harry asks, kissing the top of my head lightly before getting out of bed and beginning his morning stretches.

"Thank you for the offer, I think maybe it'd be better for me to catch the bus with the rest of the crew though really. No doubt word of me and Sammy's argument has already spread, god knows there were enough people in the cafeteria to witness the start of it last night, and the last thing I want to do is add fuel to the fire." I tell him, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt from my suitcase and heading towards the bathroom. "I should hurry actually, they're leaving at eight," I add, looking at my phone and realising that I only have about forty-five minutes to get myself organised.

"OK Trouble, if you're sure. How about, before you leave, you let me try and put a smile back on that beautiful face of yours hmm?" Harry drawls suggestively, straightening himself up and stepping around the large bed before wrapping his arms around me from behind and peppering feather-light kisses along my neck.

"Hmm, I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to try." I half giggle, glad that despite all the shit that's going on, that he and I are OK at least. I was fairly nervous last night when I turned up at his suite door after take-down and had to ask him to let me stay with him for a while, but thankfully he was nothing but supportive. Turns out Clark had already dropped my stuff off by the time I got back here, no doubt in part due to the fact that I purposefully hung around at the stadium for as long as possible after the show in an attempt to avoid seeing Sammy again, so Harry already had an inkling that something was going on when I arrived. Although apparently, Clark didn't say much to him other than hello and goodbye, so he had no idea what had happened until I returned and explained everything. We fell asleep pretty quickly after that, me lying quietly crying in his arms whilst he stroked my hair until I finally exhausted myself and drifted off. Trying with all my might to push the negative thoughts from my tired brain, I allow Harry to lead me into the shower and make me feel better for a few minutes at least.

Forty minutes later, I heave my suitcase into the bus's luggage hold and wearily make my way up the small flight of stairs, dragging my feet. I spot Sammy and Clark straight away, sitting next to each other near the front by the doors, Clark manages to give me a half-hearted, almost sympathetic smile as I make my way past them, but Sammy turns her head away the moment she sees me, pretending to have spotted something much more interesting out of the window. Guess I'll be sitting by myself then. Glancing around at the other crew members on the bus, I search for an empty chair as I make my way down the thin aisle between the rows of seats. It's only when I am about halfway down that I notice people are openly staring at me. No, not just staring, some are actually leaning towards their friends and speaking in hushed voices too low for me to hear when I walk past Regina and Joey, who I barely know well enough to do more than say a quick hello to when we pass each other in hotels, Regina actually rolls her eyes right at me, before cupping her hand to Joey's ear and saying something that is clearly hilarious, judging from the fact that he immediately starts giggling like a schoolgirl and clutching his stomach. What the hell? Do I have something on my face? I wonder and try and catch a glimpse of myself in one of the windows to check.