Wonderland // McFly

Followed Us Here From Home

May 11, 2014: One Direction On the Road Again Tour; Brisbane, Australia

"Hi Lilly!" I turn from where I was, taping set lists to the stage to see Niall. I sigh.

"Hi Niall." I smile weakly.

"You look very pretty today." He smiles.

"Thank you, Niall." I say. He stands there a little longer, then turns and walks away with Liam. I sigh to myself again.

Niall had been following me around like a lost puppy these last few days. Kind of like James had at the first New Year's Party at the band house. The awful part was, I wanted to like him. He was so sweet. He would bring me water anytime I had to help out with the crew and tell me "hydration is important!". Plus, he'd always say good morning and ask how I slept and him and Harry would bring some of the catering in for all the guys and me. I wanted to like him, but I didn't. Not in that way, at least.

I go back to taping down the set lists, but I don't get too far into the job before I'm startled again.

"You're breaking the kid's heart." I hear from behind me, and jump, turning around again.

"Louis." I say, putting a hand over my thumping heart. "Where the hell did you come from?"

"Oh I'm everywhere in this place." He says, motioning around the arena. "I'm like the wind. Anyways, you're breaking Niall's heart."

"Please don't say that." I say, feeling my stomach knot as I went back to my work.

"I mean, I agree. He's totally in over his head."

"Louis-"

"I'm just saying the truth here." He says. "You don't have to date him, but you should let him down now, you know? Before things get bad." I shake my head.

"Stop, okay? We're only here for another week and...I can't be bothered by things like this." I say, huffing. This whole conversation was making me confused.

"Alright." Louis says, backing away and holding his hands up defensively. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

*****************************

While the boys were sound checking, and I was still worrying about everything Louis had told me, I did what I always did these days to calm myself down.

I sat in an abandoned hallway on top of one of the big rolling carts meant to hold speakers. It was probably empty now, considering it was soundcheck.

I open the screen of my laptop to reveal the same page I had been looking at when i closed it. And once again, I let the mouse hover over the Enroll Online Now button.

Just click it! What's the big deal? It's not like I'll actually get accepted. And even if I did, I wouldn't have to take the job if I didn't want to. It's not like they would send a car for me and ship me out to America. What are you so afraid of? You can't spend your whole life-

"Hey Lilly!" I hear. I slam my laptop shut and turn to see Niall again.

"You guys have got to stop doing that!" I yell. He looks at me confused, and then sits on the cart on the other side of the hallway.

"Sorry." He shrugs.

"Aren't you supposed to be sound checking?" I ask.

"We already did. The guys are onstage now." He says. I'm guessing he means McBusted. I nod, placing my computer down next to me. "What were you looking at?"

"What? Nothing!" I say, a bit too quickly.

"Oh I get it." He chuckles.

"What? No-"