Looks Can Be Deceiving

Chapter Thirteen

"I just want to jump in bed." Chris groans rubbing his hands over his face.

"Lucky they had showers in the venue." Richard yawns slumping onto one of the lobby chairs.

Hugo and Ali head to the front desk to check in while everyone else settles onto the various furniture in the lobby.

"I can't wait to have a room to myself. Sharing with the 5 of you has been the messiest 3 days of my life!" she groans.

"Oh come on!" Joel laughs.

"Except you Joel." She smiles her eyes closed as she lies on a couch.

"It wasn't that bad!" Richard smirks.

"Pretty bad." She keeps her eyes closed knowing if she were to look at Richard her face would turn bright red.

"Zabdie's asleep." Erick comments as he hears light snores coming from Zabdie.

"OK!" Shouts Hugo while clapping his hands. "I need everyone's attention, there has been a change of plans!" Stella sits up immediately fearful that her private room was about to be taken from her. "Turns out they overbooked. Stella, you'll have to bunk with the boys but they assured us there's enough beds!"

Stella rolls her eyes. "I guess it's another messy 3 days for me."

They all head to their rooms; Stella opens a door and finds a double bed. She smiles excited to have a whole bed. Hoping that she would be able to sleep without Richard by her side. Stella practically falls onto her bed when she hears a noise.

"Psst." She hears. "Psst, Stella." She sits up and sees there's a door open and Richard is leaning against the frame. "Close the door." He whispers pointing to the main door in her room.

She stands up and locks it without hesitation.

"Why does my room have two doors?" she questions.

"It's a connecting room. Yours and mine."

"Will you come in my room tonight? To sleep? With me?" his eyes are soft and he looks at her desperately.

She told herself she wouldn't. She would try without him but looking at him she can't help the answer that slips from her lips.

"Let me just put pajamas on and I'll come in there."

"Hold that thought!" he puts a finger up and runs back to his room. "Here. You looked cute in my t-shirt the other night." He passes her his t-shirt and a pair of his boxers.

"Thanks." She blushes. "I'll put these on and then come in." he nods and disappears back into his room. Stella shuts the door and looks at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were red. She holds her face. "You have to stop blushing like this!" she scolds herself.

When she does open the door she is slowly scared that Richard will be on the side and tell her it was a big joke. Instead, she opens the door and he is sitting on the edge of his bed. He looks up when he hears the door and stands up.

"I don't know what it is but I just get a better sleep with you in my bed." He smiles.

"So do I." She almost whispers.

Richard shuffles around a little nervously. The two of them around each other when they are alone are almost completely different to who they were at the start of this tour. When they're around everyone they do everything they can to be as normal as possible but as each day goes on they find themselves being pulled closer and closer to each other.

"At least with these connecting doors, you can sneak out when we hear Chris coming instead of me waking you up at 6am." Richard laughs.

"I'm really tired." Stella comments walking to the right side of the bed.

After two nights of sleeping in the same bed, they had already established their own sides of the bed.

"Same." Richard seems slightly more comfortable and slips into the bed. "Will you get in?" he asks as Stella stands on her side.

"Sorry I'm being awkward." She settles herself under the sheets and lies down. They lay together staring into each other's eyes for a few minutes before Stella breaks the silence. "Sharing a bed with you is so weird."

"I know. Especially after all this kissing." He laughs. Richard's laughter cuts off and he almost looks like he's embarrassed by his words.

"We have kissed a lot haven't we?" Stella tries to bring some humor back into the conversation but her tired voice makes it a half joke with half seriousness.

"We haven't really spoken about it."

The room is so silent their ears start to ring.

"Well you said it was a mistake." She sighs and turns around ready to finish the conversation. Stella closes her eyes ready to fall asleep and ignore the entire conversation. She almost contemplates going back to her room.

Richard places a hand on her shoulder and slides it down her arm to her hand and intertwines their fingers.

"It wasn't a mistake. The mistake I made was telling you it was a mistake. Okay?" he sighs. "Please turn around?" he pleads. Stella takes a deep breath and turns around. "I've never regretted kissing you. How could I when it's all I've wanted to do for the past 5 years." Richard is looking so deeply into her eyes, she's almost scared.

"What do you mean?"

"I shouldn't have said anything." He rubs his face, "I'm tired and Chris has strict rules about all this. You shouldn't even be here."

"Tell me what you meant!" She's firm, firmer than she intended to be.

Richard takes a deep breath. "I've had feelings for you since we met Stella. Chris knew and told me there were strict rules I couldn't be with you. All of this fighting, it was just to try and get you to hate me. I thought if I acted like I hated you then maybe I would hate you. Hating you would be so much easier than these feelings that I have." His heart is pouring out of his mouth.

Stella sits in shock, then something snaps in her and she stands instantly.

"This can't be true! You're lying." She almost screams.

"What? Why would I lie about this?" Richard immediately acts in defence.

"Chris told me he wouldn't stand in the way of us because he knew I liked you." Stella starts pacing the room in anger and frustration. "Is this all just some big joke to you? You probably kissed me as some part of a sick prank. You knew how much I liked you didn't you? You did this on purpose? Did Erick tell you?" she's rambling.

"Stella, take a deep breath." Richard stands up and tries to take her hands but she pushes him away.

"No. I can't do this." Stella moves straight to the door connecting their rooms. "Don't follow me. Just never speak to me again." She walks through the door and slams it shut.