The Wrong Direction

Chapter Sixteen

Adriana

Chapter Sixteen

The next day, we walked on and on for what seemed like forever.  I was so tired that I was about to beg someone to carry me.  I actually already asked everybody an hour ago, but they all just frowned and shook their heads at me.  People can be so judgey.

Liam led the way into a large clearing, marching proudly.  Zayn was trudging after him at a slower pace, while Ben was walking next to Niall, asking him why leprechauns run around Ireland like they own the place.  Niall kept on trying to explain to a hopelessly confused Ben that leprechauns don’t even exist, but his efforts didn’t pay off.  There was no getting through that thick head of his and forcing him to learn something.

At first, nothing seemed unusual about the clearing except that it was massive.  It’d probably take at least twenty minutes to walk across it.  Not that I minded or anything, because I’ve only seen boring tree after tree for the past five or six hours.  After about two minutes of walking into the clearing, I realized something was off about it.  There were pink lawn chairs strewn along the grass, along with way too many garden gnomes.  I also saw a huge inflatable pool with a couple beach towels thrown on the ground next to it.  This wasn’t a normal sight in the middle of nowhere . . . this had to signify that people were near!

“Oh my gosh!” I screamed.  You really can’t blame me for freaking out at the sight of garden gnomes - I think anybody would after being lost in the wilderness for days.  “Human objects!  There has to be people nearby!”

Zayn started to whoop and dance around the lawn chairs.  “Yes!  Yes!  No more Ben!”

“Hey!” Ben argued, his bottom lip puckering out.  Wow is he pathetic.

“It’s only true, lad,” Niall said, patting Ben on the back sympathetically.

Zayn stared at everyone with an excited look burning in his dark brown eyes.  “Well, what are we waiting for?  Swimming time!”

Niall and I cheered, following after Zayn into the huge pink inflatable pool.  Zayn and Niall both threw off their dirty t-shirts, although I didn’t follow their lead.  That’d just be awkward . . . and uncomfortable.

After all three of us were completely soaked in the water, Liam shook his head at us disapprovingly.  “Guys, you need to get out of that pool right now!  You’re going to make its owners angry.”

“Really, Liam?  Really?” Niall asked, although it didn’t exactly sound like a question.  His eyebrows were raised in annoyance.

“Yeah!” piped in Zayn as he splashed Niall.  “If worse comes to worse, we can just tell them who we are - if they don't know just by glancing at us.  Nobody in their right mind would be angry at One Direction.”

Liam didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t argue any longer.  “Fine, suit yourselves, but I’m not even dipping a toe in that pool.”

You know, it really didn’t bother me that much that Liam refused to go into the pool.  He’s such a party-pooper, but I’ve kinda gotten used to it.

Liam rolled his eyes at us one last time before stomping over to a pink lawn chair and sitting down on it.  It’s surprising how funny it is to see a nineteen-year-old guy sitting in a pink chair.  If only I had a camera . . . .

I quickly realized Ben was being very quiet.  I looked around for him, and I finally found him petting a random garden gnome’s cheek.  He had a creepy, flirtatious look on his face.  That poor, poor garden gnome.  It’s going to need major therapy after Ben is through with it.