Chapter 2


I was awaken by the feeling of someone moving next to me, but when I finally opened my eyes, my neck was stiff so I moved my neck a bit to stretch it. I turned my head and looked to my right and nobody was there. I did see someone walking away towards the toilet though so they might be who was sitting next to me.

The thought of the toilet sounded like a good idea now. Looking at the time on my phone I realised I had been asleep for about two hours.

I got up and my legs were stiff, so I stretched them and headed to the toilet behind me as I knew the one ahead was already taken. I walked down to the restroom locking the door.

I looked in the mirror of the bathroom and frowned. My blonde hair was messed up everywhere and greasy looking, along with my makeup free face looking a little oily. I quickly went to the toilet, flushing it and washing my hands, shoving my hair up into a messy bun.

I walked out of the toilet and instead of heading back to my seat, I walked over to the other side of the cabin to check on Paige and Dylan.

After getting over to them I see Paige quietly crying on my brothers shoulder and I rushed over to her.  "Hey sweetie, what's wrong?" I crouched down in front of her and she immediately reached forward and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"She saw a photo of them on my iPad and she just started crying." Dylan replied for her. I wrapped my arms around her back, right before she erupted into a fit of sobs.

I picked her up and signalled to my brother to move over to the window seat and after he had I sat down with Paige on my lap. For a while she just sat there crying in my arms, I hated seeing her like this. The whole time I felt like I was going to cry as well but I had to hold it together for them.

After a while she had stopped crying and I noticed that she was asleep so very awkwardly and with a bit of difficulty I managed to hop out of the seat and put Paige down into her seat without waking her. I shrug my jacket off and rest it over her. "I'll come over and check on you guys in a little but if she starts crying again or you need me, come and get me ok?"
My little brother nods in response before continuing to look out the window at the night sky and at the clouds.

I head back in the direction of my seat and see and spiky brown hair in the seat next to mine. I couldn't see their face as they were looking down at there lap. 

I mentally prepared myself for a conversation with this stranger, most definitely not wanting one.

I came and stood next to the seat and the stranger didn't even look up from his phone but I managed to squeeze past his legs, rolling my eyes at his rudeness I plopped into my seat.

"Oh, I'm sorry love. Didn't realise you needed to get through." I heard a strong but definitely cute British accent come from my right.

I turned my head away from the window and to the source of the voice, ready to reply with a sarcastic comment but when I looked at him my breath caught in my throat. I opened my mouth to say something. Anything. But nothing came out.

"And I'm assuming you know who I am." He said with a slightly amused smile.
Trying to get myself together and be the adult I supposedly was, I tried to think of a response, something that wouldn't show that I was any type of a fan of his,  "Yeah, you're like a famous actor or something aren't you? Seen you on the TV a few times."

My slightly sarcastic response must have caught him off guard and he threw his head back in slight laughter and I actually managed a smile to that. "You see I would believe you, except your wearing a jumper that has tour dates on it and there's this weird coincidence that my band happened to have a tour with the same name, and the same dates in the same places as the is on your jumper."

I looked down at my jumper and realised I was in fact wearing my 'On the road again' tour jumper. Well shit. I refused to give up. I could see it in his eyes, there was this challenging look that was daring me to have a comeback. I liked this challenge. It was something different. Something fun. Most importantly it was something that got my mind off the tragedy, that if I thought about for too long I'd most definitely cry, not matter who was sitting next to me. But I couldn't do that, I had to be stronger than that, and if not for me than for Dylan and Paige. So instead I thought of a quick comeback. "Oh this ol' thing, I got this at the dollar shop a few months back, only about $5 bucks, never heard of the band on it before. One Direction, isn't that a band from the 90's. Didn't think you looked that old." I mused as I looked at him.

He looked back at me, a curious glint in his eyes, he studied my face slightly. The simple action made me anxious. When I got on this plane I didn't plan on meeting anyone famous, didn't give a single shit about my appearance but now I cared. This isn't how I planned to meet my idol.

When he hadn't said anything for a minute I had got slightly scared that maybe I had hurt his feelings with my comment. But when a smile cracked over his face I was relieved that I hadn't. "I can't think of a comeback for that one. You win this time."

This time. This time?! This was a 22 hour flight. Not the rest of our lives what did that even mean. There wasn't going to be another time, right? Was I overanalysing again? Probably. Did I care? Most definitely not.

Before I could respond however he spoke up again, "but we both know you're lying," he added in a whisper, there was something in the tone of voice and the look in his eyes that intrigued.

That was bad. Boys were off limits, at least until I got my head straight. Until I sorted through my grief, until I knew I'd be ok- until all three of us would be ok. Until we were at least able to function. And until my thoughts weren't haunted by them.

I remembered then who this boy in front of me was. I remembered that nothing would happen between us. So I would give myself a break. I would let myself be intrigued for the 20 hours left in this flight. Let the old me shine through only for a little.

He smirked over at me slightly. "Yeah you caught me, I used to be a big fan once." I admitted to him.
"Once? Aren't you a fan anymore?"
"I am...but you know times change, people change," I tried to be honest with him, but honest didn't mean I'd have to reveal my whole sob story to him.
"Ok so I'll take that as you are a fan." He said.
"Yeah I am, not as intense as I used to be tho."
"So does that mean I'd be able to sleep without the worry you're gonna kidnap me or something."
"Yeah, I think you'll be safe." I smiled slightly.
"What's your name love?"
"My names Ashlee, it's nice to meet you."

I jolted awake. Forgetting where I was and what happened for a minute. I looked over and noticed that he was asleep. Memories started flooding my mind of what woke me up and tears started brimming in my eyes. Another dream, no, another nightmare. I got them ever since they died. It was rare that there was a time where I would sleep without them.

The more I thought about them the more I felt like I was gonna cry. I wanted to get up and go to the toilets so at least I could cry in peace and away from prying eyes. But when I noticed that he was slouched in his seat asleep and there was no way that I'd be able to  get out without waking him and I definitely didn't want that.

So I turned towards the window even though the blind was down, blocking out any view. A few tears slowly started slipping out of my eyes. I couldn't help it. Over and over again I was going over what happened in my head, reliving the  tragedy over and over again, I deserved it, it was all my fault so I deserved this pain.

I've heard of the saying everything happens for a reason. I always sorta believed it but now my opinion has changed. Surely there was no reason, at least no good reason that this had happened, there was an explanation as to why this happened, there wasn't something good that would come out of this. Yes I did get to meet my idol. But if I could choose whether to meet my idol or to save them, I'd save them in a heartbeat.

I sniffled a little and wiped the tears off of my face. God I'm such a mess. I felt him shuffle next to me. But refused to look at him- and trust me that was difficult. I could feel his stare on the back of my head.

I tried not to sniffle again and tried to breath calmly, trying to stop my tears. "Ashlee? Are you ok?" His voice was husky and that accent was heavenly. And as much as I wanted to I didn't turn around.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and I flinched not expecting it. He dropped it after I flinched, I wish he hadn't. It was nice, it was comforting.

I wiped my eyes and decided to turn around to him. When he saw me he's eyes widen dramatically. "Oh please, I don't look that bad." I said amongst a sniffle.

He smiled at me, "no you don't look bad at all, I just didn't expect you to be crying. I think you still look beautiful."

No. Stop it. He can't say things like that. This may just be a plane trip for him next to a fan but he had no clue what those words were doing to me, even while I had tears all over my face they still made my heart race.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asks. His voice soft.
I shook my head. I didn't want to talk about it and I didn't want to dump my problems on him.

I was about to turn back to the window, when he did the last thing I expected. He pulled me in for a hug. For a moment I didn't react because I didn't know what was happening. But then I did and I wrapped my arms back around him

There was many emotions flooding through me. Sadness because of everything that had happened. Anxiety of what was to come when we landed in London. Happiness because Louis Tomlinson was hugging me and comforting me.

Even though the position we were hugging in was awkward because of the arm rest between us, I could feel a sense of security in his arms. There was another feeling though and it was strange seeing as though I don't know him on a personal level but I wasn't going to complain. It wasn't a feeling that was familiar to me lately. Being in Louis' arms felt a little like home and that made me not want to me

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Candice King from The Vampire Diaries is who plays Ashlee.

Hope you like the new chapter. Please vote and comment.

{Unedited}

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