The following day Harry can't seem to get his mind off of the phone call. As much as he wants to forget it, he can't keep playing the conversation over and over again in his head. 

A part of him wishes he never met the boys to begin with. That way, his One Direction phase would've just been a phase. He would look back on it and laugh with his school mates, maybe. He would just be another Zouis shipper, go to a concert or two, maybe catch a glimpse of one of them once and spin it around in his head for months. Instead, it ruined his life. 

His eyes gaze down at the phone number in front of him. Harry's thumbs itch to click on it and call him, but he knows its a bad idea. He walked away from that life for a reason. Going back to it would be an overall bad idea, and yet here is he. 

Harry pushes out a breath as he taps the call button and brings the phone to his ear. It rings a couple of times and with every ring, Harry almost jerks the phone away to end the call. It feels like hours before Harry finally hears the familiar Irish accent. 

"Harry? I thought you said you didn't want anything to do with us. I got to be honest, I wasn't expecting you to call back," Niall says hurriedly. 

Harry scratches the back of his neck as he looks out across the fields. "I wasn't, but I had a... change of heart. I do miss you loads," Harry explains tentatively. 

"25 years without seeing ya, I don't know how I've managed! Text me and we can work something out. I could fly you two out here and you could stay with me. The wife's been buggering me about using the spare room more!" Harry can practically hear Niall's excitement from the other end of the phone. Harry laughs, nodding along. 

"Alright, I'll text you then and maybe we can work something out."

They say their goodbyes and end the call. Harry pushes the phone into his pocket as he stands. A sigh escapes him. What is he getting himself into?

~_~_~

"Hey," Harry says quietly as he enters Sam's workshop. It's a small barn at the outside of their property. It's a place Harry doesn't frequently visit, but Sam practically lives in.

Sam turns to look at Harry, a smudge of grease across his tanned skin. A smile covers his face as he sets a hammer on a workbench. 

"Mornin' darlin', didn't expect you to come this way," Sam says easily. Harry feels himself relaxing, as he usually does when Sam's words wash over him. It's an effect that most people in the south have, Harry's discovered. 

"I was just thinking," Harry starts. 

Sam laughs, cutting him off, "Oh no." Harry rolls his eyes as he walks deeper into the shop, following Sam as he goes to pick up a box of nails. 

"I thought that maybe we could go on vacation. We haven't been on one in a while," Harry continues. Sam doesn't look up as he answers, "I think that'd be a fine idea. We've been a proper couple of hermits lately. Where'd you have in mind?"

Harry bites his lip nervously. "Uh, maybe LA? With everything getting dragged back up again I got into contact with one of my old friends, Niall Horan. You uh... met him at the meet and greet," Harry explains. Sam looks up and shrugs. 

"I mean if that's whatcha want." Harry feels a breath of relief escape him. He looks up and sees Sam's brown eyes looking back at him. The man reaches a hand up to caress Harry's cheek. "I won't say no to meeting any of your celebrity friends." 

"Okay, well his tour ends in a couple of weeks and school's letting out soon. I'll talk to him more about the details," Harry explains. Sam doesn't seem bothered by the idea at all, a shock to Harry. He figured Sam wouldn't like Harry being surrounded by reminders of his old life. 

"Sounds alright by me," Sam shrugs. Harry smiles widely. Sam gives him an award-winning smile before turning back to his work. 

~_~_~

"So, I know this may sound a bit crazy but I think I'm going to be heading out your way," Harry says over his music. Ed Sheeran plays loudly behind him as he peels potatoes in the kitchen. His phone is propped up, facing him. 

"No shit? Really! I thought I'd have to drag your ass out here," The girl responds. Harry looks up from his peeling and smiles at the girl on his screen. 

The girl is the only thing he kept from the old part of his life. For years, she was his only friend so saying goodbye to her was an impossibility. His internet friend, and best friend, went by many names: LouisGayAss, HarryStylesFan1, and now Rebecca. Her dark brown hair is pulled into a bun at the top of her head and glasses sit perched on her arched nose. 

"Or, wild concept, you could come out and see me," Harry teases. His friend pretends to gag on the other end of the line. Harry laughs. 

"I'd rather not get horse shit on my nice shoes," Rebecca jokes. "Really though? Coming out to LA? I didn't think you'd ever come back." 

Harry shrugs, as he glances back to the potatoes. He opens a cupboard to grab his spices as he continues. "Well, Niall invited Sam and me. I figure it's finally time to try again. Besides, I do miss Niall and that means I get to see your ugly face in person," Harry jokes. 

He feels a pair of arms wrap themselves around Harry's waist and a smile breaks out across his face. "You still talkin' to that city slicker," Sam says teasingly. Rebecca rolls her eyes. 

"You love me." 

Sam looks over Harry's shoulder and dips a finger in to grab a bite of the potatoes. Harry attempts to slap his hand away, but Sam's too fast. Rebecca laughs loudly from the screen at the interaction. "You wish," Sam replies as he walks off towards the living room. 

"He's good for you," Rebecca sighs. Harry glances in Sam's direction, unable to keep a smile from spreading across his lips. "Alright, well I have to film a video for Telegraph. Can you believe my last one got over a million views? Insane! Anyway, I'll talk to you tonight. Love ya," Rebecca cheers. Harry smiles as he waves to the camera. 

"Love ya more," Harry replies as the call ends. 

Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all. 

~_~_~

Hey guys! I know you didn't hit the requirements for the update, but we did hit 190K reads on For the Road. It's absolutely insane that that many people have read my story. Even wilder to think that some of you guys might've even been around when it was Mum's Best Friend and when I first uploaded it. Thank you guys so much for the continued support! Leave a comment and tell me when you started the series and what your favorite part(s) have been so far! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! ~B

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