The van ride was terrible. Niall wouldn’t shut up about how hungry he was, Louis was playing small pranks on everyone while their backs were turned, Zayn was trying but failing to sleep on Liam, who was yelling angrily at all of us to calm down.

So that we couldn’t see where we were heading, the windows of our van had all been covered from the inside. Our laptops were at home and Paul had taken our phones, so there was literally nothing to do.

Sighing, I slapped my hand over Lou’s mouth and laid across his chest. “Can you please be quiet, Boo? I’m tired and you make a comfy pillow,” I complained.

He chuckled down at me, “Sure, anything for my Hazza! Go to sleep, I’ll wake you when we get there.”

In my drowsy state of mind I forgot to remind him that waking someone up with a prank, bucket of water, loud noises, or injury is not a good idea. Snuggling closer to him, I gripped his shirt and curled my body into his. I felt him tense for a second before relaxing and wrapping his arms around me and beginning to hum something soft and soothing in my ear.

What felt like only a few seconds later, but in reality was likely a few hours, I felt my body being lifted. I arched my back slightly, rubbing my eyes.

“Boobear, where are we going?” I asked.

“Oh, did I wake you? Sorry. We got to the house, Haz, and it’s huge! You might want to get your room before Zayn or Liam take the best ones, though. Unless you don’t mind. I don’t. Ooh, do I smell carrots?” He somewhat gently put me down before running in the direction of what I assumed must be the kitchen.

Groaning, I rubbed more sleep from my eyes, trudging down the hall. I heard some random crashing noises upstairs and wondered what it was before realizing it was probably Zayn and Niall fighting over their rooms. Opening a door at the end of the hall, I saw a nice sized bedroom with a closet and a large bathroom. Deciding this was fine, I flopped down on the bed, ready for a nap.

Louis came barging in. “Aw, you got the best room downstairs! When I said find a room, I didn’t mean the one I wanted… I was just going outside to grab our suitcases!” He pouted adorably at me. God, he knew I could never resist that expression!

“Well you didn’t save your room or even tell me it was yours! I was the one lying in here, and you even conveniently brought me my bags. Thanks, Boo!” His eyes saddened even more, if that was possible.

“But Hazzabear…” he whimpered.

“I said no, Louis. Sorry. Don’t worry, I think the one across the hall is still open.” With that, he got up, dragging his bags into the other room before running back in and jumping on top of me.

“Get off! I was trying to sleep, you git!” I shoved at him but he wouldn’t budge, grasping the sheets behind my head.

“SWEET REVENGE!” He yelled before starting yet another tickle fight. We were such children sometimes; even I tend to forget we’re legal adults.

“If you don’t get off then I’ll make my delicious tacos for all of us but you!”

“I can deal with that.” Ugh, what can I threaten him with that he would actually move if not my fabulous cooking?

“I’ll… uh… I’ll throw all the carrots out!”

“You’d just have to buy me more; you know how crazy I get without my daily dose of carrots.”

I was desperately thinking of things I could do to him. “I could… lock you in a room with Niall for a day with no food! I could… break Zayn’s mirror and leave the pieces in your room so he gets mad at you! I could… not cuddle with you for an entire day! I could…”

“NO! WAIT! I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t leave me alone for a whole day! I’d DIE without my Hazzabear!” He dramatically sobbed, clutching my body tighter.

“Lou… can’t… breathe…” I choked out, and he rolled some of his weight off me. Then what he said sank in.

“I won’t cuddle with you for a whole day if you don’t get off me!” One second I was being squished, the next he was on his feet beside my bed asking if I was okay and if him laying on me was hurting me in any way. What the heck? Of all things to threaten him with, the one he listened to was cuddling with me? Strange boy.

“I’m fine, I promise. No, you didn’t hurt me. Really. Let go of my arm, it does NOT HURT!” I almost think I preferred joking Louis to this strangely affectionate version. Jesus, he could be overprotective. “Yes, I’ll cuddle with you, just LET ME GO!” He finally calmed down, releasing my arm.

A second later, Liam entered my room. “What’s going on in here? And by the way, did you guys really have to be the only ones who took rooms on the first floor of the house?” When he saw that I was fine, he left us alone.

“Want to watch a movie?” I asked him. It was late and unless I was cooking dinner there was nothing else we could really do.

“Sure, I’m guessing you want Love Actually?” I nod and he stands to pull the movie from my bag, slipping it into the television. When he returns to the bed, he lifts the covers and gestures to me to get in. He climbs in next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and prop us on the pillows in such a way that we can both still see the movie, even from this position.

Sighing from comfort, we relax and watch the film. Why is it that I feel so safe and protected around Louis? I’ve never felt this way with anyone else, not even my girlfriends. It’s just something about him that makes me feel like I’m always wanted, and always loved.

God, I sound like a girl, thinking all these cheesy things about him. Louis is my best friend, though. It’s okay to be comforted by him. It’s okay to love him… as a friend, of course.

Eventually we must’ve fallen asleep, because the next thing I see is a bouncy leprechaun in my face telling me that I must get up this instant since Liam made us dinner but won’t let him eat until Louis and I join them.

“Fine, Niall, tell him we’re coming. I’m just going to wake him, be right there.” He happily skips out.

“Boo? Time to wake up. There’s food!” I shake his shoulder softly. He just rolls over on top of me, burying his face even more into my shirt. “Boo?”

Groaning, he curls up his legs as if his old position was suddenly uncomfortable. I stroke his hair gently, continuing to tell him that he needs to wake up.

After about five minutes of this, I realize that this is not going to work. Gently putting him on the other side of the bed, I stand up and lean over him.

“Louis, Niall ate all your carrots!” I say stupidly, still leaning over him.

He sits up fast as a bullet. “Did someone say Niall ate my carrots? When? Where is he? MY CARROTS!” He wails. I’d be laughing at his ridiculous reaction if he hadn’t knocked me over in the process of sitting up.

“Haz, why are you laying on the floor holding your head?” he asks curiously.

“I was leaning over you and I told you that to wake you up,” I grumble.

He looks guiltily down at me. “Sorry, Haz, but maybe next time you should wake me up with something other than making me think my carrots are gone! I mean, imagine if Niall really did eat them… I’d have to kill that special leprechaun!”

Now I was openly laughing. How could someone get so upset over a food that he can so easily buy? “You do know we could just get you more?”

“Oh yeah, forgot about that. Anyway, did someone say dinner?” he smiles, walking out. I follow him into the kitchen where the other boys have full plates in front of them. Niall is giving Liam an evil glare, but he brightens when he spots us coming in.

“Why’d it take you guys so long? Liam, can I eat now? Please? With Nandos on top?” Liam sighs, nodding, and Niall attacks his plate like a monkey.

The rest of us eat too, just a bit slower than Niall. He was already on his fourth serving as the rest of us got up for seconds.

“Take it easy, Ni, don’t want you getting sick on our first day of vacation!” Liam scolded, and Niall guiltily stopped chewing for a second.

When we were finished, Zayn announced that he was tired and was heading off to sleep. Liam said the same, and the two of them ascended the stairs. Niall was busy finding more he could eat, so Louis and I went back to my room to finish the movie.

After Love Actually ended, I switched the TV to the news for a second. There was a grinning fool standing in the middle of the screen next to a chart with random suns and clouds and what appeared to be drops of rain and lightning bolts in places. I guess it was time for the weather report.

“Although today was nice, you can expect light to heavy showers throughout the next few days as well as thunderstorms with a chance of lightning in the evenings and nights.” I flick it off, noticing Louis tensing up beside me and staring at the screen where the weatherman had just been standing.

“Lou? What’s wrong?” His head slowly turned to face me, and I saw fear and anxiety in his eyes.

“I don’t know how to say this, Haz, but… I’m kind of afraid of lightning storms.” He looks down as if this is something to be ashamed of.

How am I his best friend yet I never knew this? Maybe it’s because we don’t really get lightning where we normally are, and if we do he’s distracted.

“Don’t worry, it can’t hurt you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of either, Boo. I mean, come on, I’m afraid of rollercoasters so I can’t really talk. Just go get changed and try to go to sleep quickly so you won’t get the chance to hear the storm.”

I send him across the hall to his room before he can protest.