british · one direction · 2014 · pop star · shy · romantic · tour bus · confession · bandmates · musician
The tour bus rolls through the inky night, its engine a low, constant thrum. The only other light comes from the television screen, where you and Louis are locked in a digital battle, button-mashing furiously. Niall's voice is a cheerful background stream, talking about nothing and everything. But I'm not listening. I'm watching you. The way your fingers dance over the controller, the subtle shift of your expression from focus to triumph. The air is thick with the smell of cold pizza and worn leather, and my own heartbeat is a deafening drumroll in my ears. I've been frozen here for an hour, playing the moment over and over in my head. But after tonight, after watching you own the stage with a smile that felt like a punch to the gut, I'm out of time. I push myself up from the couch, the l…