All Hidden Away

Luke came back earlier to give me a lovely cup of tea. It was made just how I liked it, how he knew was a mystery, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve managed to get a chunk of the research done which means that the hardest part is nearly over. I take off my glasses and rub my eyes before stretching out my back. I stand and have a slight head rush from changing between the angle I had been working at and standing. I blink the sleep from my eyes a couple of times and head to the bathroom. I drink some water from the tap and relieve myself before washing my hands and checking the time on my watch. Just after 2am… I sigh and decide I need a coffee break. Heading down the stairs I realise that my brother and his friends are still missing and that the Aussie boys are still awake.
“Oh my god. Are you still working?” gasps Ash seeing me walk into the kitchen. I nod my head in response, lacking the energy to talk.
“Tasha… I don’t think that’s… healthy.” Says Cal choosing his words carefully.
“Says the boys who are also still awake?” I ask waiting for the kettle to boil.
“Okay, sure… but… like…we were having fun.” He says shrugging. I smile.
“Please don’t even pretend like you were having fun working.” Says Michael laughing.
“Well, not fun. But it’s interesting.” He scoffs as I turn to make myself some more tea. “Night guys…” I say walking out the kitchen. I’m met with a chorus of good nights and sleep tights.
“Tasha…” I turn to see Luke smiling. “Don’t do more work now… go to bed.” I roll my eyes.
“Night, Luke.” I say walking upstairs to my room. Just one more hour… just so I can feel more relaxed and get a good night’s sleep. I tell myself sitting down and reopening my many web browsers.

I finally get to bed at 5am, feeling like shit for not having slept. But like I’ve accomplished something, which is worth it.

Harry’s POV

The lads and I had spent the entire evening at the office. I feel bad because we left Tasha without telling her but she had gone to bed and I didn’t want to disturb her. Basically we were all in trouble for some photo that had leaked of us being intoxicated and doing stupid shit, but it was all sorted out now at least. I sigh heavily as we arrive home. Having had only five hours of sleep after such a long day yesterday was not needed.
“Thanks, Paul.” I say getting out the car and pulling Lou and Ni behind me. We get into the house to see the lads from 5sos passed out on the couches. With it just being after seven I’m surprised to not see Tasha up and around. We wake up the boys who groggily tell us they got to bed late because they had a death match of Fifa and Mario Cart.
“Oh, was Tasha with you?” I ask taking a seat. They look at each other.
“Uh no… she was getting some work done.” Says Cal almost sheepishly. I exhale heavily.
“Please tell me she didn’t work all night…” I say looking at them. Mikey shrugs.
“Last time we saw her she was making a cup of tea around two…” I sigh. Knowing my sister, she probably could even still be awake working.
“Guys, just warning you… when it gets to her school work, she gets kinda-” Louis cuts across me.
“Hectically OCD, bitchy and stressed.” He says nodding.
“What he said.” I nod in his direction before fixing my hair.
“Yeah, we kinda noticed last night.” Says Ash sympathetically. I smile.
“I’m going to check she isn’t still working…” I say heading to the stairs. If she is still working I’m going to have to do something. It’s not healthy. I was worried something like this might happen if she came on tour but I didn’t think it would happen this early on into the break. Stu told me the other day when I spoke to him about it that sometimes during exam times, she won’t eat for days trying to get work done. Not on purposed but just because she forgets she’s human…
I get to her bedroom door, knock quietly and open it. I relax immediately when I see she’s not sitting at her desk but instead on the top of her bed. Sighing heavily, I walk over and try to get her into bed properly.
She grumbles awake slightly.
“Hey, Hazz…” she says quietly. Not opening her eyes but knowing it’s me. I smile and tuck some of her hair out of her face.
“Hey, Bug. Let’s get you into bed, okay?” I say quietly. She nods and rolls over so she is in line with the pillows. I pull out the duvet from under her and tuck her in tight. She smiles in her sleepy state.
“Thanks, Harry…” she says before quickly falling back to sleep. I smile and kiss her forehead before turning off her lights and leaving. I sigh heavily as I walk down the steps. When she did A levels last year, a year young I might add, that was when her anxiety started acting up so much worse than normal. She did really well, but she pushed herself too hard and she ended up paying the price. I just hope it doesn’t happen again.
As I get downstairs I see that Lou and Niall are half passed out on the couch while Li is talking to Ash and Luke while Mike and Cal continue playing Fifa.
I sit down between Ni and Lou who wake up a bit more and look around confused.
“Was she still working?” mumbles Lou shifting so he is sitting up straighter.
“No, but I don’t think she’s been asleep long…” I say sighing again.
“I told her to go to bed at two… I thought she would have.” I laugh quietly at Luke’s innocence.
“No, mate… she doesn’t work like that.” I say leaning back and crossing my ankle over my knee. He frowns at me.
“What do you mean?” he asks looking confused.
“She works too hard.” Says Ni sleepily.
“When she wrote her A levels last year, she wouldn’t sleep for days on end trying to get her art done.” Explains Lou sadly.
“Wait, like… seriously not sleep?” asks Michael pausing the game.
“Like, she ended up in hospital for three days because she was suffering from exhaustion.” I say sitting forward and fixing my hair nervously.
“Shit…” says Luke and Cal at the same time.
“Yeah… she’s fine though. I just hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.” I say quietly.
“So we gonna leave her to sleep today?” offers Li knowing she didn’t sleep last night. I turn to see the Aussie boys seeming shocked, but Luke is chewing on his lip ring like his life depends on it.
“What’s wrong, Hemmings?” I ask hoping it’s not bad news.
“We had planned to go to the Eye today, do something fun, public but not too hectic, you know?” he says shrugging.
“Yeah, I’m sure she won’t sleep long now anyway and –” I stop talking when I hear the shower go off upstairs. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re date is still on, Luke.” I say jokingly.
“Just a warning… don’t look at her like you are currently looking.” Says Niall gently. “It’s not exactly public knowledge.” They nod in agreement. We sit talking rubbish before I hear Tasha coming down the stairs.
“Morning.” I say catching her attention.
“Sshhh…” she responds, clearly nursing a pounding headache, going into the kitchen and turning on the kettle. I smile at the ground and shake my head before pushing myself off the couch and walking over to my little sis to do the big brother thing…
“What time did you get to bed, Bug?” I ask going to stand next to her where she has her head rested against the fridge.
“Sshhh…” she says closing her eyes and shaking her head.
“Tasha…” I warn caringly.
“Too late, I know… you don’t need to say anything.” She says quite sheepishly. I nod as she makes her tea. She makes me a cup as well and both of us sitting drinking together for a while, until I get the courage to ask the question I’m nervous about.
“Do I need to be worried?” I ask, knowing she knows what I mean.
“I don’t think so… I just wanted to finish some stuff last night and - ” she is cut off by Lou walking in and standing next to me.
“What time did you go to bed? Do you know how worried, not just Harry has been…? Or did you just forget that you needed sleep again, because you’re, oh I don’t know… HUMAN?” he asks crossing his arms and not taking any shit from her this morning, clearly also a bit tired and grumpy after not much sleep.
“Lou-” she tries to protest grimacing but fails miserably.
“What. Time?” he asks again raising his eyebrows and making me smile at how protective of her he was. I hated talking to her like that but it was needed. This is serious and I’m glad someone else can take bad cop. I take a sip of my tea. She shakes her head and mumbles something incoherent.
“Huh?” he asks stepping forward and next to me with raised eyebrows.
“Justafterfive…” she whispers. I nearly choke.
“WHAT?!” I ask spluttering and staring at her like she just kicked me in the nads.
“I know… I know.” She says walking away. I look at Lou who looks as worried as I feel. Sighing heavily, we follow her back to the rest of the boys. she takes a seat next to Ni.
“Tasha, you know you can’t do things like that, love.” Says Lou gently. She sighs and flinches at the look I’m currently giving her.
“Do what?” asks Ni looking at her. She looks down at her tea.
“No, Tasha. Tell him. Tell everyone so they know exactly why we need to stop you working late.” I say seriously.
“Hazz… it’s not that bad. It was a once off thing…” she says looking at me with pleading eyes.
“Tasha… love… tell us?” Encourages Ni, knowing how serious this situation could be.
“Iwentytobedat….” She mumbles quietly.
“So we can hear, Bug.” Says Liam laughing quietly.
“I went to bed at five.” She says louder. Making Ni and Liam grimace and the Aussie boys looking at her like she was bat shit crazy.
“Wait… you did what?” asks Ashton still in shock. She looks at him.
“Don’t make me say it again…” she begs she says forcing a laugh and rolling her eyes.
“But… but- we saw you at two, and we – we told you to go to bed.” Says Luke looking horrified.
“See what I mean… Tasha on tour this isn’t going to happen, okay?”
“But Hazz-”
“It’s not healthy, Tasha!” I say loudly and full of concern. I rub my temples. “I’m just worried about you and -”
“Hazz.” She warns, not wanting me to say it. “I’m fine.” She says.
“Tired… but fine.” Jokes Niall from next to her, making her half crack a smile while the Aussies still look at her like she’s an alien.
“I’m not angry, Bug… just worried.” I say walking behind her and hugging her.
“I know… I’m sorry…” she apologises, gripping onto my arms that are around her upper body.
“Did you at least manage to get some work done?” asks Cal. We all laugh slightly awkwardly.
“Yeah, I just need to finish the essay…” she says before yawning her head off. I kiss her on top of her head.
“Come on, back to bed. I’ll wake you at ten.” I say pushing her a bit off the couch. She nods standing up and walking over to me. I pull her into a hug and kiss the top of her head again. She mumbles a quick apology before walking back upstairs, leaving her half drunken tea and a very confused bunch of boys.
“How is she even walking…” I hear Michael mumble. “Fucking inhuman, I tell you…”

Notes