All Hidden Away

I sat drinking the bad coffee while the boys finished the interview. I got messages from Stu and Jar, Lou and Lux (Well from Lou, but she included Lux), Harry and the boys and from Gem and mum congratulating me and saying how cute it was. I stopped reading them after Jared’s message. I felt so fake, and just gross about the entire thing. I felt worse than the coffee tasted. I saw the boys finishing and standing up and tried to get my brain functioning again but I felt stuck. Confused. Why should I even be going on tour with Harry? Why are these guys lying for me? It’s not fair. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Luke.
“You okay?” he asks bending down to the level I was sitting at. I nodded and forced a smile.
“Yeah… Yeah just thinking.” I say standing up. “We headed home?” I ask as we walk over to the lads who are still talking to the interviewer.
“Just need to stick around a few moments… should head home soon.” Says Luke taking my hand in his and rubbing comforting circles with his thumb.
“Hey, Tasha? Thank you so much for today’s show. It really was awesome.” She says smiling. I laugh nervously.
“Thanks. It was kinda fun.” I say smiling and looking at Ash as he raised his eyebrows at me smiling before he starts giggling.
“I’m sorry to hear about your anxiety, but I just wanted to say that I think by being so open about it is actually very encouraging to people who suffer from the same thing.” She says smiling. I nod but don’t say anything, just hoping the conversation will divert itself away from me.
“So, Kat. Are you coming to the awards show tonight?” Asks Cal looking at her. She smiles.
“Yeah I am actually. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.” She turns to me. “How bad are the bruises? I’m sure it won’t be too bad. A heck of a story to tell.” She says laughing. I force a chuckle.
“Yeah… “I say looking at the floor thinking of what Claire is going to say. Luke squeezes my hand.
“Well, we best be going.” He says smiling politely. “Thank you for everything. It was awesome.” He says looking around at the lads.
“Yeah. It was fantastic.” Says Mikey giving her a hug. She smiles and we head back to the car. There were a very few people around luckily but once we got to the car I put my head in my hands.
“Please tell me that went better than I thought?” I say groaning slightly. Luke places a hand on my back.
“It was great. Really.” He says smiling. I sit up and tie my hair into a bun. “Really Tasha. It was fine.” My phone starts ringing and I sigh seeing Claire’s name. I put her on speaker.
“Morning.” I say rubbing my temples.
“Morning, Claire.” Says Luke.
“Morning everyone. Glad to say that went very well…” Was that a compliment? “But I’m just a tad concerned about these bruises…Are they going to be visible under your dress?” she asks sounding concerned. I sigh and continue rubbing my headache.
“I don’t know… I haven’t tried it on since I found them.” I say patiently.
“Okay well, I’ll ask if Lou can come around and sort it out… I did warn you.” She says in a condescending tone.
“Alright thank you, Claire. Anything else or can we go?” asks Luke placing a hand on my knee.
“I’ll be in touch.” She says before hanging up. I sigh.
“Thank you.” I say quietly. He pats my knee.
“You seem stressed enough without having to deal with her.” He smiles. I nod.
“Stressing about tonight?” Asks Cal looking around from the front. I nod. Understatement of the year award goes to Calum Hood!
“Yeah. I wasn’t until the bruises came up. And then my mind just…”
“Anxiety - fied everything.” Says Mikey filling in my loss of words. I nod.
“Yeah…” I say looking at my hands in my lap. He places an arm around my shoulders.
“Well, if I’m honest. I think we’re going to have a shit time like we do at every award show. But. I think with you there, you are going to make us laugh, we’re going to have fun and most importantly, afterwards we can get fucked off of our heads and have a party.” He says laughing. I smile.
“Exactly!” says Ash before giggling.
“Yeah right. Like Harry is going to let us get her drunk.” Says Cal rolling his eyes.
“He normally leaves award shows early to go somewhere more… private.” I say shrugging.
“And you know this how?” asks Luke. I shoot him a look.
“Who do you think is often the designated driver if they weren’t allowed out partying?” I say laughing. They boys nod their heads in understanding.
“Okay… true. Wait. Question?” Says Ash still driving.
“Shoot.”
“Never Have I Ever? Really?” he says giggling.
“Yeah. Like I cannot see you and the boys hanging around drinking and playing NHIE.” Says Michael.
“Stuart and Jared where with us… and I was concussed.” I say shrugging and shaking my head at the memory. Everyone starts laughing.
“And let me guess… you were the most innocent?” Says Cal raising his eyebrows suggestively.
“Hey. It’s not fair to just assume-”
“Jared compared me to an angel.” I say laughing cutting Luke off and nodding.
“That bad?” He asks smiling at me.
“I don’t know if you’re confused but the whole angel part… but that generally means good.” Says Mikey laughing as he pulls out his phone. “Woah! Guys it worked!” he says happily before showing me his phone. There were close to 200 tweets already with the #GETMYGIRLFRIENDONLINE. I groan.
“What is so special about being online?” I ask laughing. They shoot me a look and I give up and shake my head.

Once we had arrived home I was excited to not be hounded by reasons I should be on social media. I walked inside to see Harry, Niall, Stuart and Louis in the kitchen.
“Hey! There she is!” says Harry pouring some water into the kettle. Louis turns away from the stove and smiles before fake sniffing and looking at me.
“My little girl is go grown up. Proclaiming her love over radio for a man sitting next to her.” He sniffs before pulling Niall into a hug. I hear Hazz cough not so subtly.
“My little second cousin… so mature!” he says rolling his eyes at me. I pull a tongue and go to see the scrambled eggs Lou was cooking before turning to walk upstairs.
“Going to get changed.” I call when they all shoot me weird looks. I pull on a pair of denim shorts and wince at the gigantic purple bruise mid-thigh. I sigh and shrug off my jacket and check the bruises on my arms.
“Lou is going to kill me…” I mutter before heading downstairs.
“OOOHHHH!” Winces Mikey when he sees me.
“Ouch!” says Liam sitting next to him. “Lou is going to kill you.”
“Shut up, I know.” I say sighing. My pone buzzes.

Heard the interview x well done babes

I smile and thank Mish. I reply to all the messages from earlier and we sit around doing nothing really, just talking and chilling before my phone rings.
“Hey, Lou.”
“Skateboarding? Really?” She asks and I can tell she’s driving.
“Sorry.” I laugh. “It was Luke’s idea. Blame him.” I say smiling. She sighs.
“How bad?” She asks and I can hear her eye roll.
“Eh… hold on.” I put her on speaker. “How bad are the bruises?” I ask Jared who is sitting next to me.
“Terrible. Huge and blacker than her dress.” He says smiling.
“Natasha…” she moans
“I know, I know. Sorry.” I say stifling a laugh.
“Why do you have to make my job so difficult? You’re just like your brother.” She says making me sigh. “I’m coming in an hour.” She says. I scoff.
“Lou, it’s not even ten yet. I thought we had to be there at four?”

Ashton’s POV

“NO! I am not getting ready for six hours!” says Tasha laughing. I turn to see Luke smiling slightly. I tap his shoulder ad raise my eyebrows suggestively. He blushes before shaking his head.
“Okay… fine. I’ll see you later.” Says Tasha before hanging up. She leans forward to look at Luke. “Lou is not impressed.” She says smiling a smile that makes her eyes sparkle. Luke raises his hands in defence. God I love watching them interact. It’s so bloody cute.
“It’s not like I pushed you.” He says smiling. “And you’re the one that wanted to do something fun.”
“Luke… date fun is like going out to see a movie… or going for a walk on a beach.” I say giggling at their antics.
“Hey, you’re one to talk. You helped him.” She says pointing at me before standing up.
“Oh go and get ready for tonight.” I say pulling a tongue at her.
“I’m literally standing up to go shower… You need more time preparing than I do, hotshot.” She says walking into the kitchen.
“She could literally go like she was dressed this morning and look fine.” Says Luke quietly shaking his head. This makes all of us look at him. After a while he looks up at us. “What?” he says looking scared.
“You said that out loud, mate.” Says Mikey smiling.
“She would though.” Says Cal shrugging. I roll my eyes.
“Yes, but Calum. You didn’t proclaim your love for her twice today... It’s cute when he does it. Not you, you perv.” I say looking at him and laughing.
“I was just doing my job.” Says Luke turning his hands up and raising an eyebrow.
“No… no. doing your job would have been a quick: Yeah I like the girl, get over it.” Points out Mikey. Shame. This poor young blonde boy doesn’t even realise what’s going on. “But you… you had emotion behind it.” Says Mikey making Luke blush.
“Shut up.”
“Ooops. That’s not a denial!” says Cal laughing manically. This makes Luke roll his eyes.
“Because there is nothing to deny!” says Luke getting defensive. I laugh and pat him on his back.
“Jar, I think this is out time to leave.” Says Stu smiling. He nods. They say cheers before catching Tash in the kitchen and say goodbye to everyone.
“You going to do something about it, mate?” I ask leaning into the couch more and getting comfortable.
“Do something about what?” Asks Lou walking in, making us all freeze slightly. He’s scarier than H. No, wait… I don’t want to cross either of them. Dynamite comes in small packages… fuck I hope that never leaves my mouth.
“Uhh… nothing?” says Luke making Louis raise his eyebrows.
“Keeping secrets are we now, lads?” he asks smiling. “I just wanted to say good job today. I know lying through your teeth on live radio can be hard. But you were all awesome. And I could hear she was stressed. Hell, Harold nearly had a heart attack at one stage. But she seemed happy.” He says smiling.
“Where is Harry?” asks Cal pointedly. Louis smirks and laughs rather evilly.
“Trying to find something to wear tonight. Tasha’s not letting him wear a floral suit.” He says looking down at his coffee cup. “I should probably go help him.” He says looking down at his cup.
“Hey, Lou?” Asks Mikey. “I’ve been thinking about something. If Tasha is only cousins with Niall… but dating Luke. Will she be on the 1D bus or the 5SOS bus?” Luke turns a violent shade of pink as Lou freezes. He loses all sign of emotions and makes me hold my breath in fear. His lips become tight line and his nostrils flare before putting down his coffee cup on the floor and bringing his hands to his temples.
“HAROLD!!”

Notes