CHAPTER 2


Anya rummaged through the closet of the bedroom, her hair fresh wet from a morning shower, searching for anything important she may have missed in packing. Niall laid as a big heap still asleep in their bed, taking full advantage of the last ten minutes that remained before he had to wake up. Deciding she hadn't left anything she might need in there, Anya trudged through all of Niall's bulging suitcases that cluttered the floor and made her way to the kitchen.

Only a small streak of morning light streamed through to the kitchen from the window above the sink, giving the room a dark and early morning feel. In the silence, Anya could hear the shower by Zayn's room running and Liam quietly packing away his hair products. Louis' alarm clock had started a low murmur coming from his room and Harry was still snoring away in his own.

Anya grabbed the chrome teapot from the drainer and began to fill it with water to boil. In the corner of her eyes she could see her long brown hair begin to dry to its naturally wavy state and she grimaced a bit at its frizzy nature.

The shuffling of tired feet turned Anya's head to see Liam emerging from the bedrooms in a crisp blue and white plaid button-down and dark gray jeans. His medium-length hair was starting to dry, causing it to curl up on the ends. Anya and Liam exchanged smiles while Liam came around to give her a pat on the shoulder and a “G'morning”.

Anya lit a flame beneath the teapot on the stove and sat at the kitchen island to wait for its boiling point. At that moment, Zayn came out of the bathroom still shaping his hair. He strided toward the kitchen in loosely-fitted darker khakis and a graphic t-shirt. “Vas happenin', kids?” he greeted in his broad, and slightly irresistible, accent.

“Mornin', Z. Think you could toast a few English muffins real quick?” Anya responded, still eying the teapot.

“Yep!” Zayn placed his last few bags by the front door and came to help get a quick breakfast going.

Anya could finally hear Niall's shower going, and Louis' arm was seen on occasion when he placed each of his suitcases outside his door one by one. The only boy missing was Harry.

Slightly irritated with his poor decision to drink a can of pure sugar before bed last night, Anya lumbered into Harry's bedroom.

Harry was sprawled across his entire bed in only his sweat pants and he was still snoring a bit. Anya picked up a throw pillow from the floor beside the bed and flattened it against Harry's face. Harry rolled over, mumbling, and laid still on his stomach.

Anya climbed onto his bed next to him and knelt above him, drumming her hands on his bare back. “Get up, get up, get up, get up-”

“Stooooop! S***!-” Harry rolled himself all the way off of the bed and landed with a thud on the floor.

Anya burst out laughing and Harry retaliated with a pillow to her face. “Just get in the shower,” she replied, still in a fit of snickers.

As Harry gathered his towel and toiletries, Anya walked out into the hall and felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. She smiled and turned to Niall's beaming face. “Hi,” Anya giggled.

“Hey,” he responded in his angelic tone and think Irish accent. He leaned in and softly pecked Anya's lips, leaving flutters in her stomach that have been there since day one.

Niall led Anya by her hand back into the kitchen to join the rest of the group. Louis had entered the kitchen now, dressed in fitted maroon jeans and a white tee with thin navy horizontal stripes. He was pouring the hot tea Anya had previously started preparing into 6 individual disposable to-go cups.

“Oh, sorry Lou, I kind of abandoned that,” Anya apologized and went to get the honey and sugar out for their tea.

“No, it's okay, I've got it” Louis assured without looking from his pouring.

“Someone had to get Curly out and about,” Liam chimed in. He looked up from his iPhone and gestured toward the bedrooms, chuckling. “Speak of the devil...”

Harry was finally making his way into the kitchen. He looked sleepy but comfortable in a white undershirt, baggy gray sweatpants and a gray beanie attempting to tame his wet and unruly curls.

“You look spiffy,” Niall joked with a mouthful of muffin and jam. Harry flashed a cute, cheeky smile in return and everyone laughed.

“Are all the bags ready to go by the front door?” Anya asked the pack. A chorus of Yes's and quieter, more guilty No's followed, and Harry and Zayn rushed to their bedrooms to gather their baggage. “Separate them into two piles, please-ones to be put on the bus that you need for tonight's show and the ones to be taken to the airport for holiday!” Anya yelled over their many voices.

The boys made their last minute arrangements with their luggage and bundled themselves up to load everything into the van and the tour bus. Anya stood amongst her one compactly stored purple suitcase, laptop case with all of her essential management materials, and airplane carry-on bag. She gazed blankly at the carry-on bag. Inside was her iTouch, filled with newly downloaded music from The Script, Coldplay, and her guilty pleasure, some new country music. She'd also packed Stephenie Meyer's book The Host, hoping she'd have a chance to finally finish it up. The only thing she was unsure of while looking at that bag was where exactly it would be traveling.

It wasn't easy for Anya to be so far away from home and family all the time, especially an ocean and more away. Knowing that returning to her homeland of Chicago wasn't going to be feasible, Anya still hadn't figured out where she was going to be headed after tonight's show. Niall had graciously invited her to stay over from Christmas Eve through Christmas day. But with his brother, Greg, home for the holidays as well, there weren't going to be enough rooms for Anya to stay during their entire vacation time (and Mummy Horan wasn't very fond of the couple sharing a bed under her own roof). So, as far as Anya could tell, for the next six days, she was practically homeless.

The front door cracked open and Niall and Louis popped their heads in, faces peachy from the cold. “Are you comin' or what?” Niall asked.

Anya hesitated and looked down at her hands. “...Where?”

Niall walked towards his girl and Louis followed closely behind. Niall put both of Anya's hands in his. “Have you talked to Harry about staying at his place? Anne would be more than hospitable to you, I'm sure of it,” he asked.

“He's not going to be at his own place, he'll be at his aunt's, remember?” Anya replied disappointingly. She would have really enjoyed spending a week at the Styles household.

“Wait, what's this about?” Louis interrupted, looking completely left out of the predicament.

“Anya doesn't exactly have anywhere to go before she stays at my place on the 24th and 25th. Greg will be home and she can't go home because she wouldn't get a flight back to London until the fifth of January, so...”

“Why didn't you mention it?! Bunk at my mum's with me!” Louis suggested cheerfully.

Anya lit up a bit. “Really? I wouldn't be imposing or anything?”

Louis laughed, “Are you kidding? Not at all! I can't believe you didn't ask before!”

“Okay! I will then!” Anya smiled. “Lou, you're a lifesaver, you know that?”

“Don't even worry about it.” Louis flashed a handsome grin at her, then leaned into Niall seriously. “But you were serious when you said you were taking her for Christmas, right?”

The boys cracked up and Anya playfully punched him in the arm, acting offended.

Anya grabbed her belongings and followed the boys out to the bus. She tossed her suitcase and carry-on bag into the van with a lighter, happier feeling in her chest. She wasn't particularly going to be home for the holiday season, but spending it with one of her best friends was a close second.