Does He Know
Louis' POV
"Are you sure you're okay, love? You are really starting to worry me," I coo, soothingly rubbing up and down her back.
She takes a deep breath and sits back from her hunched position over the toilet, resting her head back against the tub.
"No, I'm fine. Just can't seem to shake this bug, I guess," she chuckles, doing her best to assure me she's fine.
"Maybe we should have you see a doctor or something. You've been sick for almost two weeks, babe."
"I'm fine. I promise, hun. Help me up?" she asks, looking me in the eye softly. I know she must still feel like crap, but everyday she still refuses to take off work no matter how relentlessly sick she is.
"Okay, fine. But if you are sick tomorrow, I'm telling Caroline you have to see a doctor. Deal?"
"Fine," she huffs, giving me a frustrated look but agreeing nonetheless.
"Thank you."
I grab her hand and pull her up with me. She walks over to the hotel sink and begins to brush her teeth.
"You know if you are still this sick when we get to North Carolina, your dad will kill me for not taking care of his little girl," I point out, only half joking.
She rolls her eyes in the mirror before bending to spit and rinse her mouth out.
"You'll be fine. I promise. And you still have two days to live, so don't worry," she says before running out of the bathroom, giggling.
Great.
Since we are already in Nashville, we have two days before we have a show in Raleigh, North Carolina where Ave's father lives and is coming to the show.
Needless to say, I'm a tad nervous.
She told me a bit about him, and I think it is reasonable to be at least a little scared of him. He grew up in a tough part of town, and saw his first murder in first grade... AT SCHOOL! The kid was apparently on the playground and another kid stabbed him. He had a group of four friends in school, and by the time they were in their first year of high school, he was the only one still alive.
"What happens exactly if your dad doesn't like me?" I ask as I walk to join her in our room. We made a deal that when it's my turn for my own room, Avery and I can share. Same with Hailee and Harry. Otherwise, Avery and Hailee share.
Although Hailee actually left a week or so ago, she's coming back tomorrow. This is her and Harry's way of making it work, I guess. She'll just fly back and forth for visits. It'll probably be easier once we are back in Europe next week.
"You'll be fine. He'll love you. Just laugh at all of his jokes. They won't be funny, but just laugh."
"I live with Harry, that should not be a problem," I laugh, not really kidding. She rolls her eyes, knowing it's pretty much true.
"Plus he's a big music person, so you have that going for you, already," she assures me.
"Yeah, okay. I'm still nervous, though," I mumble and come up to her from behind as she pulls an outfit out of her suitcase resting on top of the bed. I wrap my arms around her waist, resting my chin against her shoulder.
"Don't be. And I mean, once he sees you shake your ass up on stage, you'll be golden," she jokes.
"Oh, of course," I play along.
"It'll be fine, babe." She turns her head to peck my cheek.
"If you say so," I sigh. "You sure you're feeling okay enough to work?"
She rolls her eyes once again and turns around in my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"I'm fine."
"Fine," I sigh. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She leans in to peck my lips. "Now we have to get down there for rehearsals. I also have to find the cowboy hat I promised Harry."
I laugh at her comment, knowing she's one-hundred percent serious. "Oh, Harold. What would we do without him?" She purses her lips in mock concentration.
"Probably know a lot less knock knock jokes."
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Niall's POV
I can't believe this. I can't believe this. What do I do?!
Whatever I need to do, it won't be alone. I am not the best person in this type of situation. Normally I would probably sit on the side, completely useless. I quickly pull my phone out of my pocket. Maybe Zayn can help me out of this.
From: Nialler
Zayn man 911!
From: Zayn
where are you bro? you went to the bathroom twenty minutes ago
From: Nialler
i know i found something and i don't know what to do about it
From: Zayn
i dont want to know what you found mate!!!!
From: Nialler
no you idiot just come here
From: Zayn
I AM NOT GOING IN THERE
From: Nialler
GET YOUR ARSE IN HERE BEFORE I DRAG YOU OUT BY YOUR HAIR
From: Zayn
ill be there in a sec =_=
I breathe out a sigh of relief and continue pacing around the small bus bathroom. Well I can't really pace, so it's more moving my feet up and down and turning around.
There is a knock on the door and before Zayn even has the chance to bring his fist down to his side, I fling it open and pull him in.
"Woah, calm down, bro. What's the deal?" he asks.
"I found this in the trash," I say sternly, holding up the plastic for him to see.
Once his gaze focuses enough to decipher what the object in front of him is, his eyes bulge out of his sockets for a second before he collects himself and looks back at me.
"Is that...?"
"Yeah," I chuckle, humorlessly.
"Whose is it?"
"I mean, I'm guessing it's either Avery or Hailee's, unless Liam isn't telling us something."
"Well Hails only got here yesterday."
"Yeah, maybe this was why she came back so soon. She was only in London for a week," I explain.
"Shit, mate. Do you think Louis or Harry know?"
"I have no idea. Probably not just because this must have been only taken today. I mean, we've only been on the bus for an hour or two."
"So what do we do?"
Isn't that question he's here for?! Whatever.
I think to myself for a second before a grin spreads across my face.
"Might as well have a little fun with this."
It only takes a second before the same devious smirk contorts his lips as well.
"How many hours till Atlanta?"
âââââ
From: Nialler
hey haz and lou come to zayn and my room right now
Hazza:
why? hails and i have our own room tonight. i dont want to spend it with you lads!
From: Zayn
just get your ass over here. its important
From: Hazza
oh fine... be there in a second
From: Lou
ya im in Aves room ill be there in a sec.
"Okay, we ready?" I ask Zayn, probably too excitedly for the situation.
"Yep. Is it horrible that I'm excited?"
"Probably, but this is too much fun not to," I laugh with him.
There's a knock at the door and I rush over to answer it. I pull it open to reveal Luke, Calum, Ashton, and Mikey standing there with confused faces. Luckily they got here before Lou and Haz, as planned.
"Perfect, you guys are just in time. Get in here!" I pull the two boys through the door and bring them to the living area where Zayn is standing apprehensively.
"Okay, they should be here any minute!" I yell, excitedly. It's a little sad how excited I am, but come on, this is an ingenious plan!
"What exactly is going on?" Mikey asks, confused.
"You two just have to stand here, and go along with what we say. Just don't say anything until it's time."
"Well when will it be time?" Luke questions.
"You'll know," I laugh at him.
Just when he opens his mouth, for what is surely another question, another knock rings through the room.
"Zayn, go get it!"
He hurries over to the door. I hear it open before Zayn returns with Louis, Harry, and Liam in tow.
"Hey, Li, what are you doing here?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows at the extra boy.
"I figured you wanted all of us..." Harry says, unsure.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense. I kinda forgot about Liam," I laugh, almost giddily.
"Thanks mate," Liam laughs, sarcastically.
I shrug. "Sorry!" But I'm not really sorry. I'm too giddy to be sorry!
"What's going on, guys?" Louis asks as he sits down with Harry on the couch in front of us while Liam goes over to the 5SOS boys.
"Niall and I have a few questions for you two," Zayn asks, mockingly stern.
"Okay..." Harry trails off.
I smile widely and pull Luke to stand beside me. He stumbles at the sudden movement before he cautiously straightens himself out.
I take a deep breath to collect myself before placing a hand on Luke's shoulder.
"Luke, I am a father," I breathe with a heavy breath, looking at him dramatically. Everyone stands there looking at me like I'm insane, aside from Zayn at least. I can only hold it for a second or so, however, before a wide grin spreads across my face and I turn to the boys on the couch. "Just kidding. One of them are!"
The lad's eyes bulge out of their heads while Zayn and I burst out laughing!
Louis' POV
Excuse me? What? I couldn't have heard him right.
"Excuse me?" I voice my thoughts.
"I second that thought!" Mikey states. His face looks like he's about to kill someone but that's the last thing I'm concerned about at the moment.
"Sorry, we just had to!" Zayn cackles as he tries to control his laughter. Niall isn't even trying.
"What are you talking about?!" I shout, getting frustrated.
"Okay, serious now," Niall breathes. Shaking his head, he collects himself to look at us straight forward, before he goes on to explain. "We found a pregnancy test in the bus bathroom trash. It was positive."
What?!
My breathing stops and I can't think. My mind starts spiraling and I can't seem to process his words. I mean I get the literal meaning, but I can't seem to understand how this is happening. I can't take in the fact that it's happening to me--to us!
"Whose is it?" Harry whispers, unable to find his voice. I know the feeling.
"Not sure. That's why we wanted to ask you if you knew."
We both numbly shake our heads.
The room sits in silence for a minute as everyone allows us--and probably themselves, as well--to process this information a little more before there is a knock at the door. I don't look up from the ground as one of the boys go to answer it.
What if I have a kid? What if I can't handle having a kid? What if my career can't handle having a kid?
It isn't until I hear a new voice that I avert my concentration on the floor to look around the room.
"Hey, I got your text. What's wrong, Mike?" Hailee slowly asks.
Avery is standing right next to her, looking worried. Her presence makes my breath get caught in my throat and I'm having an even harder time getting oxygen into my lungs.
"What's everyone doing here?" Ave asks cautiously.
I open my mouth to answer her in some way, but can't find the words.
Before I find the air to voice the millions of thoughts racing around my head, Liam does it for me.
"You're pregnant?" he breathes.
I watch Hailee and Avery's faces morph into expressions of shock, realization, but most prevalently: fear.
"Yes."