A/N: I know, I know. You guys have been waiting for an update and I'm sorry but I was dealing with a lot of things all at the same time... but I'm back now!

It's been one hour, forty seven minutes and twenty six seconds.

That's how long it's been since we dropped Mari back at Maria's. That's how long my other half and myself have been away from each other. That's how long I've been in a funk.

That's how long Harry and I have been sitting together in complete silence.

Until now.

"Mia, you'll be together again soon. It's just for a short time" he reasons.

Sure he's making complete sense but it's different when you've been through what I've been through.

It may be easy for him to see it this way but I can't. Everytime I have to part from her, the memory of that day flashes through my mind like a freshly healed wound being opened again.

I hear and see it all. It's so potent in my head that I'm completely blinded by it.

The screaming and crying. My useless pleas. The woman wearing an all black tailored suit with sympathy written all over her face. The indifference on my mother's face. The feeling of my knees scrapping against the concrete as I fell to the floor in defeat. The heartbreak. The anguish.

I lost her once. I can't lose her again. She's all I have left.

But Harry doesn't understand. Nobody does.

I laughed it off to cover my inner thoughts "Typical mum right?"

With Shaft 2.0 in the drive's seat and the inquisitive expression on my best friend's face that tells me he wants to know more, there's nothing more appealing than changing the subject.

"So...are you ready to get back on stage tonight?"

"Of course! I'm doing what I love and I'm making the persons responsible for that, happy. What more can I ask for?" he says as a smile plays on his lips. You can see the true passion for his fans and his job shining through his eyes and radiating off him.

"Don't you miss your family a lot? I mean, you're on the road for so long and so far away from them"

His mood suddenly plummets and he lets out a deep sigh and looks out the window "I miss them all the time. On our first tour, Up All Night, I called mum every night before I went to bed because I got homesick a lot" he lets out a breath and smiles slightly tracing his finger on the window "but I love what I do so I guess it's ok. It gets better with time, I promise"

It gets better with time. Now when haven't I heard those words before.

You know, it's only just dawned on me that we're not at Anne's house anymore. We're not in a safe, private environment where we can be ourselves without the fear of being photographed or seen.

I'm not stupid. I know who he is. I know what consequences come with being around him but I know that there are ways around it.

There has to be.

Like Robin said. I've been through enough. What if Harry really is my happiness? What if he's the cement needed to patch up the gaping hole in my life? Then I can't let my fears and insecurities stand in the way of that.

But do I deserve to be happy? Do I deserve to break free from these chains?

And then there's the issue of what if he isn't? What if I let myself go and believe that he's it and then he's not? What if he doesn't feel the same?

So many what ifs...

But the fact of the matter is that even being friends with Harry comes with risks. My life is already messed up as it is and I don't need the world finding out about it or some tabloid twisting the story because I've seen it happen before. I've seen Simon have to do 'damage control' hundreds of times.

Not when I haven't even told Harry yet. Let's not even think about last night...hopefully he forgets?

The press is going to dig and dig deeper until they find what they need. They'll inevitably find Mari and I don't want that for her. I don't want her face being plastered in magazines and news outlets like another one of their puppets.

She deserves a normal life.

The boys and their families may have to put up with it but I don't and my family doesn't either.

Which is why from now on, we're going to have to be extra careful, especially in public.

If I could delay being found out about for as long as possible, I'll do it even if it means I can never tell him how I really feel.

Starting now, as we arrive at the show's venue tonight.

Etihad Stadium, Manchester.

The goal was to swiftly exit the car before Harry and then get inside before anyone could see us together.

But apparently it backfired because Harry is now full on speed walking trying to catch up to me with his bag twisted on his shoulder because he pulled it out of the boot like some kind of orangutan when he saw me speeding towards the back entrance of the stadium.

"Hey!" he says breathlessly as he reaches me, gently grabbing my arm from behind to stop me from walking "Slow down there Road Runner. What's the rush?"

I pull my arm away from his, ignoring the confused expression on his face and the hurt hiding behind his eyes and quickly look over my shoulder, making sure that there's no one around.

"Hey squeaky" I turn my eyes back to him and shoot him a glare. He sheepishly apologises and then asks "You ok?" There's that question again...

"Yup, just fine" I sighed looking around again one last time, just to be certain, before continuing my trek to the back entrance, this time at a normal pace.

"Don't you have a show to do?" I ask as I push the huge metal door open and we enter a long winding corridor illuminated by dim yellow lights.

A warm feeling spreads through me as he walks beside me, our arms brushing against each other every so often "Not for like...three hours!"

I nod and then ask "Don't you have sound check now though?"

He stops in his tracks and I watch amused as his eyes widen and his lips form an 'o' shape as though realisation smacked him in the face.

In less than a second, he quickly removes the tangled up strap of his bag from his shoulders and places it in my hands. Completely catching me off guard, I flinch as he places a swift kiss to the side of my head and runs down the corridor, shouting over his shoulder "Don't do anything stupid! I'll be back soon!"

This boy, I chuckle to my myself, still feeling a tingling sensation where his lips touched my skin.

"Mia Marie Badal de La Rosa"

Oh boy, I cringed at my full name and the scolding voice calling it.

"You have some explaining to do, missy!"

Plastering on the fakest smile I could muster up, I say "So good to see you too, Lilliana"

She marches toward me with a stern look on her face "What were you thinking? Having an anxiety attack? In front of Harry?"

I try to explain "I didn't mean for it to happen! I just-" she cuts me off,

"I don't want to hear it! What would have happened if Harry wasn't there? Huh? What if I didn't call while Cabbage Patch was having a meltdown?"

So I really scared him that bad?

I unintentionally ball my hands into fists at my sides and shoot her a glare "Don't call him names"

But she ignores me and instead gasps as if something just occurred to her "Oh my God, did Mari see? Was she there?"

"No, she wasn't" I sighed out, already tired of this conversation. I feel like a child being reprimanded by their parent for something they couldn't control. Like you know when you have a younger sibling who does something stupid and then you get in trouble because you're supposed to be 'the older one'.

"You know what effect this could have on her if she were there, Mia"

"Yes I'm quite aware!" my voice raises unintentionally and a crew member passing by turned to look at us before continuing on her way.

I send her an apologetic smile before turning back to Lily with a frustrated sigh "Look, can we not do this here?" Or at all??

With a short nod, she spins on her heel and walks to what I presume is the dressing room. I follow her, needing to set up my station before sound check finishes.

As time passes, I realise that if we don't start now, we'll never have them all ready before showtime if sound check drags on any longer.

I make my way backstage and stand sidestage, having a full view the shenanigans happening on stage. I'm not even going to wonder why Zayn and Louis look as though they are trying to make snowangels on the stage, or why Harry is suddenly a monkey, literally a monkey, and Niall is waving a banana in front of his face cooing "You want this? Come and get it!"

And...then the banana goes soaring through the air like a javelin as Harry runs after it 'ooh-ooh-ahing'

I don't know what Liam is supposed to be doing but I think...sweeping?

I let out a sigh Boys will be...Tasmanian devils.

I walk out onto the stage, not even looking out at the empty stadium and clear my throat loudly,

"Uh hi? Don't mean to interrupt your fun but we have two hours to get the five of you and 5SOS ready for the show so..."

I look around confused "Where is 5SOS anyway?"

As soon as the words leave my mouth, half of 5SOS, literally rolls past my face sitting on a skateboard while the other half runs behind them, the empty stadium filling with their yells and cheers.

Is this what I have to endure for the next six months??

Children. I'm literally dealing with children.

I let out a deep sigh and crack my neck on both sides.

I guess this is how it's going to be then.

I press the tips of my thumb and forefinger up against the tip of my tongue and curl it back. Squeezing the corners of my mouth hard and tight against my two fingers, I wrap my lips around them to make a small opening and then I blow, letting out a loud, shrilling whistle.

Each one of them freezes in their positions, like they're afraid to move.

"I want every single one of you lined up single file outside the dressing room by the time I count to ten" I command with the most serious face I could muster up, fighting to hold in my laughter at their stunned faces.

I raise a challenging brow and tilt my head to the side when nobody moved from their frozen position.

"1...2...3...4" By this time, Luke, Calum, Ashton and Michael were already scampering towards the dressing room for hair and makeup.

The other five didn't have the reaction I expected. At all.

"MIA! YOU'RE BACK!" and without a warning, my feet are suddenly lifted off the ground and I'm hanging upside down from someone's shoulder. My best bet would be Liam because Louis whines from behind,

"I thought we agreed that I was going to take her. We had a negotiation! Liam don't you dare run away from me!"

I feel the blood rushing to my head as Liam starts jogging away and I see the others rushing behind him.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"No we agreed that I was going to lift her" Niall argued.

"Hellooo! Can you put me down Please?"

It appears that we're now back in the long winding corridor heading to god knows where.

"Mates, put her down before someone gets hurt" I hear Harry try to reason which is odd considering I more pictured Liam saying something like that.

Maybe I entered an alternate universe.

"If you don't put me down right now I swear I'll scream" I threatened.

In the blink of an eye, Liam takes me off of his shoulders and sets me gently on the floor. I take a moment to stabilize myself, massages my temples as I feel the blood return to the rest of my body.

But I don't catch a breath because I'm soon being squeezed to death by four human beings.

"Guys..." I wheezed "I can't...I can't breathe"

"Oh we missed you lassie!"

"It got so quiet without you"

"Thank God you're back! My hair is a hot mess"

"I'm just hugging you because I'm being paid" I roll my eyes at Louis.

"Alright break it up, you're killing her" Harry pulls them off of me and I let out a huge breath before sucking in another as a hard chest slams onto mine and arms wrap around me "My turn!"

"Oh come on, no fair!"

"That's cheating, Harreh!"

After I finally got Harry off of me, we went to the dressing room to get them ready, of course with limited time now because of their pre-planned welcoming party.

"I left for the weekend too" Harry says sitting on the couch as I style Niall's hair "How come I didn't get the same grand welcome?"

From the mirror, I watch as Louis walks over to Harry and rests his hand on Harry's shoulder with a mock sympathetic look on his face "Mate, I don't know how to say this...but I think you should change your look tonight"

Harry watches him confused "Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Jealousy isn't the right look for you, man" It just takes Niall's scandalous laugh to have the whole dressing room in stitches, even Harry.

I saved Harry for last. Everyone else left the room except for Lily who is just finishing up with Ashton.

I worked in silence for the most part, trying to not squirm under his intense gaze through the mirror. I try to think of something else to distract myself, a smile instantly finding a way to my lips at how the boys cheered me up today. It made me feel so happy and so loved that I feel my heart glowing in my chest.

"I never got to ask..." I snap out of my thoughts at the sound of his voice "How's your family doing? I know the move was so sudden and I never got the chance to ask if you settled in okay"

My entire body tenses up at the mention of my family and the move and it doesn't go unnoticed either bit he doesn't say anything about it.

The move he's referring to happened when I was 15, just about to turn 16. Out of nowhere, my family and I moved to LA because my dad got offered a job there.

I'm still not quite sure what it was but all I know is that it had something to do with music otherwise my mum wouldn't have been so supportive about the huge move.

I mean, we moved 1,248 miles away from home.

But music was my dad's everything. Apart from us, of course. If there's anything he loved as much as us was music and mum was always so supportive of him chasing his dreams and following his music.

So we moved to Los Angeles. I wouldn't say that I particularly liked it there because it was so different to what I'm used to.

Doesn't matter anyway because it didn't last long.

I couldn't stay there. It was too hard.

"They're, um- everyone is great. Settled in just fine" I lied straight through my teeth, dodging his eyes and focusing on the hairbrush combing through his hair.

"That's wonderful!" he cheers and says with a wide smile "I haven't seen them in over four years. I miss having them around for Christmas. Don't tell Tia I said this but I miss her too"

I swallow the lump in my throat, giving myself a mental pep talk to keep it together. From my peripheral vision, I catch Lily's sympathetic stare and she mouths at me to tell him but I shake my head at her.

I plaster on a fake smile and say "I'm pretty sure they all miss you too"

"Which is why I've been thinking..." he says enthusiastically "We have a break before the next leg starts and I was hoping that we could visit them at your house before the tour starts back up again"

I think my insides just collapsed. I suddenly feel a headache emerging and dehydration sneaking up on me as my throat dries up. From the corner of my eye, I see Lily facepalm herself and I shoot her a glare.

"So?" he asks hopefully "What do you think?"

Little did I know that I was going to be digging my grave the moment I said,

"Uh yeah. I think it's a great idea"

I thank my lucky stars that we weren't having this conversation face to face because it definitely wouldn't have gone down like this.

His smile switches to a frown when I break eye contact with him and don't return the smile.

He turns in his chair to face me, concern written over his features "Mia... have I done something? Did I say something wrong?"

What I want to say is...

"Of course not! How could you ever say or do something wrong? This might sound cliche but this time it really is me...and not you"

What actually happens...

"Oh e yo e oh e yo e oh e yo e yay
Go cheetah, get banana
Hey monkey get funky!" my phone rings in my back pocket. My cheeks flush in embarrassment at the ringtone remembering it's not the one I had before and Mari must have changed it when I gave her my phone to play with this weekend.

I look at the caller ID and get even more flustered reading the name glaring at me from the screen.

Zeus

I start to panic, remembering that I'm not alone in the room and I can't take this call in front of a certain somebody.

"Are you going to answer that?" he cocks an eyebrow at me weirdly with his lips pressed in a thin line to mask his amusement, no doubt from the ringtone.

"Umm..." I try to come up with an excuse to leave the room just as the phone stops ringing in my hand. I blow out a breath of relief, feeling as though I dodged a bullet.

I nearly fling it across the room however when a single vibration shocks my palm, indicating I received a text message.

I unlock the phone and read the message:

Zeus: Heard you're on tour. This is great! If you're feeling up to it, there's a Volkswagen Crafter that looks exactly like The Mystery Machine near the bus. Meet me there? xx

I take a moment to reread the text, debating with myself if I read the right thing. I come to the conclusion that he's joking with me. There's no possible way that he could actually mean-

Wait. What if he's being serious?

Me: you don't mean The Mystery Machine...as in...from Scooby-doo right?

A few seconds passed before a reply came in.

Zeus: the one and only

I let out an exasperated sigh and turn to Lily who has now sent Ashton to get ready "Do you mind?" I gesture to Harry, who opens his mouth to object but I cover it with my palm. She nods slowly walking over to my station with a confused expression. I point to the phone in my hand and quickly exit the room with the heat of Harry's stare scorching my back.

Me: you're going to have to be more specific about which bus you're referring to you know?

A reply came instantly.

Zeus: I didn't think you'd agree. Anyway, it's the boys' bus. Remember, make sure no one knows about this or else Simon would have us for lunch.

Me: yes, I remember. I'll come during the show.

Zeus: can't wait!

I don't reply.

I swear I'll have grey hair before I turn 25.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I know you probably forgot or something because I've been so inconsistent lately but I have a feeling Mia's phone call with Julian in Chapter 1 would make more sense now 😉

I felt the air get knocked out of me when I first reached the van. It actually looked like The Mystery Machine! I couldn't help but wonder how much money was spent to make this.

Walking into this...contraption was like entering a new world. Granted it was small and cramped with barely enough room to move around but the sight of two microphone stands, the audio interface and the digital audio workstation (DAW) attached to a computer on the side and the eye-catching lengths of cables everywhere you step, running all around the room. IT HAS NO AIR CONDITIONING!

But...for me, this is heaven.

I walk further into the van with a content smile, observing the equipment and remembering how they work.

I'm so caught up in my surroundings that I don't jump when a voice behind me says "Ah Mia! Glad you could make it"

With my eyes fixated on the many switches and buttons on the DAW, I say absentmindedly "Yeah sure, great to be here"

A/N
For those who don't know, this is a DAW...

"Right!" a clap snaps me out of my reverie "Well let's hop to it then! The boys should be here in a bit, right after their training session"

Hmm...I should really get back into exercising too.

"Before we commence" I turn my attention to Julian who walks towards me and pulls me into a bear hug "Great to see ya, old friend"

When he pulls back, a smile lights up my face, matching his genuine, friendly smile.

A clearing of a throat catches our attention, causing me to realise that it wasn't only Julian and I in here.

Behind Julian was a man, possibly 26 or 27, with dark brown hair, a moustache above his upper lip and a faded beard and light brown eyes.

Have to admit, he's kinda cute!

"Oh right! Where are my manners" Julain exclaims as though realisation just dawned on him "let me introduce you two"

"Mia" he addresses me and points to the mystery man with the sweet smile "This is John Ryan, another one of 1D's best songwriters " Who I now know as John, smiles bashfully at the compliment.

The two men stood in front of me were complete opposites, one with long brunette hair held back by his shades and his signature friendly smile while the other was much taller with shorter dark brown hair and a more closed off exterior yet I could still see why Liam, Niall, Harry, Louis and Zayn get along so well with them.

"And John, this is Mia" he gestures to me "my saviour". I let out a little laugh while John flashes me a bright smile and extends his hand to shake mine.

Oooh his hands are big!

You know what I don't get? Why is it that the man who writes One Direction's greatest hits of all time and more need my help? It's not like it's anything major that I help out with but still... I'm just a nobody. What is it that he sees in me? Couldn't be much really, I mean, writing music is a thing of the past. I make one drastic decision and all of a sudden, this songwriting god is always after me.

I picture Julian being Zeus and everytime my phone rings and his name flashes on the screen, it's like he's zapping me with a lightning bolt.

Like this...

Let's picture Julian in a toga and sandals speaking in a deep, god-like voice,

"Your contribution to One Direction was a huge success. Now work your magic to ensure that it continues"

Now picture me, with a face that clearly says 'just woke up'; puffy eyes, hair going in all directions of the cardinal points and drool stains at the side of my mouth, asking stupidly,

"But what if I don't want to" Zap! Lightning bolt in your ass!

Okay...maybe I'm joking. I'm not forced to look over a song or help with lyrics or anything like that. I do it willingly because I can't say no. I think you've all seen that for yourselves.

*cough* the anniversary *cough*

But the way we go about this is not right and that's what I'm not comfortable with. I mean, they're going to find out at some point, right?

Anyway, I can't say anything. Simon would have my head but I guess that's my fault too. I brought this on myself.

Anyways...back to reality.

"So what's our challenge today?"

There were four stools placed in the shape of a circle so Julian, John and I took a seat each on one with me in the middle of both and the extra stool next to John.

John shows me a sheet of paper with the lyrics scribbled on it while Julian grabs his computer and a pair of headphones and passes it to me.

Immediately as the sound comes on, I start bopping my head to the groovy melody. First thought that came to mind was I really like this one. It's different, it's new, it's catchy, it's just...great.

As the music fades out, I remove the headphones from my ears and give it back to Julian. A smile breaks out on my face at the anticipated look on his.

"You like it then?" he asks but it sounded more like a statement "The boys wanted this one to be their bonus track on the album"

"I love it!" I say with a wide smile "What was the inspiration behind-uh-" I pause not knowing the name of the song.

John pipes up "Change Your Ticket" and I send him a grateful smile.

"-Change Your Ticket? It's really good"

Julian raises his hands and shakes his head "Don't ask us. Ask the five clowns who came up with it. We just helped them put their ideas on paper"

My eyes widen slightly and my eyebrows raise, probably reaching my hairline, as I look between Julian and John, the latter confirming with a nod.

Wow. Is all that comes to mind. It baffles me how much they've grown as artistes. It also impresses me because it shows how much they want to be involved in the making of their music. They want to be able to say Hey! I created this masterpiece.

Don't hate me but before I myself got thrown into this jumbled up mix, I thought that they were typical attention-seeking teenage boys who had tons of songwriters behind the scenes doing all the work but over time I realised that I was wrong.

"Impressive" is all I say.

"I know. They wanted to be more involved as this will be their fourth album. They are the ones calling the shots now" Julian says with a fond look in his eyes causing me to smile a bit.

Well now I'm confused "So then why do you need me?"

I turn my attention to John who then says "We want to hear from a female's perspective"

"Hear what?"

"Will their fans like it?" He asks as though it's the most obvious thing "It's a bit different from the previous three and we don't know how the fans will react to it"

I can't help but find his question a bit funny. I mean, I don't know much but I do know that there's no questions if the '1D fandom' will 'like' the album. Pretty sure there will be millions of copies being purchased before it even comes out. Hell, they'll be some girls saving their money from all now just to get it when it comes out!

So I tell them just that. I see a slight relief wash over their features but then the room fills with silence, Julian and John watching me intensely as if waiting for me to say something else.

And then it hits me.
"That's not all you called me here for, is it?" I should have known...

"Well..." Julian trails off as John whistles awkwardly, fidgeting with the song sheet "Not quite"

I look at him expectantly as he shifts under my stare "Well?"

"It's just that..." he pauses seeming to be trying to find the right wording "We were um- we can't seem to finish it because we uh-" he switches his eyes from John to me before saying "got a bit stuck?"

I know where this is going.

My mouth closes shut not knowing what to say, not knowing if I'm doing the right thing. Sure I've been doing this for a while now and I've been fine with it but getting to know the boys and practically living with them for the next six months, I've become conflicted. Is it right for us to be doing this without consulting them first? Is it wrong of me to not tell them about this? Is it wrong of me to not tell them about, you know what...?

They start arguing over my head as though I'm not even there.

"See! I told you she wouldn't do it!"

"Give her a moment. Don't rush her!"

"Julian stop pressuring her!"

"I'm not pressuring her!" he pauses and then turns to me unsurely "Am I pressuring you?"

I simply shake my head, still stuck in my head about what to do.

But they continue.

"What if they find out, Julian? What if they never trust us again?"

"That won't happen" Julian replies firmly and full of certainty "Mia said that she didn't want to be credited and she wished to remain anonymous. We are simply respecting her wishes"

He continues on "Simon gave us a deadline to have all the songs finished by. We know this and the boys know it too. We need all the help we can get to finish in time and Mia was our best option but only if she wants to"

I don't think I have ever seen him so serious and by the look on John's face, I can tell he hasn't either which is enough to force me to make a decision. It wasn't hard to know what to do once I made my decision but it is hard to know if I made the right one.

"I understand that completely but what if-" I cut John off,

"Slow the bridge"

Seeming to catch their attention, they both look at me with curious eyes "Excuse me?"

"The bridge of the song..." I clarify "lower the tempo just a tinsy bit more"

I'm just speaking my mind right now but their lack of response has me worried.

"Um..." I clear my throat "Have you or they decided who is singing what yet?"

John shakes his head "No, not yet. Why?"

I take the headphones back from Julian and listen to the track again just to be sure of my idea.

Nodding to myself, I say "I think Zayn should do the bridge. Let me see the lyrics please?"

John hands me the page with the lyrics and Julian hands me a pencil.

While I'm skimming through the page, I hear a chuckle beside me "Is she always like this?"

Then Julian playfully says "Shh! She's in the zone"

"Okay!" I pull the empty stool in front of me and rest the page on the flat surface "So here's what I'm thinking..."

And just like that, we spent the next hour or two sharing our ideas, fixing and rearranging lines and verses.

Working alongside John and Julian takes me back to when Blake was still here and we'd be just like this, with Lily and Aaron, sat around boxes of pizza with crumbled up paper all over the floor, brainstorming song ideas.

But that's a story for another day.

Commotion sounding from behind the door causes me to drop my pencil. Our eyes fly open in panic.

The door swings open, revealing Niall and Liam , the latter seeming to be laughing at something Niall said, not noticing.

My first plan of action is to make a run for it but that would be dumb. Then I thought of sneaking out but that's not an option either considering we're in a cramped up van that seriously needs more ventilation than the tiny window in the corner that can't open.

It's like a frickin' sauna in here!

At the sight of me, they freeze with curious eyes. Julian, John and I jump off of the stools in shock and panic, freezing on the spot. That is...until John suddenly drops the paper and pen that was in his possession with panic written all over his face and raises his hands above his head in surrender causing us all to look at him confused.

"Is everything okay in here? John? You alright mate?" Liam asks carefully with a bit of concern but I don't miss the slight upturn of his lips, revealing his struggle to hold in his laughter.

"Who me? Yeah man, I'm fantastic!" John replies breathlessly as beads of sweat forms on his forehead.

Oh god, if he says anything...

Well, better start planning my funeral.

Julian sends me a brief glance as John starts playing with his t-shirt that is forming wet stains on his back and underarm and fanning himself "Man, is it just me or is it really hot in here?" Trust me it's hot but not that hot "I'm just going to get some air outside. Excuse me"

And with that he exits the van, not without letting out a huge sigh of relief as the door closes. I mentally facepalm myself as the reality of how close we were to being busted sets in.

"Mia?" a chill runs down my spine at the mention of my name "what are you doing in here?"

"Hey Niall" I flash him a bright smile, hiding the fact that I'm freaking out inside "How was the show?"

I thought distracting Niall would be the best bet in escaping this conversation and it seemed to be working as his eyes lit up, ready to answer my question but Liam cuts him off and that's when things started going down hill.

"Hang on a second, Nialler" Niall crosses his arms over his chest with a frown "How do you two know each other?" he asks a bit skeptically referring to Julian and I.

Shit.

"We don't!" I exclaim in a rush and he raises a brow in suspicion "I mean, we just met. Right?" I look to Julian for confirmation.

"Right" he confirms with a single nod.

"So then how did you two meet?" he presses and I gulp.

He's on to us!

"I saw the van and got curious" I say and same time Julian says "She got lost"

I shoot him a look that says 'Really?'

If we're going to come up with a story, at least let me have some dignity.

Mia. Does Not. Get Lost.

This time I say "I got lost" the same time Julian says "She saw the van and got curious?" but it comes out more like a question.

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion "Which is it?"

I open my mouth to try to save our train wreck excuse but Niall beats me to it,

"Ay Liam!" he exclaims getting our attention "This is why you're Daddy Direction, mate. This ain't no interrogation room, we just came to make the music. Lighten up a bit, will ya?"

I think Niall just saved our asses.

"Sorry" Liam apologises with a sweet smile and I wave it off, letting him know that it's fine.

But really, it should be the other way around. I don't know how much longer I can do this.

The door to the van opens again, this time with Louis entering.

"Oi mates, John is outside sweating buckets. Is he-" he pauses catching the sight of me in the room.

"Mia?" he asks surprised "What are you doing here?"

Yep. I can't do this much longer.

"I got lost okay?!" I yelled, becoming frustrated withholding the truth from them.

Louis purses his lips, not at all affected by my outburst instead choosing to reply sassily,

"Alright Dory, no need to get your panties in a twist"

I send him a deadly glare "Did you just call me Dory, Lewis?"

He returns a glare just as deadly as mine "Did you just call me Lewis?"

"Oh yes, I did" I smile tauntingly.

Louis goes to respond but Julian intervenes "Great meeting you Mia! Feel free to get lost anytime again"

I take that as an insult.

I start gathering my stuff I brought in the van with me as the three boys start prepping for recording. I start wondering if it must be tiring going straight into recording right after a show but I guess now is the best time to do it with the adrenaline still pumping through their veins. Even if it's in a hot, cramped up van.

Hey...at least it has a mini fridge!

"Nice feuding with you Lewis!" I call over my shoulder as I exit the van and I turn around just in time to see Louis flip me the finger. I stick my tongue out at him and then we both start laughing at each other before I close the door to the van.

It feels nice to know people who are just as big of an idiot as you are.