-NIALLS POINT OF VIEW-

"What are we gonna do today? We've been watching movies all morning," Zayn complains. 

"What do you wanna do? Lexi's not even up yet..." I say. The boys all look at me. "What?" They keep staring at me. "Why are you all looking at me?!" I throw a pillow at each of them.

Harry smirks. "Nialler's in loveee," he sings. I feel my face heat up. 

"Says who?" 

"You're face," Liam argues, laughing.

"Nice explanation." 

He smiles proudly. I roll my eyes. 

"You can tell us if you fancy Alex," Louis says. I don't say anything.

It's true. I do like Lexi. I have since the first day I met her at the photography studio. I can't tell the lads though as much as I want to. I know if I told them they would only try to set us up. As much as I would love for that to happen I don't think she would be as thrilled.

Something tells me she's still not over Jake. Of course I can't tell the lads about Jake either, until Lexi wants them to know. If she's not looking for a boyfriend then I won't ask her out and right now it doesn't seem like things are going well for me in that department. 

"I don't fancy Lexi," I mumble, my face still red. The lads roll their eyes. 

"Sure, whatever you say."

Moments later Claire comes bouncing into the room with her teddy bear in her arms. It was almost as big as her so she had obvious trouble carrying it. She flops onto the couch between Louis and Harry in her pajamas. She clearly just woke up. She looks at me for a few moments with a strange look before asking Zayn to go play with her. 

-LEXI'S POINT OF VIEW-

I walk downstairs at around noon. After getting back to bed at around four in the morning I was kind of tired. Plus the swimming with the turtles tired me out so I needed my sleep. When I came downstairs all the boys were in the living room watching TV with Claire. 

"Lazy bums. Have you been sitting on these couches all day?" I ask, flopping down next to Liam and Niall. "Look! You're still in your PJs." I smirk at them. 

"Says the one who just woke up," Harry smirks back. I stick out my tongue. He does the same. 

"Harry's bullying me," I complain in a childish voice to Niall as I point at Harry. Niall laughs. 

"Haz, be nice." he scolds. I smirk at Harry again. I win.

Sunday was a lazy day. We spent the whole day watching movies. The entire day there was one thing on my mind. I had to tell them. About my parents, about Jake, about everything. I just couldn't find the right time to tell them. 

Eventually we all start to get hungry so we order pizza. Harry was too lazy to cook anything. When the doorbell rings Liam goes to get it and we all sit down at the table. 

"Hey, Lex, are you okay?" Liam asks me as he places a pizza box on the table. I nod. 

"Yeah, why?"

"You just seem...quiet...today." I bite my lip. 

"Actually, there's something I have to tell you guys," I admit.

I feel Niall's eyes on me. Everyone looks up at me. Claire is sitting right beside me, so I take her hand.

 "I should have told you guys this when I first came here. And I'm sorry I didn't tell all of you right away. My parents didn't move to California. My brother did. He got transferred because of his job and wasn't able to bring my sister and I because of financial problems. When I was fifteen a man broke into my home and shot my parents. My boyfriend, Jake, died protecting me. Since then, it's been...a struggle...to say the least. Niall is the only one who knew about this. I told him that day at the park. When I told him about my brother moving he insisted that I move in with you guys so I wouldn't have to live by myself and keep up the house all on my own." I watch as they all stare at me, taking in what I just said.

"Please don't be mad at me for not telling you sooner. I just..." while I try to think of something to say Liam wraps his arms around me in a hug. Then Harry, Louis, and Zayn join in too. Claire grabs my leg and Niall squishes everyone in a bear hug. 

"It's okay. No one's mad at you. Thank you for telling us," Liam says. I smile and nod.

"And please don't think of me any differently. I don't need any pity or anything. I do appreciate everything you guys have done for me though. I can't thank you enough." 

"Our pleasure," Harry says, smiling.

"Actually we have some news for you too," Louis says. 

"I'm sure Niall already told her," Zayn says, looking at the blonde boy. I eat my pizza, waiting for this big news to be spilled. 

"He didn't tell me anything," I say, growing more curious by the second. I look at Niall as he stares at the ground. 

"We're going on tour," Zayn explains.

"When?" I ask.

"We leave in about three days," Zayn tells me. I almost choke on my pizza.

"Oh. Thank you for letting me know," I say to Zayn after I recover, my eyes on Niall. He refuses to look at me. Tearing my eyes away, I take another bite of my pizza before getting up. "Dinner was good. Thanks. I'm tired. See ya tomorrow," I say, tossing my plate in the trash and walking upstairs. I close my door behind me and flop onto my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Obviously he didn't find out today. After all that I've spilled to Niall and he couldn't even tell me he was leaving for months on end? Not to mention that the only way I get to sleep at night is because of him, and he couldn't even give me so much as a warning about leaving.

I stay in my room for the rest of the night, just listening to music and playing guitar as I try to calm myself down. Why am I so upset?

I hear a small knock on my door. "What?" I ask, more bitter than I had intended. 

"Lexi?" comes a familiar 4-year-old voice. My attitude softens and I immediately feel bad for sounding so nasty. I rush to open the door. 

"Hey Claire Bear," I say, trying my best to smile for her. 

"All the guys went to sleep and now no one's awake. Can you tuck me in?" I smile and nod. 

"Come on now. It's getting late." I grab her hand and walk with her to her bedroom. She climbs up her pink ladder to her bed. 

"What does it mean when you fancy someone?" she asks curiously. I chuckle. 

"Why do you wanna know that?" 

"Cause today when Liam and Louis and Zayn and Harry were talking to Niall they were saying that he fancied you and I don't know what it means." I freeze. "I don't think they know that I heard them though," she adds. 

"Oh. Well....fancy just means....that they're your friend," I say smiling. I hate lying to her, but she's only four. She has plenty of time to learn.

"Oh. Okay."

After I tuck her in I go to turn off the light. 

"Good night Claire Bear," I say, flicking off the switch. 

"Wait!" I flick it back on. "Can you read me a story?" I smile and walk back into the room. 

"Sure which one?"

"The one about the princess Cinderella finding her prince charming," she says smiling. I smile and go to her bookshelf to find the story. "Lexi..."

"Yeah Claire Bear?"

"Does fairytale stuff happen in real life or...or does it only happen in fairy tale life? And....does real life stuff happen in fairy tale life?" she looks off into space, trying to figure it out. My smile fades as I remember my mother’s answer when I asked this question years ago. 

"That's something that you will learn when you're all grown up," I repeat to Claire. I am certainly all grown up now. And I definitely learned it the hard way.

Fairytales don't come true. There is no real life Cinderella or Snow White or Sleeping Beauty stories. It's all make believe. None of that ever really happens. That's why the books stay closed so the imaginary perfect lives of princesses can stay out of the real world. No one finds the love of their life that easily without it being screwed up somehow. My fairytale was certainly screwed up. I lost that happily ever after a long time ago, and I can accept that. But it sucks knowing it's true. 

After I read Claire her story and shut the door leaving the nightlight on, I go back to my own room. I change into pajamas and crawl into bed. The same usual routine, just waiting to see what my nightmare will be tonight. 

AUTHORS NOTE

Woah chapter 8 :) tell me what you think will happen next and give me opinions on if you like it or not. vote and/or comment. every single comment makes me smile :) js. Fan if you love One Direction <33 umm thats all i gotz to say O_o BYE POPTARTS!