Chapter 13: Welcome to Ireland

(Tara's POV)

"Say something funny," PJ chirped while shoving the camera in my face.

I groaned groggily, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. The flight was only an hour an fifteen minutes, but my excited brain had woken me up at 5 and refused to calm down enough for me to go back to sleep, so I wanted to take a nap. And honestly, though I'd never admit it, I was afraid of being so high in the air with nothing, but a lap belt and some metal protecting me. I groaned again and looked over at PJ with a heated glare, "PJ, come on, het that out of my face. I just woke up. Besides, I'm camera shy."

"A camera shy photographer," he teased, pulling the camcorder away some, but still keeping it pointed towards my face, "You're hilarious."

I punched him in the arm playfully before turning to look out the window.

I stared at the too bright sky for a few minutes before shutting the window and turning back towards PJ, who was still recording things on the plane.

"Put that away," I hissed, seeing a flight attendant making her way down the aisle, "You're supposed to turn off all electronics when we're descending."

"Aww, come off it," he jeered before I grabbed it out of his hands and clicked the power button.

I glared at him for a moment and his face softened. "I'm.. I'm sorry," he mumbled, folding his hands in his lap, "I've just been a little off since I woke up."

"Probably just excited because you're finished with Uni and hanging out with your best friends in Ireland for two weeks," I tried, giving him wide smile.

"Yeah," he responded half-heartedly, not meeting my gaze, "Probably."

I stared at him for a second more; something was really off with him. I set my jaw. We were hundreds of miles away from home and I wanted nothing more than to make this trip the most fun PJ ever had. Partly because he deserved it and partly because I wanted to prove to him that I was someone worth keeping around.

We arrived at the hotel an hour later, which was horrid because the hotel was only twenty minutes away from the airport. After having to gather everyone up when we got off the plane, we spent half an hour looking for Dan and Sophie's bags, which were taken by an old couple by accident. Then, to top off the monstrosity that was leaving the airport, we'd forget Louis at the airport when we all piled into the taxis and had to turn around and get him.

When we finally arrived at our room, last out of everyone else because PJ decided to open everyone's door for them, I set my suit case in the corner and collapsed onto one of the stiff queen beds.

"I never want to move again," I grumbled into a pillow, before rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling.

"Too bad," PJ chortled, "It's only eleven eleven thirty in the morning and we have lunch to go get and sites to see."

"Can't we just make today a lazy day," I tried, yawning, "I'm sure everyone else would agree."

As if on queue, someone began to beat on the door. "Hey, PJ," Dan called obnoxiously, "Quit macking with Tara and get out here. I'm starving."

PJ stiffened for a moment and I felt cheeks burn slightly. "I got it," he groaned, putting his suitcase next to mine and throwing the door open.

"Finally," Dan sighed as if he'd been standing at the door for a half hour and not 15 seconds.

"Where are we going to eat?" PJ inquired.

"Doesn't matter," Dan responded, "Phil said something about going to a local place because we could eat fast food anywhere in London. So... Yeah. Is Tara ready?"

At the sound of my name, a sudden burst of energy surged through my veins and I jumped up from the bed. "Totally," I chirped, jumping onto PJ's back and surprising him.

"What happened to never moving off the bed again?" He coughed, adjusting my position some and holding onto my knees. "Eh, never came and passed," I laughed, looking over at Dan, "I'm ready for adventure."

"I'll get Phil," Dan smiled, walking away.

"And we'll get the others," I called after him before urging PJ on to the other doors.

We ended up having lunch at this small place called called Bewley's Cafe. I ordered a tea and a small sandwich, my stomach not completely settled from the plane ride.

After lunch we spent the majority of the day walking around the shops near the cafe we ate at.

Around 7, we finally made our way back to the hotel, Chris and Louis pushing their way in and running to the elevators, shouting that they would make it to the pool first.

I was talking to Phil about his life with Dan and how he'd recently visited America when there was a tap at my shoulder.

I turned my head to see a wide-smiled PJ, "You wanna go swimming?"

I looked back at Phil, who nodded that he was going and turned back. "Totally!" I bubbled, before bidding a quick goodbye to Phil and taking off towards the elevator.

After the elevator opened up to our floor, PJ and I raced to the room, almost colliding into each other as we fought to open the door.

I slid my key in and opened the door, cheering at my victory. Once in the room I grabbed my bathing suit and slipped into the bathroom to change.

"Are you ever coming out," PJ called through the door, ten minutes later.

"Huh? Oh yeah, give me a minute," I called back. I'd been staring at my reflection without even noticing. It wasn't like I was disappointed by what I saw. Just... Confused.

Long black hair fell in uneven waves down to my elbows, making my already green eyes look brighter. Not to mention my skin, which looked pale enough in contrast to my hair, but with my bright orange bathing suit on, I felt like a scantily clad ghost.

This was me... But. It didn't feel like me. I stared for a moment longer before looking away. 'That's enough, Tara,' I repremanded, 'You can question who you are when you get back from the pool.'

I pulled on an oversized, light blue tanktop that Belle had bought me after learning I didn't have a coverup for my bathing suit, grabbed two towels and headed back into the room.

PJ was laying on the couch, wearing a pair of grey swimming trunks and staring at the ceiling. When I entered the room, he looked over and grinned, "About time. Thought you fell into the toliet for a minute."

"Har, har, har," I spit sarcastically, a goofy grin on my face, "Let's go. I don't want to be the last ones down there!"

We hussled down to the elevator and when we arrived at the pool Dan, Phil, Sophie, and Jamie were already in the pool playing a game of chicken and frightening a mother who's two children were on the opposite side of the pool.

"Wait, wait, I want to play," PJ called, running towards the pool and jumping in.

I laughed and put the towels on a table next to the rest of our friend's stuff before jumping into the pool after him.

We played chicken in the pool for an hour, five minutes in Chris and Louis joined us, giant grins on their faces.

"Good thing you ran up to your room so that you guys could get down here first," I teased before squealing as Sophie pushed me into the pool.

We hung out in the pool till eleven, when one of the attendants told us we would have to go back to our rooms or face getting kicked out.

I hadn't realized how truly exhausted I was until I walked back into the room with PJ and grabbed my pajamas. I changed in the bathroom, sluggishly, wave after wave of sleepiness hitting me like a wall. After hanging up my bathing suit and pulling my wet hair into a tight bun on the top of my head, I stepped back into the room. The lights were off and PJ was already underneath his duvet, eyes closed.

I chuckled softly before lying down on my own bed, pulling my duvet up to my chin and letting sleep pull me under within seconds.

It's done!

Sorry for making you guys wait so long. School is over in 5 days and I have been trying to stay up to date on my school work and exams.

I wrote an extra long chapter that I hope will make up for my absence!

For all of those who are questioning, as I thought some may. I would like to clarify something. They left the house around 7-7:15 and their flight was at 8:50. The flight is an hour and fifteen minutes long, as I mentioned, making them get there at 10:05 and they spent an hour trying to get to their hotel. Making it roughly 11:05. 10 minutes to get their keys and go up to their rooms and that is how I got that number. Just in case you were wondering.

I try not to leave things open ended because I realize you don't see the story as I do, seeing minute details, but deciding to leave them out. So I try to clarify best as possible. If something does confuse you, though, please feel free to ask.

No PJ for me. Nor any of his friends of anything he owns or has video taped. Darn.

-Boots