Keep Calm and Carrie On

Chapter 1 - Football? No, Thanks.

"Where are you? The game started an hour ago!" Carissa said over the phone. She sighed as Josh's number went to voice mail.

Her boyfriend Josh bought her a V.I.P ticket to a football game. Even though she despises football very much, she still went to the game for him.

Carrie was seated on the front row of the stadium. Holding a plastic bag filled with burgers, fries, and cans of Coke, she took out a burger and unwrapped it.

"I don't even know how football works!" she said outloud, mouth stuffed with fries.

After dreadful hours of waiting for Josh, Carrie finally gave up. She stood up from her seat and ran out of the stadium furiously to call Josh.

Nathan Sykes, the person who happened to sit beside Carissa during the game, saw her purse fall down from her chair. He picked it up and ran outside the stadium to catch up and return it to her.

"Josh? I've been waiting here in the stadium for hours. I'm going home. You bailed on me! How dare you!" Carrie yelled to Josh on the phone, standing across from her car.

"Who are you? Are you Josh's little sister?" asked a voice of a woman.

Carrie's heart pounded. "Is Josh cheating on me?" she asked herself.

"Excuse me. I think I should be the one asking you. I am Josh's girlfriend. Hand the phone to him, now!" Carrie yelled, walking to her car. She fumbled for her keys and realized her purse was gone.

Nathan saw her crossing the road while a car was honking loudly, going for her. As it looks, she was too busy talking to someone on the phone.

Carrie, heedless of the car, almost got hit. Nathan grasped his arms around her and shoved her aside. Carrie's head hit the ground. She tried to keep her eyes open, distinguishing who was the person who saved her, but her view was getting blurry. "Thank you." she breathed.

Nathan propped her upward and carried her. "I'll bring you to the hospital. It's a 5 minute walk from here. Please stay with me."

Carrie nodded and buried her face on his shirt. Suddenly, she felt a jolt of pain shoot through her head. She tried to fight the want to faint, but a few seconds later, she was unconscious.

Carrie woke up upon hearing the continuous beeping of the heart monitor. "Hospital." she thought, and fluttered her eyes open. She tried to sit up but felt weight on top of her hand. She tilted her head to the right and saw a brunette guy seated on a chair, head rested on her hand. Her heart melted. She was touched yet at the same time wondered who this mysterious person is, and why he fell asleep looking out for her.

She wanted to know badly who he was until she triggered a memory of what happened hours ago. Football game, calling Josh... Josh. Her stomach dropped as she remembered the woman who answered Josh's phone. A tear fell down her cheek and she wiped it away with her free hand.

"What happened after that? How did I end up here?" she asked herself.

After several minutes of pondering, she remembered that she was saved from being hit by a car.

Nathan shot his head up as he woke. He rubbed his eyes and asked, "Hey. How are you feeling?"

Carrie gasped as she saw his face. Brown hair, hazel green eyes, well defined lips... Somehow, he looks oddly familiar to her. "I'm fine. Just a bit lightheaded. Thank you-for saving me." she replied, and smiled.

He nodded and smiled back.

Suddenly, the door flung open. Sadie, one of Carrie's best friends, came in, hair in a neat ponytail, a Hollister pull-over, jeans, and ballet flats. "Christ, Cars! What happened to you? Are you feeling better?" she asked, and sat beside her.

"I'm fine. What are you doing here? It's 3am. How do you know I'm here?" Carrie asked back.

"The nurses called me up, since your parents are in London." she reminded me, "Wait, who's he?"

Carrie switched her gaze from Sadie to Nathan. "He was the one who saved me. I- He's. I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"I'm Nathan. Nathan Sykes."

Carrie and Sadie gasped at the same time. "Could it be?" Sadie asked her.

Carrie and Sadie's best friend, Cath, is known to be the biggest fan of The Wanted in school. She always mentions the name Jay and Nathan.

"From... The Wanted?" Carrie asked him for confirmation.

"Yeah." Nathan replied, and ran his hand through his hair.

A huge grin formed in Carrie's face. "The sun goes down, the stars come out..." she sang in a soft, cracked voice and laughed.

"And all that counts is here and now..." Sadie continued, laughing hard, and stood up.

Nathan chuckled and clapped his hands together.

"I have to go, Carrie, Nathan. Get well soon, ayt?" she said, and waved.

"Okay. Take care, Sadie. Thanks for dropping by. Love you!" Carrie told her.

Nathan smiled at Sadie and nodded.

"Aren't you supposed to go back to your hotel or something?" Carrie asked Nathan.

"Nah. I told my mates where I am. Why? Don't you want me here?" Nathan asked her, and made a playful sad expression on his face.

"It's just-I don't know what I'm feeling-I-" Carrie tried to say.

"What's wrong? What's bothering you?" Nathan asked her, concern in his voice.

"Well, the reason I almost got hit by that damn car is because my boyfriend bought me a ticket to the football game, then he bailed on me. I called him after hours of waiting, then a girl picked up his phone! He's cheating on me!" Carrie yelled out, breathless. Tears troppled down face.

"Shhh. It's okay. I'm here." Nathan told her soothingly.

Carrie wiped her tears using the back of her hand and said, "Thank you, Nathan, for being here whenever I need someone the most."

He smiled. "Kind of like your guardian angel?"

She laughed. "Yeah."

"Listen. Doc. said you could leave the hospital once you gain consciousness. Maybe we can go out and grab some coffee? I won't be in L.A. for long, might as well spend the remaining days with you."

"Why me? You have millions of fans out there." Carrie reminded him.

"Because you're not like the other girls. Say, you get a good rest, and later, I'll take you somewhere nice. Somewhere you can breathe."