The Way Things Change

Chapter 18

*Niall’s POV*

I hadn’t seen Kate all day. Danielle had told me not to wake her up this morning. Something about her needing the rest. She had a point. Kate had looked exhausted last night. Firstly after telling us, well the others told us really, but anyway. We had heard her story. I was glad she told us. It meant she trusted us. Some of the things she had been through were absolutely horrible! It was no wonder she had trust issues, when everyone she trusted let her down. Absolutely horrible. And secondly, she had woken up everybody in the house screaming last night. It was really heart breaking to hear. You could hear the pain and the fear in her screams. I could only imagine what she was dreaming. I had been really worried about her. And apparently she needed someone to stay with her for the night.

Louis, Zayn and I decided to do some last minute shopping, before going on tour, and we brought along the girls. They soon went home again, saying they had plans. So the boys and I had some fun. We pulled various pranks on different random people, and sadly word got out about our location. Within 15 minutes we were surrounded by screaming, hysterical fans. God I hated that! I was thankful for all our fans, don’t get me wrong. Without them we wouldn’t be able to do the things we love, but this was probably the worst thing about being in the world’s biggest boy band. We had no privacy whatsoever and there was a constant screaming whenever we went out. I would rather have conversations with the fans, than have them screaming in my face.

That’s also one of the reasons that I like Kate. She isn’t fangirling, she’s just really down to earth. And when I say like her, it’s just like a friend! I don’t like like her! How could I like her in another way than as a friend? I haven’t really spoken to her. But I really want to get to know her. And now she is finally talking to us. And I’m rambling. Sorry.

Well Louis, Zayn and I didn’t have that much fun after the fans arrived, so after writing a few autographs and taking some pictures we decided to go home.

We found Liam and Harry in the living room playing computer games on our big television. They told us the girls were having some kind of fun in Kate’s bedroom and to prove they were right about the fun, we heard laughter coming from upstairs. Oh, and we were told not to go up there. Direct orders from Eleanor apparently.

Zayn was a bit annoyed. He and Perrie were finally officially a couple, and he had hoped to spend the weekend with her, and now she was in the house, but not with him. I chuckled a bit, I found it rather funny.

I don’t know how much time went by, but suddenly three girls jumped their boyfriends, and the couples quickly retreated to get some privacy. Harry and I were left alone to play games. When we didn’t felt like it anymore I went to the kitchen, I needed to eat something.

“Harry, can I ask you something?” I asked.

“That’s already a question, but go ahead.” He said scrolling on his iPhone. Smartass.

“Why don’t you like Kate? I mean, she’s not a bad looking girl, she’s nice and stuff. Normally you would be all over her.”

“What do you mean I don’t like her?” Harry asked innocently.

“Oh come on Harry! First of all you didn’t want her to stay here and secondly you didn’t want to visit her when she had a bad time. I practically forced you. It’s obvious that you don’t like her.”

“Well, it’s not like I don’t like her at all. I just don’t understand why we should befriend her. We are leaving in three days and when she gets her plaster off, she is officially better and is moving out anyway.” He argued. He was kind of right, we had told her only to live here until she got better.

“Well actually I was thinking of asking you guys if you would be okay with her staying with us for a little longer.” Harry was looking at me with a cheeky smile. I knew what he was thinking, so I kept talking. ”I mean only till we get back from tour. She could look after the house and it sure beats a housekeeper.”

Harry was just sitting there, a big smile on his face. “You like her don’t you?” he asked cheekily. “You like like her.”

“NO! I don’t like her like that. I just think it would be a win-win situation. She then has two months to find a place to live and we don’t have to pay for a housekeeper” I tried to convince him. But I could see he didn’t believe me. I didn’t like where this was going. This conversation was supposed to be about him, not me.

“Fine then you don’t like her.” His eyes were filled with humour. “And I can see your point, but you already know where I stand. I just think she is going to use us for the fame.”

“Tell me Harry, why and how would she be doing that?” I was getting annoyed. I knew she wouldn’t do that. “It’s not like she was looking for us or anything. We hit her with a car, that’s how she met us. And quite frankly I don’t think she knows we’re One Direction.”

Harry laughed. “You don’t really believe that right? Of course she knows we are in One Direction. In any case, if she didn’t know then she surely asked you when you told her we were leaving to go on tour.”

It suddenly came to a realisation. I hadn’t told her. And now when she trusted us, we were going to leave her. “I haven’t told her.” I said quietly, just as much to make it clear to myself, as to tell Harry. His eyes grew wider in surprise. “So you haven’t told her? Then what is going to happen when we suddenly leave. After all she’s been through, all the people that have let her down, don’t you think this is only going to make it worse?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “So you do care!” He looked down embarrassed. Why would he be embarrassed to care for someone? “Well I’m not heartless you know. And if you haven’t told her then some of the things I said are not true at all. And if I remember correctly she actually refused to live here at first, right? So I guess I was wrong. She isn’t using us for the fame.”

“But I really need to tell her. No you have to tell her! That way you show her that you care for her as well.” I dragged him out of his seat and pushed him towards the stairs. “Fine! I’ll do it. But you are the asshole for not telling her. You said you would do it.” And he went up the stairs.

Yes, I was an asshole for not telling her sooner. But I completely forgot. And when was it the right time to tell an emotionally unstable girl, that you were going to leave? I really didn’t know. I hoped she would be strong again. She had been very strong when she stood up for her dumbass boyfriend in the hospital. Even though it was wrong of her to do that. And she had been strong yesterday. She proved that when her story was told. She had been trough so much, and had never before given up. She wasn’t going to give up now. We were only going to be away for 2 months and she would know we would return. I went to my room and picked up my guitar.

It didn’t take long for Harry to come to my room. “So how did she take it?” I asked him. “Well… I didn’t tell her.” He said. There was something in his voice, I couldn’t determine what it was. And why hadn’t he told her? I had just sent him to her room with that as the only thing to do. “What do you mean you haven’t told her? Then what the hell did you do in there?” It was typical for Harry.

“She wasn’t there.”