Paul's Daughter (A One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter Five - Words Unspoken

When I woke in the morning I didn't want to get out of bed. I didn't want to move. I didn't want to see anyone, talk to anyone, or be bothered by anyone.

I knew I had to get up though. I needed to get dressed and get ready for opening night.

I rolled ruefully from the warmth of my bed. I walked quietly across my bedroom floor, still not ready to start the day.

***

The audience stood on their feet and clapped as I walked center stage hand in hand with Ben. He bowed while I curtsied.

Marius and his Cosette.

The remaining sets of characters walked to the center of the stage to take their bows.

The curtains drew on our performance and the stress of opening night was over with at last.

I wrapped my arms around Ben as his arms encircled my waist. He twirled me around.

The whole cast was celebrating. Everyone was ecstatic.

As soon as I saw it possible, I snuck away from the rest of the cast to change and go home. I was exhausted.

By the time I had changed back into my normal clothes, the theater was pretty much cleared of people. Except, in the back, there was a group of three guys together. My father, Dex and Harry.

I walked up to them slowly, catching sight of the way my father's eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Oh my gosh, Lea!" Dex squealed, stumbling from his chair. He bolted down the aisle towards me and leaped into my arms.

"Hey," I smiled, kissing his nose as I cradled him close. "Did you like it?"

Dex's eyes were wide in wonder.

"You were good!"

"Thank-you," I couldn't hide the smile from my face.

"You were amazing," my father chuckled, "now hurry, Dex and I have somewhere to go."

I nodded, setting him down. I was hoping for a moment alone to talk to Harry but it didn't seem as though that was going to happen.

Dex trotted beside me, taking my father's hand when we reached him.

We all left the theater together, bracing ourselves for the cold November night.

The parking lot was quite bare, most of the cars that had been parked there for the show were now gone home.

Harry's arm brushed against me in complete innocence. My breath caught in my throat as I turned to look up at him. Was he mad at me? If I were him I would be mad at me.

I wanted to ask him but I knew I couldn't with my father there. He would ask questions that would give him answers he probably wouldn't like.

"So, um, how are Clodagh's parents?" I asked, breaking the silence that had befallen us.

"About that, actually..."

Something in my father's voice set me off. Had something happened?

"What's wrong?"

"I need to take Dex up there. It seems her father is a bit ill and wants to see him." His eyes were hard, like it was much more serious than he let on.

"So, this means I'll be alone here then?" I asked, wrinkling my eyebrows together. In all of the months I had been living with my father, I'd yet to be left completely alone in the house.

He just nodded.

"Well, when are you going?"

"We leave tonight."