For Now and Always (Liam Payne)

Chapter 22

By the next morning, Liam had enough. He called Dylan. "Where is she, Dylan? Just tell me."

Dylan Sighed. "I don't know, Liam, okay? You got me worried, so I knocked on her door. She didn't answer and she didn't go to class today."

"She didn't go to class? She never misses class!" Now Liam was more worried than angry. "I'm coming over."

Liam had never driven so fast in his life. He was sure he was going to get pulled over for driving like a maniac. Once at her building. He parked, illegally, he was pretty sure, and ran into her flat.

Dylan was waiting. "Her door is locked, Liam. I tried. I'm sorry. I guess I'm mad at the wrong person. I just..."

"Just shut up, okay? I don't have time for this." He ran up the stairs and banged on her door. "EVIE! You answer this door. NOW! Or I swear to god, I'll break it down. Open the door!"

She didn't answer. "God dammed woman!" Liam yelled. He had his hands in his hair, thinking of what to do. Finally, he couldn't take it. He lifted up one foot and bashed the door open. Dylan let out a scream. He didn't even bother to look at her. He had his mind on one thing, Evie.

He stepped into the room, scanning it with wide eyes. She wasn't in here. Her bed was a mess. She wouldn't leave her bed a mess. He moved to the bathroom, knocking on the door. "Evie?" It wasn't locked. Opening the door, he looked into the small room. She was laying on the floor by the loo. "Evie! What's wrong?" He knelt down to her. Touching her skin, he could feel that she was on fire. She turned her head at looked at him. Her eyes were glassy and she was pale, so pale. "I got you, Evie." He said. He scooped her up and carried her to her bed.

"I'm cold" she said, her teeth chattering. "I threw up."

"You're fine. I've got you." He placed her on the bed and turned to Dylan. "I'm going to the chemist. I'll be right back. Don't leave her." Dylan nodded, feeling ashamed that she hadn't worried sooner.

On the way to the store, Liam called his mum. He explained that Evie was cold, but her skin was on fire. She must have a fever. He asked what to buy. "Flu medicine with a fever reducer. And a thermometer. If she gets hotter than 104, it can be deadly, Take her to the hospital if it gets to 103. They will have to cool her down."

In the chemist, the choices of medicine were overwhelming. He grabbed six that said "Fever reducer" and two different thermometers, one went into your mouth. The other could be placed on your forehead. It was for babies, but he figured it would work on anyone.

When he got back to the flat, he made Dylan read the bottles, to figure out the best one. He attacked the packaging of the baby thermometer. He got it on and pressed it to her forehead. He watched in horror as it passed 100. 101. 102. 103. 103.5. His mother said 104 was deadly. Deadly. "Call an ambulance!" he screamed at Dylan. He pulled off his shoes, grabbed Evie and carried her into the bathroom. He used one hand to turn on the cold water of the shower and tried to stand her up in the cold stream of water.

She screamed. "It's cold. Stop. Stop Liam please." She was crying and screaming, refusing to stand under the water, clinging to him. Finally, he scooped her back up and stood in the cold water, holding her under the water. "No! Stop!" Eva kept screaming. "Please! Please! Stop!"

Liam could feel his own tears starting. He had to cool her down. He didn't know how long an ambulance would take. He couldn't lose her. "I'm sorry, Evie. I'm sorry. I have to do this. I'm sorry."

She had cried herself into hysterics and finally passed out. He could hear sirens. He stood there, letting the cold water run over both of them, silently praying that she was okay.  Someone ripped her from his arms. He heard people yelling, but he stayed under the cold water. She was taken out and he could hear Dylan asking which hospital, but he stayed under the cold water. He felt horrible. How long had she been laying on this floor, nobody caring to help her? She stopped answering calls Monday afternoon. Had she been on this floor for twenty four hours? Dylan came into the bathroom. "Get out of there, or you'll be next!" she told Liam, turning off the shower.

"You don't get sick from being cold. That's a myth." He said, falling to his knees and crying. He buried his face in his hands, ashamed.