Forever Winter//NH//

Four

"But now I see this one is too much, and that we have a curse in having her."
-Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

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Scarlett Capulet
June 10th, 2015

My dad knocked on my hotel room door at 9 this morning, letting himself in with a key Katherine had given him when we arrived in Los Angeles.
"Hey, Scarlett." He greeted me, taking a seat on the edge of my bed.

"Hi." I say, my voice hoarse from sleep. I sit up, the heavy duvet bunching around my waist.

"Me and Caroline need to take the band to the studio for a few hours, and she offered to stay with them while we went out around L.A.," Dad gave me a smile. "If you wanted to. You can stay here for the day until we leave for Phoenix tonight."

I think back to what Caroline had told me a couple nights ago, and even though his offer was prompted I still found his effort somewhat endearing.

"Yeah, sure I'd love to. When do you have to leave?" I reach over the double bed, picking up my phone and checking the time.

"I'm not sure; but it'll be soon. I'll send someone up to come get you whenever we're leaving." Dad stands up, setting the spare key on my bedside table and leaving the room. I spent the next while getting myself up and ready, but while I did I remembered what Mum said to me the first time she mentioned touring with my dad.

"He probably just feels guilty any time he's asked about kids and only wants to 'get to know you' to make himself feel and look better," She scoffs at the table, dramatically twirling her fork in her hand as she waved it around. "But, nonetheless, I said you'd go. Which I assume you're fine with."

"Mhm. Sure. That's fine." I look down at my plate, only half listening to the conversation and waiting for the time I could leave the table again.

"Oh, and while you're gone, can Martin use your room as an office? You'll be gone for what? 7 months? Your room would just be sitting there collecting dust. We can just move your stuff to the garage for the time being." Mum warmly smiles at me, which was simply just an attempt to get me to agree- but even if I disagreed she'd ignore it and still turn my room into Martin's new workspace as soon as I left.

"Maldita perra." I mutter under my breath, but was still heard by her.

"What was that?" She asks, eyebrows raising.

"Nothing important." I shrug, looking up to see her face hardening before rolling her eyes at me.

"I regret ever letting you learn Spanish," Mum scoffs. "I thought I was doing something nice for you- let you feel some sort of connection with your dad. But no! All you do now is mutter things about me in a language I don't understand." I watch Mum carefully as she talks, not letting an ounce of care cross my face. She notices my straight face, deciding to keep going.

"I also regret saying 'I love you' to him as well. Never said it back. Always said he had a 'fear of commitment' and wanted to wait until it felt right to him," Mum glanced around the table. "What kind of joke is that?" She laughed loudly, Martin and Harper both joining in with her.

I'm pulled from my thoughts by a knock at the door, and I shake my head to get rid of the thought. The person at my door knocks again, this time faster.

"Coming!" I call, grabbing my phone.

The knocks grow more impatient, and they continue relentlessly.

"Jesus Christ," I mutter loudly, pulling the door open to see Niall on the other side, face expressionless. "Oh."