Half a heart

Chapter 56

Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, Mental Health, Emotional Distress

Charlie's POV

The stadium loomed ahead as the car pulled into the private entrance. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach growing stronger with each passing second. The closer we got, the more I felt the familiar, suffocating grip of anxiety tightening around my chest.

"Hey, you okay?" Harry asked, sitting beside me in the backseat. His voice was gentle, and when I looked at him, his eyes were filled with concern.

"Yeah," I lied, managing a weak smile. But I knew he could see right through me.

We had been on the road for about an hour, the boys and I in one car, while Jacob and Paul followed behind in another. It was supposed to be a routine day-a sound check, maybe a few meet-and-greets, then the concert. But nothing felt routine to me anymore. The past few weeks had been overwhelming, to say the least.

Harry reached out and squeezed my hand. "It's just another day, mate. We've got you."

His words were meant to be comforting, and they were-at least a little. I nodded, taking a deep breath as I tried to calm the storm inside me.

When the car came to a stop, the driver opened the door, and the boys started getting out. Liam was the first, immediately looking around to make sure everything was secure. Louis followed, then Niall, each of them giving me reassuring looks as they stepped out onto the pavement.

"Come on, Charlie," Harry said softly, still holding my hand as he helped me out of the car.

The air outside was cool, but it did little to ease the tension I felt. We were in a restricted area, so there were no fans in sight-just a few staff members and security personnel. But I knew they were out there, somewhere, waiting. The thought of all those eyes, all that attention-it was too much.

Jacob and Paul were waiting for us by the entrance, their expressions serious as they scanned the area. I knew they were doing their best to keep me safe, but I couldn't help the anxiety that gnawed at me.

"Everything's set up inside," Paul said to the boys as we approached. "We've got a secure route to the dressing rooms."

"Good," Liam nodded, then turned to me. "You'll stay with us the whole time, Charlie. We'll stick together."

I appreciated how protective they all were, but sometimes it just made me feel more like a burden. I didn't want to be the reason they had to take extra precautions. But I didn't say anything-I knew they were just trying to help.

We walked into the stadium together, Jacob and Paul close behind. The corridors were bustling with activity-crew members setting up equipment, staff preparing for the show, everyone moving with a sense of urgency. But as we made our way to the dressing rooms, it felt like all the noise and chaos was happening at a distance, like I was in a bubble, separated from everything.

We reached the dressing room, and the boys immediately went into their usual pre-show routine. Liam and Louis started going over the setlist, Niall tuned his guitar, and Harry fussed over his hair in the mirror. It was all so normal for them, and I tried to draw some comfort from that normalcy.

"Charlie, you want to sit down?" Jacob asked, guiding me to a chair in the corner.

I nodded, grateful for the suggestion. My legs felt shaky, like they might give out at any moment. As I sat down, I took another deep breath, trying to steady myself.

"We're going to do soundcheck soon," Harry said, coming over to me. "You can stay here with Jacob if you want, or you can come with us. Whatever you're comfortable with."