Safe

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Harry's POV

I watch a bit awkwardly as the scene of Kat and Niall reuniting unfolds around me. I watch as they lay there, Niall's hand cupping Kat's chin, and look into each other's eyes. My mind flashes to Izzie, and I can't help but think how lucky I am that she only received minor injuries from the accident. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to be able to handle what these two must be going through. I've never seen two people look so broken. Kat's bandana is off her head, leaving her almost bare scalp exposed. Plus, she looks absolutely exhausted. Niall is still pale and looking a bit weak, and the sparkle that once lined his bright blue eyes has faded. 

Niall's POV

Upon opening my eyes, I had been ecstatic to see Kat. To hold her, touch her, see her. It was all I dreamt about for weeks. I couldn't wait to have her near me, to see her beautiful face again. As I lay with her head in my head, I gently brought her face closer to mine. Just barely, she grazes my lips, and adds a bit more pressure. As our lips touch, I remember back to the last time I saw her. Suddenly, I am angry. I'm angry at Kat for leaving in such haste; angry at her for driving in such an emotional state; angry at her for not allowing me to explain myself when I told her I was leaving. She hadn't even let me tell her that I wanted her to come with me. My mind wanders back to the present and I realize that as our lips are still touching, my eyes are wide open.

Kat's POV

As our lips are still grazing one another, I feel the sense of urgency that we had shared moments ago begin to fade. I open my eyes and am greeted by a pair of dull, blue eyes staring blankly at me. The electricity that had shot through my body just moments ago was now dissipated, and I couldn't be sure why. Niall removes his lips from mine and lays his head back on the pillow, slowly closing his eyes. I wait for him to open them again and when he doesn't, I resume my position on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart and patiently waiting for the others to arrive.

***

Zayn is the last to arrive as the others pile into the room and make their way around Niall's bed. Everyone is here, including my mother. Apparently, when I was in my unconscious state she had spent a lot of time with Niall as well, making sure he was okay. I was extremely grateful for that. Happiness, tears, and laughter are shared among most people in the room. However, I stand in the corner of the room as I watch the interactions between Niall and his friends. Just before they arrived, we had laid there together, but it was not nearly as comforting as before. Instead of wrapping me up in his warm embrace, he simply let me lay there. His arms remained as his sides and eventually, I made my way off of the bed. 

Niall hadn't said one word to me since he woke, but he seemed to have novels to say to his friends. I watch the interactions from the corner of the white-walled room, and for a brief moment, Niall's eyes meet mine. His stare is lifeless and dull when he looks at me, and he quickly glances away. I had no reason for why he was being so cold, and my heart ached wondering what it could be. 

"Oh, Ni, I'm so glad you're awake!" Eleanor gushes as she wraps a warm embrace around Niall, careful not to disconnect any of the IVs or cords. 

"Me, too. I've missed you guys," Niall grins. "You know, I could hear just about everything you guys were saying while I was unconscious." His eyes graze the group of onlookers and eventually lock on the four boys that are standing huddled together at the right side of the bed. He looks directly at Zayn and lets out a soft laugh. "Everything." He repeats, and lets out his jubilant laughter. 

"What's so funny?" Zayn inquires as he cocks his head. 

"I just.. I heard everything." Niall starts to laugh again and the sound fills up the entire room. Zayn's cheeks start to flush and he shoots a paranoid look to Harry, who is standing just to the left of him. Harry lets out a deep laugh and a grin spreads across his entire face, dimples and all. NIall is laying in the bed with his large hand over his mouth, trying to stifle the rest of his laughter. 

"Come on, dude.  Don't say anything!" Zayn begs and his deep brown eyes dart to the floor. 

I stand watching the conversation and I can't help but be a bit jealous. I wish Niall would talk to me, but I know now is not the time or place. I also can't help but wonder what secret conversation went on when I wasn't here. It was obviously one that Zayn hadn't wished to get out; he was clearly extremely embarrassed. Harry and Niall are both still laughing while Zayn is playing nervously with the zipper on his hoodie. As I scan the crowd, my eyes fall on Louis, who is gazing at me intently from his position between Liam and Harry. His eyes look weak and desperate. They remind me of the conversation he and I had just hours before. If Niall had heard everything, he surely had heard Louis unleash the monsters of Niall's past to me. 

I break Louis' gaze as it had started to make me a bit uncomfortable. I scuff my beat up black converse against the floor in an attempt to distract myself from the current Niall situation. I decide to make my way to the couch, as I'm tired of standing. I watch from the background as Niall laughs and talks and happily interacts with everyone except me. 

***

It's about noon now, and the group in the room has yet to diminish. Niall has been awake for about five hours. I hear quiet chatter of leaving to grab some lunch soon, but my appetite has escaped me. I'm hoping this will be my chance to shed some light as to why Niall is being so distant. I'm hoping it will give me a chance to talk to him. The sound of Izzie's voice breaks me from my thoughts.

"We're going to go get some lunch, Kat. Do you want to come?" Her leg is still in a cast, but she is no longer in her wheel chair. Instead, she sports a pair of silver crutches with a cloth wrapped around the pads for extra cushion. She has been more mobile recently since being out of the wheelchair, and her cast is supposed to come off in a few weeks. 

"No thanks." I politely decline. "I'm not very hungry." 

My eyes wander to Niall who seems to be doing everything in his power not to look at me. "Can I come?" He half-heartedly asks.

"Sorry bud," Izzie says sympathetically. "I wish you could! We'll be back in a bit." Niall's face droops in disappointment as he watches everybody leave the room except me. I'd like to think he's upset that he can't get out of the hospital room rather than because he has to spend time alone with me. Unfortunately, I think the reason is the latter. 

We sit in awkward silence for a few minutes, but it seems like hours. He still won't look at me, and his focus is on some soccer game on the television. I move myself over to the chair seated next to his bed. 

"Ni?" I reach up and try to take hold of his hand, but he pulls away before I can grab it. My heart sinks in my chest. I feel as though my gaze is burning a hole into the side of his head, but he still won't look at me. I bite my bottom lip as I try and think of what to say or what to do. My mind comes up short. 

I try in a last-ditch effort to retrieve his hand again, but he pulls away in the same manner. Obviously, my plan to shed some light on why he is being so cold is a flop. He is still intently staring at the screen on the wall. Unable to handle the cutting silence, I get to my feet. I steal a glance from the corner of my eye to see if he's watching me, but his dull eyes are still locked on the players running frantically as they chase the black and white ball. 

I grab my bag and drag my feet around his bed, stopping at the door. Before leaving the room, I turn to check if there was any sign of him acknowleding me, but there was none. His back was turned to me now, no longer facing the TV. He was laying on his left side, staring out of the fifth story window. I walked out of the room and quickly had to stop. My legs felt numb as I slumped against the wall just outside his hospital room, knees pulled to my chest. I buried my head in my hands and waited for the rest of the group to return from lunch.