Safe

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Okay, what the hell?" Niall whispers into my ear as we both sit perched on his hospital bed, waiting for Louis to make his next move. He has been standing in the hall with his hand on his face for a good five minutes now. His expression hasn't changed, and neither has his stature. He looks literally like he has been frozen in time. "What the fuck did I miss when I was in my coma?" 

"Well, a lot, as you were out for five weeks," I lightly joke. "But this is all news to me too. I'm not sure what just happened out there."

"But, you told El that Louis had gone somewhere to get away from her," Niall points out. 

Oh shit. Did I say that? I was so mad at the time, I can't recall what came out of my mouth when I spoke to Eleanor. I hope whatever I said didn't spark the argument between the two.  I had never meant to hurt Eleanor, or Louis for that matter. A ping of guilt floods through my body as I stare at the boy in the hall. 

"Kat, what's going on?" Niall prompts. But I'm not sure how to answer his question. His bright blue eyes have regained their natural sparkle and are peering out at me through long lashes, and his face has finally started to gain some of the color back. He looks healthy, and I can't help but mentally comment on how adorable he is. 

"Okay, so, I was out in the hall earlier and I was sitting against the wall because.. well, you weren't speaking to me, and Louis came and we talked for a while." He nods, silently signaling for me to continue. "And that was when the others had gone to lunch, and so I asked why Lou didn't go with, and he told me that he and Eleanor had been fighting a lot lately. She blew up on him just before lunch, and that's why he didn't go. That's the extent that I know of the situation." 

Niall's face is expressionless as he takes in the information I have just given him. He looks like he's deep in thought, and so for a minute I sit and wait for a response. 

"Where did you go with Louis today?"

I hadn't been prepared for that question. His voice is quiet and he's staring directly into my eyes, as if he's staring a straight line right to my soul. When I don't answer, he repeats the question. "Where did you go with Louis today?"

"I went.. uh, we just.. we went for a walk to um.. to just, you know, g-get some air." My answer comes out much more nervous than I thought it would, and I myself am not sure why I'm so nervous about the question. Louis and I hadn't done anything wrong, we simply left to clear our minds. But, for some reason, I feel a bit guilty about it. 

Niall nods in understandment and I find myself relieved that he won't question me further about my disappearence today. "So, they've been fighting? About what exactly?"

"I don't know, Ni. Louis just told me that she's been getting very clingy lately and he feels suffocated." 

"Wow, Kat." 

A deep familiar voice comes from the direction of the door, and I know immediately that Louis has finally moved himself and made his way into the room and out of the hall. "Wow." He repeats, shaking his head. He's positioned just at the entrance of the room, leaning against the door frame on his left shoulder. 

"Um.. what?" My voice comes out a little bitchy. 

"I told you that stuff in secrecy." He whispers. "Not for you to.. to just go around telling people."

"I.. it's just Niall, though, Louis."

"No, clearly, it isn't." He lifts his face to reveal a large red mark painted across the left side of his face, resembling the tiny hand of Eleanor. She must have hit him much harder than I thought to leave a mark like that. "Clearly, you just can't keep your freaking mouth shut."