Niall:
I hung up the phone with Laney’s friend not sure if she really understood what I said. I didn’t care much though, I just wanted to help Laney. I had convinced management to tell the press I was sick or something for the next week or two. None of them were too thrilled but I got away with it. I threw clothes into a suitcase not even worrying about what matched. I threw in my phone charger, laptop and laptop charger and closed it up. I left my apartment and walked myself to Liam’s.
I knocked and instantaneously Liam was at the door. “Hey superman.” I rolled my eyes at his joke. “You’re so funny aren’t you?” I joked. Liam looked down at his feet. “Well I was just saying because you’re going to save that girl which is very heroic of you.” I stood on my toes and puffed out my chest and we both laughed.
I sat shotgun in Liam’s car and we drove to the airport. He waited with me until I got onto the plane and then we said our goodbyes. “Call me babe” he yelled as I walked up the stairs. I winked at him and found my seat.
It was a long flight and all I could think about was being able to see Laney again. I was hoping Addison would tell her that I would be there around eleven pm her time. I tried to sleep but I couldn’t get her off of my mind. I didn’t know what I was going to do once I got there, I just felt like it would kind of fall into place.
The plane landed and I went to grab my luggage. I got a taxi driver to take me to Laney’s and I was there at promptly 11:07. The house was dark and there was only one car in the driveway. I walked up to the door and rang the bell. My palms were sweating as I anticipated a large man to open the door. The door creaked open and Laney was standing there sobbing. Her bottom lip was shaking rapidly. She fell into my chest and wrapped her arms around my middle. It felt good to hold her. We stood in the doorway for at least twenty minutes.
She pulled away and I wiped her eyes. “What’s that?” She pointed to my suitcase that was beside my legs. “It’s a suitcase, have you never seen one?” She started to laugh. “No, I just mean like… why’s it here? Didn’t you just go back home anyway what are you doing here?” She didn’t give herself time to breathe in between the words. I realized then that her friend must not have conveyed the message. I rolled my eyes and took a seat on her step. I patted the ground next to me and Laney took a seat. “Okay, so I knew you weren’t doing well and I needed to come see you. I called you to tell you but your friend Addison said you weren’t around. I asked her if it would be fine for me to come stay and keep an eye on you for the next week or two and she said yeah, so I just assumed she’d bring it up to you.” Her jaw dropped as she looked at me. She leaned against my shoulder and closed her eyes. “How long was the flight here?” She sounded exhausted. Not only physically, but emotionally. I answered with a yawn, it was almost five am back home. “About ten hours, why?” She picked up one of my hands and played with my fingers. “Well, no use in sending you home now then.” She stood up and grabbed my suitcase that was about half her size.
I grabbed my suitcase off her and she shrugged. She led me up a staircase after shutting the door and we ended up in a room that was painted a pale green. She rolled my suitcase into a corner and asked me to sit down. “Well this is going to be awkward.” I heard her mutter. “I’ll sleep on the floor.” Her bed was a queen and it was extremely comfortable, but I wouldn’t mind the floor if it made her happy. She shook her head and walked out the door, which told me she wasn’t talking to me.
I could hear her take a few steps down the hallway and push open a door. “Laney what the hell!” I heard a guy yell. She shushed him which made me laugh and then she proceeded to talk. “Okay, listen I have a friend staying over for the next couple of days alright? Don’t bother me I won’t bother you.” I heard the guy again, this time quieter. “Got it now get out.” The door closed and seconds later Laney was back in her room. She held the door open and pointed to the hallway. “Uhm, yes?” She blushed a little “I need to change.” I nodded and walked out the door.
She opened the door again and I came in to see her in a pair of pink plaid pants and a gray short sleeved t shirt. I rubbed the nape of my neck. “Uhm, Laney. I kind of don’t have pajama pants. If you want me to sleep in jeans that’s fine I” she cut me off midsentence. “Don’t worry about it.” And she winked as she spoke the words in a whisper. I watched her put her hands over her eyes as I slid my jeans off. I slid under her covers. “Okay, you can uncover your eyes.” My hands were folded behind my head and she pointed to my shirt. “You’re wearing that?” I nodded and she sighed. “Alright, whatever’s clever I guess.” And she crawled into bed beside me.
She flicked the lights off and turned to face me. I felt her soft tiny fingers lift my shirt off of my body. She placed one hand over my chest where my heart was beating, and she fell asleep instantly.
