The Journey - The College Years [One Direction Fanfic]

24

When I get to the conference room everyone looks at me. About twenty important looking adults are sitting around a round table. "Hello, I am sorry for the delay. My name's Lindsay Jenner, I'm here instead of…" "Kayla, we already know. Have a seat" a young guy in the corner of the room says. I give him a smile and sit down next to an elderly lady. "So we were talking about…" the young guy starts to speak and I try my best to not look nervous because I really am. The meeting turns out to be more slack than I thought and the young man that is talking is very nice and patient so I start to feel a bit better. The elderly lady next to me shoots me insulting glares but I do my best to ignore them. "Ms Jenner, what is your opinion on this?" the guy eventually asks me. "Well, I think that you are right. But we should probably try a more sensitive method, like.." I start to speak when suddenly a familiar sound resounds. It's my phones ringtone. For God's sake, I think to myself and shift awkwardly as I reach into my purse and shut my phone off. Everyone is obviously annoyed by my appearance and I can't blame them. I continue to speak and try to hide my blush. When the session is finally over after two hours of pure embarrassment I try to leave the room as soon as possible but I am held back by someone calling my name. "Ms Jenner, can I talk to you?" I turn around and face the young guy. "Uh yeah sure. I'm sorry I messed it up" I apologize. "And you can call me Lindsay." "Nice to meet you, I'm Jake. Those were some good ideas you had!" he says. "I was so nervous and I am having a bad day, I'm not like this usually" I apologize once again. "Not like what? Charming and sweet?" he flirts and I laugh. "It's okay, everyone has bad days." I nod. "I've never seen you here, since when do you work for the Shape?" he asks me. "It's been a week since I started" I answer and watch him put on his coat and head for the door. "Well, see you around then" he tells me smiling. "Yeah, have a nice day" I answer and walk to my office. I pour myself a cup of coffee and turn my phone back on. Thirteen missed calls. Lucy, Harry and Vanessa. I quickly dial Harry's number. "Linds, finally. Where are you?" he asks me frustrated. "At the office, why?" "I am picking you up in fifteen minutes, it's urgent." "Harry, I can't just leave!" "It's urgent, Linds." "What is it about, for God's sake?" "Emma." "Alright, I'm coming!" I hang up the phone and rush to the human resources section to ask for a few hours off when suddenly Perrie walks up to me. "Hey Perrie, I need to go." "I know, I talked to everyone, we are free to go for the day" she tells me. "Alright, I'll get my things and make my way to… hold on, where are we going?" "Lucy's place" she answers. I nod and walk back to my office. 

A few minutes later I am in my car driving past Perrie. My heart is beating fast and Harry's worried voice keeps echoing in my head. What happened now?, I think to myself. Why can't anything stay good for a few weeks? A few minutes later the cars in front of me stop moving. Great, I'm stuck in a traffic jam. I dial Harry's number. "Harry I'm stuck in traffic" I literally whine. "Okay, okay. We're waiting. But Linds?" he asks. "Yeah?" "Don't start crying" he tells me. "I am not crying" I pout. "Yeah, but I know how you sound when you're about to" he answers. He is right. "I won't cry. See you in a bit" I say and throw my phone back into my purse. 

An hour later I finally arrive at Lucy's house. Perrie and I walk up the stairs to the room we've met up in so many times in the past few weeks together. We step inside the room and literally everyone is there. Louis, Niall, Zayn, Vanessa, Harry, Lucy and of course - Emma. "Hey" Perrie says and sits down next to Zayn who is running his fingers through his hair looking frustrated. Harry walks up to me and wraps his arm around my waist and gives me a sad smile. No one is talking and I can't stand the silence. "What did the doctor say?" I ask. "I have cancer" she answers with emptiness in her eyes. "What?!" Perrie screams. Emma nods. She seems so accepting it gets me mad. "No, fucking no. Why?!" I now shout angrily. Harry's grip tightens but for the first time ever it doesn't make me feel better. "Endometrial Cancer. That's why the baby died" she whispers. I sit down next to Emma and look at her. I don't think I have ever seen someone this sad. I wrap my arms around her and bury my face in her hair. "It's okay. Really" she mumbles. "No it's not. It's shit, pure bullshit. You don't deserve any of this" I answer. She chuckles. I look over to Louis and Niall who are hugging each other and I can't tell which one of them is crying. "Alright, this might sound really cheesy…" Emma now speaks up to everyone. "But we can get through this together." Harry nods and looks at me. He opens his arms and I stand up and lean in for a hug. "What are you gonna do?" Vanessa asks. "There are many treatment options, I haven't picked one yet." "I can't believe this is real" Lucy sobs. "Group hug?" Niall quietly asks making us laugh. "Group hug!" I answer and we all step closer and engulf each other in the tightest hug ever engulfed. 

"I love you" I hear Harry whisper in my ear. 

"I love you" I whisper back. 

THE END