Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Through The Glass Wall Or How I Pretended To Be Asleep

Hi everyone, a second chapter tonight. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :) All the love, Summer xxx Ps. This is one of my favourite songs which was stuck in my head while writing this chapter (you can interpret it as you like).

I woke up in what felt like a bed to two voices quietly arguing next to me. "Why the fuck didn't you call me earlier? And why the fuck were you there first?" Louis' angry voice sounded through the room in a loud whisper. I resisted the temptation to open my eyes and pretended to be still asleep, waiting for Harry's answer. "Because her mother called me, okay? Claire left her phone in the hospital and I was the first contact she recognised in Claire's phone apart from Lily who she didn't get through to because she was working. It's not my fucking fault, mate, okay? And keep your voice down or you'll wake her up." Harry hissed, clearly angry at Louis, and I could hear someone walk across the room.

"Of course she'd fucking call you! You two are best buddies, aren't you? Claire depends on you so much and even talks about you when you aren't there and you are running after her like a puppy, like you are in love with her or something like that." There was a long silence during which I nearly exploded with feelings and anxiety while desperately trying to pretend to be asleep. "That's it, isn't it?" Louis asked quietly, his voice shaking a bit. "You are in love with my fucking girlfriend." My heart was beating so loudly I was sure it could be heard by the others, but I kept my eyes closed and tried to breathe slowly, in and out, in and out. It felt like every little cell in my body was tense while we were both waiting for Harry's answer.

"Look, mate, it's not what it looks like..." Harry started but he was interrupted by Louis before he could finish his sentence. "I can't believe this! One of my best friends is in love with my girlfriend, now isn't that fucking amazing?" Louis chuckled bitterly. He sounded hurt and I didn't know what to feel but I really wanted to give him a hug. However, I was even more desperate to hear what Harry had to say on that topic. "Lou, calm the fuck down, okay? Yes, I really like Claire, but only as a friend, in a brother-sister sort of way, alright? There is nothing going on between the two of us! I told you back in September that I would never go for a girl that you are with, even if I did like her. I wouldn't do that to you, mate! So the next time before you make an assumption, ask first and don't throw shit at me when you don't know the whole story. And since when have you asked her to be your girlfriend?!"

I suddenly felt like crying and I didn't know why. My throat was closing up and I felt my eyes tearing up again, but I blamed the latest events for that. There was a shuffle and then Louis spoke up again. "I'm sorry, mate, I shouldn't have freaked out like that. And I actually haven't asked her to be my girlfriend yet, I was planning on taking her out on Sunday and asked her at the end of the date. I guess, I just got a bit jealous when I saw how close you two are because I sometimes feel like you share a deeper connection than we two."

A few seconds no one said anything. "Well, I can't exactly blame you, you know? If I had an amazing girl like her I also would do anything to keep her and marry her one day." I could hear the smile in Harry's voice and decided that it was a good time to "wake up", before they could continue their argument. I started moving and slowly opened my eyes, yawning and stretching my limps. I let my eyes wander around the room and realised that I was lying in my old bed room at my parents, well now only my mum's house. Feeling a wave of sadness and loss threatening to overwhelm me, I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath.

When I opened them again, I was met with two concerned pair of eyes who were looking down at me. "Hey, love, are you okay?" asked Louis in the same moment as Harry asked "Feeling any better, love?" I chuckled a bit and they exchanged a look. In that moment, I realised the irony of the situation. I had two members of One Direction in my old bedroom, which had a whole wall dedicated to their lyrics, while I was lying in my bed after saying my last goodbyes to my dad. Without warning, I burst into laughter and once I had started, I couldn't stop. Harry and Louis exchanged a concerned look before they tried to talk to me. "Claire? Are you okay, love?" Louis sat down the edge of my bed and took my hand into his. Harry's head was poking over his shoulder, his green eyes filled with concern.

For some reason this view of the two of them made me laugh even more and I shook my head while the tears were running down my face. I couldn't stop laughing and the boys were starting to get seriously worried about me. Harry kneed down next to my bed and put a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, Claire! Look at me!" I turned my head to face him and suddenly, out of nowhere, I started crying again, my laughter quickly turning into sobs. Harry reached out, but Louis was faster and pulled me into his lab where he rocked me back and forth while I cried into his chest. "I'll go and get her some water." I heard Harry's voice behind me and felt Louis nod before the door closed behind Harry, leaving me alone with Louis.

"Hey, Claire, you're gonna be okay, everything is gonna be okay. I'm here for you." He gently stroked my back, but I continued to ruin his t-shirt. "My dad's dead, Louis." I managed to say, my voice breaking at the end of the sentence. "My dad is dead!" A new wave of loss overcame me and I silently sobbed into Louis chest, not being able to take the pain anymore. "It hurts so much, Louis, it hurts so much." I felt him press a kiss to my head while he continued to rock me back and forth. "Shhhh." He tried to soothe me, but I felt like I was bleeding on the inside. There was this big hole inside my chest, which felt like someone had ripped a part out of me. "Make it stop, please make it stop." I sobbed and I heard Louis sigh underneath me before he shifted to make me look him in the eyes. "Claire, listen to me. I know you are hurting right now, but you will be okay, alright? I am here for you and so is Harry and your mum and Lily and everyone else." He gently cupped my face with his hands, forcing me to look at him.

My gaze was fixed on him, but I didn't really see him. It was as if he behind a glass wall or something like that. I saw his mouth moving, but I didn't hear a single word that he was saying. "Claire, hey!" I barely noticed that Harry had entered the room again and distantly heard Louis talk to him. "She is not reacting to anything, I think she is in shock." Harry's concerned face appeared next to Louis. "Claire, love, look at me." Harry gently turned my head to face him. "Claire, snap out of it. You are okay, you are here. You are alive. We are here to help you, Claire." They seemed to be so far away and even though I wanted to react, my body didn't seem to be working properly.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain whip across my cheek and the impact made me close my eyes. When I opened them again, I was suddenly back in my room and my hand moved up to my cheek which was burning. "Claire, can you hear me?" I looked to my right and saw Louis's concerned eyes look at me and nodded. "Are you okay, love? I am sorry for slapping you, but you wouldn't snap out of it and you started to breath weirdly." Harry apologised next to me and I silently told him that it was fine. "It hurts so much." I whispered hoarsely and leaned my head against Louis chest, still facing Harry.

He gently took my hands into his big ones and gave them a light squeeze. "I know, love, but we are here for you and we are not going anywhere." He gave me a reassuring smile before silently communicating something with Louis. Rising to his feet, he brushed off the dust off his knees. "I'll make us some dinner downstairs, just come downstairs in fifteen minutes, alright?" Louis agreed for both of us, before Harry disappeared downstairs again, quietly closing the door behind him.

A.N. I am very proud of this chapter and I really hope you like it, too. :)