The Story of Her Life

The Story of Her Life: 9

"There's nothing to talk about." he walked away without closing the hotel room door.  Louis stumbled inside.

"Bu-but this is impor...tant."

"Are you drunk?" he helped him to the couch.

"I think...I...am. Harry, hold me." he flopped on the couch.

"Oh God, Lou." he was drooling a puddle on the floor, but didn't really seem to notice.

"This is really important, but first, I'm going to need a bath-bathroom." he got up from the couch and stumbled to the bathroom. He closed and locked the door behind him. From the other side of the door, Harry heard him throwing up, and from the sounds of it, most of it wasn't making it into the toilet.

He unlocked the door and fell out.

"You might not want to go in there for a while." he stayed on the hallway floor, and Harry sat next to him.

"What's so important?"

"You can't break up with Eli..." he started to doze off.

"I already did" his voice drifted away.

"You can't because... because... because..."

"'Because' why?"

"Because... she loves you." he fell back asleep. He thought for a moment. Did she really love him, or was it just the drunk talking?

"I don't know about that."

"She does...she, she, she told me." drool came from his mouth.

"Why did you kiss her?"

"I love her, Zayn, but don't tell... Harry." he went back to sleep.

He was speechless. He banged his head against the wall.

His phone rang, it was Niall.

"Hello?"

"Harry?"

"Chealsi is that you?"

"Yes, I'm using Niall's phone."

"What is it? You seem worried."

"There was an accident."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Niall and I are..."

"So what's wrong?"

"It's Eli..."

//\\

He got there as soon as he could. He wasn't quite sure what to do with Louis, so he ended up leaving him on the floor.

"Harry!" she sighed with relief and stood up to give him a hug.

"Hey, where's Eli?" he hugged her back. She took a deep breath.

"In ICU." shock ran across his face.

"What? How did this happen?"

"Some dumbass hit the back end of the car, where she was sitting."

"Where are her parents?"

"They're on their way."

"Chealsi." a woman came up and hugged Chealsi. "Are you hurt."

"No, Mrs.Kirkshaw."

"Where's Elizabeth?"

"She's in ICU. They won't let anyone in." the woman pulled her in close.

Something tugged on Harry's pants leg. He looked down to see Jacob. He looked back up at him. His face was red, you could tell he'd been crying.

He squated down and pulled him in for a hug.

"Who are you? Were you driving the car?" the woman looked down at Harry and pulled her child away from him.

"No, that was me." Niall stood up from a chair in the waiting room.

"So, you are to blame for this?"

"No, Mrs.Kirkshaw. Niall was driving safely. Some dumby ran through the red and sped into us." Chealsi defended him. She looked back at Harry.

"So, who are you?"

"I'm, um...a friend." he left and sat in the waiting room. Jacob followed him and sat in his lap.

"Who is he?" she asked Chealsi and Niall.

"He's, uh...a friend." they both walked in the waiting room and sat with Harry.

"Who is he?" she turned to her husband.

"I don't know." he went into the waiting room, but sat far away from Harry. Mrs.Kirkshaw sat with her husband.

A nurse came into the room.

"I have some good news about Elizabeth, but I also have some bad news.

The bad news is that she lost a lot of blood, and her left lung collapsed." all the color rushed out of Harry's face.

"But, the good news is that, for the moment, she is stable and may have one visitor." Mrs.Kirkshaw stood up.

"Wait," Chealsi stopped her. "I think Harry should go."

"But I'm her mother."

"Yes, I know, but I think Harry should go." she groaned as a sign of approval. Harry walked up to her.

"Thank you." the nurse led Harry to Eli's room.

He knocked on the door. "Ms.Kirkshaw, you have a visitor."

Harry stepped in.

She was hooked up to a lot of tubes and wires. Her eyes stayed closed.

"Hey," he whispered. "You don't know I'm here, but I wanted to see you. You probably hate me right now," he took her right hand in his, it was cold. "But I love you. That's all I need to say for now, the rest can wait for later." he stood there holding her hand until the nurse came back in and told him it was time to leave.