About an hour later, Mikey texts me saying him and the boys are ready to come over. I quickly reply with 'ok, bring food'.
Not even a second later there's a knock at the door, so I make my way over and let the boys in. Every single one of them walk in with at least 3 items of food balancing in their arms. I raise my eyebrows at the beer they bring in, as I'm underage, but I won't be drinking it - I can assure you that.
We all settle down in a circle on the floor with the food in the middle. The 5sos boys bought dominos pizza, whilst The Vamps boys supplied the popcorn, sweets, and the series of flavoured crisp packets.
"So how did you find your first day in the studio Beth?" Ash pipes up.
"Amazing! I can't wait to do more tomorrow! This has been my dream for my whole life!" I say whilst taking a bite out of the pizza nearest me.
"Jesus Beth!" Luke gasps from across the circle.
I look up to a series of shocked faces. "What?"
"You literally just took a bite out of one of the hottest pizzas on the menu and didn't even realise..." Brad informs me.
I look down at the box of pizza I just ate from.
"Oh I didn't realise...eh" I say, carrying on eating the slice and loving every second of it.
"Fu-"
"Fudge...don't you mean to say fudge Tris?" Says James
"Uh...yeh, sorry..."
"Chill, I'm not a baby I assure you I am used to it" I mumble to nobody in particular.
"What do you mean 'used to it'?..." Calum questions.
Ughghhggggggghhhh you idiot Beth
"Um, nothing ignore that"
James glares at me, basically telling me to spill what's going on.
"Guyyyyysss...." I whine, really not wanting to dive into my long messed up history.
Con stands up, holding out his hand to me, "hey Beth can I talk with you I minute...privately?"
I raise and eyebrow at his abrupt change of manner. "Sure Con" I stand and take his hand, letting him lead me out of my hotel room, down the hallway and into his and the boys' one.
Once we are standing in the living area, Connor turns around and faces me, a sympathetic look in his eyes, yet I could see a glint of curiosity too.
"Can you tell me about your past Beth?"
Wow. My mind is running around battling with my heart, knowing that I needed to tell someone other than my parents about my story.
"Uhh...I'm not sure Con-"
"Beth, I can see it in your eyes thsame way I saw it in my eyes when I was going through rough times. Your family might know, but from personal experience I can tell you that sharing whatever is festering inside of you with a friend helps so much. The boys are the only reason I'm still here...."
I stand there for a moment, just absorbing the words Connor just said. The Connor Ball, teenage sensation, forever smiling, overall Mr Perfect.
"The rest of the boys don't have to know yet, but you need to share whatever pain you have kept hidden Beth. You can trust me." He says, maybe he genuinely wants to help?
"Promise?" I whisper.
"Promise." With that he takes my hand and guides me over to the sofa.
"So..um-last year I was out with my best friend Lauren and her boyfriend. We were going to the movies to watch Pitch Perfect 2 and I noticed Dylan, Lauren's boyfriend, was acting different. I kind of just shrugged it off, thinking it was because he didn't want to see the movie we chose. But...I was wrong. We booked the movie late, so we had evening tickets so it finished round about 11:30pm, and it as winter so it was pitch black outside. As we were walking out, towards the car park, Dylan announced he needed the toilet and for us to wait there. He ran off. Thankfully, my parents both being military, I automatically looked out for signs of danger and was very aware of everything, even in the daytime. I remember seeing the toilets in the opposite direction as to were Dylan ran. I told Lauren, but Lauren being the optimist she is, just said Dylan probably circled back or went to the MacDonalds toilets a little further away. While she was rambling on about how good the movie was, I noticed 3 men leaning against the wall of the now closed Cinema. My radars were going crazy, so I said to Lauren that I needed the loo, and she should come with me. She disagreed saying she didn't want Dylan coming back thinking we had left him. So I told her that her makeup was smudged, obviously making her drop a quick text to Dylan and follow me to the women's toilets.
Once we made it to the loo's, I grabbed my phone and dialled the programmed emergency number 999 in my phone. Lauren looked at me and started demanding why I was calling The Police. I ignored her because I could see about 5 men's silhouettes through the crack in the public toilets door. Eventually the police picked up "Hello you've reached your local police department, what is your emergency?"
"Hi, my friend and I are hiding in the women's toilets outside Roaks Cinema? I have suspicions about her boyfriend and the 4 random men who are standing by his side waiting for us to walk out of the toilets..." I said. By now I could feel the adrenaline kicking in my system. Everything my dad taught me coming rushing back. Lauren was standing there wide eyed, looking out through the crack in the door. A tear rolled down her cheek when she realised what was happening. I was on the phone to the police for a couple more minutes, she assured me that 10 officers were in there way to our position and to stay put. They should be quick as my older cousin Josh (we were inseparable since I was born) was on duty. I think he would step on the pedal a bit harder knowing I had called an emergency.
Both Lauren and I were pulled out of our silence by the locked door to the restroom banging, creaking under the weight of numerous bodies. Lauren started crying as cracks began forming. Shit shit shit shit shit!
Next thing you know, the men are inside the women's toilets, grabbing both of us and shoving us to the floor. I hit my head hard on the tiled floor. The last thing I remember of the next 5 minutes was Lauren screaming for me. Screaming at Dylan. Screaming for help. I kind of drifted in and out of consciousness for a bit but when I woke up, my wrists were tied and duct tape was around my mouth. I looked over at Lauren who was in the same situation, but she had zip ties around her ankles as well as wrists. I glare at Dylan as I hear the sound of nearing sirens. Must have been about 5 cars by the sound of it, which got the men into a panic. My heart stopped when Dylan pulled something out of his pocket, something that resembled a knife but I refused to believe it. Dylan was not like that. This should all be a prank. Dylan will start laughing any minute now.
Nope. That was a fucking knife. And that knife was pointed at Lauren. "What the Fuck Dylan?! What the hell are you doing" I screamed through the tape. Half of it had peeled off so he got the message.
"You bitch. This will teach you for actually trusting me. All you wanted was my money!" he ignored me, lunging towards Lauren. Lauren screamed, everything happening in slow motion through my eyes. I elbowed the guy holding me in a iron grip and shoved my heal where the sun doesn't shine. I realise now I am screaming too. I didn't have control over my body. I fling myself in front Lauren and blinding pain lances through my stomach. I scream, a piercing scream I have never heard before. Through my haze, the door is flung open, but I don't hear it as all I can hear is a ringing in my ears. My body is numb, and my brain is in shock. Lauren is still screaming, by now the police have the men on the ground. "BETH" a husky voice screams, pure fear evident in his voice. Someone scrambles to my side shouting orders for an ambulance, first aid and help, but all I can focus on are the tears pouring from Josh's eyes. It fascinated me as I had never seen a grown man cry before this moment. It takes me a moment to realise that he is applying pressure to my stomach, sending excruciating waves pain through my body. "Beth? Beth keep your eyes open, stay with me please, BETH STAY AWAKE!" He shouts in my face, my eyes which had drifted close fluttered open. It was a strain to breathe let alone stay awake. All I remember from then on is paramedics around me, blinding pain, screaming and the smell of hospitals.""
I look over at Connor now. I ignore the tears rolling down my cheek and focus on my hands, fumbling with my top.
I feel arms wrap around me and pull me close. We both exhale s big breathe each, holding pain and survival. We both know that no words can help this situation, so we just sit there for a while, in silence, Connor absorbing my history whilst I relish the feeling of a little bit of he weight on my shoulders be lifted.
Ok that was a long chapter but I couldn't leave it at a cliffhanger so....
