... And Fall Into My Arms Instead *One Direction*

Chapter 14

I woke up to find Niall missing. This sent me into such a tizzy, I didn't even stop to think about how very British my language was becoming. I mean, tizzy? Anyway, I looked all over my floor, but I couldn't find him, nor was he on the next floor down. I thumped down the stairs to the first floor so fast, I fell and rolled my ankle. I let out a small cry of pain, before I could stop it. Then I shoved my knuckles into my mouth, to prevent me from crying out again. In a moment, Zayn was kneeling over my ankle.  

"What did you do?" 

"I couldn't find Niall..." I admitted sheepishly. I heard him mutter something about falling down stairs helping, but after a moment he asked a more helpful question. 

"Can you stand?"  

"Um..." I tried, but my ankle collapsed under me. "Good news is, it's probably not broken. Bad news, its either a serious sprain, or a stress fracture." I evaluated, using my step-dad's rules for breaks. He nodded, and picked me up like a bride. He had just walked into the kitchen, when Niall walked in.  

"What...?" He began.  

"While you went MIA, she fell down a flight of stairs." There was less venom than the words suggested, but he was still snapping at Niall. Niall's eyes widened.  

"Are you okay?" He rushed to my side. I took in the Irish boy for a moment, before shrugging, and leaning back against the cool counter with closed eyes. I pulled myself up by my arms til I was sitting, eyes still closed. Next, I swung my leg up onto the counter, and began to methodically message my ankle, wincing as I hit parts that hurt. I found the source(s) of the pain, and determined it was probably a sprain, but the kind that requires like a boot, or a serious wrap or something. I opened my eyes to find two anxious boys in front of me.  

"Sprain- bad." I said before they could ask. Honestly, I was just trying not to think about it too long.  

"So...?" Niall asked.  

"There are crutches and an ace wrap in the upstairs closet." I sighed in defeat. Zayn hurried up the stairs to find the crutches, and I swung my legs back down. Niall moved forward until his body was framed by my legs. He moved in even further, placing himself in between my legs before he leaned in, and placed his forehead against mine.  

That's the exact moment Zayn and Harry decided to burst into the room through opposite doors. But while Zayn awkwardly coughed, Harry, who based on his recent run in with Claire really should know better, yelled at the top of his lungs. 

"Aw! Nially and Addie sittin' in a tree. K-I-S." How Harry was going to finish spelling "Kissing", the world may never know, because Zayn shoved the majority of his fist into Harry's mouth, and pushed him out the swinging door. Zayn leaned the crutches and ace wrap against the counter and awkwardly backed out of the room. I could hear Harry and Zayn arguing behind the door and sighed. I pulled away, because the moment was already totally ruined. I pulled my leg up, and unrolled the wrap. Niall helped me pin it once it was wrapped tightly around my ankle, and let me lean on him so I could get down. Finally he passed me the crutches, and pulled out the chair at the kitchen table as I hobbled toward it.  

"How did this even happen?" He asked.  

"Um..." I said, kind of embarrassed that I had been in such a "Tizzy" over his brief disappearance. "I was running down the stairs, and I slipped." I said vaguely. 

"Why were you running down the stairs?" He pried.  

"I couldn't find you." I blushed furiously. "Where were you anyway?" 

"Just went for a walk, had to think a bit," Obviously thinking it was his turn to be vague now.  

"About?"