When I was finally calm enough I bent down to pick up the hairspray and my phone. When my voice finally felt like it wouldn't fail me I spoke. "Niall?...What are you doing here?" He bent down with me to pick up the items he'd dropped. "And why are you stealing my cheese?"
"The tour finished yesterday, so we landed at about 9pm." His Irish accented voice was loud in the quiet, dark kitchen.
"Yeah, but that doesn't really explain why you're here and Harry isn't." I'd totally forgotten they were coming back last night. I'd been so wrapped up with work it had completely fled my mind.
"Well, the thing is…I think you should sit down." He gestured to the table. I sat in the seat by the window and he sat opposite me. "Don't panic, but Harry is in hospital."
"What?" I gasped. "Why? Is he okay?" I sat up straight and lent against the table, eager to get more information.
He gestured with his hand for me to sit back and calm down. "His appendix ruptured as we got off the plane. They've taken him to hospital and he's in surgery now but before he demanded we all leave . He didn't want us there. Louis stayed, gave me the key and told me to tell you. The others have gone home."
"Is he going to be alright?" I was really worried. I desperately wanted to get to the hospital.
"Yeah, they know what they're doing." He smiled.
"So you came here to tell me and the first thing you thought to do was make a sandwich?"
"…I was hungry." He mumbled guiltily. "I was going to wait until you woke up, it wouldn't be long, so I thought I'd eat and then tell you."
I could tell he felt guilty about making a sandwich first so I smiled to let him know I wasn't angry. "I'll go and change, have a sandwich and by the time you're done I'll be ready." I pushed the chair back from the table and rushed to the bedroom to get ready. I can't believe Harry was in hospital! I panicked as I hurried to get some clothes together. I needed to be there.
Within minutes I was back in the kitchen, grabbing things and putting them in my bag. Niall was sat at the table, calmly finishing his sandwich. "You ready?" he asked with a mouthful of food as he stood up from the table.
"Yup." I replied as I shoved my feet into my Vans and pulled on a hoodie. We both left the apartment and jumped into my car. The car Niall had come home in had gone as the driver expected Niall to be a while. How wrong they were. It was half 4 when everything happened and it was now 4:45. The worry made me fast.
I pulled out of the garage and quickly made my way to the hospital and through the almost empty streets of London. It wasn't surprising seeing as most people were in bed at this time.
(Later…)
The glass doors quickly opened and we rushed inside. Niall's Supras squeaked against the shiny hospital floor as we made our way to the desk. Niall asked for directions and the receptionist, a bored looking woman chewing gum, pointed where to go with a Barbie pink nail.
We rushed around endless corners and down endlessly long corridors full of doors and doctors until we finally came to a corridor that had a tired looking Louis sat outside a room on a chair. He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees with his face hidden in his hands. He looked up when he heard the squeak of Niall as he walked towards him. His face was pale and he had dark shadows under his eyes.
"Hey" he whispered. I sat down next to him and before I knew it he was pulling me into a tight gripped hug. It lasted a while, his face rested in the crook of my neck. Eventually he pulled away and looked at me. "He's out of surgery. I'm not allowed in because I'm not family." He growled the last part, clearly upset that he couldn't go in and see his best friend.
"Is he awake?" I sat up straighter to try and see into the room through the window, but could see nothing but a bed.
"Yeah." Louis sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face.
"Then screw what they say. We're going in. There are no nurses here…" I grabbed his hand in mine and gestured for Niall to follow before taking one last glance down the empty corridor and opening the door to go in.
