The Love of a Stranger

The Hidden Truth

"Okay okay whatever. It's just annoys me." That was it, I had to tell him.

"It annoys you Dan? Does it?" I shouted as I slammed the pillow back into place. I accidentally scared him but I didn't care anymore.

"But it's alright for you, you have all that you've wanted, the perfect voice, the perfect band, the looks, screaming fans, it's all like a dream. Performing all over the world earning money, you may think I can sing Dan, but I can't, I literally can't, after a minute or two of singing my lungs give up, I have a breathing condition, Dan. It stops me from what I've always wanted to do."

Silence filled the room. Tears were threatening to spill. I stood my ground waiting for Dan to reply...if he was going to that is. After a minute of glaring into each other's eyes from a distance I stormed my way to bed. I slammed the door placing my back against it. My emotions were all over the place and my knees were getting weaker and weaker. I sunk to the floor and cuddled myself with tears rolling down my cheeks. I feel awful for shouting at Dan like that, he didn't know, it's not his fault, it's mine, as per usual. Half an hour later I cucooned myself with the duvet on the bed. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, I ignored it but he came in anyway. I felt the bottom of the bed sink as he sat down.

"Laura? I know you probably don't want to talk to me but I'm sorry for pressuring you into something you didn't want to do." The guilt was building up inside me and it made me almost sick. Finally I sat up and wrapped my arms around him, he copied.

"It's okay, you didn't know. I just got really frustrated seeing you perform tonight, it's something I've always wanted but can't do."

"I'm sorry Laura. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I may have missed something out when I was telling you about me. See, all my life I've always had bad lungs. When I was born I didn't start breathing until about 10 minutes later, I was so small that my lungs couldn't support themselves. Years later I got really unwell. I was maybe about 4 or 5 when I was diagnosed with some disease which stops me from exhaling properly but I eventually learned to live with it. By my teenage years it had almost cleared up and because I was enjoying the feeling of breathing again I had to go and waste it by doing stupid things like drink and party and save peoples asses from fires." I smirked. Dan hid his face because he knew I was talking about him.

"Well now you know. I just can't go down the singing career...or any career for that matter, I haven't had a job in a long time, who would want to hire an asthmatic, alcoholic, homeless girl anyway."

"I would." He smirked.

I sat there twiddling my thumbs blushing until I felt warm hands cup my face and pull me in so that his lips met mine. I'd always treasure moments like these. We both lay on the bed with his arms wrapped around me, his chest pressed against my back and his breath cooled my neck.

"Dan?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm visiting Cathy at the police station tomorrow." Hearing this he raised his head and I turned to look at the confused - with the eyebrows furrowed - face. Before he could ask why I gave him a reasonable explanation.

"I want to know why she did what she done, and I want to know the reason why she came to our flat and asked for forgiveness. It just doesn't make sense for someone to deliberately try and kill someone then turn up at their front door and say 'oh I'm terribly sorry I almost killed you please forgive me.'" Dan rolled his eyes.

"You're thinking about this too much, Jack confirmed that she was/is a psycho-arsonist, anything she says is bound to be made up or for some weird reason that only she believes in."

"It's still not going to change my mind about going to see her." I rolled back over onto my side while Dan sighed.

"Well just be careful okay? God knows what she'll do."

"Can't you come?" I asked doubting my bravery

"I'm sorry I can't, I'll be at an interview for some radio station for most of the day. You can take Jack with you?"

"No, it's alright I'll go myself. Anyway taking Jack to see his psychopath ex isn't really the best idea."

"Good point." I felt his smile spread across his face against my ear. He leaned over and kissed the side of my head and snuggled into my back.

"Good night Laura." And that was the last thing I heard him say before I fell into a deep sleep.

A/n: Sorry this chapter's really short, the next one will be better I promise. I haven't been able to upload lately because I'm literally working the whole summer and I don't get any internet at my work which is a pain but I'll try my best to upload more often. Thanks again for the reads it means a lot. C x