Under the stars || James McVey

chapter five

The gif above isn't exactly like what I have described in this chapter, but it's close enough to what I want for Katherine's style, and it's pretty :)

Jame's POV

As soon as Brad and Katherine left us, we went back into the games room and switched on the TV, where Josh set up the Xbox and FIFA, before leaving us to go back to the party. Maggie and Chloe were still murmuring about Katherine going out to fetch Chloe's little brother. I didn't really see what the big fuss was about, she seemed fine about it, but they continued to fuss regardless. I continued to play a game against Connor, when the unexpected happened.

There was a sudden crash from the foyer and the sound of heavy sobbing as someone ran up the stairs. We all looked at each other and ran out to investigate. We all - as in me, Tris, Con, Chloe and Maggie - all raced to the front door where Brad walked in, followed by two boys in their football kit and covered in mud. 

"What happened?" I asked Brad as he walked over to me. He looked worried and bit his lower lip with intensity. 

"Katherine got really upset and ran into the house. I don't know why" He muttered, before Chloe cursed aloud.

"Shit, shit, shit!" She screamed. "I knew this was a bad idea. I should never of--" Chloe began, before Josh joined the congregation.

"Should never of what?" He asked, necking down a bottle of water. He seemed a little sobered up now, which I guess was a relief, considering he was hanging off me earlier in a drunken state.

"Erm... promise you won't get mad," Chloe breathed, as she bit her lip. Josh raised his eyebrows at her, but he nodded all the same. "Katherine picked up Luke from practice."

Josh looked confused as ever. "So?"

"It was at Stonebridge."

"WHAT?!" Josh's face suddenly turned scary when he starting screaming at Chloe. "How could you?! How could you let her go back there, knowing full well what happened? Where is she? Is she alright? Fuck, Chloe, are you crazy?!" The veins in his neck started to pulse and stick out as his voice heightened. He sure was mad.

"Josh, I'm sorry, ok?" She pleaded, helplessly. "She offered, ok. I never would've let her go if I thought couldn't handle it. I didn't think it'd be so bad"

That's it, Chloe, you don't think. You are so fucking selfish! He's your fucking brother, not hers. Why is she the one to pick him up?!" He screamed back at her, just as his mother entered the foyer, asking what all the shouting was about.

"Chloe is a fucking idiot, that's what's up!" Josh growled, making Chloe, and I think the rest of us, flinch.

"Josh, language!" His mother scolded. "Now, will someone please tell me what's going on." Chloe tried as best as she could to explain what happened, with the help of Mags, but it didn't help that Josh kept interrupting and scoffing whenever she spoke. "Oh dear. Josh, take yourself outside for a breather and come back once you've calmed yourself down, please." With a hasty look and a huff, Josh stormed out of the room.

"Chloe, it isn't your fault, dear. Josh is just protective of his younger sister. It hasn't help that he's had a bit to drink, as well." Mrs James smiles apologetically at the two girls, rubbing Chloe's arm gently for reassurance, before turning to the two muddy boys beside her. " Right, it looks like you two need cleaning up". And that's when Josh reentered the room and started shouting again.

Seen as they were too busy caught up in their argument, I slipped around them and made my way up the stairs. I reached the top and looked down the long hallway. Considering there were a lot of rooms and I wasn't sure which one I was actually looking for, I decided to look in them all. I went from door to door, opening empty bedrooms, bathrooms and closets, before I heard the piercing screams from down the hall.

I ran as fast as I could until I reached the end and burst through the door. The screams had stopped and all I heard was the faint crying coming from further in the room. I turned a corner and saw her perched against the wall, her legs brought up to her chest and her hands rubbing the carpet viciously as she breathed heavily. I crouched down in front of her, unsure what to do. "Katherine, it's alright, calm down." I say placing my hand on her knee.

She sobs hard and keeps repeating herself over and over. " I'm so sorry, I'm so so sorry" She says between sobs. Her makeup was streaming down her face with her tears, and I have no other option but to sit down beside her and place my arm around her shoulders. I brought her head down to my chest and let her cry. My shirt was getting soaked with her tears and I could black stains slowly formed on my front, but I didn't care. If she needed to cry, she needed to cry. I wasn't going to complain. I had loads of shirts at home and I had a continuancy to buy new ones anyways. I looked down at her as her breathing slowed and her crying become fainter. I stroked her hair and kept telling her it was alright. 

As she calmed herself, I took a moment to look around her room. My eyes wondering over different art pieces hung up on her walls, and the paintings that were done on the walls themselves, as if someone had decorated her room with vibrant colours and shapes. I saw that in the corner of the wall, nearer the right side, was a painting of a girl in a sea of coloured swirls that were formed into birds, and when I looked even closer, I saw that she had wings. My eyes wondered further across her wall and that's when I heard a faint sigh. I looked down at her again and saw that her quietness was only due to that fact that she had fallen asleep in my arms.

I smiled softly and turned my body so that I could loop my left arm under her arms and my right under her legs. I gently picked her up and carried her over to the bed, before placing her down carefully, trying not to wake her. I pulled off her black flats from her feet and tucked her legs under the duvet. I sigh contently and back away slowly, seeing how she subconsciously curled up a little into the pillows around her.

As I back away, I can't help but notice the collection of canvas's laying against the wall. I walk up to them and trying not to make a sound, I start to scan through the various paintings.

"She painted them." A voice says from behind me, causing me to jump a little. I turn to see Josh leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes glancing from me to his sister.

"They're really good," I say, placing them all back where they were, not wanting to mess anything up. "She's really talented."

"Yeah, she was." He replies, walking over to me. He picks up a smaller canvas nearer the front and smiles. It was of him in football attire, smiling and combing his fingers through his hair. "She had a way of capturing people. The parts of people that were hidden, parts that you didn't want others to see, or that were unknown to yourself. Her paintings were never posed, or staged, they were real and emotional, something you couldn't falter." I watched him as he places the painting back down and turns towards his sister, a frown on his face and his eyebrows creased. I didn't want to read too much into the fact that pretty much all of what he said was in past tense.

He must have seen that I was confused because he answered my thoughts almost immediately. "She doesn't paint anymore. She hasn't picked up a pencil since--... well it's been a long time." He corrects himself with a sigh. I didn't want to push him into a reason why, so I nodded and left it at that. He turns to me then and smiles. " You'd better go back downstairs. Your family is looking for you, I think they're ready to leave."

I nod slightly and make my way back to the door. As I turn my head, I watch Josh as he kicks off his shoes and climbs into bed with his sister. He puts his arm around her and kisses her temple gently. I smile to myself and turn to leave the room so they could be alone.

The last thing I hear when I close the door behind me, is "It's ok, little sis. It's going to be ok."