Under the stars || James McVey

chapter six

Katherine's POV

The screaming had started again. 

They had gone away for a while, but now they have returned, just as fierce and tormenting as they were before.

I'd jolted myself awake with my screams, sweat pouring from myself with uncontrollable strength, and my body shaken eratically. I felt huge arms surround me in a warm embrace, a soft 'shhing' in my ear, and before I knew it, I was drifting back in to the darkness.

I woke up the next morning, feeling drained and tired. I glanced towards the clock on my wall, reading the time of 12:30, and groaned to myself. I was about to sit up, when I heard soft snores from beside me. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down at my brother, who was sleeping peacefully, his hair a complete mess and stinking of alcohol. I saw that he still had the same shirt on from last night, and from looking at my appearance, I was still dressed, too. The last thing I remember from last night, was screaming myself awake and before, crying into James' chest.

James.

He has so kind as to check on me and let me cry into his chest like a little baby. I groaned to myself once more. I must of looked like a right idiot, crying like that. God, he must hate me. 

I quickly padded to the bathroom, careful not to wake my brother. He was extremely drunk last night, he needed the sleep. I quickly washed and changed myself into a pair of light blue skinnies and You Me At Six t-shirt, before making my way downstairs for breakfast. As I approached the door, I saw Chloe sitting at one of the kitchen stools, munching on a muffin.

"I knew I never should of let her go last night," she said. "But she said she was fine, and I had no other choice."

"Chloe, my sweet." My mother's voice trailed softly from the other side of the kitchen, where she made coffee. "Just because she says she's fine, doesn't mean she is. It's been hard for her, and she's been doing so well, it was only normal to assume she'd be ok." I leaned against the wall, not wanting to hear anymore, but a name was mentioned, and it caught my attention.

"I saw James McVey leaving her room last night. He looked really worried about her," Mags piped up. "I'd say it was cute, but considering the circumstances..." She trailed off, muttering to herself.

"Was he up there all night?" Chloe asked, picking at her muffin.

"I presume so," Mum replied. "I saw him walk up when you and Josh started arguing again." Chloe darted her gaze back to her muffin, and looked really guilty. I know she felt terrible about last night, and I'd heard some shouting, so obviously Josh had flipped on her when I'd come home crying.

Just as she was about to say something, I burst into the kitchen and asked my mother the first thing that popped into my mind. "Mum, what's James' address?" I watched as all three of them stared at me, stunned expressions on their faces. I looked at my mother impatiently, and she must of cottoned on, because she grabbed a pen and notepad and began scribbling down an address.

"Honey, are you alright?" She asked, handing me the piece of paper. I nodded, and before she could say any more, grabbed a muffin and headed out without saying another word.

*********************************

It wasn't long of a drive, and before I knew it, I was pulling outside of the McVey's residence. It was pretty much as big as ours, if not bigger, with beautiful flowered garden out front. Ivy wound its way up the left side of the house, and each window glistened brightly against the sunlight.

I sat there for a while, unsure whether to get out or not. I twiddled my thumbs helplessly, and braced myself with a little deep breath, before climbing out of the car and walking up to the front door. Number 11. I checked the number and rapped three times of the door.