Tiger Teeth - Terms & Conditions // Book Two

Chapter 13

I was good that night. Great, actually. The crowd, which I wasn't expecting much from, was hyped. It felt like the days of Flicker when everyone anticipated everything I had to do and say and I wasn't considered a flash in the pan.

I just wish I could've enjoyed it. My instincts took over, thankfully, so no one noticed a thing. But all I could think about on that stage was Chroi and what was happening.

The moment I stepped offstage, the smile wiped from my face and I made a beeline for the white van hanging out outside the venue. My hands were red after having wrung them so much on the way to the hotel.

I asked to be dropped off in the back so I didn't have to deal with fans. I made it upstairs in ten minutes. Dallas opened the door, her finger to her lips telling me to shush as I walked in,

"She's asleep."

"She alright?" I asked after seeing her peacefully asleep on the bed.

Dallas nodded but it was coupled with a deep sigh and her hands sliding into her back pockets,

"Took me a bit to get her to calm down. But she ate and took a shower."

"What'd she say?"

Dallas shrugged,

"She said that this is a mistake. She's not cut out for it. She shouldn't be nominated for Grammy's..."

I ran my hand over my face,

"Shit." I swore under my breath.

"You were right." Dallas said softly, "She needed to face it a long time ago...it's my fault she didn't."

I frowned,

"Well I wish I could allow ya t'take all the blame...but if I hadn't abandoned her none o'this would be happenin'."

Dallas and I gave each other pointed looks for a bit. We were both in the same boat, that much was clear. She reached out to grab her hoodie,

"I'm gonna leave you two alone...go get some food. I'll be around if you need me." In a surprise move, she leaned over and hugged me, "Thank you, Niall."

I hugged her back. Once she was gone, I set to stripping myself out of my performance clothes and getting on something more comfortable. When I came out of the bathroom, Chroi was awake and sitting up against the headboard on the bed.

I walked over and sat next to her, lifting my hand to her cheek,

"How are you feeling?"

She didn't answer me. I wasn't sure what that meant but I had an inkling. I pushed her hair behind her ear,

"Bab-"

"When do we leave?" She asked.

I blinked. Was she not even going to discuss this? I reached out to cover her hand with mine,

"Angel, we should talk about this..."

She slid her hand out from under mine and scooted off the bed,

"We should make sure we're packed so we don't have to rush in the morning."

I watched her walk over to the suitcases. Her demeanor was unmistakable. She did not want to discuss her breakdown. Should I have left it alone? Even if I should have, I couldn't. I stood up. I made my way over to her slowly. I reached forward to put my hand on the shirt she was folding. She stopped, a deep sigh exiting her lungs,

"Niall, can we just go to Ireland? Have some fun? Relax?"

I turned her to face me,

"Yes, we can. We can do all of that. I just want ya t'talk t'me first."