Stranded

Chapter 43: The Awakening

Angel's POV

A big mansion is literally meters away in front of us, giving me a feeling of safety, but still, the tribe girls are a few meters behind us as well, getting closer every second.

I stopped running, stunned, not knowing where to go or what to do next. Zayn halted as well as he tried catching his breath and looked at me. He was asking me something, but his voice seemed to be muted. It was af if he was only mouthing words, but I could tell in the way he put effort to be heard that he was saying things out loud.

I tried my hardest to read his lips but all of a sudden, my vision went blurry. Everything became distorted. Did I not eat enough boiled sweet potatoes this morning?

Voices then came in echoes, but none of them was Zayn's.

"Do we wake her up?"

What?

"She looks really scared."

What the hell is going on?

And then there was a sudden earthquake. Strangely, though, I seem to be the only one shaking. It started slow and light, almost ineffective, then gradually became faster, stronger.

"Oh my god, Angel, Zayn broke up with Perrie!"

I opened my eyes, stunned. Once again, everything was just a dream. Lea was standing in front of me whilst I was still sprawled on the couch, sweating as if I really ran miles. The girls were still inside the hospital room as well, staring at me. And yes,  Erin is now very much awake.

"That, my friends, is the only way to wake up a sleeping Angel McAllister." Lea bowed, a proud smile playing on her lips. Wiping my sweat with the back of my hand, I sighed.

As soon as I regained self confidence and courage, I finally spoke up. "I suppose you dreamt about the same thing."

Everyone nodded. Erin's head hung low as if still contemplating on the new flash called the not so 1Derful dream, The Fact or whatever the others call it. 

"I still cannot believe it." Tears pooled on the corners of her eyes as reality dawned on her. Poor girl. She must have really thought that everything is real.

But is it really her who I pity? I am just like her. We all are.

That dream turned our world's three hundred and sixty degrees around, rewarding us with everything we have ever dreamed of, but tortured us as soon as it put everything to a stop. It was like a glass for our deepest desires. It filled to contentment but spilled on reality once it went over the top. It messed up what was already shambles in the first place. Sigh.

"So you just plan to live like it never happened?" Erin questioned us. In her eyes was a mixture of sadness and disappointment.

Since we have woke up from that damned dream, we have tried to live normally, like it never happened. After all, nothing has changed in reality. The Perrie thing might just be a coincidence. If the odds will be in our favor, we will never get to meet those lads. Never. 

"Yes." Lea was out of other words to say. She could not even explain the unmistakable reality that we are still "just fangirls no matter what happens in the dream" to Erin. 

We told Erin about everything that has been happening when she was in a coma down to the very last detail. We told her about Perrie ordering dessert for her wedding from Laurie's cafe. We told her about Vicky working with the lads on a photoshoot. We told her about Lorie's encounter with 2/5, including the thing about the dolls. Erin tried to process the things we told her.  I could tell she still found it hard to understand even if we have crumbled the details down to tiny, comprehensible bits. 

She sighed for the nth time since she woke up. Silence followed as she was given time to ponder on the things we told her. The atmosphere was getting really bothering due to the eerie silence. 

"I should really get going." Rae said, picking up her purse from the bedside table. "The hospital will be having its annual charity event and I need to be there."

Louis' POV

"We're hiding out in a dream, catching fire like kerosene." Long Way Home by the 5SOS lads blasted on the car stereo as Niall drove through the busy streets, all five of us in his Porche. We are on our way to an important event and we are really dressed well. Although I still haven't recovered from another round that of bizarre dream, I forced myself to leave my bed, all because I want to make other people happy. Hopefully, while I am at it, I would be able to make myself happy as well.

"Will you please switch the radio to another station?" Liam asked, sounding really irritated. Since I was sitting on the passenger's seat, I searched for another radio station to listen to.

"Am I asleep, am I awake or somewhere in between?" Our song started playing and I just could not stop myself from smiling. Liam, on the other hand, was not very pleased.

"Okay just please turn off the radio." He said nonchalantly though his teeth were gritted.

"Why, Li? You hate our music now?" Asked Niall, who was quite oblivious of what Liam now looks like since his eyes were, and still are, on the road.

"No."

The rest of the ride was awkwardly quiet. A few hours later, we arrived at the hotel where the event is to be held. After making sure that we look presentable, we stepped out of the car. Some paps were there, to my annoyance. They started bombarding us with questions just as they usually do.

"Zayn, is it true that you are not helping Perrie prepare for your wedding? Are you calling it off?"

"Larry, why not come out today?"

"Harry, are you dating Vicky Cavanagh?"

Bullsh.t. Just bullsh.t. I was really pissed of at them, but to avoid any more drama I could not handle, I pushed my sassy self at the back of my head.

***

The room was full of extravagantly dressed people. Newly arrived guests were welcomed by the hosts, Mr and Mrs Cavanagh.

Vicky Cavanagh stood beside them, being her socialite little self, shaking the jewelry-studded hands of their visitors. Her ridiculous The Wanted tattoo is miraculously covered by her very revealing evening dress.

Kids were at one side of the room, some wearing face masks, others with oxygen tanks beside them. Some were confused as some were amused.

But it was her who caught my eye. A familiar girl in a carrot costume, sitting at a corner reading a book, surrounded by interested kids.

It was her.

---
I blame my schedule. -Shelly