It was her | h.s

29

I wake up to someone abruptly shaking my left shoulder. It startles me and I sit up and shout

"WHAT."

"Woah hey calm down hun. I just came because you skipped breakfast, so I brought you some to eat in your bed. You can have the day off today. I know that's not up to me but Kirsty can do one if she disagrees" Haley says as she puts a tray of food gently on the bedside table

I rest my hand on my head as it throbs. I have a migraine. The last time I had one was a few weeks ago.

"You gotta sore head?" Haley asks while putting the front of her hand against my head. The heat difference felt drastic. My head was hot and her hand was nice and cool.

"I'll be right back." She says and goes to the bathroom.

I lean my back against the headboard as I grab the tray of food she gave me and my god did she go full out. A bowl of cereal in the top right corner, glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, pastries, yoghurts, fresh berries and a pile of 3 pancakes stacked on top of one another drowned in maple syrup.

She really was the best.

"Cheers Haley!" I shout from the bedroom.

She walks back with a dripping cold flannel and what looks like a paracetamol in her right hand.

"No worries oh my god. You just relax. And take this." She says as she hands me the flannel

I put the paracetamol on my tongue and swallow it with the glass of cold orange juice.

"That's really nice."

"Isn't it! Freshly squeezed orange juice is my fave."

I chuckle to myself a bit over her excitement. But she wasn't wrong. Apart from my migraine this was a nice way to wake up. But then I remembered I had to talk to Harry again. As scared as I was, I had to talk to him about that note and If it meant anything. I couldn't show him how scared I was or how dominant he was over me. That's not why I'm here, I'm here for a reason. And that's to be his boss wether he likes it or not.

I decided that now was a good time to tell Haley everything that happened. But this time it didn't make me cry... it just made me feel

Numb.

Like I didn't know what to feel. It didn't feel real. Yesterday I would've thought that I would never see this morning but here I am, eating my entire body weight in pancakes.

So I tell Haley everything from Harry coming in for the first time to meet me and being an absolute dick, to acting all nice, they eye contact we made throughout rehearsal, how he made me feel at that time, to me showing him the designs, from him in the lift and giving me the purple bruise which I was still recovering from, to him putting a flannel on it and making me feel alright.

To him then pinning me down and holding a gun against my temple with no remorse, to him then unclenching his jaw and jumping off me and looking back at me as if nothing had ever happened. I told her that's why I had the panic attack and that Harry and Niall also came by my door later that day.

Haley was just looking at me as if she had witnessed a murder. Her eyes widened and before I knew it she was giving me the tightest hug ever, one to the point where it was getting hard to breathe.

She backs away from the hug and cups my cheeks in her hands as tears fall from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Raelynn."

"For what? This wasn't your fault. I don't think it's anyone's fault to be honest."

"That doesn't make it okay though? Are you sure you still wanna talk to him later on?"

"Definitely. I need to speak to him about the note."

"Okay hun. Do you want me there with you or.."

"I think it's best I do this one by myself Haley, as grateful as I am for you and you staying."

"Anytime hun. Anytime. And I'll make sure to have a word with Kirsty today. I'll tell her you're having the day off." She says as she wipes the tears from under her eyes. She was so empathetic but I didn't need empathy. I just needed someone to talk to and I was beyond grateful I got to talk to her and that she actually listened.

"I'll leave you to get ready." She says as she hops off the edge of my bed and gently closing the door behind her as she left.

I swing my legs over, being sure not to knock the breakfast off my lap. I place it on the bedside table and put on the comfiest clothes I could find, it was my day off after all. I put on my green jumper and black joggers in which I slip the note in the left pocket of.

I go and brush my hair and shove it up in a high ponytail, allowing two of the front bits to stay down. I wipe the excess makeup off under my eyes and tidy myself up a bit. I put a light layer of mascara on my heavily bagged eyes and put on a thin layer of lip gloss on.

I put on charley's necklace around my neck with it hanging over the jumper. I go over and look at myself in the mirror

"Come in Raelynn. You got this." I whisper to myself. No matter what happened yesterday I wanted to forget about it all, I know that sounds bad but I don't want to keep dwelling on the fact I almost fucking died yesterday. I was going to ask about the note and the note only. Maybe a couple things to do with the boys outfits and that was it.

I open the door to my bedroom to see Haley laying out pyjamas on the couch for tonight. I go over to her and lay my right hand on her left shoulder

"Haley. I think I'll be okay now. Really. Thank you so much for staying the night. I don't think I would've slept at all."

She stands up and looks me in the eye

"Are you sure?"

"100%. You can go back to your bed now so you get a good night sleep."

"Dude are you kidding! I slept like a baby on this couch."

At first I thought she was joking but when I laid down on it I realised how comfy it really was

"Oh yeah. I would too." I say as I rest my head on my arm and lay down.

"Okay well I'll pack up my stuff and you can go talk to him whenever your ready. Oh and. Don't hesitate to ask if you need me. I'm always here okay?"

"Thank you so much. I think I might go grab a coffee and then see him. Just to get it done and over with so I can leave you to pack in peace."

"Don't feel like you have to leave because I'm packing up a few things."

"It's fine honestly. I think it will be better for me. Thank you again. For everything."

She gives me a nod as I head out the door. I slip my hand inside my pocket to double check the note is in there.

Yep. Got it.

And go to grab a coffee. As I order I stupidly step backwards and stand on someone's foot

"Oh god I'm so sor-"

"Hey don't worry about it." The thick irish accent says from behind me making me freeze in my tracks.

I turn around and my eyes are met with his greeny- blue ones

"Okay well... I'll talk to you later." I say as I try to rush off. I didn't want to talk to him. Or any of them for that matter except Harry because I had to find out about this note.

"Actually Raelynn wait up." I hear Niall running up behind me as he grabs my arm and turns me around in a sense of urgency

"I need to speak to Haley."