Friendship Never Ends
Chapter 24
Stephanie's P.O.V.
It never ends. Once things finally calm down, something else has to pop up. At this rate, I'm never going to meet my dad. I can't get mad at Harry or Elijah, but I was slightly pissed because they made up this rule. I understand they're trying to protect me, but I can handle myself. I moved to America when I was 8, remember?
Sitting in the waiting room at the hospital for hours was torture. Nobody knew what was happening with Rachel and I was getting agitated. I didn't even want to sit still.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked me.
"Somewhere, anywhere. I can't stay here," I answered, walking away from our group.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Harry called, following after me. "What's wrong? Talk to me."
"It's...nothing," I replied, continuing forward.
"Steph, please," Harry begged, grabbing my arm gently and tugging at me.
"I said it's nothing," I calmly responded. I couldn't even look at him in the eyes.
"It's definitely not 'nothing'," he pointed out.
"I don't want to talk about it here," I said, still not meeting his stare.
"Okay, then let's go to the cafeteria and get some food. Now that I think about it, we haven't eaten in a while," Harry suggested, taking my hand and pulling me down the hallway. I didn't resist; just followed him as I knew I wouldn't even be able to get away.
Reaching the cafeteria was no problem at all, as the smell of sweet food led us there. I claimed a table as Harry ordered some snacks for us. He came back with a giant pretzel and 2 sodas.
"Oh, my God, is that...?" I questioned.
"Yeah. I'm surprised you remember," Harry replied, handing me the drink I haven't had in so many years. I took a sip and I was in heaven.
"Feels just like yesterday I had this," I delivered.
"So, are you finally going to tell me what's bothering you?" Harry asked, sitting down next to me.
I sighed before continuing, "Why does this always happen? After we get settled down from something, another thing just has to pop up."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and Elijah said I couldn't visit my dad until we're calmed down since so much stuff is happening to me right now. We were totally okay earlier and I thought that was our 'calming down' but no, Rachel has to sprain her ankle!" I vented, almost shouting.
"Okay, okay, quiet down," Harry intervened, ripping off a piece of the pretzel. "She didn't mean to, you know that. No one intentionally means to hurt themselves like that."
"I know, but she could have been more careful," I grunted.
"Steph, she's your best friend! You know her more than anyone and she's a bit of an adventurer. Don't get mad at her, alright?"
"I'm not mad at her, I'm just...I don't know, frustrated I guess," I revealed.
"Because you can't see your dad for a while?" Harry figured.
"Yeah," I said, sipping my soda angrily.
Harry sighed. "How about I talk to Elijah and see if we can go sooner. Will that help?"
"You serious?" I questioned, astonished.
"Yeah. I'm not enjoying the fact that you're sulking around over this and I want you to be happy. When you're happy, I'm happy," Harry explained.
"Aw," I replied, looking down and blushing.
"I'd do anything for you," he continued. And cue the butterflies.
"Okay, okay, stop Harry!" I insisted, smiling.
"I got you to smile, though," he remarked.
"Oh, so you were only saying that stuff to make me smile?"
"Partially, but I mean it," he finished. "Now come on, eat up because this pretzel ain't gonna eat itself!"
"Ain't? Did you really just say 'ain't' and you're from England?" I indicated.
"What? You don't like me trying to be American?" Harry asked.
"No because I've been there and English guys are way more appealing," I reveal, laughing.
"So you didn't like any American guys?"
"Not really. I mean, they were okay, but..."
"But what?"
"Is this 'A Trip Down Stephanie's Love Life Day' or something?" I questioned.
"I'm just curious!" Harry defended, chuckling.
"Well, I'm going to go finish my pretzel in peace," I announced, picking up the plate of the leftover pretzel in one hand and my soda in the other. Standing up, I walked out of the cafeteria with Harry on my heels.
"Where are you going now?" he called out.
"Back up with the others," I answered in an obvious tone.
"Are you getting sassy now?" Harry asked.
"Whatever, Styles," I responded.
"Ooohh, you're using my last name now. I see how this is going," Harry pointed out.
"Oh, just come on," I replied, rolling my eyes and pushing him down the hallway.
Rachel's P.O.V.
It really hurt. It really fricken hurt. Why did I have to be so stupid?! Curse my adventurous self.
The doctors said it was more than just a sprain. After the x-rays, they figured out it was definitely broken and I needed a cast, meaning that I wouldn't be walking anywhere for the next week. Great.
I was waiting in the room for them to come back with the stuff needed to make a cast. The nurses gave me painkiller but it wasn't killing the pain, so I was lying there on the bed cringing and occasionally crying. Finally I saw them in the hallway making their way to my room and 2 doctors and a nurse barged in with a cart full of tools.
A half an hour later, my foot was wrapped in a neon green cast. Still hurt but less than before, thankfully. But before I was released, though, the doctor had a few words to say.
"For the next week, rest your ankle. Keep it propped up. No walking unless it's a short little trip inside your house. Take one of these every 6 hours. After one week, keep the walking to a minimum, but it should be okay. Here are crutches for you when you need to walk. If you have any questions, just call the hospital and ask for me, okay?"
I nodded and he helped me into a wheelchair, the nurse wheeling me into the waiting room where the rest of our group was. As I entered, they looked up and relief flooded through many of their faces. Niall had a talk with the doctor and the doctor gave him all of the information needed to take care of me. Stephanie listened in, too, and I noticed she was eating a pretzel, which made my stomach growl. Soon enough, I was being pushed out of the hospital and back to our vehicle, the guys discussing how this was going to work. We figured it out and I was so glad to be out of that place.
"How are you feeling?" Niall asked me once Louis drove out of the parking lot.
"I'm alright, it hurts though," I answered. A few of the guys chuckled at that.
"So, what's the real issue?" Zayn questioned.
"I broke it, doesn't that seem pretty clear from the cast?" I replied.
"Oh, well I wasn't sure!" Zayn defended himself.
"So, who's going to sign it first?" Steph put out.
"You can, if you want," I told her. Then I looked over at Niall and he was giving me the puppy dog face. "You can go second, Niall." His face lit up at that and I sighed.
"I can't believe it's already dark out," Liam started, looking out of the windows.
"Yeah, we were in there for a long time," Harry responded.
"Sorry," I apologized.
"Don't be. Niall should have had a better eye on you," Liam intervened.
"Hey!" Niall exclaimed. "She's the one who decided to be risky!"
"I'm just playing with you, Niall!" Liam laughed.
"Oh, thanks," Niall said sarcastically.
The rest of the drive was quiet as no one really knew what to say. Louis pulled up in the familiar driveway and the guys helped me out. Stephanie carried my crutches inside and Niall pushed me to the cottage, being very careful for my foot. We made it with no problems and all of them helped me get situated on the couch.
"So, what now?" Louis asked.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry," Zayn suggested.
"Yeah, me too," Liam agreed.
"I'll go see what food we have," Harry offered, heading out to the main house.
"Hey, does anyone have a Sharpie around here?" Steph questioned.
"I think there's one in the drawer in our bedroom," Liam replied.
"Okay, I'll go look," she said, leaving the living room.
"Do you need anything?" Niall asked me.
"I'm good right now," I answered. "But thanks."
"Hey, I'm going to go rinse off all of this sand," Louis declared. "It's itching me like crazy."
"Okay, have fun," I giggled.
"FOUND ONE!" Stephanie announced from the bedroom. She raced back out with a black Sharpie and began writing on my cast.
Heal faster, ankle! I need my best friend back! Feel better, Rachel, I love you :)
"Aw," I smiled as I watched her write it.
"My turn!" Niall shouted. Steph gave him the marker and moved out of the way.
"Oh, boy, don't write anything bad," I warn. He gave me a look and then continued.
This booboo has been permanently kissed by Niall Horan. All others back off. He then bent down and literally kissed my cast.
"Niall," I breathed, completely speechless. He didn't say anything; just put the cover back on the marker and handed it to Liam, who signed next, and Zayn, who signed after.
Harry returned with food and everyone dug in. Who knew teenagers could eat this much in so little time? After we were all settled, Louis and Liam felt tired and decided to go to bed, and since they went to bed, everyone else agreed to call it a night. I only hoped I would be able to fall asleep, though. My ankle was throbbing just a little bit, enough to annoy me. But as my eyes fluttered closed, I realized that if I don't think about it, I'll be able to sleep.
It never ends. Once things finally calm down, something else has to pop up. At this rate, I'm never going to meet my dad. I can't get mad at Harry or Elijah, but I was slightly pissed because they made up this rule. I understand they're trying to protect me, but I can handle myself. I moved to America when I was 8, remember?
Sitting in the waiting room at the hospital for hours was torture. Nobody knew what was happening with Rachel and I was getting agitated. I didn't even want to sit still.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked me.
"Somewhere, anywhere. I can't stay here," I answered, walking away from our group.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Harry called, following after me. "What's wrong? Talk to me."
"It's...nothing," I replied, continuing forward.
"Steph, please," Harry begged, grabbing my arm gently and tugging at me.
"I said it's nothing," I calmly responded. I couldn't even look at him in the eyes.
"It's definitely not 'nothing'," he pointed out.
"I don't want to talk about it here," I said, still not meeting his stare.
"Okay, then let's go to the cafeteria and get some food. Now that I think about it, we haven't eaten in a while," Harry suggested, taking my hand and pulling me down the hallway. I didn't resist; just followed him as I knew I wouldn't even be able to get away.
Reaching the cafeteria was no problem at all, as the smell of sweet food led us there. I claimed a table as Harry ordered some snacks for us. He came back with a giant pretzel and 2 sodas.
"Oh, my God, is that...?" I questioned.
"Yeah. I'm surprised you remember," Harry replied, handing me the drink I haven't had in so many years. I took a sip and I was in heaven.
"Feels just like yesterday I had this," I delivered.
"So, are you finally going to tell me what's bothering you?" Harry asked, sitting down next to me.
I sighed before continuing, "Why does this always happen? After we get settled down from something, another thing just has to pop up."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you and Elijah said I couldn't visit my dad until we're calmed down since so much stuff is happening to me right now. We were totally okay earlier and I thought that was our 'calming down' but no, Rachel has to sprain her ankle!" I vented, almost shouting.
"Okay, okay, quiet down," Harry intervened, ripping off a piece of the pretzel. "She didn't mean to, you know that. No one intentionally means to hurt themselves like that."
"I know, but she could have been more careful," I grunted.
"Steph, she's your best friend! You know her more than anyone and she's a bit of an adventurer. Don't get mad at her, alright?"
"I'm not mad at her, I'm just...I don't know, frustrated I guess," I revealed.
"Because you can't see your dad for a while?" Harry figured.
"Yeah," I said, sipping my soda angrily.
Harry sighed. "How about I talk to Elijah and see if we can go sooner. Will that help?"
"You serious?" I questioned, astonished.
"Yeah. I'm not enjoying the fact that you're sulking around over this and I want you to be happy. When you're happy, I'm happy," Harry explained.
"Aw," I replied, looking down and blushing.
"I'd do anything for you," he continued. And cue the butterflies.
"Okay, okay, stop Harry!" I insisted, smiling.
"I got you to smile, though," he remarked.
"Oh, so you were only saying that stuff to make me smile?"
"Partially, but I mean it," he finished. "Now come on, eat up because this pretzel ain't gonna eat itself!"
"Ain't? Did you really just say 'ain't' and you're from England?" I indicated.
"What? You don't like me trying to be American?" Harry asked.
"No because I've been there and English guys are way more appealing," I reveal, laughing.
"So you didn't like any American guys?"
"Not really. I mean, they were okay, but..."
"But what?"
"Is this 'A Trip Down Stephanie's Love Life Day' or something?" I questioned.
"I'm just curious!" Harry defended, chuckling.
"Well, I'm going to go finish my pretzel in peace," I announced, picking up the plate of the leftover pretzel in one hand and my soda in the other. Standing up, I walked out of the cafeteria with Harry on my heels.
"Where are you going now?" he called out.
"Back up with the others," I answered in an obvious tone.
"Are you getting sassy now?" Harry asked.
"Whatever, Styles," I responded.
"Ooohh, you're using my last name now. I see how this is going," Harry pointed out.
"Oh, just come on," I replied, rolling my eyes and pushing him down the hallway.
Rachel's P.O.V.
It really hurt. It really fricken hurt. Why did I have to be so stupid?! Curse my adventurous self.
The doctors said it was more than just a sprain. After the x-rays, they figured out it was definitely broken and I needed a cast, meaning that I wouldn't be walking anywhere for the next week. Great.
I was waiting in the room for them to come back with the stuff needed to make a cast. The nurses gave me painkiller but it wasn't killing the pain, so I was lying there on the bed cringing and occasionally crying. Finally I saw them in the hallway making their way to my room and 2 doctors and a nurse barged in with a cart full of tools.
A half an hour later, my foot was wrapped in a neon green cast. Still hurt but less than before, thankfully. But before I was released, though, the doctor had a few words to say.
"For the next week, rest your ankle. Keep it propped up. No walking unless it's a short little trip inside your house. Take one of these every 6 hours. After one week, keep the walking to a minimum, but it should be okay. Here are crutches for you when you need to walk. If you have any questions, just call the hospital and ask for me, okay?"
I nodded and he helped me into a wheelchair, the nurse wheeling me into the waiting room where the rest of our group was. As I entered, they looked up and relief flooded through many of their faces. Niall had a talk with the doctor and the doctor gave him all of the information needed to take care of me. Stephanie listened in, too, and I noticed she was eating a pretzel, which made my stomach growl. Soon enough, I was being pushed out of the hospital and back to our vehicle, the guys discussing how this was going to work. We figured it out and I was so glad to be out of that place.
"How are you feeling?" Niall asked me once Louis drove out of the parking lot.
"I'm alright, it hurts though," I answered. A few of the guys chuckled at that.
"So, what's the real issue?" Zayn questioned.
"I broke it, doesn't that seem pretty clear from the cast?" I replied.
"Oh, well I wasn't sure!" Zayn defended himself.
"So, who's going to sign it first?" Steph put out.
"You can, if you want," I told her. Then I looked over at Niall and he was giving me the puppy dog face. "You can go second, Niall." His face lit up at that and I sighed.
"I can't believe it's already dark out," Liam started, looking out of the windows.
"Yeah, we were in there for a long time," Harry responded.
"Sorry," I apologized.
"Don't be. Niall should have had a better eye on you," Liam intervened.
"Hey!" Niall exclaimed. "She's the one who decided to be risky!"
"I'm just playing with you, Niall!" Liam laughed.
"Oh, thanks," Niall said sarcastically.
The rest of the drive was quiet as no one really knew what to say. Louis pulled up in the familiar driveway and the guys helped me out. Stephanie carried my crutches inside and Niall pushed me to the cottage, being very careful for my foot. We made it with no problems and all of them helped me get situated on the couch.
"So, what now?" Louis asked.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry," Zayn suggested.
"Yeah, me too," Liam agreed.
"I'll go see what food we have," Harry offered, heading out to the main house.
"Hey, does anyone have a Sharpie around here?" Steph questioned.
"I think there's one in the drawer in our bedroom," Liam replied.
"Okay, I'll go look," she said, leaving the living room.
"Do you need anything?" Niall asked me.
"I'm good right now," I answered. "But thanks."
"Hey, I'm going to go rinse off all of this sand," Louis declared. "It's itching me like crazy."
"Okay, have fun," I giggled.
"FOUND ONE!" Stephanie announced from the bedroom. She raced back out with a black Sharpie and began writing on my cast.
Heal faster, ankle! I need my best friend back! Feel better, Rachel, I love you :)
"Aw," I smiled as I watched her write it.
"My turn!" Niall shouted. Steph gave him the marker and moved out of the way.
"Oh, boy, don't write anything bad," I warn. He gave me a look and then continued.
This booboo has been permanently kissed by Niall Horan. All others back off. He then bent down and literally kissed my cast.
"Niall," I breathed, completely speechless. He didn't say anything; just put the cover back on the marker and handed it to Liam, who signed next, and Zayn, who signed after.
Harry returned with food and everyone dug in. Who knew teenagers could eat this much in so little time? After we were all settled, Louis and Liam felt tired and decided to go to bed, and since they went to bed, everyone else agreed to call it a night. I only hoped I would be able to fall asleep, though. My ankle was throbbing just a little bit, enough to annoy me. But as my eyes fluttered closed, I realized that if I don't think about it, I'll be able to sleep.
Notes
Hey guys! We're back! Sorry for the VERY LONG break. The end of the school year came pretty quickly and then graduation and a new job happened for Rachel and SO MANY INSANE EVENTS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M NOT CRAZY YET.Anyways, hopefully updates will come quicker now that we have more time (well, kind of, jobs are taking place of school). Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Rachel and Stephanie :)
@StepHarry
Wow, are you excited for tomorrow!!!! I heard someone leaked it but I am not listening to it till its officially from the guys
9/29/14