Behind Her Smile [Louis]

Harry ran towards the door, since I wasn’t really in the mood to move and it wouldn’t stop ringing.
“Louis!” Harry yelled a few seconds later, his voice was full of concern and anxiety so that his voice was almost a squeak, it would be funny if we weren’t in this situation. I didn’t think twice and within a second I was standing at the door, looking at Niall’s uncontrollable sobs.
“What the fuck is happening?” I yelled panicking.
“Niall, answer me!” he tried to open his mouth, but all that got out were sobs and wale noises.
“Niall!” I tried another time. Harry was looking back and forth between me and Niall and it was nerve wrecking, if I just could rip his head off and throw it away….
“Why didn’t you fucking answer your phone?” He shot back in hatred voice, trying to control his tears.
“Tell me what’s wrong!” I forgot I didn’t charge my battery, I would call her anyway if my phone was charged and she didn’t want to talk to me, so it was no use.
“She’s in the hospital, some drunk teenager hit her-“ you got to be kidding me? This is a joke right? If this was a book, I would immediately stop reading because seriously? Is the universe out of inspiration? For the record, when I hit Laura, I wasn’t drunk though.
“Why didn’t you call Harry?” I said in panic and tried to find a shirt to wear.
“Sorry, forgot my phone in Grammy’s car” Harry barely whispered.
“How is she?”
“Not good” His sobs were turned into pure frustration.
“I’m ready, Harry are you coming with us or?” I was already outside not bothered to look at him.
“Yea, I’m coming. Just need to-“
“Okay”
“Niall, you drive.”
“I can’t” he admitted, proving it by showing me his shaky hands.
“give me your keys” I commanded.
His shaky hands found his keys in his pocket and his lifeless eyes looked at me with even more pity than before.
The drive to the hospital was silent, too silent, what made my head race with thoughts.
“Where is Jess Richards’ room?” I asked the woman behind the desk.
“Are you family?” she asked.
“She doesn’t have family, please” she looked up and probably recognized us since her mouth formed an ‘o’.
“237”
I opened the door and didn’t like what I saw at all. Her face was covered with small tubes.
“Niall, can you please try to find a doctor” the lump in my throat doubled when he left.
“Jess” I burst out in tears when I held her hand.
This must be a joke, this must be a fucking joke. I have spend too much of my days in this hospital. This is a déjà vu and it’s even a hundred times worse.
“You called me?” a young man entered the room with a lot of papers in his hand.
“Can you please tell me what’s going on with her?” I stood up and tried not to cry.
“Are you family?”
“She doesn’t have family.”
“Are you her boyfriend?”
autch
“No” I swallowed hard when pronouncing.
“I am very sorry, but I can’t tell you anything.” He just left, without a blink.
“Are you okay?” Niall asked, totally in control of himself.
“No” I wasn’t even trying to be friendly.
“I’m sorry, I know how much you like her.” I love her. I don’t only ‘like’ her.
“You have no idea”
“Sorry” He whispered.
“Can you please leave me, uh, us alone for a second?” I sighed, not really knowing what to do.
“Louis, I’m calling Liam to ask to pick me up. You can drive my car back if you want.”
“Thanks” I mumbled.
I brushed my fingers lightly over her arm and placed my lips softly on her broken, almost purple lips. She didn’t even move. I’ve never been so desperate to see someone open their eyes.
“Open your eyes, Jess” I whispered. “Please” I groaned.
I closed my eyes and covered my face in my hands.
“I’m sorry, but I have to kick you out.” I opened my eyes and saw the same guy as a few minutes ago.
“I give you all the money you want, please tell me what’s wrong” I sounded desperate but I didn’t give one fuck.
“Sorry, it doesn’t work that way” he said severe.
***
I was driving home, until I had this idea. I turned over and started to drive into the direction of her apartment. I parked my car and immediately ran upstairs.
“Rick, open up!” I kept knocking on his door, until the old lady next door opened her door.
“Mr. Middleton is working right now, sweety.” She smiled friendly.
“Do you have any idea where that might be?” I tried to be friendly, I really tried to.
“Uh, yea. Wait I’ll write it down” she disappeared again, and what looked like hours she came back with a small note in her hand.
“Thanks a lot” I mumbled again and ran downstairs.
***
“Where is Rick Middleton?” I asked the first person in the building.
“5h floor, first door at your left”
“Thanks” I took the stairs because I knew if I wouldn’t I would be freak out of the slowness.
“Rick?” I knocked and waited for his voice.
“Come in” he looked surprised when he saw me entering.
“Please tell me what happened.” I begged him as I closed the door.
“Sit down” I obeyed. I felt so indescribable lost and it tore me apart.
“When I woke up you left and she was sitting lifelessly on the couch. I asked her what she was doing and she told me she fucked up. Once again.” She fucked up? Why? How? “She told me, everything was her fault and you gave her another chance, but she didn’t take it. And now she would regret it for the rest of her life.”
“What?”
“Yea, that’s what I thought. She was rambling random things and I didn’t understand anything. So eventually she said she would run after you and she did. She left without anything else to say. I thought she was with you and everything was okay, because I didn’t hear anything from her yet. Until this afternoon about 2 o’clock. From the hospital so I rushed over there and they asked me who I was, who she was etc.”
“She was on her way to me?” I said unbelievably
“Yea, well the doctors said she won’t wake up anytime soon, because they found intern bleeding , also from intern wounds from over 2 months ago.
“Her dad”
“What?”
“Do you think she’s hit by a car?” I asked ignoring his question.
“I don’t know, it didn’t look like it, to be honest.”
“I know right! I thought the same. They won’t let me be near her.” My heart broke every second more and more.
“I’ll come with you after work and tell them you’re her boyfriend”
“I already told the man I wasn’t”
“We’ll make it work” he promised me.
“I hope so” I sighed.
***
“Louis, you’re going to need to leave for a moment.” I looked up at the familiar eyes of Jess’ nurse. Two and a half week passed and Jess still hadn’t move one bit. The purple bruises on her face, were now rather yellow and the ones on her arm were totally vanished. If you don’t count her scars, though. I trailed my fingers one last chance over her arm, pressed my lips on hers as softly as possible and stood up.
“Twenty minutes?” I asked, my eyes never leaving the poor appearance of her body.
“Louis, look at me.” She commanded. When I obeyed, and looked into her eyes, hers softened. “You’ve been sitting here for the past three weeks. Go home for a night, let Harry cook something for you, take a long shower, and you can come back tomorrow. “
“She is my home” I looked at her once again, and her familiar chest raising calmed me down. “Okay” I whispered after a while and let out a shaky breath.
“I see you tomorrow then?”
“Yup” I tried to smile when I passed her but I failed.
“Have a nice weekend, Louis” said Zooey “take care” she added softly as I passed her.
“You too” I managed to bring out.
Fortunately was the drive home not that long so that I wouldn’t trail off my mind to Jess. I reached down to put on the radio and the voice of Nick immediately penetrated my brain, followed by Harry’s laughter.
Great! Harry’s not home. My life couldn’t become better.
“So, Harry can you tell us why we hear so little of Louis lately?” I sucked in a breath in anticipation. If he’d tell something on the radio I swear to god I’ll kill him. Them, them both.
“He’s just having a hard time with the break up and stuff” Harry answers, slightly annoyed.
I turned off the radio when I entered our apartment. All though it was only yesterday I’ve been here, it looks like I haven’t set a foot in this apartment for ages, it felt odd when I entered the bathroom.
I didn’t even do effort to fully dress, I crashed on the couch and I almost immediately fell asleep.
“Louis, lift your ass!” I open my eyes to see her beautiful smile hanging loosely on her pink plump lips.
“What? Why? Huh?” I look at her and yawn sleepily. “Why are you here?” I take her hand and pull her on top of me.
“You called me to come over, and when I do so, you’re just sleeping on the couch. I expected a warmer welcome, dude!” She chuckles softly, what makes her body make irregular shocks on top of my chest.
“I don’t remember” I say honestly.
“What’s with the frowns?” her smile disappears as her fingertips trace over my forehead.
“I just missed you so much, I can’t believe you’re back” I smile confusingly.
Her fingertips stop tracing over my face instead she puts her cold hands on both sides of my face and kisses my forehead softly.
“I don’t want you to worry about me.” She whispers tenderly.
“I can’t help it, I love you so much and I miss you and-“ I start rambling and the tears in my eyes start to form once again.
“Shh” she whispers and cups my cheeks gently.
“I think it’s time for you to forget me” she says suddenly.
“What? No! Jess, no!” I start to panic as her smile fully disappears and only a forced smile and frowns appear on her imperfect perfect face. Hey eyes start to water and after kissing me fully and long on my lips she stands up and walks away, just like she came.
“Don’t go! I beg you.” The tears start to fall from my eyes and she only tries to smile and stare at me for a while.
“Thank you so much for giving my life hope again, you really are my hero.”
“I need you” my voice breaks while speaking out those helpless thoughts.
“Goodbye, Louis” She whispers so faintly , what made me wonder she actually said it or I just am going mad.
“No, Jess!” I yell at the top of my longs, it hurts and I don’t even care if one of my lungs would give up right now.
I shot straight and find myself covered with sweat. I stood up and rush towards the refrigerator to drink some water. I bend over the sink and try to hold myself straight by gripping the counter.
“So, are you coming with us tonight?” I hear Grimmy’s voice and I don’t even do effort to look fine.
“Louis?” I hear Harry’s worried voice calling my name.
“Call me” Grimmy stated and I suppose he left the house.
“Are you okay?” Harry rushed in my direction and puts his hand on my bare skin.
“I’m fine” I say still breathlessly.
I avoid eye contact as I walk to my room. It looks like all my clothes are not good enough, eventually I put on black jeans, a white shirt with red sleeves.
“I’m driving to my mother” I say to Harry as I come out of my room.
“Okay, call me if you need me”
I take my keys and open the door.
“Oh Louis, I know it’s probably not the right time to say so, but we need to be in LA in four days” I curse underneath my breath as I throw the door shut.
A/N I hope everyone had a lovely day! (You would really make my day if you voted :p)

Notes