Unexpected
Chapter 22
As we pulled up to the hotel, the movie was nearing the end so we left Tess and the now sleeping Zayn until we got everything out of the bus and up to our rooms.
“Help me with this?” Chloe asked as she zipped up one of her suitcases.
“Sure, love,” I answered, grabbing it from her and slinging it over my shoulder. Sure, I had my own bags to carry, but what harm would it do to help my girlfriend with hers? Apparently a little more than I thought.
As I was walking off the bus, I misjudged how many steps there were since I couldn’t see in front of me and went crashing onto the pavement below. I dropped the suitcases and put my arms out in front of me to break my fall. Bad idea. As I landed, I felt a sharp pain shoot up my left wrist.
“Ow! Damn it!” I quickly pulled my weight off of my wrist and inspected it. It was already swelling which was definitely not a good sign. “Paul!”
I did my best to push the suitcases out of the way with my good hand and waited for Paul to exit the bus. “Paul!”
I heard someone get off the bus, but it wasn’t Paul.
“Where the hell is Paul?”
“He’s on the bus, are you okay?” Aleanbh asked, walking over to me.
I shook my head. “Go get Paul,” I said through gritted teeth.
She gave me one last look of concern and ran back to the bus. Moments later she emerged with Paul in tow.
“It’s about god damn time!” I snapped at him. Unfortunately for anyone I’m with when I get hurt, I don’t handle pain very well. I usually get angry and yell.
“What’s going on?” He asked calmly.
I stood up and showed him my wrist.
“Whoa,” he muttered. “We need to get you to the hospital. Let me go check in and take the bags up to your room and we’ll go.”
He grabbed the bags on the ground and took them into the hotel.
“What happened?” Aleanbh asked.
“Chloe, that’s what happened.”
Aleanbh looked shocked at my response.
“If she hadn’t asked me to carry her stupid bag I would have been able to see the steps and I wouldn’t have fallen. If she wasn’t on this tour with us I wouldn’t have a broken wrist right now. I wish she wouldn’t have won that stupid contest!”
Aleanbh looked angry and surprised at the words that had just spewed out of my mouth. Both of our eyes were drawn to the bus when we heard someone run back onto it. I caught a glimpse of the back of the person as she disappeared. It was Chloe.
“Damn it!” I felt hot tears stream down my face as I sat back down onto the pavement. “I’m such an idiot,” I muttered.
“No you’re not, you didn’t mean that,” Aleanbh said sitting down next to me.
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t, but Chloe doesn’t know what. And I have a feeling she won’t believe me when I try to tell her.”
*Chloe’s POV*
“I wish she wouldn’t have won that stupid contest!” I watched in horror as Harry basically told Aleanbh that he wishes he had never met me. I saw the anger in his eyes and knew it was all my fault.
I ran back onto the bus and into the bathroom. I locked myself inside and hoped no one would come to talk to me. I must have been in there 5 minutes before I heard someone knock quietly on the door.
I held my breath, hoping whoever it was would leave if they didn’t hear anyone in here.
“Chloe? I know you’re in there, please open up.” Oh, how I wish it was Aleanbh. I guess luck just wasn’t on my side today. I remained silent and hoped he went away. “Chloe, please. We need to talk about what you heard.”
“No, we don’t. I know what I heard and now I know how you feel. Just leave me alone,” I said back, new tears forming in my eyes and spilling over on my cheeks.
“I didn’t mean what I said, please come out,” he pleaded. I thought I heard almost genuine sorrow in his voice but then I realized when you’re famous and can have as many girls as you want, you perfect the fake loving/sorry voice.
“I said leave me alone,” I told him again.
I heard a sigh on the other side of the door as he walked away, giving up.
I don’t need you, I thought. You were just a minor setback. I can have fun with everyone else this summer, just stay out of my way.
I felt the bus start and pull away on the way to the hospital. I heard Paul tell Harry we would have to go there so I went to find out why. That’s when I heard what Harry was telling Aleanbh.
Wow, I thought in sudden realization, what a great birthday present…
*Harry’s POV*
I walked away from the bathroom door, knowing that if a girl tells you to leave her alone, leave her alone. Or maybe you’re supposed to insist on talking to her… I can never remember. Either way, she wasn’t going to let me in the bathroom so I decided to give up until she came out on her own. I looked down at my wrist which now sported an ice pack.
What a stupid thing to say, I thought to myself. Why can’t I just cry when I get hurt? Why do I have to go and say things that hurt people?
I felt my face grow hot as tears began rolling down my cheeks.
“I’m so stupid,” I mumbled to myself. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
I climbed up into my bunk just as the bus left the hotel. I sat myself in the corner, pulled my knees up to my chest, and buried my face in my knees. I let the tears fall, hoping Chloe would come out of the bathroom and see me. After a few minutes I heard the door open and Chloe passed the bunks. She stopped for a moment and my stomach tied itself up in knots as I hoped she would talk to me. Instead, she walked into the media room and slammed the door shut behind her.
More tears and loud sobs escaped me and I mentally yelled at myself for being such an idiot.
*Chloe’s POV*
After a few minutes I got tired of sitting in the bathroom of a moving bus so I got up and left, hoping Harry wouldn’t be in my way. As I walked through the bunks, I saw Harry hugging his knees on our – his – bunk. I stopped and watched his shoulders quake with sobs. I almost felt sorry for him but I quickly figured it must just be part of the act.
I walked out of the bunks and into the media room, slamming the door after me. I saw I was alone in the room and threw myself down onto the couch. All of my emotions emptied my body in the form of tears and I quickly fell asleep.
*Harry’s POV*
I sat on the bunk long after Chloe ignored me and only came down when it was time to go into the hospital.
“Where’s Chloe?” I asked the first person I saw. “Is she still in the media room?”
“I don’t know,” Liam answered, “why don’t you go look?”
I walked past him and slowly opened the door to the media room. There, laying on the couch, I saw Chloe, fragile with tear streaks staining her cheeks. I felt my heart drop at the sight of her. I’ve only ever seen her happy and laughing. It was bad enough to see her this way, but, to make things worse, I was the one who caused it.
Paul grabbed my shoulder and motioned for me to follow him into the hospital. I reluctantly followed him off the bus and in through the doors. A nurse took me down a hallway and got an x ray of my wrist. It was sort of pointless, I already knew it was broken, but I let her do it anyway. When she confirmed what I already knew, she wrapped it in a cast and told me I’d have to wear it for 4 to 6 weeks.
I barely heard a word she said but I nodded my head anyway. All of my thoughts were on Chloe and the pain I caused her. As soon as the nurse told me I could leave, I ran back onto the bus. I was stopped dead in my tracks at what I saw when I got on and entered the media room. Chloe was wrapped in Niall’s arms, her head on his shoulder, bawling.
*Niall’s POV*
We all went with Harry to the hospital to make sure he was alright. I sat up front with Paul and the driver for a little while because – why not? When I got bored after Paul and Harry went inside the hospital, I decided I’d go watch some TV. in the media room. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the door and found Chloe, asleep and tear-stained on the couch.
“Chloe?” I quietly closed the door behind me and flipped the light on. She quickly woke up and looked at the door, scared. When she saw me, her face relaxed and she sat up, making room for me to sit next to her.
“Chloe, what’s wrong?” I asked, sitting down beside her.
She looked at me and I saw the same look in her eyes as the other day when she told me her secret. Tears began forming in her eyes as she explained the events of the afternoon to me. I listened, shocked at what she was telling me.
“He said that?” I asked when she had finished. She nodded and looked at the floor. I felt so sorry for her. And I was going to kill Harry.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest, letting her cry as much as she wanted. I knew I would have to let her go sometime but I didn’t think about that. I let her cry for almost 5 minutes until someone walked into the room. Harry.
He looked at me with shock and anger written all over his face, making it clear that he was not happy with me holding Chloe. I glared at him, hoping he would leave. Thankfully, he did.
*Harry’s POV*
I saw the angry look Niall was giving me and knew I needed to get away from them before Chloe realized I was there. I walked back to my bunk and sat back in the corner.
That’s when I realized what I’d do for Chloe’s birthday.
“Help me with this?” Chloe asked as she zipped up one of her suitcases.
“Sure, love,” I answered, grabbing it from her and slinging it over my shoulder. Sure, I had my own bags to carry, but what harm would it do to help my girlfriend with hers? Apparently a little more than I thought.
As I was walking off the bus, I misjudged how many steps there were since I couldn’t see in front of me and went crashing onto the pavement below. I dropped the suitcases and put my arms out in front of me to break my fall. Bad idea. As I landed, I felt a sharp pain shoot up my left wrist.
“Ow! Damn it!” I quickly pulled my weight off of my wrist and inspected it. It was already swelling which was definitely not a good sign. “Paul!”
I did my best to push the suitcases out of the way with my good hand and waited for Paul to exit the bus. “Paul!”
I heard someone get off the bus, but it wasn’t Paul.
“Where the hell is Paul?”
“He’s on the bus, are you okay?” Aleanbh asked, walking over to me.
I shook my head. “Go get Paul,” I said through gritted teeth.
She gave me one last look of concern and ran back to the bus. Moments later she emerged with Paul in tow.
“It’s about god damn time!” I snapped at him. Unfortunately for anyone I’m with when I get hurt, I don’t handle pain very well. I usually get angry and yell.
“What’s going on?” He asked calmly.
I stood up and showed him my wrist.
“Whoa,” he muttered. “We need to get you to the hospital. Let me go check in and take the bags up to your room and we’ll go.”
He grabbed the bags on the ground and took them into the hotel.
“What happened?” Aleanbh asked.
“Chloe, that’s what happened.”
Aleanbh looked shocked at my response.
“If she hadn’t asked me to carry her stupid bag I would have been able to see the steps and I wouldn’t have fallen. If she wasn’t on this tour with us I wouldn’t have a broken wrist right now. I wish she wouldn’t have won that stupid contest!”
Aleanbh looked angry and surprised at the words that had just spewed out of my mouth. Both of our eyes were drawn to the bus when we heard someone run back onto it. I caught a glimpse of the back of the person as she disappeared. It was Chloe.
“Damn it!” I felt hot tears stream down my face as I sat back down onto the pavement. “I’m such an idiot,” I muttered.
“No you’re not, you didn’t mean that,” Aleanbh said sitting down next to me.
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t, but Chloe doesn’t know what. And I have a feeling she won’t believe me when I try to tell her.”
*Chloe’s POV*
“I wish she wouldn’t have won that stupid contest!” I watched in horror as Harry basically told Aleanbh that he wishes he had never met me. I saw the anger in his eyes and knew it was all my fault.
I ran back onto the bus and into the bathroom. I locked myself inside and hoped no one would come to talk to me. I must have been in there 5 minutes before I heard someone knock quietly on the door.
I held my breath, hoping whoever it was would leave if they didn’t hear anyone in here.
“Chloe? I know you’re in there, please open up.” Oh, how I wish it was Aleanbh. I guess luck just wasn’t on my side today. I remained silent and hoped he went away. “Chloe, please. We need to talk about what you heard.”
“No, we don’t. I know what I heard and now I know how you feel. Just leave me alone,” I said back, new tears forming in my eyes and spilling over on my cheeks.
“I didn’t mean what I said, please come out,” he pleaded. I thought I heard almost genuine sorrow in his voice but then I realized when you’re famous and can have as many girls as you want, you perfect the fake loving/sorry voice.
“I said leave me alone,” I told him again.
I heard a sigh on the other side of the door as he walked away, giving up.
I don’t need you, I thought. You were just a minor setback. I can have fun with everyone else this summer, just stay out of my way.
I felt the bus start and pull away on the way to the hospital. I heard Paul tell Harry we would have to go there so I went to find out why. That’s when I heard what Harry was telling Aleanbh.
Wow, I thought in sudden realization, what a great birthday present…
*Harry’s POV*
I walked away from the bathroom door, knowing that if a girl tells you to leave her alone, leave her alone. Or maybe you’re supposed to insist on talking to her… I can never remember. Either way, she wasn’t going to let me in the bathroom so I decided to give up until she came out on her own. I looked down at my wrist which now sported an ice pack.
What a stupid thing to say, I thought to myself. Why can’t I just cry when I get hurt? Why do I have to go and say things that hurt people?
I felt my face grow hot as tears began rolling down my cheeks.
“I’m so stupid,” I mumbled to myself. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
I climbed up into my bunk just as the bus left the hotel. I sat myself in the corner, pulled my knees up to my chest, and buried my face in my knees. I let the tears fall, hoping Chloe would come out of the bathroom and see me. After a few minutes I heard the door open and Chloe passed the bunks. She stopped for a moment and my stomach tied itself up in knots as I hoped she would talk to me. Instead, she walked into the media room and slammed the door shut behind her.
More tears and loud sobs escaped me and I mentally yelled at myself for being such an idiot.
*Chloe’s POV*
After a few minutes I got tired of sitting in the bathroom of a moving bus so I got up and left, hoping Harry wouldn’t be in my way. As I walked through the bunks, I saw Harry hugging his knees on our – his – bunk. I stopped and watched his shoulders quake with sobs. I almost felt sorry for him but I quickly figured it must just be part of the act.
I walked out of the bunks and into the media room, slamming the door after me. I saw I was alone in the room and threw myself down onto the couch. All of my emotions emptied my body in the form of tears and I quickly fell asleep.
*Harry’s POV*
I sat on the bunk long after Chloe ignored me and only came down when it was time to go into the hospital.
“Where’s Chloe?” I asked the first person I saw. “Is she still in the media room?”
“I don’t know,” Liam answered, “why don’t you go look?”
I walked past him and slowly opened the door to the media room. There, laying on the couch, I saw Chloe, fragile with tear streaks staining her cheeks. I felt my heart drop at the sight of her. I’ve only ever seen her happy and laughing. It was bad enough to see her this way, but, to make things worse, I was the one who caused it.
Paul grabbed my shoulder and motioned for me to follow him into the hospital. I reluctantly followed him off the bus and in through the doors. A nurse took me down a hallway and got an x ray of my wrist. It was sort of pointless, I already knew it was broken, but I let her do it anyway. When she confirmed what I already knew, she wrapped it in a cast and told me I’d have to wear it for 4 to 6 weeks.
I barely heard a word she said but I nodded my head anyway. All of my thoughts were on Chloe and the pain I caused her. As soon as the nurse told me I could leave, I ran back onto the bus. I was stopped dead in my tracks at what I saw when I got on and entered the media room. Chloe was wrapped in Niall’s arms, her head on his shoulder, bawling.
*Niall’s POV*
We all went with Harry to the hospital to make sure he was alright. I sat up front with Paul and the driver for a little while because – why not? When I got bored after Paul and Harry went inside the hospital, I decided I’d go watch some TV. in the media room. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the door and found Chloe, asleep and tear-stained on the couch.
“Chloe?” I quietly closed the door behind me and flipped the light on. She quickly woke up and looked at the door, scared. When she saw me, her face relaxed and she sat up, making room for me to sit next to her.
“Chloe, what’s wrong?” I asked, sitting down beside her.
She looked at me and I saw the same look in her eyes as the other day when she told me her secret. Tears began forming in her eyes as she explained the events of the afternoon to me. I listened, shocked at what she was telling me.
“He said that?” I asked when she had finished. She nodded and looked at the floor. I felt so sorry for her. And I was going to kill Harry.
I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest, letting her cry as much as she wanted. I knew I would have to let her go sometime but I didn’t think about that. I let her cry for almost 5 minutes until someone walked into the room. Harry.
He looked at me with shock and anger written all over his face, making it clear that he was not happy with me holding Chloe. I glared at him, hoping he would leave. Thankfully, he did.
*Harry’s POV*
I saw the angry look Niall was giving me and knew I needed to get away from them before Chloe realized I was there. I walked back to my bunk and sat back in the corner.
That’s when I realized what I’d do for Chloe’s birthday.
6/16/13