Chapter 12                Niall POV                  Day 8 of Tour: On the Road

“You should be ready to head home soon,” the doctor told me. He looked down at his clipboard before glancing up at me past his glasses. “How’s the bump feel?”

“It’s fine,” I instinctively went up to touch the lump under my messy hair. “Doesn’t hurt at all.”

He nodded. “That’s good. Remember to ease off of that foot, and don’t use your left thumb too much.”

“Yes sir.”

The doctor tucked my papers under his arm. He went to leave the room, his hand lingering on the doorknob before he turned to smile at me. “And boy,” He tried to hide his amusement. “Try to stay away from diving boards.”

I blushed, clearing my throat. “Okay,” I tried to smile behind embarrassment.

Doctor laughed, finally leaving the room. I sighed. I swung my legs off the hospital bed and jumped to the cold linoleum floor. Bending down to get my bag, I heard the door slowly open again.

“Niall!” Charlotte sang. I twisted around to see her and my four guys standing at the door.

Charlotte ran over to me and went in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around her tightly. It wasn’t five seconds before she pulled away, and firmly took my face in both hands. “Are you alright? What hurts?” She turned my face to both sides, inspecting every inch of me.

“I’m fine.” I laughed. She raised a brow, obviously doubting me. “I’m serious. The doctor said it was no big deal. Just a strained ankle and a broken thumb.”

Charlotte sighed. She reached up on her tiptoes to delicately touch the small scratch on my neck. “I should have stayed here last night.”

“He wasn’t dying or anything.” Harry picked up my bag and said. “It was a clumsy fuck up.” He caught my eye and winked. “He was just a bit distracted, that’s all.”

I widened my eyes.

“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked innocently, her gorgeous eyes never trailing from my bandaged thumb she presently inspected.

“Nothing.” I groaned.

Zayn and Louis laughed, making me blush and Charlotte confused. “What’s so funny, hmm?”

Harry came up behind her and threw an arm over her shoulder. “Oh it’s nothing, love.” I sighed of relief until I saw him whisper in her ear, “I’ll tell you later.”

“No you won’t,” I wanted to say. There was no way I was letting any of them tell her I fell while staring at her. I mean, I had seen some beautiful girls before but that was… different. Girls would throw their tops off quite often- but Charlotte wasn’t like anyone I had ever seen before. Just the way she flipped her thick hair away from her face sent me over the edge. Literally. One look at her and I went head over heels off of that board.

“Okay…” Charlotte looked up at me curiously. Her cute little nose wiggled.

Liam wandered over and changed the subject. “Crazy Eagle guy is waiting for us outside; the bus is ready and running. We have to leave for Vegas here soon.”

“VEGAS!” Louis hooted. “I love me some Vegas!”

“Do we have to get back on that thing?” Zayn sighed.

“It’s only a five hour drive.”

Charlotte stepped towards the door. “I’m going to run to the bathroom first: I’ll meet you guys out there, okay?”

“Sure.” I took my bag from Harry and pointed to the door. “Let’s go to Vegas.”

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Charlotte POV

“See I never thought that I could walk through fire

 I never thought that I could take the burn

 I never had the strength to take it higher

 Until I reached the point of no return!”

I laughed, making my toenail polish brush wiggle. The music pounded the bus, and the loud off key singing was just as ground shaking.

 “And there's just no turning back

 When your heart's under attack

 Gonna give everything I have

 It's my destiny!”

Louis and Harry got up in my face. They screamed the chorus right into my already sore ears.

“I will never say never!

 I will fight till forever!

 Whenever you knock me down

 I will not stay on the ground

 Pick it up

 Pick it up

 Pick it up

 Pick it up up up

 And never say never!”

I giggled.

“You should sing with us, Charles.” Lou wiggled his brow and yelled above the music.

I shook my head. “I don’t sing.”

He glared at me playfully. “Suuuure you don’t.”

I ignored him and continued to paint my nails. The dark navy blue polish sparkled with the sun that peaked in through the open bus window. The highway whizzed by us, tiny cars zooming like itty bitty bugs.

The song finally ended. Maroon 5 came on with This Love. Adam Levine shouted out the lyrics. Someone’s phone started to beep.

“Turn down the music!” Liam hollered. He practically body slammed Zayn out of his way to reach the IPhone on the breakfast table. Harry turned down the tunes and Liam held the phone to his ear. “Hey baby.”

“Aww its DANI!”

Liam covered the receiver. “Will you guys be quiet?”

Louis grinned at him childishly. “NO.”

I watched with a tiny smile on my face as Liam grumbled, marching into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

“What’s up with him?” Niall asked, sitting himself down on the couch next to me.

“They got in a fight,” I filled him in. “Last night when you were at the hospital.”

“Oh.” Niall wrinkled his cute brows. “That’s too bad.”

“They’ll get over it though. They always do!” Harry said in his raspy voice.

Zayn made himself comfortable at the breakfast table. He looked up from above his phone and talked to Harry. “Speaking of girls; what ever happened to that Vanessa of yours?”

“Vanessa?” I repeated.

Harry flipped his hair casually. “It wasn’t serious. Just a little bit of fun. We haven’t talked in ages.”

“I thought you really liked her, though.” Louis said very seriously.

“I did. But it just didn’t work out.” He grumbled. Under his breath I caught him add, “They never do.”

Aww.

I felt really bad for him.

How could anyone NOT love him? Harry was just a sweet cuddly teddy bear, once you got to know him. Sure he had this sexy image: but behind all that he was one big goofy guy. It was hard to think that he had ever made me so nervous. When we first met I tried so hard around him. Especially after that awkward conversation at the dining table… that was just too embarrassing to think about.

“Sorry man,” Niall said, breaking my train of thought.

Harry shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I got over it; I’m over it.”

I could tell he was lying: his eyes flittered around the room.  But I said nothing, just stared straight ahead to the blank TV.

“Oh hey,” Niall reached over to my leg and patted me. I looked up at him to continue. “You should call your mum. You haven’t talked to her in a while.”

I bit my lip.

“Dammit Charles go and call your mother. Stop holding a grudge.”

I swiveled to look at Louis. “I am not holding any sort of grudge!”

“Suuuure.”

Maybe he was right. I hadn’t been the happiest with my mom since she got engaged…

“Okay. I’ll be back,” I mumbled.

I stood up from the couch. Niall moved his outstretched legs out of my way and held out his hand to help steady me on the jumbling bus.

My blue Samsung was sitting on my pink bed. I picked it up and frowned at its awful state. The paint was peeling, the keys were missing, and the screen was cracked. I dialed in four; the speed dial for my house.

The phone rang once.

It rang again.

“We’re sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service.”

I scowled down at the phone.

Punching in 4 again, I held it up to my ear again.

“We’re sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is no longer in service.”

I went into my contacts and pulled up my mom’s cell phone number. I called her up, hoping for some sort of an explanation.

The ringing on the other line stopped.

“Hello?”

My blood froze.

“Hello who is this?”

It wasn’t my mom.

“Oh… is this Charlotte?”

My mouth went dry. But I finally managed to mutter some sort of a yes.

“Wow! I’m so glad to finally meet you! I’ve heard so much about you!”

 “I wish I could say the same,” I said bitterly.

The forced laughter that rang through the line was earsplitting. I pulled the speaker away and cringed.

“My name is Matthew, by the way.” He added as his laughing died out.

“I know.”

The awkward silence that followed was unbearably painful. Neither of us said anything for quite some time; just waiting for the other to make the first move.

“Well then,” Matthew said finally. “Your mother isn’t here at the moment. She forgot her phone again-”

“Here?” I interrupted. “Where’s here?” I had a sneaking suspicion, but I wanted to hear the awful words come from his mouth.

“Our apartment, you mean?”

I bit down on my lip; fuming mad.

“Just tell her I called.”

“Will do.”

DO.

For some reason the word swirled around in my head like an awful bite of poison. “DO.” I pictured my mom and him repeating the words to each other at the head of the alter; “I do,” “I do.”

I hated that picture.

“Well then,” he said again. “It was nice talking to you.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” The sarcasm was loud and clear.

“Okay then. Goodbye, Charlotte.”

“Wait.” I snapped.

“Yes…?”

I froze. I knew what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell the prick to stay away from my mom. But I had promised her I would be happy. So instead I growled, “Keep your hands off of my… dog.” And slammed the end button.