Chapter 44

6.9K 140 16
                                    

A/N: I wrote this while eating heart shaped marshmallows that were on sale because of Valentines' day... I ate so many I felt like puking... Oh well :P TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

I just want to say thank you so much little peeps for reading and liking and commenting and following, you are beautiful and amazing <3

Also, Happy Birthday to everybody who had their birthdays, and that I didn't say happy birthday to... THAT INCLUDES YOU ED SHEERAN AND HARRY STYLES I LOVE YOU BOTH LITTLE KITTIES (I technically wrote this chapter in February)

And I'm going to see Ed's concert in June, and Lana Del Rey two days after, and U2 later in the month... Y'ALL JELLY YET? Okay, okay :P NOW LET'S GET ON WITH THAT STORY SHALL WE? (They were actually so amazing like OMG)

*SORRY FOR THE FOUL LANGUAGE, IT'S NOT HAZEL'S HEAD*


*Niall Horan* (Yaaas he's bae)



I watched in pain as Hazel opened up once again on what happened to her, but this time, she was speaking to the whole world. She was clear and eloquent, she didn't any names, and for everybody's eyes, she looked fine. But I knew her, I could see how much it hurt her talking about it.

As soon as the interview was done, the audience started clapping for her. I sighed in relief. One of my biggest fear was that the public would think she was lying for attention and judge her, or even worse: pity her.

People like her don't need pity. They need support. Hazel was strong, probably the strongest person I have ever met and got the chance to get to know. If I needed to remind her of that every day for the rest of our lives, I will.

We got out of the studio, Hazel looking more relieved than sad. I think she was glad that it was finally behind her, all that anxiousness and nervousness. I smiled fondly while looking at her beautiful face. I was completely honest with her earlier this morning when I talked about how I felt, and I was extremely glad that there wasn't any awkward tensions between us. And even though I said I didn't have any feelings for her anymore, they would be easily be unburied if she and Harry broke up.

If they actually did, I would be the first in line for Hazel. A very, very long line. So Harry better get his shit together if he wanted to keep her by his side.

Hazel was way too naive and she loved him way too much. I knew she would forgive him in the blink of an eye if he messed up big time. Even though that bloody bastard didn't fucking deserve it.

No need to say that I was mad at him. Having to console a crying Hazel was painful, but the selfish part of me was hurt even more by the thought that I wasn't the one she wanted to be console by. She wanted the fucking prick that didn't deserve a quarter of her love. How can Harry get s lucky and just throw it all away?

Hazel looked tiredly at me, and I smiled at her, trying to think of something else so I wouldn't get all prissy. Hazel looked more alive than she have in the past few days, and just that was making me happy.

"Want to go back to the hotel to get a bit of sleep?" I asked her gently.
"No... Can you bring me somewhere?"
"What? But..." I started protesting, but she cut me off by grabbing my hand, smiling sweetly.
"Please, Nialler... I'm tired of that hotel room... I'm in New York City and I still haven't seen half of it. Can we go sightseeing? Or even just go eat somewhere in Manhattan, or the Upper East Side?" She batted her eyelashes at me, giving me her best puppy dog eyes, knowing very well I wouldn't be able to resist her. "Pretty please? With a cherry on top? I don't care where we go, I'm just sick of that room..."
I sighed and shook my head. "We don't have any bodyguards with us, it wouldn't be safe... I don't want us to get mobbed."

She pouted even more, making my heart jump. I groaned and gripped the root of my hair in frustration. Hazel was going to be the death of me. I couldn't refuse anything to my best friend, especially when she was all pouty and cute, she had me wrapped tightly around her pinky tiny finger.
"Fine." I gave in, almost covering my ears as she squealed in happiness, making me smile.
Hazel looped her arm around mine with the goofiest grin ever. "Shall we, Mr. Horan?"
"We shall, Miss Murray... If you could follow me..."
"Where are we going?"
"I have absolutely no idea."

She laughed loudly as I pulled her through the streets.

❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣

I wasn't the best choice to show her New York. Harry has been here more times than me, but we still had a really great moment together.

We started by eating at the McDonald next to Time Square, making Hazel really happy (?). How can she like fast food so much and yet stay the cute little thing she is? I pretended to be mad that we couldn't go to Nando's, cause this retarded country still doesn't have any, but it disappeared as soon as she kissed my cheek, giggling softly at my pouting expression. A very fond smile stayed plastered on my face after that.

As we walked through the Empire State building, Hazel and I shared all kind of memories from our childhood, me having more than her. I realized how lonely she must have been without any friends... She told me about when she first played guitar when she was six, when she first sand at eight. The very first video she posted on YouTube when she was fifteen, and how scared she was of getting even more hatred, or get rejected. I told her about my X-Factor experience, meeting the lads, and about my family back in Ireland.

She laughed after one of my many anecdotes I had with Greg and Maura, my brother and my Mum. "Oh my God, I can't believe she actually kicked both of you out of the kitchen with spoons."
"I'm still really glad it wasn't knifes." I chuckled.
"Now I really want to meet them, they seem so nice." She smiled brightly.
"They are, and it can be arranged. Whenever I go back home, you can come with me." I smiled brightly. "Anyways, me mum wants to meet ya." I laughed.
She grinned excitedly. "Really?"
"Yes, she loves you..." I winced. "She fangirled for a good two hours last time I came back home, asking me if she could meet you."
Hazel laughed. "You should have seen Anne and Gemma when I met them. They completely ignored Harry and started asking about me, leaving him really moody until I went to hug him. Gemma, being the better Styles, stole me from him saying he would have me all night if he wanted, and that sharing is caring."

Hazel then realized she was talking about Harry and pressed her lips in a thin line, her mood dampening in the blink of an eye. Shit, think fast, Nialler. THINK FAST.

"Hey look! There it is!" I said, looking at the Empire State Building, that was about twenty meters away from here.

Thank God for good timing.

I started singing the 'Empire State of Mind', very off key, loudly, and not hitting any good notes. I grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the tower, running away from the sadness and the worry. As I started the chorus, she started laughing and yelling the song along with me.

"NEW YORK! CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE THE DREAMS ARE MADE OF, THERE,S NOTHIN' YOU CAN'T DO! NOW YOU'RE IN NEW YOOOOOOORK! THESE STREETS WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BRAND NEW, THE LIGHTS WILL INSPIRE YOU! LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK, NEW YORK, NEW YOOOOOORK!" We yelled together, her cracking up in laughter first.

We ran through the beautiful doors, giggling like teenagers. We are teenagers... Oh well. We continued yelling the song, messing up the rap part until a severe man in uniform stopped us both, looking very grave.

"I will ask you to leave please."
"What? Why?" I asked, still half-giggling.
"Because you are disturbing everybody in here." He growled, very impolite. "Now leave."
"But, sir, this is a public place and..." Hazel started sweetly but he harshly cut her off.
"I don't want to hear it, little girl! You come in here, dressed up as if you were thirty, disturb the public peace, and we don't like it. So go away, now." He harshly snapped.
"Hey, I don't dress up like I'm thirty." She frowned. Louise would massacre this man, strangle him with his own guts probably, if she heard him.
"No, you do not. It was just a polite way of saying you dress like a prostitute." He rudely said.

Hazel's eyes widened and she gasped. I clenched my fists, all playfulness gone from me.

"You will apologize immediately." I snarled. "You have no idea who we are, and..."
"I do not care to know." He growled back, grabbing both of our elbows and pulling us towards the exit.

I was strong enough to jerk away from his grip, but Hazel wasn't, and she clearly was struggling against him. She winced as he tightened his grip around her.

"Let her go, now!" I yelled, losing my patience.
"Or what?" He chuckled.
"Or I will fucking make you lose everything you have: money, reputation, job, family." I threatened.

He laughed it off as if I was telling him a bad joke, but still let go of Hazel, who quickly ran away from him, into my arms. I wrapped them tightly around her, my furious glare not leaving the rude man.

"Leave now, or I'll call security." He threatened.
I chuckled darkly. "Go on, I need to have two words with them anyways."

He took his walkie-talkie and said a few words in it, and minutes later, three man came next to us. Two them were in the same uniform as the man, while the third one was in suit. I took a quick guess and thought he was the manager of the tourism. I couldn't help but notice that a small crowd was forming around us. I simply hugged Hazel closer, and she looked at the harsh man, frightened.

"What's going on here, Johnson?" The man in a suit asked the rude man, Johnson.
"These two were disturbing the peace, Martin, and refused to leave even after several attempts." He replied, looking at us, pleased by the situation.

Well that was about to change.

Martin looked at us and paled. He looked as if he was about to faint. Hazel was even about to ask him if he was okay, but I shushed her, squeezing lightly her shoulders.

"N-Niall Ho-Horan..." He stuttered. "What a pleasure to have you here..." He looked highly uncomfortable, while Johnson only looked confused.
"I wish I could say the same, but after my friend Hazel Murray here got brutalized by Mr. Johnson here, I'm not so sure about it."

There was a few gasp in the crowd that formed around us. They started taking pictures and videos, but I wasn't smiling. I was tensed, and furious, and I was literally about to throw a fit. hazel had enough problem these days, she didn't need that jerk to ruin her almost good day.

"We are so s-sorry for the inconvenience..." He babbled. "If I can do anything to make it up to you, I will. Just say it."

Johnson seemed to finally have realized that we're not anybody. He was looking a bit green, and his eyes looked wild and scared. He better fucking be scared. He dared touch Hazel... I opened my mouth to speak my thoughts, but Hazel was faster.

"No, it's fine." She said, her voice soft as she still looked at the man with a little fright in her hazel eyes. "We just want to visit..."
"That can easily be arranged. You will have fast passes to go up there, and we will make sure that..."
"No, it's fine, we will go in line just like everybody else." She refused.

I was about to say that firing Johnson would be a pretty great idea, but Hazel seemed to guess my intentions and elbowed me. I bit my tongue and shut up, because she asked me to. But I swear, if she wasn't there...

"Come on, Ni... Let's go buy our tickets."

❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣

We came back from our sightseeing in the hotel with a huge smile on our lips. It was pretty fun to take pictures at the top of the Empire State building. The line was about two hours long, but Hazel was so nice to be around, it didn't even matter. I was still mad about the security staff. Liam had some trouble with them a few days ago, and now us... I knew it wouldn't look good for them, and they knew it too.

"Well, that was a fun day." Hazel smiled at me, looking so happy I felt extremely proud of myself.

We got out of the elevator and started walking towards our hotel room.

"I'm glad you had fun." I said truthfully. "And I'm glad you visited NYC with me. "There's nothing better than to go sightseeing with your best friend." She stuck out her tongue as I poked her dimpled cheek.
"That I agree with, bestie." She looked through her bag and I saw her frown. "Hey, can we go to my room, I need to get some tampons."
Horrified, I covered my ears, screeching like a little girl. "WHY WON'T YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THAT TO ME?! NOW I'M TRAUMATIZED FOR LIFE!"
She chuckled, blushing lightly. "Sorry about that... I guess you didn't need that detail."
"I didn't! Now I'm scarred." I sighed dramatically. "Let's go."

She took her key and went to the room next to mine. I decided to wait her outside, but I heard a surprise gasp and a small thud. I rushed in the room, to see that Hazel dropped her bag on the floor.

"Haze, what is it?"

I followed her gaze and saw that everybody was reunited in Harry and hers room. The lads, Andy, Paul.

And Harry.

This was too much. I tried to stay in control, but this was just too much. I clenched my fist and took a step forward, too fast for Hazel, who was too stunned anyways to stop me. I punched Harry square on the jaw, fury blinding me. He hissed in pain as his head jerked to the side.

"What the fuck, Niall?" He shouted.

Hazel snapped out of her daze and walked towards me. She pulled me behind her. I winced as her hand touched my joints. She pulled back slightly, her big innocent eyes disapproving but worried. I wished she would stop worrying about others for once.
"Niall, enough!" Liam stood up.
"What the Hell were you to thinking?" Paul said. "Just leave like that, not telling anybody? You had us scared to death. You weren't answering your phones, and we had to learn by Twitter that something had happened at the Empire State building, and even then it was pretty vague."
"I'm sorry, Paul, it was my fault. I asked Niall if we could go, and he said yes. I needed a distraction from," Her eyes flickered to Harry, who was looking at his shoes. "everything."
"Niall isn't responsible enough to..."
She interrupted him. "Niall and I are adult, we can make our own decisions. I was sick of this hotel, I wanted to see Manhattan, so we did. And we handle the situation pretty well at the Empire State building."
"But the media..."
She cut him off again. "The media will talk, like it always do. Even if you or Andy was there to handle it, there still would have had drama, and the media would've still said something about it. So it's not a valid argument. Now if you would stop asking stupid questions that are completely irrelevant, I would love to ask one."

Everybody just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. Her gaze fell on Harry, who still thought his shoes was more interesting than his girlfriend.

"Harry...?" She softly called.

He looked up, and their eyes met. I swore, the time stopped for them. It was like they were telepathically talking. Their connection was strong and... Hazel cut it off.

"WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU?" She roared, starling us all.

The only time I saw Hazel cursed was when she completely lost control of her emotions back in London when we first learned about her past. We were all stunned, but I slightly smirked. I was glad Hazel was finally standing up for herself.
"I..." Harry looked down again. "Management told me it would be better if I took a break."
Hazel blinked in disbelief. "Okay, so while I was breaking, you were taking a break? Fantastic, fucking fantastic." Harry opened his mouth to say something, but she rose a hand to stop him. "No, I don't want to hear it. I'm exhausted, I want to go to sleep. We'll talk about this tomorrow. I'm sorry for worrying you, lads." She apologized to Lou, Li and Zayn, who only smiled awkwardly.
"Hazel, you can't keep running away from tal..." Andy started but she stopped him too.
"No, Andy, stop that now." She shook her head. "Management. They made Harry go away from me. Which means you knew. Which means you lied to me." She sighed. "You knew where Harry was and yet you let me worry and go literally crazy?"
"Hazel..."
"No... I just... I feel so freaking betrayed right now, in so many ways... I..." Her voice croaked, and I wrapped my arms around her for support.

I could feel Harry's burning gaze on us, filled with jealousy, but I could care less. Hazel just cuddled closer to me, closing her eyes in pain. She must have a shit headache right now.

"Let's go to sleep, Haze."

She only nodded and I lead her away from them. Harry's voice stopped us when we were at the door.

"Baby, please, stay with me..." He begged. "I'll explain everything, just please, stay. Don't go with him." He spat my name and I glared at him, tensing up.
Hazel shook her head, her red curls bouncing freely around her. "No, I-I can't..."
"Yes, you can, angel..." Harry cooed. "You just have to stay with me."
"No, Harry. I can't." She said, looking away.
"Leave it there, mate." I told him.
"I swear to God, Horan, if you fucking touch her..."
"Enough, Harry!" Hazel snapped. "I'll see you tomorrow."

On those final words, we left their room.

❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣ ❣

A melody woke me up in the middle of the night. It was an angel-like voice signing lightly. I realized that Hazel's spot i the bed was cold, she wasn't by my side anymore. I rolled out of bed and started walking in the suite, following the beautiful voice that belonged to my beautiful friend.

I found her sitting next to the window, staring at the beautifully illuminated New York. She was humming lightly a song that I didn't recognize. I sat next to her, amking her jump.

"Can't sleep?" I asked.
"No, I'm sorry for waking you."
"It's fine. Why couldn't you sleep?"
"Too much to think... And I... I had these lyrics ringing through my head. I had to write them."
"You wrote a new song?"
"Yeah... It's called '
"Can I hear it?"
"Sure."

She looked outside the door and started to softly sing.

"I'm in here.
Can anybody see me?
Can anybody help?"

"I'm in here.
A prisoner of history.
Can anybody help?"

"Can you hear my call?
Are you coming to get me now?
I've been waiting for you to come rescue me.
I need you to hold
All of the sadness I cannot live with inside of me."

"I'm in here.
I'm trying to tell you something.
Can anybody help?"

"I'm in here.
I'm crying out but you can't hear.
Can anybody help?"

"Can you hear my call?
Are you coming to get me now?
I've been waiting for you to come rescue me.
I need you to hold
All of the sadness I cannot live with inside of me."

"I'm crying out,
I'm breaking down.
I am fearing it all.
Stuck inside these walls
Tell me there is hope for me."

"Is anybody out there listening?"

"Can you hear my call?
Are you coming to get me now?
I've been waiting for you to come rescue me.
I need you to hold
All of the sadness I cannot live with inside of me."

"I'm in here."

"I'm in here.
Can anybody see me?
Can anybody help?"

I stayed silent as I hugged her. Tears were silently rolling down her face, like precious pearls on her porcelain face.

"I'm there, Hazel. I hear you."

I kissed her forehead.

"And I'm not going anywhere."


A/N: This is too much even for me... Jeez...

Endlessly (Harry Styles)Where stories live. Discover now