Drop Dead | Sam Fender

Chapter Fifty Five

"Ow!" I whined, holding the spot where she had hit me and sending her a look of disbelief. "What the fuck, Harlow?!"

"Ya deserved that," she hissed, folding her arms across her chest as she stood in the doorway, almost blocking me from Rory. "You're fuckin' messing with her head, all the fuckin' time."

"I didn't mean to stand her up," I muttered, my lips drawing in a tight line.

"Oh, so ya meant to break up with her this time?" she scoffed.

"What're ya on about?" I frowned.

"Don't act like an idiot, Sam," she spat.

"Nah, seriously," I told her. "Rory broke up with me."

"What?"

"She ended it," I admitted. "Did... did she tell you that I broke up with her?"

"Well, no... I just assumed." She shrugged.

"Geez, cheers, Harl," I spoke sarcastically.

"Can ya blame me?" I scoffed at her insinuation. "It's usually you!"

"Can I come in?" I huffed, rolling my eyes.

"I don't really think that's the best idea," she snapped.

"It's alreet, Harls," Rory whispered from behind her, the two of us so engrossed in our conversation that we hadn't heard her descending the stairs. Harlow looked between the two of us hesitantly before nodding reluctantly.

"I'll just leave yous to it then," she mumbled, pressing a kiss against Rory's cheek. "Call me, alreet." Rory nodded in reply as Harlow squeezed past me, not missing the opportunity to barge my shoulder.

"Come in," Rory muttered, stepping aside to let me in.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stand you up," I sighed as I followed her into the living room. "I know it's not an excuse, but I had a rubbish shift last night. John's threatening to sack me and it just slipped my mind."

"An hour and a half I waited for you, Sam," she sniffled. She looked so small, curling into herself and I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in a tight hug.

"I know, I'm so sorry," I told her. "Please let me make it up to ya." She stared at me in silence, her eyes mirroring her conflicted thoughts. I didn't miss how she was swaying slightly, her face paler than usual and her skin showing a slight gleam as though she was sweating, which was odd considering it was November and it wasn't exactly warm inside. "Are ya alreet?" I asked her, reaching out to steady her but she recoiled from my touch, almost falling in the process. "Rory."

"I'm fine," she assured me, turning away from me, one of her hands reaching up to clutch her chest.

"Have... have ya eaten today?" I inquired cautiously, torn between not wanting to aggravate her again and being concerned for her.

"Not this again," she huffed, twirling around suddenly, which only caused her to stumble. I darted forward, catching her in my arms but she straightened herself up. As much as she could anyway. "I'm fine."

"Rory-"

"I'm fine, Sam," she hissed, pulling away from me but her knees buckled beneath her and her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"Rory!" I gasped, catching her in my arms and lowering her carefully to the floor. "Rory, can ya hear me? ...Scarl!" Her unconscious body was sprawled out in my arms as I used my elbow to prop up her head. "Fuck. Um..." I was panicking, unsure of what to do as the girl in my arms lay unresponsive. Careful not to move her around too much, I dug my phone from my pocket and immediately dialled 999, cursing under my breath as I waited for someone to pick up.