Unstable (Sequel to Twisted)

Chapter 4

"Well what do you expect to do now?" I asked slowly. "You have no gang. Do you plan on hiding out here in these apartments?"

"Oh no." Harry said quickly. "I have a plan for the future. And you're in it." His lips smirked, his dimples popping on either side of his cheeks as he leaned up to give me a quick, chaste kiss. "I always have a plan, Claire. I always know what I'm doing."

"What's your plan?"

His hands released me and I immediately got off of him, resuming my spot next to him on the bed. There was a distance between us again, and I already felt relieved from his loss of contact.

"Just let me handle it." He replied vaguely, pulling the covers up more to cover his bare chest. He got silent so I assumed it was time to sleep.

I lay there for an hour or so, just staring up at the ceiling. I could hear Harry's soft breathing when he did fall asleep. Quietly, I pulled the covers away and crawled out of the bed, walking silently to the door and slipping out. I closed it softly, holding my breath, and I exhaled in relief when Harry didn't wake up.

What the hell was happening?

I wandered down the hallway to the living room; I saw a bundle of blankets on the floor and assumed it was Niall sleeping. I then saw Zayn asleep on the couch, his long legs stretched over the edge of it, a blanket loosely strewn across his chest. The room was eerily silent, and I wondered where Fran and Perrie were.

"What are you doing?" A quiet whisper alerted me from behind. I jumped a little from the sudden noise, but my heart calmed down a bit when I saw it was Eleanor. She was wearing the same exact clothes earlier, but her hair looked messier.

"I'm just...walking around." I replied in a low whisper, taking a step towards her. "What're you doing up?"

She completely ignored my question and said, "Please follow me." Confused, I followed right behind her into the bathroom. She closed the door behind me, and I flipped on the light. In the bright lighting I could see her scar much more clearly, and it looked all much more painful in the clear lighting.

"Eleanor," I murmured, "what happened to you?"

"It was during the shootout." She replied quietly, placing the toilet seat down and sitting on it. "A man got a hold of me and held me hostage. He managed to c-cut my cheek and scar it, but Zayn was the one who saved me."

"Do you need a band aid or something?" I asked, standing in front of her, unable to not stare at the scar. It really did look painful.

"No, it's fine." She shot me a feeble smile and sighed. "Claire, I'm so sorry for what has happened to you."

I felt myself smiling as I lowered myself onto the floor, sitting down and wincing from sitting on my bum. I easily ignored the pain and pulled my knees to my chin, saying, "It's nothing I can't handle."

I was bluffing, of course. I could remember how I was unable to help Perrie for a while; I was so afraid of Harry.

"I just...I needed someone to talk to." Eleanor muttered.

"About what?"

"Ever since Louis returned, he's never been the same."

I quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

"H-he won't let me out of his sight. He used to trust me so much, Claire. He used to always compliment me and buy me things." She rubbed at her reddening eyes, shaking her head. "I know I may sound spoiled and childish, but Louis did everything he could to spoil me, you know? I felt so special to him. He would always randomly kiss me and tell me how much he cared about me. He would always smile and hold me, but now he's always so serious. Ever since he got back from the jail, it feels like he's a different person." She was crying now, her frail body shaking a little from the effort.