outside

chapter 23

"Boyfriend?" I finally wondered allowed.

"Yeah, a very tall boy, he is. He's got the cutest accent too. What did he say it was? British? Australian?" She pondered.

"Welsh." I replied smiling, my stomach already doing flips at the mere thought of Van standing on the other side of that door. Why was he here? Had he come all the way from New York to see me?

"Ah, yes, that's what he told me."

After a few more checkups of my hearing and vision she went down the hall to get Van. I could immediately hear him barreling down the hallway towards my room, his boots slamming against the ground with every stride. I quickly attempted to fix my appearance a bit subconsciously as he finally burst through the door and attacked me on the bed.

"Jesus Christ, Kat. I thought you were dead! I thought you were dead!" He cried out into my neck as he wrapped his arms around my stomach, his head lying on my shoulder. I was taken back by his actions at first, before I finally lifted my hand and stroked his greasy hair. I don't think he had showered since I got here.

"Well, I'm not. So that's good." I replied, causing him to chuckle and sit up, dangling his long legs off the side of the bed.

"Oi, I was so scared when I found you like that. I don't think I've ever been more worried in my life than in the back of that ambulance. Christ, I don't think my heart hasn't stopped pounding in my chest since then." He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

"How long has it been?" I asked.

"Two days. They were worried you were going to go into a coma. I don't know what I would've done with myself if that happened." Van said, his words faltering as he ended his thought.

"Not to be rude, but why are you here? Don't you have a European tour starting soon?" I asked, sitting up on the bed and criss-crossing my legs.

"Yeah...we decided to delay that for a few days after the lads heard about your accident. After our last gig in New York, I wanted to come see you, apologize and all that. But when I finally arrived at your flat you were passed out on the floor, which is what brings us here." He explained, his bloodshot eyes not breaking their gaze away from me once as he spoke.

"Van, you didn't have to..."

"No, I wanted to come see you. I proper messed up the night when I went off on you, and I'm so awfully sorry. Truly, I am." He said, wrapping his large, warm hands around my fragile, cold ones. Warmth automatically spread throughout my entire body and I'm not sure if it was the drugs they were pumping into my system or just seeing Van's face, but I don't think I've ever hugged a person as long as I did Van.

***

"Well, welcome to my home, even though you've already been here." I laughed, throwing open the door of my apartment and gesturing for Van to walk in. I shut the door behind us and hung my jacket on the hook, turning back around to find that Van had disappeared.

"Van?" I called out, walking down the entry hallway that led into my living room. Van was slowing pacing around the light blue room in circles, gazing at everything in sight.

"What are you looking at?" I laughed.

"Everything. This room, it's so...professional looking and put-together, you know? And like, the colors are just so nice and it's just so...."

"So..what?" I asked.

"It's so...you. Cozy, yet still distant. It's class!" He stated, running his hand along my light grey sofa. I giggled at the sight. He looked so innocent, like a little boy in a candy shop; amazed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." I giggled some more, walking towards the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee for a well-needed boost of energy. "Want some coffee? Tea? Water?" I called over my shoulder.

"Coffee's perfect." Van spoke directly behind me, making me jump a little, earning a light chuckle from him. I rolled my eyes and reached to grab two mugs from my cabinet, one teal one with seashell designs on the side and another with a black guitar painted onto the white ceramic. I felt Van deserved the one with the guitar.

I sifted through my fridge to find the milk and I poured a small bit into mine, adding two spoonfuls of sugar.

"Two whole spoonfuls? Honestly?" Van scoffed from behind me, perched on the top of the counter top.

"Yes, I like my coffee sweet, okay?" I laughed, rolling my eyes a little as I turned back around. "How much sugar and cream?" I asked.

"I'll take it black, if ya don't mind." He responded. Of course.

"Thanks, love." He said, taking the mug from me. I nodded and leaned against the counter to face him.

"So, when do you have to leave? I mean, you can't stay here forever, you have a tour to finish." I asked, my heart sinking as the words left my mouth. I didn't want him to leave.

"Umm...tomorrow morning." He sighed, swishing the coffee around in his mug.

"Oh..." I replied, the sinking feeling growing greater with every passing second.

"Hey, I know, it sucks. But we still have today, yeah?" He said, hopping off of the counter and inching past me to place his cup into the sink.

"Yeah, I just wanted to spend some more time with you." I sighed, looking down at my feet.

"Hey, don't be upset, Kat. Please, not while I'm here." He cooed, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to him. My heart fluttered as my head leaned against his chest.

"You smell." I laughed after awhile, breaking the silence that had draped itself over us. He gasped and pushed me away, placing his heart over his chest, feigning a hurt expression.

"You don't smell the best either, ma'am." He poked my nose.

"Hey, at least I had a decent excuse as to not showering!"

"So caring and worrying about you isn't a good enough excuse?" His demeanor suddenly changed from happy to serious in a matter of seconds and the sinking feeling in my stomach became more prominent again.

"Oh, Van, no, I didn't mean it like that I-"

"Kat, I'm only having a laugh, it's alright." He chuckled, ruffling my hair a bit on my head like a child. I pouted, unamused.

"Whatever, I'm going to take a shower." I said, the mood now ruined.

"You know, we could shower together. Saves water and all." Van called out as I headed down the hallway to my bathroom.

"Shut it, McCann!"

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wassup my dudes i hope you guys are having a lovely day, i'm currently putting up christmas decorations so i'm in a very festive mood ((:

hope you all enjoy this quick chapter

lots of love xx