One Month Headed In One Direction

Chapter 22: When The Time Is Right

“Remind me again why we are friends,” Carrie said arching an eyebrow in Ammie’s direction.

“I’m pretty sure you are friends with me for the cookies. And the hugs!” Ammie shouted promptly launching herself onto Carrie who fell to the ground in surprise. We all laughed as Carrie struggled to free herself from her best friend’s enthusiastic embrace. As I laughed I heard an echo of my own laughter and looked around to see Kate laughing along.

“She has your laugh,” Nora said softly causing everyone to stop what they were doing. They all turned to look at Kate who froze, the smile dropping from her face.

“What?” Kate asked in concern.

“You have Samantha’s laugh,” Nora repeated. “I guess it’s genetic. I didn’t know that laughter was genetic.”

“Who gives a damn what qualities they share?!?” Annie asked darkly. “Her real sisters haven’t been gone for years choosing to show up just now. WE are Sam’s sisters! Not YOU!” Kate shrunk back in fear at Annie’s anger, and I felt myself growing upset as well. How dare she say that to Kate! She knew nothing about what Kate had gone through. It’s not her fault that she didn’t come after me. She was just a kid, and once she knew about me she had done everything in her power to be with me. I felt my face growing redder as I seriously contemplated hitting Annie for hurting Kate like that.

“You don’t want to do that,” Nora said quietly as she gripped my hands and relaxed them from the fists they had formed into. “She’s just scared. Her whole world is changing. You know what that feels like.”

“It’s not the same,” I quietly protested. “How can she say those things about Kate?”

“You mean the same things you said about her to Liam?” Nora asked. She was right. I had treated Kate in the exact same way. I had lashed out at her for something she couldn’t control. I let my fear take over. I didn’t see how she could only add to my family instead of taking it away.

“Annie you don’t know the whole story,” I said surprising her in the middle of her rage. She looked up at me sadly, and that’s when I finally saw it. The fear that she would lose me. The fear that I would choose my biological sister over her. “So leave it be until we can all talk later. Kate, I hope that you will stay with us for a little while longer?” She nodded happily, and I felt a small smile creep onto my face.

“Fine,” Annie said sitting down and pouting. I could tell she still wasn’t entirely ready to let her grudge against Kate go. She studied her up and down smirking at Kate’s outfit.  She was wearing black skinny jeans and a bright pink top that sported the One Direction logo.  “Nice outfit. Are you a fan then?”

“Of course I am,” Kate said with a smirk. “Is that going to be a problem princess?” I tried not to laugh as Annie flushed angrily.

“I don’t care. Wear whatever you want. I’m just trying to help you look like less of a groupie,” Annie snottily replied.  Nora reached over about to smack Annie upside the head, but Kate’s next remark stopped her.

“Speaking of outfits,” Kate said with a smirk. “Why are you wearing a turtleneck when it’s over ninety degrees outside?” Annie blushed and Nora looked down at her curiously. Suddenly all eyes were on Annie and her curiously warm summer wardrobe. It looked like Kate could hold her own.

[ANNIE’S POV]

That little bitch! How dare she turn the focus to me? I tugged heavily on the collar of the turtleneck trying to cover up all of the marks Zayn had left. I had dug through all of my outfits earlier in the day searching for a shirt that would cover the hickeys, but nothing was suitable. In the end Christine had forced Nathan to pick up some suitable items at her house. I now had a new collection of turtlenecks and scarves. Chris said I would need them since “Zayn seems to like to mark me.” Her words, not mine.

“I’ve just been a little c—cold,” I stammered out.

“Really?” Nora asked with a raised eyebrow. Could she tell that I’m lying? Could she see the marks on my skin through the shirt? Oh God.  I think I’m going to hyperventilate.

“So Nora,” Christine said jumping to my rescue and distracting the others. “What was that kiss on the cheek with Louis?” Nora blushed darkly as I mouthed a “thank you” to Chris. I don’t know why I ever disliked this girl in the first place. She was a lifesaver.

“I’m going to go and watch the boys on the side of the stage,” Nora said walking out of the room. Carrie and Ammie followed after her. Samantha shrugged and followed as well. Soon it was only Chris, myself, and Kate in the room.

“You know they are going to find out eventually,” Kate said smugly as she made her way over to the door.

“Find out about what?” I asked wondering just how much she knew.

“About you and Zayn,” Kate said simply marching from the room. As the door closed once again I placed my head in my hands and groaned.

“I can’t do this,” I mumbled against my palms. “They are going to find out. I can’t hide anything from Sam. She and Nora both already suspect that something is going on. If they weren’t already so distracted with their own problems they would have already figured it all out.”

“You can do this,” Christine said sitting down next to me and rubbing my back. “I’ll help you. And when the time is right you can tell them the truth.”

“And when exactly will that be? Nora doesn’t want me dating Zayn. She made that clear ages ago. Sam is going to be pissed I kept it a secret from her. Besides you and Nathan the only other person who knows about me and Zayn is Niall.”

“Then why don’t we just tell them?” Chris suggested. I looked at her like she was crazy. Didn’t she understand all that could go wrong if I told? “So Nora and Sam get a little mad. Once they see how happy Zayn makes you Nora will be fine with it. And Sammy will forgive you for keeping one little secret.”

“You just don’t get it,” I said to her standing up and walking to the door. “Maybe Nora would forgive me if I told her the truth, but I would lose Sam in a heartbeat for lying to her. That is all that anyone in her life did to her before David went and adopted her. We made a promise years ago that we wouldn’t keep any secrets no matter how small.”

“Well obviously she isn’t following that promise either since she has a sister you never knew about.” I felt the sting hit my heart again when Chris brought up Kate. She was right that Sam broke the promise as well, but I had so much more to lose now that Kate had entered into the picture.

“The thing is Chris,” I said fiddling with the hem of my shirt, “my lying to Sam has heavier consequences now because this time she has somewhere to go. She will leave me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“She has Kate now. If you had to choose between the adopted sister who hid something from you or the biological sister, who would you choose?”

“She’s not going to choose Kate over you,” Chris sighed.

“She has the option, and that’s enough for me to keep the truth from her. I can’t lose my sister,” I said softly leaving the room and wandering away. I walked over to the other girls who were standing to the side of the stage clearly enjoying the concert. Sam smiled at me and pulled me next to her so I could see better. I smiled as she linked her pinky in mine. We hadn’t done that since we were maybe fourteen years old, but it felt nice.

 It felt like I had my sister back with just me. I clutched her pinky tighter as we watched the boys sing their hearts out for the fans. She was my sister, and I wasn’t going to risk losing that for the time being. I glanced out to the stage and Zayn winked at me. No. I wouldn’t risk my family even if I was falling in love. Even if he might be my soulmate.

[AN: Wow. This chapter turned into kind of a downer. But don’t worry. The next chapter I have planned promises to be so ADORABLE!!! Of course right now it’s just in my head so we will see how that works out once I type it out. I find it awesome how much everyone is enjoying this story. I definitely never expected this at all. I have such a large and sweet pocket family now. I still don’t know how you all fit in there…]