Stole My Heart- 1D Fanfic

Chapter 14

Liam’s POV

Of course, sleep evaded me. As it always did, especially when my brain wouldn’t shut up about everything. And tonight, I had a certain feeling that I had royally screwed up. Maybe even made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I couldn’t shake the feeling that everything that had happened was my fault. The scene felt like it was on loop in my head. Everything was going so well, then Sadie’s hand clamping my shoulder, and the distrust and accusation in Georgia’s face, and then emptiness. Why I didn’t run after her, hold her close, explain everything, just not let her get away, was beyond me. I simply froze. God, she must have thought I was an inconsiderate prick. Just another person who played her without a second thought. I hated myself for that. I think even Hazza hated me for that. Though, I didn’t actually blame him. He was right. Georgia upset was something that even Paul, who was the most even-tempered person I knew, and rarely ever reactive, couldn’t stand. It was for the best that she didn’t get upset very often, but when she did, it was heart wrenching. I remembered to the last time, the morning after she was released from the hospital. 

It was an odd day because the only thing we had slated was to appear at a kitten adoption just around the corner. So the morning was spent lazing around the apartment, only venturing out into the driving rain for takeout because we were all too lazy to cook anything. It was also strange because George, usually an early riser, still hadn’t appeared. Though, with everything that happened, it was easily understood, and no one bothered her. Save for Harry and I’s worried glances from each other to her door, no one acknowledged her absence either. I think everyone was still in disbelief over it all. Especially Niall. It hit close to home, because one of his closest friends was beaten by her father when she was a child, and now Georgia, one of the sweetest, most genuine people we knew, was going through the same thing. So our usually bubbly, jokey sunspot was a bit of a storm cloud that morning. No one even had to say anything, we lads were just in tune with each other, and that morning, everyone was lost in their own little world. 

All of our heads whipped around when the lock audibly turned. Paul stepped through the door, followed by double our usual security team. Confused, Paul looked around the room. Usually by midday everyone was awake, crowded around the kitchen table fighting over one of Georgia’s latest creations. 

“No... food?” Paul asked, looking around with a furrowed brow. We all shook our heads numbly. “Sorry guys, not today. I’ll meet you outside.” He whispered to the extra security guys, which would have been funny on any other day of the week. But today, when Paul turned around and asked us what was wrong, no one said anything. He rubbed his hands together, sighing. Working with the five of us has put him through hell and back, and he was no stranger to getting information out of us. But this time, he didn’t even have to start his usual interrogation. 

Georgia’s door creaked open and Harry nearly jumped off of his chair. He was taking it especially personally, one because she was supposed to be staying with him and  two because they had been friends for so long. She shuffled out into the hallway, very obviously not herself. Usually, even when she was annoyed or angry or tired, she was our little ray of sunshine, greeting everyone with a huge smile and an even bigger portion of breakfast. It was a routine we'd all grown into too well. 

However, upon sight of her, the smile that had been on Paul's face dropped off. It wasn't just her extreme appearance, the fact that her left eye was swollen shut, or the sight of the hard plaster cast on her right arm, it was her entire countenance that was different. The Georgia Paul knew would smile through even this, laughing about how clumsy she was. This was different. She barely even glanced up at the rest of us, even with her one good eye, and didn't even acknowledge Paul's presence in the slightest.