Under my skin

Chapter 30 - A crazy arrangement.

"You mean I've been taking up your relaxing time, for FIVE WEEKS?!"

Instantly I felt so bad - I'm always inconveniencing people!!

Niall grabbed my hand, and looked me in the eye.

"Don't you dare say that Ivy, you know we have loved having you and hanging out with you every second of these five weeks; and without this time, we couldn't have saved you."

The tension built pretty quickly after he said that, so to make it less awkward, I just smiled at him.

Louis even tried to joke around to lighten up the mood.

"You must be pretty dumb not to have realized that we had no concerts!"

When nobody laughed, he added a rather awkward "haha... ha?"

Harry elbowed him, and I heard Zayn whisper rather loudly, "Mate, that's not funny, she's been through a hell of a lot. "

I know Louis was joking, but with the cutting and Dad, and everything else... I'm not surprised that I didn't realize the boys were holidaying.

I smiled weakly at Harry, Louis and Zayn.

"It's okay, I know he was just joking. Don't get worked up about it." With another smile, I walked over to where Liam was, and sipped my tea.

I nearly spat it out, it was so hot!

Liam tried not to, but he burst out laughing, and I had to laugh too - soon, everyone was laughing at me, except for the CPS guys sitting, waiting for us to hurry up.

"Sorry!" I said, rushing back to where I was sitting, "I should try and speed this up, shouldn't I?"

Instead of getting a rude reply, they were very polite, and one of the men said, "It's okay Miss Gallaher, we understand that you need to take this process slowly; it is quite a traumatic time for you."

Liam sat down, and before anyone could say anything, Zayn said, "Ivy is going to stay with us."

I nearly spat my tea out a second time - I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that!

"STAY with you, Zayn? You're touring around the world, I think that's a bit over the top, honestly."

"Actually," said Harry, talking very slowly as though he was thinking and talking at the same time, "that could work very well! Once we get you a passport - do you have a passport - we can keep you with us all the time, and that would keep you safe. What do you think?"

I tried to take it all in, but the throught I might be living with one direction PERMANENTLY was kind of crazy...

Okay, it was a fangirl's biggest ever dream, being able to tour with the band they fantasize about every day.

And now I had the opportunity.

"That seems like a very good option indeed - unless, miss Gallaher, you have something better in mind?"

The CPS guy, looked at me, waiting for any ideas I had, but I was empty.

"I guess I could stay with my best friend..."

I trailed off, it was obvious that staying with the boys would be a lot better, but I just didn't want to impose on them!

"Okay, well does anyone have any other ideas?"

Straight away Niall spoke; "I agree completely with Zayn, I think that would be the best for everyone." As he said that, he started rubbing my back, and I felt a strange calmness wash over me - kind of like the calmness I get when I cut.

Maybe Niall was the cure to my depression.

"Well then, if nobody has any objections to that..." He paused, waiting for someone to speak up; "Great, then could we please see your legal guardian of the band, so that we can sort this out?"

"You mean Paul?" asked Niall, "We can call him now if you like."

So the boys got Paul to come over - he was in a suite a few hotel rooms down from the boys' - ironic, seeing as he was their bodyguard, yet didn't live with them, but Niall explained to me that was because they also needed their space as much as they needed 'protection' from crazy fans.

Once Paul arrived, I was introduced to him, and he seemed very nice: although he was quite intimidating.

Apparently he already knew who I was - the boys must have told him - and so one of the Child Protection Services guys filled him in on my 'situation' with dad.

Instantly he seemed very sympathetic, which was very nice, and he agreed completely that I should stay with them!

So Paul signed the papers, signing me over to the care of himself and one direction; a huge change in my life - of course, I didn't realize then just how huge the change would be.

"There's just one thing left to do," the CPS worker said looking embarrassed, "We need to take photos of the physical evidence... you."

"Fine, let's do it now," I said, trying to act as if it were nothing, "let's get this over and done with!"

Niall held my hand as we walked back to where we had our 'private conference' before, and I stood very awkwardly with three guys standing around me.

"So... what do you want me to do?" I asked, very nervous about what they wanted me to do. "Do you want me to photograph my bruises and cuts?"

"Actually," said one of the men, "that's our job... We need you to show us where the bruises are, and then let us take the photos - that way in court, we are the witness to say that they are not fake, but real."

Oh my gosh, that means I was going to have to show him my arms, and my legs... basically only have my underwear on... Oh crap.

That meant that they would all, including my new boyfriend Niall, see my many, many cuts.

I froze.