Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Eighteen

"Thank you Lauren, you're great."

"I know I am. So anyway, how did you leave it tonight? With Perrie, are you gonna see her again?"

"We both said we'd love to, yeah, but we didn't say when or anything."

"And?"

"And... what?"

"God, Jakers you've not got a clue have you?! Did you kiss?"

"Oh right." I chuckled, blushing. "Yeah, we did."

"Wheeey! Wow, she seems into you."

"I dunno." I murmured. "I don't even know what that means anymore. I'll just have to wing it, as you would say."

"You're dating one of the hottest women in the country."

"Lauren, shut it."

"You're dating a member of the biggest girl group in the world right now."

"Lauren, give it a rest. I can't think about it like that."

Lauren chuckled loudly down the phone. "Right, I'm gonna go. I'll see you Monday morning. When do you go back to work by the way?"

"Tuesday, it's only a six hour shift though, I'll be fine."

"If you're not and you need to come home, ring me and I'll come and pick you up, got it?"

I tried to protest but Lauren started shouting, so I reluctantly agreed and hung up, feeling more exhausted from the conversation with my lunatic best friend than anything else that night.

**

"You did really well in there hun. How d'you feel now?"

"Like I want to cry."

"It's alright to cry." Lauren laughed, putting an arm around my neck as we walked from the hospital to the car. "You're really brave. If that was me, they would've had to sedate me."

"Yeah, I'm inclined to agree." I chuckled. "Thanks for coming with me today."

"No problem. D'you fancy grabbing a burger?"

"Oh, definitely!"

Lauren gave me a hug as we reached for her car. I got in and she skipped off to pay for parking. While I waited, I rummaged in my pocket for my phone and turned it back on.

As I had expected, there was a text from Perrie. I hadn't told her what time I was going to get the stitches out, but I knew she wouldn't forget.

Hot Date: Hi babe, hope the hospital goes okay today. Don't forget to let me know you're okay! Be brave, I don't think you're as much of a wuss as me 🙈🤗 xxx

Me: Hey, I've just come out, all done. Wasn't too bad, I'm fine. Lauren came with me and we're just off for some lunch. Why are you a wuss? 😋 Xx

I put my phone away as Lauren came back. She fired up the engine then turned to me. "Let's have a look then?"

She gently parted my short hair and made a noise in her throat.

"What's it look like?"

"Not as bad as I thought, actually. It's quite red... but you can't see it, probably could if you shaved your hair though." Lauren sighed and put her seatbelt on, staring ahead with her jaw clenched.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I could happily hunt her down and pound her fucking brains in, Jakob. Turning into a crazy stalker is one thing, but she did that... She spent weeks saying she still loves you and cares about you, then she leaves you for dead."