Chapter 21
After-hour emergencies
ALEX.
It seemed as if the birds singing in the trees came to a halt, the wind stopped blowing, and everyone instantly stopped what they were doing.
Amidst all that, I began laughing, earning weird looks from both Kaylee and Grace.
"What's happening to you? Jay's in the hospital!" She said, a look of disbelief plastered on her face.
I stopped abruptly. "You were serious?"
"No shit, sherlock," She replied, waving her phone in front of my face. "Read it."
Heart thumping in my chest, I scanned the article.
"The Wanted's Jay McGuiness was rushed to a nearby hospital last week, after complaints of severe abdominal pain and other symptoms. If fellow band mate, Nathan Sykes, hadn't found him, who knows what would've happened? They, however, still has no official statement on Mr. McGuiness's condition...."
I dropped the phone onto the table, numbed with shock.
It's been a week.
How could I have not known this?
~
A gust of the cold morning air greeted me as I stepped into the rooftop of the dorm. It was still dark out, the sun wasn't even up yet.
I had woken up an hour ago, and after numerous attempts of trying to go back to sleep, I decided to quit it. My mind was reeling, I couldn't stop thinking of what I'd just found out.
What happened to Jay?
Why didn't they tell me?
The week before, I lived a normal life. I aced the tests and did normal college girl... stuff. I just enjoyed myself, knowing that the guys are all well, and making hits. I didn't have anything to worry about. Until it came.
It was like a blow to the stomach.
It was one of my fears, confirmed.
I have to see him. I have to know what's going on.
But believe it or not, my greatest obstacle was actually the one most important to me.
Nathan wouldn't let me fly to the UK just because of Jay.
I indian-sat on the cement, staring at the horizon. It was slowly coming to life. The sky blazed different colors: pink, yellow, orange. The sun peeked through. It was an amazing sight.
They say that daybreak is the best time to make decisions.
A sudden rush of adrenaline pumped in my veins.
I knew what I had to do.
~
"No."
I fella back onto my bed with a groan, still pressing the phone to my ear. Nathan uttered that word, then everything, every cinch of hope I had for seeing Jay disappeared into thin air.
"Why not?" I whined. He sighed on the other end.
"Because, your semester doesn't end until Saturday, and I don't want you rushing over here, just like that. I also heard from Kaylee that you have four more exams. This is your dream, your future. Don't throw it away, just because one of us got hurt."
"So you're saying I shouldn't be concerned?"
"It's not like that, Alex," He said, frustration evident in his voice. "I just don't want you to be distracted."
"Well, who said I'll be dropping by immediately? Nathan, you know me. I. KNOW. MY. PRIORITIES. I don't even know why I have to ask you for consent. I can survive on my own, thank you very much."
There was silence on the other end. That's when I knew I had crossed the line.
"Nathan?"
"Okay," He replied finally, a trace of hurt in the tone of his voice. "I gotta go. Bye," then he sighed. "Love you."
"I love you t-" I begun to say, but
stopped when the line went dead.
I let out another groan and placed a pillow over my head.
Great. Just great.
~
I tapped my pen against the table, staring at the paper, trying to think of the right answer. It was the last one left. It was on the tip of my tongue. Dammit.
In a few minutes, I would also be liberated.
I would be on a plane to London.
My stomach churned at the thought of having to see Nathan without resolving our tiny problem. For the last few days, he stopped calling, texting, skyping, or anything. I tried, too, but there's always no answer.
What have I gotten myself into?
"You acted too rashly again, Lex. That's your flaw. You have to try to control it, or it might ruin something more important next time."
Kaylee's words echoed in my head. I now know what they meant.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I just can't lose Nathan over a stupid argument.
I threw my head backward and blinked to stop the tears from falling. I didn't want to break down here.
Everything was set. I had absolutely nothing to worry about, since I already have my tickets, I'm packed, and the guys helped me made the necessary reservations and told me their location.
They also didn't tell Nathan.
I am so dead.
Maybe it isn't too late to back out?
But then, I remembered Jay's face when I told him I was coming. He looked so happy, overjoyed, even. It was like watching a little kid at Christmas.
I can't just cancel it, can I?
I came to my senses when my seatmate tapped my shoulder and gestured for me to turn over my paper. With an uneasy smile (it felt more like a cringe) I handed it to her.
"Have a nice break, everyone," The professor said, before leaving the room. I gathered my things and stood up.
As I walked out, I tried to stop my legs from shaking. I would have just enough time to take a shower, pick up my stuff and drive to the airport.
Not wasting any time, I quickened my pace.
~
"Yes, mom, I'll be fine. I have your credit card, and yes, I won't use it excessively. Calm down. I'll be back just before the semester starts again. I have some books and worksheets with me," I assured my mother, walking across the parking lot a few hours later. I settled my phone inbetween my shoulder and ear as I fumbled for my car keys. "My car will be at the Park n' Ride. I promise to be careful. Siva's picking me up the airport. No need to worry. I gotta go now, can't use my phone while driving, 'member? Bye, love you!"
Then, sighing, I pulled open the door and set my bag in the passenger seat. I sat there, my hand on the wheel, the car already humming.
What was I waiting for?
A few minutes later, I calmed my nerves and took a deep breath.
London, here I come.
~
Several hours later, I woke up to the flight attendant tapping my shoulder. She had a pissed look on her face, as if she didn't want to touch me, and she wanted to leave me there.
"We're here, miss."
I nodded my thanks and stood up. I exited the plane, hearing whispers of "She's his girlfriend" behind my back.
Psh.
I ignored them and walked through the almost empty airport. It was early in the morning.
My bag was the last one on the carousel. I picked it up and went to the waiting area to wait for Siva.
My head was pounding from the very little sleep I got.
I was suddenly jolted awake when I saw the familiar quiff. When he saw me, he gave me a huge smile and waved me over.
"Hey!" Seev exclaimed, hugging me. "Long time no see, Lex!"
"I know," I replied, tilting my head up to look at him. What? He was too tall for me. "Where are the guys?"
"Still snoozing at the flat. Jay's awake. He's waiting," He said casually, boarding the Van waiting for us. I followed suit.
"Figures. How's Jay?"
"Doing good. He still gets cravings for beer, but he's getting better, I guess."
"Oh. That's great."
"Yeah, you should've seen him during the first week. We had to toss out the beer stash."
"Aww, poor you."
"Heh. We've still got one cooler at Max's room."
"Typical."
We sat there, in a comfortable silence as he texted on his phone.
"Do you want to see Jay or do you want to proceed to your hotel?" He asked, looking up at me with his warm, brown eyes.
"Is Nathan there?" I queried. I didn't want to see him when he's just woken up.
Oops. Not that I want to see him, it's just that didn't want to piss him off. It's way too early.
A look of concern flashed in his eyes. "Oh. Sorry bout that. He's still asleep though. Do you wanna go?"
I looked out the window and thought of it.
Maybe I could pop in and leave immediately?
Coming to a silent decision, I nodded my head.
"I want to see Jay."
~
I was mentally preparing myself for relationship armageddon.
The streets of London zoomed by. It was amazing, but it still didn't distract me from thinking of what could happen.
Finally, we reached their flat.
It was a tad bit smaller than my own house, but it was still big, nevertheless. It was enough for their daily shenanigans and pranks.
Siva walked up to the door, pulled out his keys and chuckled when he saw me still staring at the house, jaw hung open.
"Come on, he's waiting," He said, gesturing for me to follow him.
"This is a very nice flat," I remarked.
"It is. Wait til you see the inside."
He led me inside.
"ALEEX! I MISSED YOU!" A voice echoed from the balcony. I looked up and found myself grinning.
"I missed you too, Jaybiiiird! Now keep it down!" I hissed back. He barreled downstairs, immediately enveloping me in his arms.
Imagine my shock when he suddenly let out a groan of pain and clutched his abdomen.
I let him drape an arm around mine and helped him up to his room, together with Siva.
"Take it easy, Tiger," I said with a chuckle. He shrugged.
He lay back on his bed. Siva excused himself and went out.
"How've you been doing?" I asked, sitting down next to him.
He placed his arms behind his head, looking at me. "Good, but there's still the symptoms. And resisting beer is pretty hard. They had to toss out the stash."
I smirked, remembering what Siva told me. "Right. Toss out. Anyway, what's with you? What's the diagnosis?"
He sighed. "I have Alcoholic Liver Disease, Lex. I can't touch another bottle of beer for a long time."
"Oh."
There was a long silence after that. It became unbearable.
"Jay, get some rest now. I'm just gonna do some exploring."
"Alright, but-"
He was interrupted when the door suddenly opened.
"Jay, what was all the racket abou-"
We stared at each other in shock.
Standing in the doorway was Nathan.
It didn't help at all that he was shirtless and only wore pajama bottoms.
I swallowed the growing lump in my throat and resisted the desire to jump on him and smother his face with kisses.
"Hi?"
Time froze. I looked into his eyes, and suddenly, it was just me and him.
But my fairytale moment stopped when he threw me a look of pain and loathing and slammed the door behind him, leaving me in shock.
"He's been like that for a whole week," Jay said quietly. "It's like the monster in him's been awakened again."
My heart sank down to my shoes and deep into the core of the earth.
I hoped this isn't what I think it is.
~
NATHAN.
I lay on the bed, thinking about what I should do next.
Not that I wasn't happy to see her, it's just... What she said. I dunno, but it seems to me, she doesn't like protection? Oops, that came out wrong. Anyway, I didn't want her to come because we were busy, and I didn't know how we could make time for her. London is a very busy place. Plus, I wanted her to visit London as a surprise. I wanted it planned, not like this.
I stood up.
I was going to go and apologize for the way I acted, but then I heard a knock on the door.
"Nath?" A female voice called out. "Can we talk?"
I froze. It was Alex for sure.
Should I? I mean, I was still pissed about her popping in without me knowing. I'm her BOYFRIEND, for God's sake.
I needed time to think.
"Maybe later?" I lied. I picked up a pair of clothes and a towel and ducked into the shower.
"Oh. Okay," I could hear the disappointment in her voice and immediately felt guilty. "I..I'll wait downstairs."
I stepped inside and turned on the shower. I needed time to think.
And I know where to go.
~
I stepped out of my room and took a deep breath. I could hear Alex's voice downstairs, probably still waiting for me. I can't just blow her off. It would hurt me as much as it would hurt her.
Why am I doing this again?
Then it came to me.
Oh. Okay.
With a final deep breath, I squared my shoulders, plastered a scowl on my face and started going downstairs.
"Where are you going?" Max asked, not looking up from his phone. I walked up to the door, passing Alex in the process. She looked confused, disappointed, even.
"Out. I'll be back in a jiff," I lied, heading out the door.
"Nath-" Alex said gently, starting to approach me. I opened the door, prepared to step outside in the cold, London breeze, refusing to look at her.
"Alex," I sighed. "Later."
"Oh," She replied quietly. "Okay."
I was halfway out when I caught what she said.
"What did I do wrong?"
~
There's two types of parties: One is the crazy, teenage, lots-of-booze party, and the other is the Victoria's secret model's party, lots of alcohol included.
You can guess what I crashed.
I stood outside the club, already feeling the rapid change in temperature. I had already been walking and going everywhere the whole day, in the sun, and my jacket certainly wasn't enough. Forgetting Alex was coming along nicely too.
"Hey, man, Nathan Sykes here," I said casually, walking up to the huge bouncer and holding a hundred-pound bill up. "Here's a tiny tip, could you let me in?"
He eyed the bill, then let out a sigh and grabbed it. He opened the door for me.
"Thank you," I replied, winking at him.
I stood at the door and took a look around. Models were everywhere. Gorgeous human beings in short dresses and heels. Others came with their boyfriends, then some others single. Several were on the dance floor.
I am in for a real treat tonight.
~
Blood pounded in my ears as I took another shot of whiskey. My throat burned and my stomach churned. My vision was beginning to swim. I was getting drunk.
I turned my head to the side when another person slipped onto the stool beside me.
She was about as tall as I was, with light blonde hair ironed pin-straight. Her blue eyes sparkled, and it was beautifully sexy. Her pink lips looked soft enough. She wore a black, strapless dress that accentuated her curves. In short, this woman was gorgeous.
"Hello," I said, trying to control the slur in my voice. "Nathan Sykes, from The Wanted. You are?"
She chuckled. "I knew it was you. Alicia Burke. Nice to meet you."
And we hit it off there.
~
"Don't you have a girlfriend?" She managed to sigh out. I left another trail of kisses down her neck before answering.
"I do? I don't know."
"Nathan, you're drunk. Give me your phone," Alicia said once more, sitting up and reaching for my phone on the nightstand. I grabbed her hand and tugged it down.
"She doesn't have to know."
"She does."
"Alicia, we've been at this for an hour. Do you seriously want to stop now?"
"Yes. I can't ruin things between you two and just do this 'cause you're drunk. I'm sorry." She pushed me off her gently, causing me to land on her bed.
"Now, you take a rest there. I'll take care of Everything."
"Please, Alicia," I slurred out. "You can't do this. I love her."
"Yes, I know you do. Which is exactly why you should sleep. She won't know. I'll be in the other room."
She stood up and picked up her clothes from the floor. She tossed me a pair of pajamas.
She left the room.
I blacked out a few minutes later.
~
ALEX.
My phone rung like crazy. It was driving me mad. Who the hell would call in the middle of the night?
With a final grunt, I managed to gather enough strength to pick it up.
"Alex?" Max's anxious voice came from the other end of the line. "Do you think you can come down here? Nathan isn't here yet and he's the only one who knows how to calm Jay down. He's freaking out and burning up at the same time. We need your help."
I heard Jay's cries in the background.
I was jarred awake.
"Of course," I replied, yawning. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "I'll be there in ten minutes. See ya."
~
I stood at their porch, hugging my jacket closer. The wind was howling, plus the streets weren't that brightly lit. You can't help but be paranoid, especially when it's already 1 in the morning, and you're in a foreign place.
There was the sound of footsteps down the stairs, then the door flung open.
It was Tom, and he looked very hyper.
"Alex!" He cried, grinning hugely. "You should see Jay! He's hallucinating, it's fucking entertaining!"
I arched an eyebrow at him. "Really?"
"Yeah! Come on!"
Tom dragged me inside and up the stairs.
When he opened the door, there was quite a sight to behold.
Max and Siva lay on the floor, laughing their asses off, while Jay lay on the bed, staring at something on the ceiling.
"OHMYGOD WHY ARE YOU ALL BLUE PEOPLE?" He screamed, pointing at all of us. "IS THIS AVATAR?"
I arched an eyebrow. Tom snickered.
"When did this start?" I asked.
"A few hours ago. We don't know what happened. It'll usually stop after a few minutes." Max filled in, finally composing himself.
We spent the next few minutes watching Jay babble on. Not gonna lie, it was pretty amusing. He almost caused a big mess when he walked into his closet, looking for Narnia.
We eventually got tired of holding him down, so we took a seat and enjoyed the show.
We were all at the point of falling asleep when he suddenly stood up.
You can guess what happened.
He not only fell, but fainted, too.
I was the first to stand up and get to him. Adrenaline pumped in my veins. My heart thumped loudly in my chest.
"Get him on the bed. I'll call the doctor. Seev, get a washcloth and a basin of water." Max said, pulling out his phone. Tom helped me hoist Jay on the bed. Siva rushed out, and Max stayed in the corner, talking into the phone.
"Is this normal?" I asked Tom, who had grabbed the thermometer and stuck it underneath his armpit. He looked at me.
"It happens sometimes when he stands up," He replied. "Though it first happened when he tried to drink more beer... Do you think he-?"
"I thought he didn't know about the stash in Max's room?"
"He could've found it. You never know."
I bent down and checked under the bed.
Sure enough, there was at least 3 cans of beer, plus 2 more unopened. I grabbed one.
I held up the can for Tom to see. "He found it."
~
"He's fine," The doctor finished, looking at each of us. "Though he has to lay off the beer and continue taking his meds. If he tries to drink again, seek counseling."
I arched an eyebrow. "He's not addicted. Why should he?"
"It will help him somehow." The doctor replied, sounding quite irritated. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go."
"Thank you."
He left the house then.
A tense silence followed.
"Somebody should check on Jay, see how he's doing." Max pointed out.
I sighed. "You guys go to sleep. I'll take care of him."
"Are you sure?" Tom asked, concern in his eyes. "We can stay up."
"It's okay. You've been up for the past few hours, while I've been sleeping. You need rest. Go."
The three guys slinked off and headed up. I followed shortly and entered Jay's room, only to find him throwing up in the bathroom.
"Jay!" I cried, running up to him and rubbing circles on his back as he bent over the toilet.
He groaned and sat down on the bathroom floor, leaning against me, resting his head on my shoulder.
"This is getting tiring," He said, looking up at me with his brilliant, blue eyes. "Alex, make it stop."
I looked at him. He truly looked like he was in pain. I hate seeing him like this. I hate seeing any one of them like this.
"I wish I could, Jay," I said, wrapping my arms around him. "I wish I could. But why did you have to drink three cans when you know they aren't good for you?"
He sighed and closed his eyes. "You saw? God, I couldn't help it. The temptation was too hard to resist."
"I get that it's hard to stop. But do it for yourself. Do it for all of us. You can do this, Jay."
"Just... Just let then get rid of the beer stash, please?"
I chuckled. "I will. Now let's get you cleaned up. You need rest, too."
I helped him up. He stumbled a little, and it took all of my strength to hold him. We got out. I changed his shirt, had him brush his teeth, drink his meds and finally, tuck in to bed. He was still stuck with a burning fever though, which left me with more duties.
I took his temperature, made sure he was comfortable and begun wiping him with a cool cloth.
I notice he also stared at me a lot while I did my job.
I pushed back his hair and placed the washcloth on his forehead. I've heard it lowers the temperature. My mother used to do it to me when I got sick.
He stared at me more. It was unnerving and flattering, in a way.
I couldn't take it.
"What?" I asked, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "Is there something on my face or do I really look that ugly at this time of day?"
Jay just smiled at me. "It's nothing. Nath's just really lucky to have you."
I smiled, but there was an ache in my heart.
I chuckled. "Alright. Now go to sleep. You need rest. Good night, Jaybird."
I played with his curls as he slowly fell asleep. I suddenly began to think about the time when we 'fake-dated.'
Those were the days.
I really hope Jay would finally have a girl in his life someday. He deserves to be loved by someone already. I mean, come on. The guy's sweet. Adorable. Lovable. And can be hot in a few angles. Who wouldn't want him?
I was about to fall asleep when my phone rang.
I picked it up groggily. It was Nathan.
"Hello?"
Imagine my shock when a female voice answered back.
"Hello? Is this Alex?"
"Yeah. Why? Who are you."
"Oh, I'm Alicia Burke. I met Nathan at the club."
"Hi, Alicia," I was beginning to get nervous. "So, what's happening?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, but Nathan is incredibly drunk. We hit it off, you know, sorta flirting. You'll know where that would lead to."
She said. My eyes began to fill with tears. So that's were he's at, huh?
"But don't worry, we didn't do it. We almost did. I'm sorry, Alex. I knew I should've stopped immediately. He's here with me, I think he's asleep. Should I drive him there or..?
I swiped at my tears with the back of my hand and forced myself to not crumble.
"It's okay. He'll go home in the morning. Thanks, Alicia."
"I'm really sorry."
"It isn't your fault," I assured her. "It's okay. Good night."
I hung up. I slammed my phone on the bedside table, making Jay bolt awake.
"What was tha-" He mumbled, looking around sleepily.
I laid him back down. "It's nothing. Go back to sleep."
He must've noticed my puffy face, because his eyes opened completely and looked at me with concern.
"What's wrong? Is it Nath? What did he do?" He fired at me, taking me into his arms. I broke down completely.
"Can I just sleep here? Please?" I asked, sniffling into his shirt.
"Sure. It's the only way I can repay you."
We sat there in silence. I liked the fact that he didn't even try to question me further. He just held me there, even though he was sick. At one point, I think he took off the towel on his forehead, but I didn't know. I didn't even notice what was happening around me. I was completely drowned in my thoughts.
Gee. That girl was pretty tough to call me.
It was thoughtful too, that she realized that Nathan has a girlfriend.
Though I don't feel like it anymore.
I wrapped my arms around Jay's waist and snuggled closer to him. He held me tighter. This was different. This felt brotherly, comforting, even. This didn't give me sparks, it just gave me the feeling that somebody was still there.
"Good night, Jaybird."
I felt him plant a small kiss on the top of my head, like Nathan used to do. It made me cry harder.
"I hate seeing you like this," He mumbled. "Everything will be better tomorrow. Don't worry."
I closed my eyes, determined to forget about everything and just get some rest.
"Good night, Princess. Sleep tight."
~
A/N: I'm REALLY, TERRIBLY sorry for the long wait, I had wretched exams. -_- And guess what? I barely passed my Math exam. -_- Ugh.
Anyway, ooohh. Nath's in deep troubleeee. (;
I only have one week of school left, so updates may come a little more faster. WOOP WOOP.
BTW, dedication goes to xGuardian29Angelx because she's commented on majority of the chapters. And you know how much I love hearing from you guys. (:
OMFG THIS REACHED 6 PAGES. YAYAYAY! :>>
CHIN UP, BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE YOU. ❤ YOU'RE AWESOME IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THIS PART.
Spread Love, Eat Nutella. ❤