The Setup

We've already ran through the set list once and were going through it again. We were planning on running through it three times today. The boys and I really hate running through it so we usually dork around on stage. Right now Liam was chasing me while we were singing 'Best Song Ever'. Harry was just doing some weird dance while Zayn and Louis were dorking around with some of the instruments. I look out at Cleo who seems bored and annoyed. Then I see that Eleanor is still talking about something. Now I see why she seems annoyed. But she seems like she is just tuning out Eleanor…she looks lost in her thoughts. I wonder what she is thinking about. Then our choreographer calls break. He also looks annoyed. I start to head over towards Cleo when Louis slings his arm over my shoulder and practically yells to everyone. "Look it! Both our ladies watching us. How lovely isn't it Nialler?" I smile at the usual nickname. I look at Cleo and see that she seems stunned. I know why…she probably didn't know that anyone still called me that. I got up to get a bottle of water and she follows me. What if she really doesn't like our music…what if her old boy toy was right. I really want her to like my music since we were a couple. Whether she wanted to be with me or not. "Do you like the music? You seem to not be enjoying yourself Cleo…" She looks at me with those eyes. She didn't really seem to know what to say. I study her face. She isn't wearing any make up. So her eyes stood out against her pale skin. Her freckles were easily visible. I loved her freckles they made her seem like she was still innocent. Still full of hope. "You still let people call you that…silly name I gave you?" I can't help but smile and look down at my shoes. How do I respond without sounding weird…to be honest that nickname was the only thing she gave me that I still held on to. Most of the gifts she has ever got me I either got rid of or outgrew. "Yea…I like it. It was like you were always with me when someone called me that. Mostly just the boys call me that though." I took another swig of my water and looked at her. Cleo had her arms crossed over her chest like usual. I've realized that’s her usual stance. Arms crossed as if shielding herself. "You thirsty?" I hold out the bottle. She just looks at me…with no emotion. I have grown to hate it when she displays nothing. I would rather have her be mean or yell at me than this. Because then I know she actually feels something. "No thanks. You drank from it…"
"We shared drinks all the time growing up." I decide to press her buttons. I smirk at her and still have the water bottle out for her to grab. She just grabs the bottle and takes a sip before passing it back to me. I just smile and shake my head at her. She was never like this at all. "You were never this stubborn growing up."
"I'm not the same girl Niall." I hear the rest of the boys yelling that it was time to go back. I throw away the bottle. I then do something that I have been thinking about ever since I got her alone back here. I press her against the door. Our bodies lined up and she looked at me with wide eyes. I put my lips to her ears and whisper to her. "I am going to break down your walls…I'm going to get my redhead back." I feel her shiver so I smile I kiss her cheek lightly and then I kiss her neck. She whimpers a bit. I leave with a smile on my face. She doesn't come out right away and stays back for about two songs. I follow her with my eyes. I watch her every move. I see the Eleanor said something that makes her face scrunch up. I wonder what she said. But Cleo looks at me so I wink at her. Which I don't think makes it better. Because Eleanor says another thing and then Cleo storms out back into the hallway. "What the hell Ellie?!" I shout in the mic and then I drop it to go after Cleo. I get to the hallway and don’t see her. Then I go to my assigned dressing room. I fling the door open to see Cleo staring into a mirror as if she was looking at a different person instead of her reflection. "Cleo are you--" She whirls around and looks at me. "Shouldn't you be practicing? I'm fine Niall. I can take care of myself." I take a step back as if she just slapped me. She still doesn't want to be here. I have to make her see that I'm not going to hurt her or leave her. "Cleo. You don't have to anymore. That’s why I am here."
"And I'm only here because I was forced to. Just go back out there I'll be fine." I don't know why her words hurt me. But they did. I just left her and sat out in the hallway for a bit. I just want to be there for her. But she keeps on pushing me away. Why? I didn't do anything. I just wanted to be with her again. My heart feels like someone just ripped it out. I hear Ellie's voice. "um…is she okay? I didn't mean to hurt her…why is she so--"
"Closed off? She wasn't raised right. Just apologize okay? I really like her and I don't like seeing her like this."
"Yea okay…Niall you should probably go back out there." I nod and head back to the stage Harry comes over and asks me if everything was okay. I just say that Ellie said something that was taken the wrong way. They just nod and Louis apologizes to me for Ellie. "I'm not the one who got hurt Lou but its fine I know that Ellie didn't do it on purpose." We go back to rehearsing and I see Ellie and Cleo come back. We just started to sing 'Through the Dark' and I realize how much that song applies to Cleo and I. So I look at her the whole time. If she won't let me in then maybe if I sing to her she will listen. We finish and head back to the hotel. Cleo and I go to our room instead of staying with the guys. I just want time with her by myself. I don't know why but I like it better when I have her alone.
"You hungry? I'm going to order room service."
"Um yea…what are you getting?" Cleo turns and looks at me. She comes and sits down next to me on the bed. God I just want to kiss her. But I can't since she will most likely kill me in my sleep if I do. I hand her the menu thing. She doesn’t really look at it. "Get me a cheeseburger and a diet pop. I'm going to change into comfier clothes." She gets up and goes into the bathroom to change. I notice that the shirt she grabbed was my blue one I let her borrow. I can't help but smile at that. She sleeps in my shirt. I think that she just doesn't want to admit she likes me. Its been like 5 minutes and I have to pee. What the fuck is she doing in there? I get up and knock on the door. "Cleo the food should be here soon…and um I have to pee so could you hurry up." I hear her sigh but she gets out so I can finally pee. Thank god! I thought I was going to explode. When I get out the food comes. We just eat in silence though. Which I don't like. It was about 8pm and Cleo is already under the covers. So I take a picture and post it on twitter. I was brushing my teeth when I hear her squeal my name. "Niall!!"
"Hmm?" I come out of the bathroom and look at her.
"You are mean! Why would you say that?" She was holding out her phone showing me the picture. She looked like she was mad. So I jump on to the bed. That’s when I notice her arms. Well I notice the small scars the smattered them. Her dad did this to her…to my Cleo. She never deserved it. She covers up her arms and looks away. Shit I made her uncomfortable. "Cleo I am so sorry…I didn't mean to stare. I just never noticed them before…"
"Yea well don’t worry about it. I survived."
"But did you really?" I know I shouldn't be prying and judging by her face she really wants me to drop it. But I can tell that she hasn’t gotten over it. I mean why else would she still have nightmares after 9 years? Of course I have no room to talk. She still hasn’t looked at me. She is staring out the window. "Its not about surviving…its about getting by. Which I do." Then I do what any good boyfriend would do…I think. I pull her into my chest and wrap my arms securely around her. I kiss her head because I can. "Its okay to admit that you have never gotten over it Cleo. I'm here now…like I should have been all those years ago." She takes a moment to respond. But when she does its not the answer I was hoping for. "It doesn't matter Niall…it happened and now its over." I keep on pressing her.
"So why are you still so broken from it? Let me help you. Talk to me." I run my hands through her hair. Its so soft and it looks like I'm trying to tame fire. I wait for her to respond with hopefully something that she would be willing to share about living under an abusive father. "I don't even know where to begin…its better if I just leave my past alone. Hidden from everyone." She mumbles into my chest. I sigh at her. I know her past though. So why keep it hidden still? I was about to ask another question when I notice her eyes were closed. She was breathing deeply. She fell asleep on me. Literally on me. I kept on playing with her hair. I also sing to her 'Through the Dark'. I've decided that this is our song. I mean it speak perfectly to our situation. After I finish I kiss her head again. "I'm not going anywhere Cleo. So please just let me help you through your darkness." And then I slowly drift off with her sprawled on top of me. Our legs entangled and her hands on my chest. I think I will actually have a dreamless sleep tonight because this is my dream.

Notes

Here you guys go! Sorry for taking so long on updates! Man I am really slacking....I AM SO SORRY! But on the bright side I know how I want this story to end finally. :)

Anywho feel free to leave comments and also check out my other stories! :) I love you guys so much for reading!!

~A xxx