Personal Experience

Chapter Thirty

*Harry’s P.O.V.*

I keep telling Holly that I’ve been feeling uneasy about Colleen. Something’s not right with her, and I feel like it’s something terrible. Colleen has been more tense and jumpy than she has for the past few months; and having night-terrors way more than usual. We’re in Florida for a week; four more shows and we’ll reach the halfway mark of the tour.

“HARRY!” I wake up as fast as possible like always turning to her. “Help me!” she tosses and turns in the bed. It’s been so common now that I just sigh deeply; another headache beginning again. She falls back into the bed shaking. I pull her onto my chest, and rub her back causing her to stir.

“Harry? What’s going on?”

“Another night-terror,” I say without any emotion. She doesn’t say anything. “Colleen, why are you having so many?”

“Am I really?”

“Yes. At least one every night.”

She looks up at me with soft eyes, “Harry,” she says calmly reaching for my face.

“Don’t even,” I say pushing her so I can get out of the bed. I begin to pace the room, “What are you keeping from me?! I am so fucking worried about you.” I hate swearing in front of her. “The others have been worried sick. Why are you shutting us out?!” She jumps back from me. “Honestly, I can’t help you if you don’t want to be helped.”

Tears roll down her eyes, “Harry… I’m not keeping anything from you.” She begins to tremble.

“That’s bullshit, Colleen! Stop lying to me!” She jumps even further back; hitting the wall. She won’t say anything. “I’m waiting,” I say pissed. Colleen falls to the floor crying, so I rush over on instinct yelling, “Baby!” nothing but fear crosses my lips.

“Alright, alright,” she says deeply. “The… The guy got parole,” she sobs uncontrollably sitting up. “He’s been harassing me!”

“Oh my gosh, Colleen! Why would you keep something like this from me?! From Holly?!”

“It gets worse…” she won’t look at me.

“WORSE?!”

“He knows that El and Andrea aren’t with us. And that they’re at Niall’s home… He’s been watching them; he knows where Andrea works, and where El goes to school,” she replies grabbing onto me.

“My God, Colleen! Why would you keep this to yourself?!” I pull her closer stroking her hair. “Don’t you think the guys deserve to know about this?!” I take my phone from the nightstand.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m calling Paul. He’ll know what to do, and then we’ll go tell the guys.”

“O-okay,” she hiccups. After Paul comes to our room we tell him everything. He said he’ll be back with the final decision when he makes it; which probably won’t be a hard one to make. Even though it’s four in the morning we go around waking everyone up. I feel terrible that I have to ruin our tour.

“What the hell?!” Niall says, “It’s four in the damn mornin’!”

“Why the long faces?” Louis asks rubbing his eyes.

“Guys, we unfortunately need to talk.”

“What’s so important that you had to wake us up?” Liam says irritated.

“Don’t tell me, baby Styles is on his or her way?” Niall laughs angrily.

“It’s much worse than that…” I scratch the back of my head; everyone’s expressions change from annoyance to worry in less than a second.

Colleen and I stand here speechless, “Let’s,” she hiccups, “Let’s go into our room.”

"After we get Holly,” I add. Once she’s up she comes with us.

“Okay, now tell us!” Louis says once we’re all situated.

I speak up, “The guy that hurt Colleen got parole.” Niall, Louis, Liam and Kaitlyn tense up the moment I began to talk.

“Go on,” says Louis through clenched teeth.

“He’s been threatening Colleen, and she’s been keeping it from us…”

“You kept this from us?!” yells Liam.

“That’s not all…”

“IT’S NOT?!”

“He knows that Eleanor and Andrea are back home. He knows where Andrea works and where El is going to school…”

“I think,” Colleen says, “I think he’s even been to your place, Niall.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?! YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK YOU!” he yells at Colleen. I’ve never seen her so scared in my life. “Don’t start with this bullshit! I told you this is why I didn’t want to do this tour!” Niall continues to yell at us. I can’t tell if his tears are of fear... Or anger.

“Come on Niall, calm down. It’s not just Andrea, ya know? Are you forgetting that El is with her?!” Louis bolts up to get in Niall’s face. “What are we supposed to do about it? It’s not like there’s much if he’s already there.”

“What the hell, Louis?! How the fuck are you not concerned right now?!” Louis has always been the best at hiding his emotions. “Of course there’s nothing we can do now since Colleen’s not the one in danger this time! No, it’s the ones who aren’t with us! The ones we can’t protect!” Niall wipes the tears from his eyes. I think he’s the most scared knowing something might happen to the girls back home.

“Guys, the story checks out,” Paul says walking in on all of us. “The guy is on parole and I’m cancelling the rest of the tour until he’s been found. The best I can do for the girls right now is send them security.” He seems just as worried as the rest of us.

Niall walks over to us and leans down placing his hands on mine and Colleen’s shoulders, “If anything happens to Andrea, I will hate you two for the rest of my life. That’s a promise.” Niall storms out of the room slamming the door making everything on the walls shake.

Louis looks at us pissed off; finally showing some kind of emotion. Still calmer than Niall, “I really hope for your sake, they’re okay and well protected.” Louis shakes his head as he walks back to his room. Zayn, Liam and Kaitlyn look between everyone; shock and fear is clearly seen in their eyes. Kaitlyn embraces Colleen in a long, tight hug before the three of them leave the room.

Holly raises her hand to keep Colleen and I from leaving; I almost forgot she was in the room with us. “Colleen I-” she sighs. “I really can’t believe you kept this from us. Especially from him. You’ve been doing so well. And because it’s practically regulation for me to ask, have you been cutting?”

I look down at the girl bawled up in me, “Y-yes,” she stutters.

“Oh baby,” I cry with her hearing Holly sigh deeply. I lift her from the seat. “You’ll talk more about this later,” I say to Holly.

“Alright. Good night, you two.” She slowly walks out of the room with an equally saddened expression as the others.

I carry Colleen to our bedroom as she continues to sob into my shirt. “My baby girl.” I gently place her shaking body into her bed. At least I try to. “Come on, Love. Just lay down.” She won’t let go; tightening her grip around my neck. I sigh knowing I’m not going to win this. I slide into bed with Colleen still holding onto me. Hours pass as she continues to cry. This suffering kills me. “I watch the morning dawn upon your skin,” I start to sing as the sunrise shines through the room. “A splinter in the light; it caught and frayed the very heart of us. It’s been hiding there inside for all this time. How a sure thing winds up just like this. Clockwork silence only knows.” This is a song of one of the artist she introduced me to three years ago. Josh Groban’s Now or Never. The tears don’t stop, and I fear the never will.

Any ideas on what might happen?! I want to know what you guys think!! Oh, and 3/4 of the way through!