Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Sixty Four

"I- you- I don't- what?" 

"I'm so sorry." Perrie repeated tearfully. 

"I don't understand. What's Maddie said? What happened?" 

"She said your mam's husband came to your dad's earlier. He wanted to tell them in person... apparently she had a heart attack at work and died in hospital." Perrie sighed heavily. "I really didn't want to ruin your night like this babe, but I'm worried about Maddie. She wasn't crying or anything, but she asked for you... she's just... sitting there, I said I'd call you. I offered to take her home but she wants you." 

I rubbed my eyes hard. "Perrie I don't know what to do. I need to come back but we're both drunk, it's five in the morning-"

"I could come and get you." 

"That'd take twice as long. And Lauren's car would be stranded in Manchester. 

"I don't know what to do either." Perrie said. 

"I'll ring you back in a few minutes, okay? Tell Maddie I'm figuring it out, I'm coming back." 

"Okay babe. I'm... I'm really sorry Jakob." 

I hung up without replying and turned to Lauren, blinking sleepily at me. 

"What's going on? Why do you need to go home?" 

I opened my mouth but the words stuck in my throat. It took a full twenty seconds before I eventually whispered, "my mother's dead." 

Lauren struggled out of bed and sat next to me, putting her arm around my shoulder. I shrugged her off, standing up and going to the window. 

"What happened?" 

"Heart attack. Maddie's at mine, she went there expecting me to be there and I'm not. I need to get home." 

"Now?!" 

"Yeah now, but I don't know how."

"I'm sorry Jakers, I can't drive in this state. If we get pulled, I'm fucked." 

I grabbed my trainers I had travelled in and shoved them on, not even thinking about changing out of my attire that I went out in that night. "D'you know where the train station is from here?" 

"Yeah, it's right tound the - you can't get the train now!" 

"I have to. I need to get back and I can't think of another way. You can still sleep it off and drive back up later can't you?" 

"Course I could, but I can't let you get the train by yourself!" 

"I'll be fine Lauren, don't worry." 

"No, chuck us my shoes." 

"I-"

"I said chuck us my shoes, the least I'm doing is walking you there." 

**

"This is ir." I said, standing up as the train pulled in. It had cost me a fortune but it was the only thing I could think of. 

"Right, text me when you get back, yeah? You'll be okay getting home?" 

"I'll be fine. I'm really sorry Lauren, I feel terrible leaving you." 

"Don't be daft, I'm a big girl. Everything's fine, I'll ring you later on." 

"Okay... go get some sleep. I'm sorry." 

"Don't be! Jakers, I'm really sorry about your mum." 

I ignored the sympathy and grabbed my backpack I had stuffed with my essentials. "I better go. I'll make this up to you. Be careful, Lauren."