Twist Of Fate

You're...

Harry's POV
"Can we please change the channel?" I say, walking into the lounge. Louis, Liam and Niall are all watching a football match on television. However, I'm not the least bit interested in what they're watching right now.
"No, this is the semi-final!" Louis practically yells, his eyes glued to the screen. I roll my eyes and lie down on the couch that's free.
"Mus is asleep?" Liam asks, briefly glancing at me. I nod my head and slide my phone out of my pocket.
"Yeah, sound asleep. The day's activities tired her out," I answer. "Kate?"
"Asleep and snoring." I roll my eyes and chuckle. Apparently, Kate has a bad habit of snoring and the trick to shut her up, is to turn her around. Funny. I'd love to hear Bump snore and then tease her about it later.
"No!" I'm on my feet in the blink of an eye.
"Bump?" I call, bounding towards our room. I enter, and flick the lights on. Bumper is lying in bed, her hands on either side of her head, eyes scrunched closed. "What happened?" I murmur to myself.
"No!" She yells again, and throws herself on the other side of the bed. God, she's sleep talking. And by the way she's yelling, I'm going to say she's having a pretty nasty nightmare. "Don't leave me!" I march over to the bed and sit down gently. Taking Bump's hand in mine, I push back the hair that has fallen in front of her eyes.
"I know I'm a whore! But don't," she yells again. I cringe at the name she's called herself. Why is she having such nightmares? Nightmares always depict what one is going through in their subconscious, and why is Bump going through these thoughts at the back of her mind? "Harry, please." She whimpers and my heart constricts. Without waiting another second, I shake her shoulders, trying to wake her up. She groans and turns away from me slightly. "Please don't kick me out."
"Bump! Get up," I say. "Get up!" I shake her shoulders a little more roughly and this time, I manage to break through the cobweb of her sleep. Bump's eyes fly open and she looks around frantically. "Shhh...I'm here." I comfort her, looking into her eyes that are clouded with fear. Bump nods her head vigorously and turns over to face me, wrapping her arms around my waist. She moves her body closer to mine and stares at something on the wall opposite the bed.
"What happened?" I question, after a few seconds. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"
"No, it was nothing." Bump murmurs, her eyes already shut. "Just the usual nightmare."
"But I've never seen you thrash around like that before, nor have I ever seen you have nightmares." Bump mumbles something I don't catch.
"They come seldom, but when they do they're bad. I'm fine, Harry, honest." I take her word for it right now, as I can tell she's once again drifting towards sleep. I hum a sweet, slow tune to her, as her breathing becomes more slow and rhythmic. I don't know when I drifted off myself. However, I get up to Bump's yells, yet again. I'm in the same position – half-sitting, half-lying – but Bumper's facing the other side.
"Don't! Please, Harry." She cries out, choking on her sobs. I grimace and get off the bed, striding over to the other side of the bed.
"Just a nightmare again." I comfort Bump, as I crouch down beside her bed. This time, her hair is plastered to her face with sweat and I wonder just how long she's been having this nightmare for. She groans and hugs the blanket tighter to her chest.
"I beg of you," Bump moans. I shake her awake yet again, and this time, Bump doesn't just fall back asleep. She gets up, and goes into the bathroom. After almost fifteen minutes of her being in there, I get up and knock at the bathroom door.
"You okay?" I call out, leaning my ear toward the door.
"Yeah," Bump says. Her voice sounds choked, as if she's still crying.
"Open the door." I place my hand on the door handle, ready to open it the minute she unlocks the door.
"No, go back to sleep." I sigh, and lean my head against the cold wood.
"Please, Bump. You know I won't be able to sleep knowing you're in there – crying. Don't deny it, I can tell from the sound of your voice."
"Harry, please, I need some time and just a bit of space. I beg of you." The pleading tone in Bump's voice turns my heart into putty and even though I don't want to, I find myself giving in and getting back into bed. Of course, I lie awake until I hear the bathroom door open, Bump crawl back into bed; settle herself in – with her back to me. But I don't open my mouth to say anything because I know she needs space right now and I respect that. We'll deal with this situation tomorrow.
********
"Long night?" Liam asks, handing me a cup of coffee. I just entered the lounge, hair still messy from last night, while all the others are already dressed and ready to set off for the day. Except Bump, she's still asleep.
"Yeah," I murmur.
"Kate and I heard Mus. Is she okay?" Liam questions, concern lacing his tone, like an older brother. I nod my head, covering my mouth as a yawn escapes it.
"Just some nightmares." I explain, taking a seat on the round breakfast table and slamming my head onto it. I feel like I'm back in school – half asleep on my desk – while my annoying teacher rants about the human system. Every part of my body is begging me to hit the sack. However, sleep just doesn't want to shut out the world for me. No, it refuses to do so.
"Nightmares?" Kate's voice is filled with panic and worry. "Did she tell you what were they about?"
"No, why?" I question, suddenly alert. Her expression betrays the fact that something is seriously wrong if Mus is dealing with nightmares. But what could be wrong? I mean, I understand they were serious – not all of us thrash around and yell like that during everyday nightmares – but what could've triggered them? I frown, as my mind tries to come up with a bunch of possibilities.
"Nothing." Kate mumbles, creasing her eyebrows. She lifts the coffee mug and sips from it in silence, her usual chirpiness seems to have disappeared all of a sudden. I want to prod for answers, but at that moment, Mus comes sauntering into the kitchen. She gives us all a tight smile and yanks open the fridge door, her fingers trembling slightly. I frown and take a long sip of my coffee.
"How was your night?" Louis asks, with a tinge of sarcasm. I roll my eyes and glare at him. He knows what we were talking about before Mus stepped in, and she's just doing this for the fun of it all.
"Good," Mus murmurs. She didn't notice his sarcastic tone at all. Mus takes a seat beside Kate, at the breakfast table and sips on her glass of cold milk. Kate places a hand on Mus' arm, reassuringly and a silent conversation takes place between the two. What's going on? I feel like Mus has gone through something like this before. However, she hasn't told me about it. Though clearly, Kate knows.
"What're we doing today?" I question, though I feel like I already know the answer.
"Oh, I'm going to stay behind. Not feeling too good," Bump says. She looks at me and begs for my understanding. Of course I do. However, I'm not leaving her alone.
"I'll stay behind and take care of you." I purse my lips and harden my features, leaving no room for arguments. Bumper gets the message and keeps quiet. The rest of the breakfast is spent in silence. After we're all done, Mus retires back into our room and I stay behind, helping to clear up.
"Harry, be gentle today. Please," Kate says. I stop in my tracks and turn around to face her.
"Kate, what impression do you have of me? Do you think I'm some sort of a tyrant, who forces Mus to do things she doesn't want to?" I ask, disbelief radiating from my tone. "Because I'm not. Find it hard to believe, or not, but I really love her." Kate purses her lips, and stares at the floor. I turn on my heels and stride toward our room. Mus is seated on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees - which she's hugging to her chest - while her eyes are fixed on the window. I take a seat beside her and just stare in the same direction as her. Finally, Mus speaks up.
"What, Harry?" She questions, her eyes landing on me.
"What?" I shrug my shoulders. "I said nothing."
"I'm sure you must be thinking I'm a wacko, who has weird dreams."
"No, not at all. In fact, I was thinking what happened to make this pretty girl behave in such a manner." I explain, staring right into her frightened irises.
"Nothing," Mus whispers. She seals her lips shut and returns to gazing out of the window.
"Oh yeah, because we all toss and scream like you in our sleep." Sarcasm is dripping from my tone and I roll my eyes, showing my utter disbelief. "Tell me." I place my hand on hers.
"Guilt." She's still staring out of the window, towards the concrete jungle, as she moistens her lips and continues. "I feel like a slut. A cheater! I mean, I'm engaged, for God's sake and yet, I'm here with you." Mus scoffs and lets out an emotionless laugh. "A whore, that's what I am."
"Who the fuck instilled such thoughts in your mind? You're nothing of the sort. Plus, you're not in a relationship with Carter, willingly."
"Doesn't matter though, does it? He's sitting there - in Dubai - thinking of me, believing that we're a power couple and I'm here," she laughs again. "Fucking another man." I feel like I've been stabbed. A searing pain shoots through my heart, though I don't know if it's my mind playing tricks on me, or if I'm actually wounded. 'Fucking another man.'
"So I'm just another man? Someone who you're fucking?" I question, eyebrows raised. Mus turns to face me and shakes her head.
"No, of course not. You're..." She struggles to find appropriate words because there are none. It's true, we're not in a relationship and Mus will rather die than admit she loves me. "You're my..." She tries again, but fails miserably.
"Message received." I spit, getting up. I don't know why I'm feeling so hurt, but I am and all I want to do is get away from Bump, before I say something I'll regret.