Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Twenty Two

She didn't mean it. She couldn't have meant it. She had had way too much to drink. She wasn't talking to me, she was talking to someone else called Jakob. I was dreaming, anything, whatever. But that couldn't have really just happened.

Time stood still. At first, Perrie made no movement, the only sound being her breathing. Moments passed; it could have been a few seconds, or twelve hours, but I felt Perrie's hands leave me and she stepped back but she never took her eyes off me.

"You can't be." I said, finding my voice.

"What?!"

"There's no way." I shook my head. "No way."

"Why not?" Perrie looked confused and upset. And like this was definitely not going the way she had wanted it to.

"You can't be."

"Why can't I be?" She exclaimed.

"You- no. You don't even know me!"

"I do." She said softly. "I do know you. I think I know you better than most."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I." Perrie said. She had tears in her eyes now, looked devastated at my reaction. But I couldn't help it. She couldn't be serious. "I don't understand either... don't you believe me?"

"No." I said and Perrie actually flinched. "I just- I think I should go."

"Please don't." Perrie said immediately. "Don't go."

"I need to go."

Perrie followed me into the hall. I don't think she knew what to do. "You said you wouldn't freak out."

I didn't answer.

"Don't go like this babe, please."

I took my jacket from the hook and opened the door before turning around. I wanted to run at her and hold her, do something to stop her looking so sad.

"Do you mean it?"

Perrie took a step forward then seemed to change her mind. "I mean it."

"I need to think. I- I just need to think." I stammered.

"You can think here, I don't want you to go home by yourself."

"I'll call Lauren, it doesn't matter."

"Will you ring me?" Perrie called desperately as I closed the door. I stopped but I didn't answer.

"At least let me know when you're home?" Perrie said. I couldn't see her now, but I could tell by her voice that she was crying.

"Okay."

**

Lauren picked me up half an hour later. She looked completely confused; I hadn't told her anything over the phone apart from where I was. But she knew where I had been that night.

I got in the car and waited for the questions to start. Ten seconds later, I wasn't disappointed.

"I don't know what to ask you first. What're you doing stood out here on your own? At this time? And what's happened? Has something happened with Perrie? It was tonight you were there right?"

"Can we just go home?"

Lauren sighed loudly and pulled out, setting off home without another word.

When we stopped outside my house, Lauren locked the doors and sat back staring at me. I flicked my lock up but she put it down again.

"What're you doing?"