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"Riley?" I called as I knocked on her door.

I've been standing outside of her apartment for five minutes, waiting for her to open the door so I could grab a shirt of Nick's I let her steal from my closet, but now apparently Nick wants it back for a date he has tonight with someone he won't tell me the name of.

I texted her telling her I was coming to pick it up and she just replied with an "ok," so I figured she was home.

Growing impatient, I take her spare from my keychain and unlock her door. It was pretty quiet when I stepped inside, and I picked up Nick's shirt when I saw it laying out on the couch. As as I grew closer to her bedroom door, it was drop dead silent.

"Riley?" I sang, knocking on her bedroom door that was open a crack before pushing it open all the way.

My eyes widened and I nearly screamed when I found her asleep next to a very familiar - and naked - man. I slapped my hand over my mouth and hurried out of her apartment as quietly as I could.

I locked it behind me, still in complete and utter shock. I mean I suspected it was happening, but to actually see the proof was something I wasn't prepared for at all.

I was still traumatized by what I saw that I even forget to put on music on my drive to Nick's place. The minute he opened his apartment door, I stepped into his apartment wanting to burst out the newfound information I just found out.

"You are never going to believe what I just -" I stopped in my tracks when I saw his bedroom door wide open and Louis was putting a shirt on over his bare chest.

"Oh my god, is the entire world having sex?!" I exclaimed, my shocked state becoming more intense.

"Mads-"

"No." I cut him off and held my hand up to stop him for talking again before taking a deep breath and handing him his shirt and speaking as calmly as I could so I could process the last twenty minutes of my morning. "Here's your shirt. I'm gonna go."

I left his apartment before he could get another word in, and I spent my entire morning completely baffled, sitting in my apartment and wondering how in the hell the world turned upside down within the past twenty-four hours.

It was now nearing seven o'clock at night and I was sitting in my living room with Brandon, Zayn, Riley, Harry, Anna, and the baby.

I kept glancing between Zayn and Riley the entire night, watching them each smile whenever they would look at their phones.

While Harry was in the middle of playing with the baby, I got up to use the restroom so I could splash my face with cold water, still not processing this morning.

I guess I can see Zayn and Riley since I had my suspicions, but Nick and Louis? I knew Nick was bisexual, but I never would have expected him and Louis getting together.

After walking out of the bathroom, I drop myself back onto the couch. My heart jumped out of my chest when I looked up and saw my head was not on a cushion. Instead, I was looking up at a pair of sexy green eyes that were looking down at me in amusement. "Where in the hell did you come from?"

"My mother." He chuckled, watching as I sat up quickly with a tired frown on my face.

That's another thing. Harry seemed to be back to normal.

Well, not completely. We didn't tell anybody about last night, and we weren't acting as if it didn't happen, but we weren't being awkward about it. If anything, we were being a little flirtatious, but not enough for anyone to suspect that anything happened.

"We need to put a fucking bell on you." I muttered, scooting over and laying back down so my head hit the couch this time.

"Damn. Someone's grumpy today." Zayn teased from the other couch, sipping his coffee innocently.

I wanted to glare at him, but refrained from doing so. Harry, however, noticed my hostility and furrowed his brows.

Just looking at Harry made images of last night pop up in my head, and I started to chew the inside of my lip. I guess he caught on to what I started to think about, because I noticed him fight the urge to smirk.

A shy grin crept onto my face at how he looked down at me. He even winked. Winked. It wasn't sexual, but I felt those stupid butterflies in my stomach and I'm not going to lie, lately I've been finding everything he does sexually attractive.

I'm just lucky I don't have a penis because that would be embarrassing walking around with a boner.

Then there are times when I kind of want a penis, just to see for myself how it works.

What am I even talking about now?

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize Riley was talking to me.

"Earth to Madison!" She called, waving her hand over my face.

I reached up and grabbed her wrist, giving her a smile to let her know I was present. "I hear you."

"You were zoned out for, like, five minutes." She chuckled. "Did Nick get his shirt?"

I cleared my throat and dropped my smile, remembering that I was a little upset with her for not telling me about her and Zayn.

"Yeah, he got it." I answered shortly.

Riley looked a little surprised by my sharp response and was about to say something else, but Harry beat her to it.

"Maddie, can I talk to you for a second?"

I looked up at him and he gave me a pointed look, so I sighed and sat up. "Yeah, I guess."

We both stood up from the couch and I followed him out to the balcony. It was quite warm outside with a nice breeze, so I didn't mind the place he chose to talk.

"Are you okay?" He asked, staring at me with a very concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"You seem...off today, and you look like you want to bite someone's head off." He chuckled before glancing down at the floor then back up at me. "It's not about last night, is it?"

My eyes widened, catching on that he thinks I'm upset about last night. "No! Last night was great. It's not you, don't worry."

"Okay, good." He let out a breath and smiled. "So what's going on?"

I hesitated in telling him about Zayn and Riley. I know we already had a conversation about them on our drive back from London, but now that I know it's true, I didn't want to spread it around unless Riley was okay with people knowing.

But I also didn't want to lie to him.

"I just...I saw you playing with the baby and felt a little sad, I guess." I answered, which was partially the truth. It did hurt a little to see Harry playing with Aurora because I couldn't help but think that could have been us.

"Oh." His smile dropped into a frown. "I didn't realize. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm not gonna keep you from entertaining a child." I smiled, easing his mind because of how sorrowful my answer clearly made him.

"The last thing I want is to hurt you. I know that it's a sensitive topic." He continued to apologize, but I rest my hands on his shoulders.

"Harry, it's fine. I'm fine. I promise." I reassured him before pointing to my lips. "See? I'm smiling."

The corner of his lips lifted, which was enough to satisfy me.

"Okay. But the minute it bothers you, please tell me."

"I will." I nodded. His consideration for my feelings about the entire subject was heart-warming, and only made my love for him grow.

As soon as the both of us walked inside, Brandon stepped in front of me, holding his phone out for me with a sad look on his face. He looked on the verge of tears and it worried me.

"It's Zia." He whispered, telling me that the person on the phone was my aunt.

I take the phone from him and step back outside so I was alone, closing the door behind me.

"Hello?"

"Ciao, piccola. Come va?" She spoke on the other line. (Hi, baby. How are you?)

"Sto bene. E tu e la nonna??" I questioned. (I'm fine. And you and grandma?)

She hesitated on the other line, which made my worry only grow. "Sto bene. Tua nonna è appena tornata dai medici." (I'm fine. Your grandmother just got back from the doctors.)

"Oh." I breathed nervously. "Cosa è successo?" (What happened?)

"Hanno detto che c'è una possibilità che il suo cancro possa tornare." She said, her voice wavering and a quiet sniffle filling my ears. (They said there is a chance her cancer could come back.)

My eyes began to water at the sickening news, and I brought my hand to my mouth to refrain from crying. I swallowed back a sob.

"Conoscono la percentuale?" (Do they know the percentage?)

There was a brief silence on the other side before she answered. "Eighty-seven."

That was enough for the sob to come up my throat. "Oh my god."

"Tuo padre sta volando qui appena può ma ha detto di prenotarti un biglietto sul suo volo se volevi venire anche tu." (Your dad is flying here as soon as he can but he said to book you a ticket on his flight if you wanted to come too.)

"Sì, per favore e mandami un'e-mail con l'itinerario." I tell her as clearly as I can, sniffling and wiping my eyes on my sleeve even thought I was still crying a lot.

"I will, my love." She answered. "She's been asking for you."

I smiled sadly, my chest tightening as my need to see my nonna increased by each second I wasn't on a flight there right now. "Can you give her the phone?"

"Of course I can. One second."

There was shuffling on the other end for about a minute before I heard the sound of my Nonna's voice. It only made me cry more, but I refrained from making it known so I don't worry her.

"Ciao bello."

"Ciao, Nonna. È Maddie." (Hi, grandma. It's Maddie.)

"So che sei tu, mia principessa." She chuckled. (I know it's you, my princess.)

I put my hand back over my mouth and swallowed harshly before talking again. "Come to senti?" (How do you feel?)

"Oh, piccola, non preoccuparti per me." She replied, a frown evident in her voice. "Ti ho visto pattinare. sono molto fiero di te." (Oh, baby, don't worry about me. I saw you skate. I'm very proud of you.)

I brought the phone away from my ear and covered the speaker while I quickly composed myself so I don't break down with her on the phone.

"l'ho fatto per te." I continued to smile through my pain, the sound of her voice enough to keep me going for now. (I did it for you.)

"Mi manchi." (I miss you.)

"Mi manchi anche tu." I responded, not wanting to hang up but knowing I have to do it soon or she will scold me for crying over her. "Devo andare, ma verrò presto. Ti voglio bene." (I miss you too. I have to go, but I will come soon. I love you.)

"Ti amo di più. Ciao bello." (I love you too. Bye beautiful.)

"Ciao." I whispered before hanging up, finally letting out the sob I've been holding back. I set the phone down on the ledge and rested my head in my hands while I cried.

I heard the door slide open and shut before a hand rested on my back. Already knowing it was my brother, I turned around and cried into his chest while he embraced me, resting his chin on the top of my head. I tried my best to calm down because she wouldn't want me to cry, so I took a few deep breaths but remained in Brandon's comforting hug, sniffling every now and then.

"She'll be okay, Maddie." He whispered, keeping his hands on my arms and pulling back to look at my face. His eyes were red and he looked like he was trying not to cry with me. "You know Nonna is one tough bitch."

I let out a sad laugh as I wiped beneath my eyes, which made him smile that he helped calm me down a bit.

"You're not wrong." I whispered, smiling weakly. "She was married to a mobster for two years."

That time I got him to laugh. He kissed the side of my head and grabbed his phone, giving me one last side-hug. "Want me to make them leave?"

I shake my head and take one last deep breath. "No, I'm just gonna take a walk and come back."

"Okay. Be safe and keep your phone on you." He opened the door and allowed me to step inside first. I was immediately met with all pairs of eyes on me.

"I'm not going far, but I will." I assured him, taking my phone from the counter and walking past everyone, not really in the mood to talk.

I just needed to be alone for at least ten minutes otherwise I would have an anxiety attack, so I went to the best place I go to when I want to be alone:

The roof.

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