Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Forty Five

I had just finished on the phone with my dad and was trying to push myself off the sofa when Perrie came back in, clearing her throat loudly.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

"...Standing up?"

"You know you can't. I said I'd come get you. You're not supposed to be straining yourself."

"I'm standing up Perrie, not lifting cars."

"Come here, hold on to me. Your bath is done."

"I'm far more excited for this than I should be."

"Good! Try and appreciate the cheesiness okay?" Perrie said as we went upstairs and she pushed open the bathroom door, standing back and nodding for me to go in first.

The bathroom light was dim, and music was playing quietly from the speakers on the window ledge.

"What's this in aid of?" I said hoarsely.

"Nothing really. I just felt like it... call it repayment for all those massages. You gonna get in or what?"

"You gonna get in with me?"

"No, I'll hurt you babe."

"No you won't, not if you get in first... go on, you've done all the hard work, you might as well enjoy it too."

Perrie pursed her lips, then smiled. "Alright." She said, whipping her top off. She stopped me as I went to do the same. "Lemme help you."

I just nodded, unable to take my eyes off hers as she unzipped my zip up hoodie then gripped the bottom of my top.

"Arms up babe."

"This is so weird." I laughed, holding my breath, and stiffening at the pain that shot through my body as I stretched.

Perrie let my top fall to the floor and tenderly placed her hands on the bruises decorating my sides, looking close to tears.

"Don't look like that babe, it's okay."

"Can I ask you something really random?"

"Yeah?"

"When this happened to you in school... was it worse or not as bad?"

"It was a lot worse." I muttered. "There were six of them and nobody around to stop them."

"Six?!"

I shook my head, indicating that I didn't want to talk about it. I never had, apart from to Lauren at the time.

"You need to stop with that face." I said, lifting Perrie's head to tear her gaze from the bruises.

"What face?"

"The 'I feel sorry for you' face."

"I don't, that's not what I meant to look like. It just makes me sad."

"It was nearly ten years ago now... come on, since when did bath time get so heavy? We gonna get in before it gets cold or what?"

**

I leaned back against Perrie into the bubbles, closing my eyes as she slid her arms around and kissed my neck.

"Am I too heavy?"

"No way, don't you dare move." She murmured. "Listen... I swear I'll drop it after this but, I'll never hurt you like that. You know that don't you?"

"Of course I do, what are you on about?!"

"I'm just saying. I can't promise we'll never argue, or I won't piss you off now and again, but I'll never ever physically hurt you."