Bad Habits

25

Hope is the only thing that can be stronger than fear. In this moment as I watch the realization inside of his confused and soft drunk blue eyes. My hope that this will turn out better than what I am currently fearing guides me to my next move.

I gently hop down from the counter as calmly as possible. It’s like a hunter in the forest not wanting to startle the sweet doe. I look to my left quickly to try and gage Niall’s expression but there is none. His eyes are trained on my brothers and they are unreadable.

The loud music and laughter can be heard in the background but everything that happens next is in slow motion. I lift my hand to grab the broken beer bottle from his now bleeding hand.

“Louis..” my shaky and quiet  voice make him finally notice me.

His eyes shift to me in an instant then back behind me toward Niall. There is uncertainty, confusion, and then anger, so much anger. When I nearly grab the bottle he throws it on the ground then proceeds to push me roughly to the wall beside us. His hands are pushing into my shoulders not letting me move from the wall.

“Lou..please..you’re hurti..”

“Shut up Amelia!” He shouts.

I see sudden movement behind him.

“Niall NO!” I yell.

In a second Louis is being thrown to the other wall and away from me. I hunch over holding myself and rubbing my aching shoulders. Niall is stood in front of me in a protective stance. Why does he feel the need to protect me? This is my brother. This is Louis. He wouldn’t hurt me, right? Oh god, what have I done?

“Don’t.” Is all Niall says to him.

I can’t see my brother but I can hear his ragged and angry heavy breath. I stare at the back of Niall’s broad shoulders, his hands are at his sides but the slight twitch in his fingers tells me he is on alert. It feels like a lifetime in endangering silence.

“I thought you were my friend..no..my brother..”

“I am..” Niall’s says to Louis quietly.

“No! My friend wouldn’t fuck my sister!” Louis launches himself forward pushing Niall to the ground.

In one quick moment I see flying arms, one of Louis’s fists connect with Niall’s cheek. I spring forward throwing myself over my brother’s back in an attempt to stop his rage. With one simple shove of his shoulder I am flying back into the wall and hitting the back of my head. My eyes connect with the now angered shining ocean blue ones. I watch as his hands stop Lou’s fists pushing him off of him. Niall turns him along with his arms behind his back and shoves him into the counter.

“Ya don’t wanna do dis Louis..” He says containing his own inner rage.

“How could you?! She’s my sister Horan! The only one I have! The only person I have left!..you knew this!” Lou yells.

It doesn’t take but two seconds before loud steps can be heard coming in this general direction. The first one to make it through the now broken bathroom door is Harry. He scans the small space before him analyzing the situation. When he catches me on the floor he is instantly at my feet helping me up with an arm around my waist for support. Liam and Zayn walk in behind him helping Niall with an outraged Louis. Kat and Annie are standing back in the hall with confused and shocked expressions.

Harry starts to walk me out of the bathroom but I plant my feet where we are looking back at the men in my life.

“Lou..” I gasp out.

My hand finds my side massaging the ache. I must of knocked the breath out of myself when I fell into the wall. He doesn’t turn to look at me instead letting his head fall toward the ground in defeat. I look to Liam and Zayn who are looking between Niall and I. I look up to the blue eyes trained on my side where my hand is. He looks up when he senses me looking at him. He doesn’t look directly in my eye, instead he looks beside me to Harry.