Only You {h.s}

Chapter Six

Warm.  All I feel is the suffocating warmth of my bed.  I kick off the covers in an attempt to cool down, but instead of relief I am hit with the worst headache I've ever had.  Grumbling, I bury my face into my pillow.  I have yet to open my eyes. 

The longer I attempt to fall back asleep, the worse I feel.  When my stomach starts twisting up I know I no longer have the luxury of staying in bed.  I get up fast and run to the bathroom, quickly and dizzily.

Not even shutting the door, I get on my knees in front of the toilet.  My stomach starts emptying itself until tears are spilling down my cheeks and I'm painfully dry heaving.  Why am I so sick?

I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand and stand up shakily.  When I turn around I am met with my gruesome appearance staring back at me in the mirror.  My breathing ceases temporarily as last night's events unfold in my head. The last thing I remember is passing out on the ground.  How did I even get here?

My swollen black eye is the first thing I notice.  There is even a little cut under my eyebrow.  The huge purple handprint on my neck is the second thing.  When I reach up to trace the lines, my shirtsleeve falls a bit, exposing a bruised wrist.  I bring my other hand up and examine the two matching purple and blue marks. 

I feel tears stinging my eyes.  Zayn really took it too far this time.  Every time I look in the mirror I feel his hands on me again.  I feel how they violated me, how no matter how many times I begged him to stop, he didn't.  The memory of his fingers wrapped around my throat feels like I'm choking all over again.  And his eyes, the evil and lustful look in them is something that I'll never forget.

Yet after all the things Zayn did last night, I find myself terrified he's mad at me.  Tears begin to crawl down my cheeks and I break into full on sobs.  I drop to the floor, my legs suddenly unable to support my body.  Pulling my knees up to my chest, I put my head in my hands and cry uncontrollably. 

Loud footsteps come up the stairs and closer to me.  I immediately smell unfamiliar cologne that I know isn't Louis'. I lift my head up to see Harry crouched down in front of me. 

In his eyes I see an expression I cannot name.  It isn't pity.  Concern, maybe.  Whatever it is makes me want to fall apart in his arms.

I notice his eyes are fixed on my exposed wrists.  He gingerly takes one into his hand, running his thumb over the purple marks.

"I didn't even see these yesterday," Harry says quietly, almost to himself.  I furrow my eyebrows at him.

"You don't remember, do you?" 

I shake my head.  The tears have slowed down a bit.  He stands up and reaches out his hand.  I take it, noticing it's almost twice the size of mine.  We walk to my room and sit side by side on my bed.

"Where's Lou?" I ask.

"He went out to get groceries I think." he pauses. "I think he needed a break from all the tension."

"Tension, because of me?"  I feel like such a burden.

"Well, we were both quite worried about you.  You scared us."

"I'm sorry," I mutter, staring down at my hands.  He shifts so his whole body is facing me.

"Look at me, Mer."

When I face him, I am met with the same look he was giving me on the floor of the bathroom.  My apprehension melts away and I feel like he is someone I could learn to trust.

"I don't know exactly what happened to you, but I can tell you right now that it wasn't your fault.  Just like how it isn't your fault we were worried.  That's just what happens when you care about someone," he says earnestly. I nod my head weakly.