Waiting for Superman

Nine

*Harry's P.O.V.*

The drive home with Niall is all but silent, the only sound being the tires on the pavement and my heavy breathing. Niall had insisted on driving me back to the mansion, to make sure that I wouldn't get into a wreck or that I didn't track down the asshole who touched Briella.

I feel my body cringe and my fists ball up at the thought of him. I feel myself drift off, only to be shaken awake by Niall.

"Harry, we're here." he says, shaking my arm. I swing the door open, unclicking my seat-belt and heading towards the house. I move down the steps towards the basement and shutting the door behind me.

I pull my shirt from my top, throwing it to the floor, also slipping a pair of sweatpants over my waist. The basement smells musky and sweaty, like men. I shuffle towards the shelf, pulling my gloves down and tightening them over my hands. I push my hair back with a red bandana and clip my earphones to my ears, turning the volume up too loud.

I face the dangling punching bag, then I'm swarmed with the visions of the blonde douche bag touching my girl, and I swing. I feel my punches growing stronger at the thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Early the next morning~

In the morning, I pull my body out of my bed slowly, swearing at the sudden pain shooting through my arms. I stretch them out, looking at the cuts along my knuckles and poking them softly and cringing when they burn.

I yank a t-shirt over my top half, slipping a pair of grey jeans over my legs before stepping into a pair of DC's and shooting out of the front door. I rev the engine to my car, pulling out of the driveway and towards Briella.

When I reach the apartment, I pick up the key from the mailbox, opening the door quietly and stepping inside. I head straight for her bedroom and stand silently in the doorway before smiling and moving towards her bed.

I notice the black t-shirt over her body as my own, and half-smile, realizing I'd left it here. I notice her shift in the bed, still asleep as she buries her face in my stomach. It's like she can always tell when I'm here... I brush the loose strands of hair from her cheeks, noticing the stains of alcohol on her skin. 

My fingers trace over the mysterious scars on her collarbone, gasping at the size of one of them. It scales down from the base of her neck, disappearing down the back of her shirt- my shirt. I sit with her for a while longer before she finally starts to stir.

"Good morning baby girl." I whisper. Her hazel eyes gazing upward at me as she plops back on my stomach with a sigh. I chuckle. "Don't wanna get up huh?" She shakes her head before smiling at me.

"How long have you been here?" She asks, her voice scratchy in her throat. I shrug.

"Forty-five minutes? Give or take." She shakes her head.

"You could've woken me up Harry."

"You needed sleep..." I say, drifting off at the end and looking away from her. I feel the air become tense when she doesn't respond. I've only brought up her nightmares once, just to be cut off and the subject changed. 

"I'll be right back." She says, pulling away from me and shuffling out of the bed. I smirk at her choice of clothes, which consists of white lace underwear and my black t-shirt. She feels my smirk, rushing out of the room faster, closing the bathroom door behind her.

*Briella's P.O.V.*

As the door closes behind me, I feel my body trying to drop to the floor and my eyes stinging from warm tears. The cuts and bruises on his face were evident, like they just happened... My nightmares last night included Harry... Being beaten.. In my mothers' place, by my father, leaving me in a corner to watch as the blood trickled out of his nose and head.