angel. h.s ✔️

eight.

       

"Alright fuck off, no need to punch me again."

I swallowed thickly as Louis's words hung in the air like dead weight and I shifted awkwardly as no one said anything and I had a horrible squeezing feeling that I had been right about Harry, right about being scared of him, right when I had assumed he was like Tommy.

Although lately all my assumptions had been getting me into trouble, not that I didn't deserve it. I could still feel the embarrassment of assuming Harry's sister was his girlfriend thick on my skin.

But the squeezing feeling hurt. I hadn't wanted to be right about him, I wanted to have been wrong. I didn't want Harry to be like Tommy.

What a fucking idiot I was.

"Don't look so scared buddy, Harry's a big teddy bear!" Niall practically shouted at me and I just stared at him, his words drunken and seemingly not at all true. How could I not be scared of a man who hit his friend?

I was sure there had to be a reason obviously, and I supposed Louis deserved it like I had with Tommy, but still. There was a principle there somewhere.

"Where's your girlfriend gone?" Harry asked, changing the topic swiftly and I subconsciously admired his ability to do that, I tended to dwell on things.

Previous conversations, other peoples actions, my own thoughts.

"Said something about anotha' drink when I said we were coming to see you." Niall muttered rubbing his jaw and in the darkness I saw an ugly blue marking around the bottom of his jaw and I realised we matched. "Pointed at yeh too, she must think you're ugly."

Louis laughed at Niall's statement but I saw Harry glance at me with his jaw tight and I realised he knew as well as I did why Francesca hadn't come over.

"Said I wanted to introduce Maybelle too but she didn't wanna know." Niall didn't know when to stop talking and I swallowed as I looked away from the men around me.

It wasn't his fault, he was drunk.

"Don't call her that." Harry snapped and I realised that he was referring to the strange nickname Niall had given me. I'd never had a nickname before although I knew Niall probably wouldn't remember it in the morning, I didn't mind it. I just had to be careful that he didn't say it around Tommy.

Tommy.

I shifted as I glanced behind me into the window that was illuminated with light from the kitchen just down from our little group and I was paralysed with fear as I spotted Tommy in the kitchen, of course I had to look too late.

He'd probably seen everything and he was more likely than not mad.

I didn't bother replying to Harry's statement or listening to anything Niall and Louis were drunkenly rambling about as my eyes stared into the kitchen and I watched as Tommy spoke and laughed his friend I still didn't know before he turned and left the kitchen.

I flinched when I saw Harry looking at me as I turned back to face the group and I knew I shouldn't be out here talking to them any longer. But I didn't make any move to leave, I was enjoying the attention I never received from Tommy.

I knew it made me a bad girlfriend but I constantly craved affection and I knew that I was clingy and that it drove Tommy insane but I couldn't help myself. I needed that reassurance and although I wasn't getting affection per se I was getting the reassurance and attention from Harry.

"Who's he?" I asked against my better judgement my finger pointing to the kitchen window and I watched as all three of them turned to face in sync and if I wasn't cursing myself for talking without thinking I would have laughed.