Lies {L.S.}

13

"No!" I shouted too quickly. "It's not ra-"

Harry shook his head, which made me stop talking. "Louis, when I was in preschool, the same thing happened to me. It's scary but people will listen to you."

"I let him. If I fight it makes it worse. It's not rape if you let it happen. I let it happen," I argued. My chest burned like I wasn't breathing enough and my shoulder was on fire. "I have to let it happen."

"Harry, let it go," Niall snapped. I pushed my face into my knees.

"No, I'm not letting this go. Louis," he called softly. I shook my head and let tears fall down my face. "It's not your fault. Look at me."

I finally looked up and he barely moved closer, but close enough to wipe the tears from my eyes. "None of this is your fault. It's still rape, Louis. You don't want it but it's better if you go with it."

"He told me-" I started to say until Harry gently put his thumb over my lips.

"He told you a lot of things that aren't true to keep you from telling. You're afraid right now Niall and I both think you're insane and making it all up, but we don't believe that. I know you're not making it up, Louis."

I stared at Harry then looked to Niall before the floor. "He's going to kill me if he finds out I told you."

"That's why he's not going to find out," Harry told me. I flicked my eyes up at him before turning them away again. "Do you want to go back?"

"I have to," I hiccupped. "The only way I get to graduate is if I never leave him. I can't leave him. I promised."

"That's not what I asked. Do you want to go back?" I slowly shook my head and shakily inhaled. "Then you aren't going back."

"Where am I gonna stay? No one's going to take me in. I'm useless and I get in the way and I cause problems when there don't need to be problems. I'm not worth the trouble."

Harry let go of my face and balled his fists once they were on his lap. "You're not trouble. You're not useless." Harry took a deep breath like he was trying to keep himself calm. "You're so fucking important to both of us, Louis. You're not the one who's fucked up, he is. Alright?"

"I have to go back. He'll come look for me-"

"And he doesn't know where I live. He's abusive, in at least three different ways. I'm not letting you go back with him." Harry slowly moved closer. I didn't feel trapped. He would let me leave if I needed to. "You don't owe him that for anything. No matter what he tells you, he does not have any right to make you feel like you owe him sex."

I reached for the sleeve of his jacket and held onto it. "Harry-"

A knock cut off the sentence. Niall got up and went to answer, leading me to assume it was the pizza guy. Harry kept his gaze on me. "Are you Okay?"

I shook my head and wished I could hide my face without Harry seeing me cry.

"Get put of here," I heard Niall say. "He's staying tonight."

"He's my son," my uncle snapped. I froze then wiped my face and started to get up, but Harry grabbed my arm and shook his head. "Louis!"

"Coming!" I yelled shakily. Harry shook his head again. I pulled my wrist away and stood up, walking to the door, Harry following closely. "Yeah?"

"Home, now." He crossed his arms and Niall stayed between us, being the only barrier.

"Why? I thought-"

"I figured it out." He squinted slightly. "Come on."

"He's not leaving with you," Niall said. "He's staying over here for the night and you can get him later."

"I'm his fath-"

"Uncle," I corrected. He glared at me and I stepped back. "Let me stay, please."

"No, get out here now," He demanded. I whimpered to myself but nodded.

I walked to my bag and picked it up. When I stood up straight I felt someone grab the bag and pull it from my grip. "You're not leaving with him. He's not hurting you again."

"I have to go." Harry held on but I didn't look back at him. "It's gonna get worse-"

"Louis, now," my uncle growled. I whimpered again and pulled from Harry, then walked towards him.

Niall grabbed my arm and kept me behind him. "You're not leaving. I'm too worried about you."

"What did you tell them?" My uncle asked, his voice dangerously low. "What the fuck did you do?"

"Nothing. I didn't do-" I tried to cover quickly.

He shoved Niall hard enough to make us both stumble and fall flat on our asses. I cried out when my shoulder got jarred. My uncle came over and grabbed me roughly, pulling me to my feet. "Let's fucking go."

"I'm sorry. Don't hurt me, I'm sorry. Please, I'm so sorry." I kept babbling on along those lines while my uncle got all of my shit and directed me to the door.

Harry tried to grab my arm but my uncle pushed him back. I forced myself between them, grabbing my uncle's arms like I did when Niall was over and he got mad. "Harry, I have to go."

"Don't. You don't have to." Niall stood up besides Harry. He looked at my uncle. "I can't believe you got away with this for so long."

My uncle grabbed my arm, squeezing. "We're leaving. Don't fight me," he whispered in a dangerously low tone.

I took a step backwards and my uncle pulled me further back. Harry went to take a step and I shook my head. "Don't. I'm gonna be okay."

"Yeah, and at school you'll be distant and closed off," Niall added. "And we'll be back at square one all over."

"I won't. I'll be okay." My uncle yanked on my arm and I had to bite my lip and suck in a deep breath so I wouldn't scream.

"Let him go," Harry bit. My uncle just yanked me again and I let out a small whimper. " I swear to God, do not hurt him."

I felt my uncle put his other hand in the middle of my back. I could imagine his sick smile, knowing how badly this was going to hurt. "No, no, don't, please, " I begged, shutting my eyes tightly. "Har-"

He pushed which resulted in me screaming and my knees buckling. I was gasping through the pain with my eyes squeezed closed. My head hit the floor with a small thud which felt like nothing compared to my back. I felt someone wrap their arms around me and pull me back. I leaned into them and closed my eyes, figuring out it was Niall since Harry was still yelling at my uncle.