The leather pressed up against my back as I sat as close as possible to the seat. I felt my breath catch in my throat as the car came to a halt. The ride was shorter than I expected. “I’ll be here...” Harry mumbled as I unbuckled my seat belt and got out, I looked back for reassurance and Harry gave me a half smile.
I crossed the road and walked up to Spencer’s house, the wooden floor boards beneath me making a creek as I walked closer to the door. I felt like anything could happen at this point I hoped and prayed with my whole being that that wasn’t the case… But it was. I knocked on the cold glass door twice before I heard Spencer running to answer.
“Wren!” he screeched as he opened the door, picking me up and embracing me. I pushed myself off of him and he dropped me on my feet down on the porch.
“Just because I’m here doesn’t mean I forgive you!” I screamed, his face full of utter disappointment as I added “I came here to talk, I want to sort this out but that doesn’t mean I will just forget it happened.” He pulled me inside, slamming the door behind me. I could tell by just one of Spencer’s actions how angry he was, even as something as small as his breathing or the way he stood, I could always tell.
He pulled me into the front room by my wrist, squeezing it tighter than he thought. The same wrist Harry grabbed when we first met. It felt like Spencer was giving me a Chinese burn just by holding it, his skin was like fire. I let out a squeal as he threw me onto the couch, he was furious.
“Why won’t you forgive me?!” he shouted in my face, I stood up on the couch so I was taller.
“Keep talking to me like a piece of shit Spencer, go on!” I shouted back, shocked at my own words, Spencer looked straight into my eyes, his pupils weren’t dilated, he wasn’t in a different state of mind like other times he shouted, he knew he was wrong and that’s why he was mad. He wasn’t angry at me, he was angry at himself.
He pulled me down from the couch and sat me down; he sat directly in front of me on the small table close to the sofa and put his hand on my knee. I knew he was disappointed in himself as much as I was, but he brought it upon himself.
Tears began to fill up in the corner of his eyes as he looked down. I tilted his head up with my index finger lifting his chin. “Why would you do that to me?” I said as I held back my tears. I wasn’t going to let him see me cry again.
“I don’t know Wren... I really don’t.” he whispered. There must have been a reason, any reason would have been better than ‘I don’t know’. I moved his hand from my knee and walked towards the door. Spencer didn’t move, he really fucked up this time and he knew it.
I walked down the wooden steps of the porch as Spencer ran behind me, stopping at the top. “Wren please, don’t go” he plead, I stopped but didn’t turn around. “I love you...” the words grinded at my heart and I started to feel light headed. I turned around too fast and stumbled to the left; Spencer ran down to me and held out his arm for balance. I smacked his arm away and started to walk to the car again, I forgot how my actions would have provoked him but I didn’t care, I just wanted to leave.
“You’ll be back Wren, I’m the only one who will have you, remember? You love me.” He smirked; he knew it would aggravate me and cause me to retaliate.
“You’re a pig and if you think I’m going to come back after all of this then you’re wrong. I can’t handle you anymore; you can deal with your problems by yourself.”
“Where are you going?” he frowned as I went to cross the road.
“Away from here, I’m not going to be your punching bag anymore Spencer!” before I could say anything else Spencer grabbed me by my shoulder and twisted me around, the force making me stumble again. Harry got out of the car and called my name.
“What the fuck is he doing here?!” he spat “Oh, I get it; you don’t want me because you have him. So you are messing around with him yeah? You lied to me when you said it wasn’t your fault he was talking about you.”
“No! We’re just friends.” I turned as I shouted at Spencer’s assumption; Harry had a look of heartbreak and disappointment on his face. Spencer’s deep laugh caused me to turn back at him, the tears I was trying to hold back now at the brim of my waterline.
“If you’re just friends then why won’t you forgive me?” his laugh started to fade as he watched a tear fall from my left eye. Harry started to walk towards us.
“Because, do you not see what you’re doing to me? You’re constantly abusing me and it messes with my head! I caught you cheating on me last night and you want me to forgive you? How much self respect would I lose if I did that Spencer? I’m fed up of being pushed around by you and you thinking its okay, because it’s not. You don’t even try to stop yourself anymore.” I cried as Harry pulled me behind him, protecting me from anything that Spencer would do.
Anger over took Spencer as he pushed Harry away from me and pushed me to the floor “You’re not breaking up with me.” he laughed as I held my grazed elbow, blood being catched in my hand.
“You don’t control me Spencer!” I cried from the floor, feeling pathetic for never realising how cruel he was before. Harry walked over and lifted me up, gasping at my elbow and glanced at Spencer, their height was about the same, Harry’s muscles started to tense up. Spencer went to push me back down but I caught hold of his hand and brought mine up to his face, my eyes widened in shock. I had never hit anyone before, and I couldn’t help but feel awful for it even though he deserved it. How did he do this to me every day without feeling an inch of guilt inside of him?
Spencer stormed back in to his house, slamming the door behind him so hard that the glass cracked. What just happened, I just broke up with Spencer but he wasn’t having it, what does that mean? My thoughts were broken up as Harry guided me to the car. We both got in; I was still cupping my elbow as blood streamed out of it. “What’s that mark from?!” he said as he observed my wrist, I looked down and noticed it had turned a light shade of crimson from where Spencer had hauled me to another room, the hand mark was more than evident, Harry pulled out into the road as he realised and started to drive.
It had been five minutes since Harry said something “What’s wrong?” the words fell from my lips before I could even think what I was saying.
“Nothing.”
“Lie to me all you like Harry.” I scoffed.
“We’re just friends?!” the car immediately pulled up by a curb “What do you mean we’re just friends Wren?! I’m pretty sure we’re much more than that, it’s not been said but the way you’ve been acting around me!”
I looked at Harry; he was in a flustered state. I hadn’t realised how I was coming off onto him.
“You’ve been leading me on since you told me about Spencer and now we’re just friends?! The other night for example, you held my hand and asked me to sleep with you, next to you! This morning you were having the time of your life, I’d never seen you happier-”
“Harr-” I tried to cut him off and explain, but I had no explanation, I hadn’t even realised myself.
“No, it’s my fault for thinking that maybe you’d change your mind on that prick!” he screamed as I moved closer to the car door, trying to open it while looking at Harry’s stiffened posture, I undid my seat belt and climbed out of the car before Harry could grab me. “Wren!” I heard him bellow as I ran down the road, I came across an alley way and paced down hastily so Harry couldn’t chase me.
I stopped running as I turned a corner in the alley and got to a dead end of what I thought would be an escape from all the screaming and shouting, my head was pounding and the floor was spinning. I couldn’t take any more arguments, I looked back at the way I came and saw Harry walking towards me, my vision started to blur as I fell to the ground, hitting my head on the solid concrete beneath me.

HARRY’S POV

I don’t know what caused me confront Wren; I knew it was all in my head but her words hit me hard. My thoughts vanished as I saw Wren collapse to the floor, I heard the smack of her skull against the ground, my heart fell into my stomach as I ran over to her, lifting her head onto my knee and shaking her tiny shoulders in my hands.
“Wren, open your eyes!” I screamed and my voice started to welt up, she wasn’t moving and her breathing was slowing down. I picked her up bridal style and carried her to my car as fast as I could. I placed her in the passenger seat carefully and became aware of the little bit of blood trickling from her hairline down the side of her face.
I wasn’t sure whether to drive her to the hospital, to hers or to mine. If I drove her to the hospital I would have to explain all the other bruises and cuts covering her petite body and if I drove her home then I would need to explain to her mum, if she was in. I couldn’t risk it. I strapped both of us in and accelerated to my house as fast as I could; Wrens body was limp as the car drove over bumps in the road.
I rushed round to her side of the car as soon as we pulled up at my house and carried her inside then laid her on the couch. I ran into the kitchen looking for a medical box of some sort, I knew I had one somewhere.
After a few minutes of searching the cupboards and throwing items out of them I found some alcohol wipes and plasters, I rushed over to Wren taking the wipe between my teeth and ripping it open, I wiped away the dark red blood seeping from her tanned skin and placed a plaster over it before it could start again and moved onto her grazed elbow, the skin was grated and looked like it had been rubbed on sandpaper, I cringed as I wiped away the dirt from the cut and placed a bigger plaster over it.
I threw away the blood drenched wipe and sat opposite her on the sofa chair. I analysed her presence, she looked so vulnerable. Her eyebrows where stuck in a frown and her lips pouted. I sat with elbows resting on my knees and my head in between my hands, sweeping my hair over my head and rubbing the back of my neck every five minutes. My patience began to wear thin and I started to wonder if Wren was going to wake up, maybe I should have brought her to the hospital at least then they could have told me if she was okay, but I didn’t and I’m stuck with the guilt of causing her to run out of the car and collapse to the floor. The moment replaying over in the back of my mind.

***

There was only one person I could think of calling and it was Jake. I stopped pacing around Wren’s motionless body and pulled out my phone. The dialing of his number echoing through the soundless room made me paranoid, everything sounded a lot louder with my conscience reminding me it was my fault she ended up like this.
“Harry?” I hadn’t realised Jake answered and apologised.
“Jake, I need you to come to mine now.”
“Why, what’s wrong?” he started to sound as worried as I felt.
“You’ll see when you get here, please.” He agreed and hung up the phone.
Within ten minutes of waiting I could hear Jake pull the front door handle down. “Finally...” I let out a sigh of relief as Jake walked into the front room; he looked at me before noticing a passed out Wren with plasters and bruises over her body.
“What did you do to her?!” his voice was full of worry.
“Nothing! Well not in the way of physically hurting her...” my breathing started to excel as I realised it was worse than I thought, Wren hadn’t moved for about an hour now and panic had started to take over me. Jake noticed my breathing and red eyes and told me to calm down. I explained to him what happened last night after he had saw her on the bench and then how I ended up carrying her to the car and rushing back here.
“Oh shit...” his mouth fell wide open as my eyes started to gloss over with salty tears. “I think she’s just unconscious Harry” he said as he felt her uneven pulse through her minuscule wrist. I told him she’d been like that for about an hour. “Go get a glass of water.” I rushed over to the sink and filled a glass while he sat her up and put his arm around her back to support her.
Jake tilted Wren’s head back and poured some of the water in her mouth; he placed the glass on the table and closed her mouth before repositioning her on the couch once more. “Want to talk?” he said as he sat by Wren’s feet, I nodded. What were these feelings I had, I hadn’t contemplated them until recently.
I began to elucidate to Jake in detail all of the things that occurred last night, how she was so comfortable around me and how she would always call me to come pick her up. “It was the first day” I explained. That day when I first saw Wren, she was so beautiful and different. “I opened up to her completely, and I knew I shouldn’t have” I added, I couldn’t remember the last time I spoke to someone about my life in such detail, I don’t think I ever had. “Ever since she’s been acting so close to me, and I thought... I don’t know.” My head fell backwards as I sighed, everything felt so complicated.
Jake’s mouth opened as he was about to say something but was distracted by Wren moving her legs. My body relaxed completely, I hadn’t realised I was so stiff until I watched that tiny little movement, I was so relieved that she was okay, after an hour and a half of not moving I was on the verge of calling the hospital.

WREN’S POV

My head was throbbing, it hurt even more when I tried to think about what happened, how did I get here? Was I at Harry’s? The scent of the couch smelt exactly like him. I stayed reluctant to move as I heard a voice that could only belong to one person, Jake.
“Have you spoken to her about this?” his voice was deep and full of concern, what were they talking about?
“No, I pointed it out earlier, what shit timing” he said as I heard him get up from the other seat. I wanted to say something but my mouth refused to open, I felt like I shouldn’t be listening and I didn’t want to hear anything that was going to affect me and Harry, by the sound of it he was talking about what he said to me in the car. My thoughts were cut short as I felt my phone ring and vibrate my against my sock in my high tops, not having any pockets to put my phone, it was either my bra or shoe and I’m glad I went for my shoe because Jake reached to pull it out. I could tell it was Spencer because he had a separate ring tone from everyone else.
His finger tips brushed against my leg as he grabbed it, causing my leg to twitch. I silently cursed at myself, as Jake spoke “Harry, someone’s awake...” he gave me a sympathetic smile as I pulled my hand up to my head, taking hold of the plaster and pulling it off, not realising what it was. I noticed the blood on the fabric and immediately ran to the bathroom. “Wren, stop!” Jake shouted as he declined the call and put my phone on the coffee table while I rushed up the stairs into Harry’s bathroom. I made sure I locked the door behind me.
My reflection stared back at me as I touched the wound on my head, wincing. An unexpected tear fell from my eye, where the hell did I get this? I felt my anger boil up inside me, I was fed up of crying, fed up of being hurt and fed up of being shouted at. I screamed and took the mirror under the one on the wall and threw it to the ground, it shattered against the icy white tiles.
I slid down the back of the door and my head fell into my knees, I was past upset I was full of anger and hate, mostly towards myself. I jumped as I felt someone hitting the door. “Wren let us in!” Harry shouted, I ignored him and he continued to bang on the door, causing my back to move in rhythm with the hits. After three minutes of continuously banging against the door, I unlocked it and moved back, not mentally ready to handle anymore screaming. Harry hadn’t opened the door yet and neither had Jake, I wasn’t sure if I should just push past them and run somewhere I could be alone, even if it was somewhere scummy, I was willing to run anywhere.
Jake called my name as he opened the door, Harry wasn’t with him. His mouth fell open as he let go of the metal door handle and absorbed the image in front of him. He knelt down in front of me as I sat against the bathtub, careful to avoid the pieces of reflective glass. He put his arms around me tightly and pulled me onto his lap as I buried my head in his shoulder and just cried.
It angered me that I wasn’t entirely sure why I was crying all the time recently. I never cried about Spencer before because I knew that he never meant to hurt me but Harry had somehow convinced me he was sour. I drifted away from my thoughts as Harry leaned against the door frame, watching Jake hold me in his arms, he didn’t say anything and he had no expression on his face but his eyes gave it away, those stupid green eyes where the reason why I was so hurt. Jake cradled me as I rested the side of my head on his shoulder, facing away from Harry. I could tell they were exchanging looks; they were having a conversation without even talking.
I was content with not talking; I didn’t want to scream at either of them even though my blood boiled at the thought of the events that happened. Harry walked over to me and put out his hand, I took hold of it. I began to calm down as Harry guided me over to the bed and sat down; he tried to mirror jakes actions as he patted his lap. I sat down sideways on his lap so I could wrap my arms around his waist, my left around his front and right around his back. I was in no mood to feel alone right now as angry as I was I knew it wouldn’t be good for me.
Harry wrapped his arm around me and used his other hand to stroke through my hair. Jake had picked up all the glass from the bathroom floor and went downstairs, nodding at Harry on the way out. “Look at you...” his voice sounded broken, I could feel his heart pound through his chest onto my side as I gripped him tighter, the tears where still streaming down my soaking wet cheeks. I open my mouth to speak but Harry cuts in before I can “I don’t want to hear it.” He sounded cold and I felt like my heart stopped.
I hear the kettle downstairs rumble and I know what Jake's doing, before he comes back up I look at Harry wanting to say something, but I’m speechless. I have no idea if he’s angry, upset or just trying to calm me. My mind ponders at the thought of it being all three. Harry moved his hand away from my hair and unlocked my grip from around him and interlocked his hand with mine still holding me.
“Look what he’s done.” He whispered into my ear, his hot breath against my skin made my body go limp. He was right, but my mind still battled with the thought, Spencer was the reason I was so close with my dad because he wasn’t with his. He helped me through so much and I helped him. I wasn’t sure whether I was prepared to let that all slip away from me.
Jake walked up with a cup of tea in his hands, Harry and I both laughed then I realised that was probably his intention, to get me to smile. Jake pulled up a small wicker stool and sat in front of me and Harry. “You’re not okay Wren...” Jake looked genuinely upset as he spoke. Something made me feel like Harry was angry at me, I could feel his chest rising and falling, the way he held me wasn’t natural, he felt like Spencer.

***

I had calmed down completely; I drained out all the emotions I had bottled up in the bathroom. Jake, Harry and I were sitting in the living room; it had been more than a few hours since my breakdown. I stayed quiet while they spoke; I wasn’t entirely sure what about as I had been switching back and forth from my thoughts.
“Well I better go” Jake said as he got off the sofa.
“Thank you for helping me...” Harry still sounded tense, but I wasn’t going to question it. Jake whispered something in Harry’s ear and he nodded. I was desperate to know what they were saying. I finally got up and hugged Jake, I thanked him for coming to calm me down and kissed him on the cheek, Harry followed him out and spoke to him at the door, I looked through the arch way and tried to read what they were saying, but Harry saw me and moved so I couldn’t see either of them.
Once Jake left Harry sat on the sofa opposite me. “Harry...” He was angry at me and I could probably name one hundred reasons why. I moved to sit on his lap and buried my head into his shoulder, running my fingers through his curls. His heart beat was still the same as earlier. I started to breathe through my mouth, the same way my dad would when I was little; it would help me slow my breathing down. The only thing different was that I was doing it extremely close to his neck; Harry rolled his head back and let out a little laugh.
“What are you doing?” he asked innocently. I didn’t answer and carried on, I could feel it working. After five minutes he was back to breathing normally again and the feeling of my breath against his neck loosened him up. He picked me up by putting one hand behind my back and the other under my knees and carried me upstairs.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m putting you to bed, before you do something you regret.” He laughed as he spoke. He was right... once again. He placed me on the bed and pulled out one of his t-shirts from his drawers and handed it to me. I looked over at the clock, it was already 9.
Harry started to walk out of the room when I started to speak “Can’t you stay with me?” I sounded whineier than intended “Please?” I added as he walked over to the opposite side of the bed. I got up and went to change in the bathroom, asking Harry if I could use his hair brush through the door.
Once I walked out Harry was on top of the covers in a pair of grey joggers and nothing else. My eyes were attached to his body and my feet stuck in their tracks. I shook my head as he laughed and patted the bed. I got in next to him and realised this was the second night in a row that I had stayed at his house, but it was better than having to explain to my mum what happened. Harry pulled me up onto his chest again and repeated the actions from the other night, his hand moving through my hair and arm around my back, trying to get me to sleep.

***

“You’re pathetic Wren!” he screamed at me, no this couldn’t possibly be happening, I want to speak, to explain but I can’t I have no control. “Why would you let him do that to you, what kind of woman are you?!” he shouted, the disgust in his voice was clear. All I could think of saying was sorry daddy, but I couldn’t speak, I was screaming in my head all the things I could, trying to explain. “You are not my daughter” The pain fell straight through me... I never meant to disappoint you dad... “I never want to see you again.” I wanted to stop him but as well as not being able to speak, I couldn’t move either, his words cutting through my heart.

HARRYS POV

The loud noises woke me; I unscrewed my eyes to find Wren wriggling in the sheets. Her petite hands fisting the sheets as she cried, her cheeks were scarlet and beads of sweat were falling from her forehead. I grabbed her shoulders as she cried “Please don’t go, I love you!” what? who was she thinking about? I couldn’t let my thoughts get the better of me right now. I gripped her shoulders tighter and shook her from her sleep.
“Wren, wake up!” I shouted, close to her ear trying to wake her.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” she cried, the tears still falling from her burning cheeks. I shook her once more; she opened her eyes and gasped for air. “Harry...” she sighed and released the sheets from her hands and wrapped her arms around me. I ran my hands through her dampened hair and kissed her forehead.
“It’s okay; it was just a nightmare...” I whispered into her ear as I wiped the tears from her hot cheeks. “I’m here, you don’t need to worry.” she let go of me and lowered her head onto my chest. I wanted to ask her who she was having a nightmare about, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.
I could feel her hand shaking as she placed it on my stomach, I moved mine to cup hers and she looked up at me with her glistening eyes before closing them again. She eventually calmed down and fell asleep.
I found myself thinking of what had happened... everything must have pushed her off the edge; too much for her little self to handle. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t do anything in my being to protect her.