The Shadows Behind Us

After I finish making fun of the boys, Liam convinces me to go to his house with the boys.

I walk alone. Listening to the shadows jabber in my head.

"Don't go with them." Gail says.

"They're not really your friends." Alley states.

"Neither are you guys." I reply.

I felt Jay slap me again.

"Will you stop that?" I snap.

"Woah, someone's feisty." Earnest taunts.

"Shut up." I reply.

"Hannah, we're trying to protect you from people. They are never what they seem to be." Elizabeth, the nicest shadow, says.

"I can protect myself!" I exclaim.

"Hannah, you okay?" Liam comes up, touching my arm. The shadows voices completely fade. That's weird, they're always with me.

I look at Liam, "Yeah, I'm fine." I reply.

"You look like you're at war with yourself."

"Oh no, I'm okay." I manage a smile.

"Okay." Liam replies, letting go of my arm.

The second his hand pulls away, the shadows come back. That's strange.

"So Hannah. What's happened the last couple of years." Louis asks me as we walk into the house.

"Um well, I was in the foster care system until I turned eighteen, then I was on my own. I started to study family affairs and I'm now in my last year of college."

"Cool." He replies.

"What about you?" I question.

"I tried out for the Xfactor in 2010 and the boys and I were formed into One Direction and we've been performing all over the world and writing songs and such."

"Cool." I reply

He smiles at me. "Mum and Dad missed you when you left."

"I bet they didn't really. They were terrible people."

"They both changed after you left. I thought it was because they were so disappointed in themselves for not being better parents."

"How are they?" I ask.

"They were killed by a drunk driver two years ago." Louis sadly said.

"Oh." My face fell.

"It doesn't matter. They never loved you anyway." Jay says.

"They were my parents. It does matter."

"Hannah, your parents could never change. No one can ever change." Gail says.

"People can change, for better or for worse. All that matters is there is always someone to fight for."

Notes