Sunday December 1st

Iris’s POV:

“What the hell?!” my dad’s voice filled my ears. My eyes flew open and looked in the green orbs of a very frightened Harry. Shit.

I quickly sat up and turned to my dad who was now accompanied by the rest of my family. Well this is humiliating. At least he’s wearing boxers now.

“I asked mom if he could stay over,” I defended myself.

“You did not!” my mom yelled. Seriously? Is she fucking kidding me? Anger started pumping through my veins and up to my burning skin.

“I don’t mean to offend you Mr. and Mrs. Mercer, but I heard her tell you,” Harry said calmly.

My father scoffs, “Get out of my house!”

“No!” I snap.

“It’s my house, Iris!” my father warns.

“He can’t!”

My mom gritted her teeth, “He can and he will!”

I grabbed the blanket that was over us and threw it off to reveal his cast. “He can’t,” I repeat in a harsher tone.

“Well where’s his crutches?” my dad starts looking around the room.

“Are you that fucking stupid?!” I became more and more pissed by the second.

Harry grabbed my hand and squeezed it, “Iris, it’s okay.”

“No! It’s not okay! They’re so blind about my life! Not just your wheelchair that’s sitting right behind them,” I pointed to it. My mother’s eyes widened at my words.

“Iris?” Skye pouted as she stepped closer.

“You’ve all haven’t given a shit about me since…” I paused and thought about it. “Well ever,” I whispered. Tears slowly started streaming down my face, “I’ve been in this world alone for God knows how long.”

“That’s not true,” my father shook his head.

I shook my head and began raising my voice again, “But it is! I don’t know what I did to deserve such disrespect! I’ve done everything you guys have ever asked of me! I’ve always done my chores, cleaned my room, and helped you guys out! Then I get pushed around, called names and ignored by you guys! I’m being bullied by my own family! So don’t you dare act like you care that there’s a boy in my bed!”

My mom stomps her foot, making me jump. “Stop this foolishness!”

“Foolishness?” my fingernails dig hard into the palms of my hands. “Do you think me cutting myself and trying to kill myself is foolish?! DO YOU?!” I started screaming. Everyone was surprised by my sudden choice of words, even Harry. I jumped from my bed and I stormed over to my dresser and pulled my laptop from it. I shoved my laptop into my father’s arms and stomped to my closet to grab a duffle bag out of it.

“Why did you give me this?” my father furrowed his brows.

I go back over to my dresser and set the bag on top of it, “Why don’t you just read everything on there?! It’s all about my horrific life, the hell you guys have put me through, the shit I’ve been through, it’s all in there!” I started stuffing clothes into my duffle bag, along with some shoes that were lined up neatly on my floor.

“Iris, what are you doing?” Brielle rushed to my side.

“I have to get out of here,” I cried. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“Okay, do you need help?” Brielle offers.

I sniffle and nod my head, “Please help me get Harry downstairs and in his chair.” She accepted and got Skye to help her stand the boy up and walk out of the room.

“Stop it!” my mother snapped, ripping a shirt from my hand and stuffing it back into the dresser.

“I WAS RAPED!” I screamed into her face. “YOUR OWN DAUGHTER WAS RAPED AND YOU DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT!”

My father took a step back, “What?”

“It was just some joke she played on the school,” my mom shook my words off. I continued packing, shoving Harry’s iPod in my bag as well. “Where did you get that?” she growled, staring hard at the electronic device.

“From someone who actually cares,” I said through my teeth.

“You were raped?” my dad was still stuck on that topic.

I whipped my head towards him, “What? Your wife didn’t tell you?” My dad furrowed his brows at my mother. “I was raped and no one stood up for me but a teacher. I was alone,” my tears felt hot against my skin. “I needed someone and she didn’t give a shit.”

“You’re lying,” her eyes widened.

“You know what, Janice?” I stepped closer to her. “Fuck. You.” She was astonished. Honestly, so was I. All these feelings were bottled up inside me for so long and it hurt so badly. It felt good to finally let go.

I stomped down the stairs and luckily Harry was already sitting in his wheelchair at the bottom of them. I didn’t even wait till we got to the door to sit in his lap and hold him tight, my bag wrapped around my body. He’s the only one who can soothe me. Skye held the door for us as Harry rode his chair out of it. I’m done with this place. Goodbye house.

---

Harry rolled us all the way to the tracks as usual. We figured we’d go to Perrie’s later and tell her everything. She’s probably worried.

As I lay in Harry’s lap, whimpering as he tries to comfort me, I think about everything that happened in the house. I don’t think my dad even knew what happened to me. My mom must’ve thought it was too much of a joke to tell him about it. It makes me wonder if he would’ve been at my side through it all if he knew. Yeah, he seems just as careless as my mother, but maybe that’s her fault. Maybe she makes him that way. No matter what, it feels like she’s the problem. She’s hurt me so much.

Some of the things I said to her, I didn’t even know I felt until today. I never really thought of my family as bullies before, but that’s exactly what they are. They’re exactly like the people at school. Sure, my sisters started coming around but that’s because they realized how bad things were. My parents didn’t get it. They didn’t even believe me. They don’t get it. I get called names, pushed around, picked on, beaten up…abused in every single way. Then I come home to what’s supposed to be a safe place, and I go through it all again.

They didn’t even stop me from packing, almost as if they wanted me gone. Brielle and Skye were the only ones who seemed resistant, but they knew they couldn’t stop me. I was leaving no matter what. Maybe if my parents were to say the words I’ve always wanted to hear, maybe then I would’ve stayed. “I love you”. No one loves me. I just want to be loved.

What hurt the most was the fact that my mom didn’t even deny anything. I said I was alone, my dad was the only one to say that wasn’t true. I said their bullies, my mom just stared coldly at me, proving that’s exactly what she is. I say they’ve put me through hell, she says nothing. I say she didn’t give a shit that I was raped, she only defends her honor.

The bitch is no longer known to me as my mother. She’s just a stranger to me. That’s why I called her by her first name before leaving that bullshit they call ‘home’. That’s not a house, and those people aren’t my family. I don’t even know what they are. All I know is that when I left, I became a woman. I finally stood up for myself and let everything in me set free. I may be crying in Harry’s arms, but I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders. I’m only crying because I wish I was wrong.

“What’s even on your laptop?” Harry asked softly as he traced circles on my thigh, his other hand rubbing my shoulder.

“My story,” I breathe shakily onto his neck.

He lifted my head so I could see him, "But they know? Don't they? I mean, you basically just told them everything."

"They don't get it," my voice croaked. "It was all fake to them."

He frowns, "Is that why you never let me take it home? Because you thought I'd read it and I wouldn't believe you."

I nod, "Yes." He just nodded too and pulled me back against him, holding me tighter than before.

I realized through all of our struggles, we still haven't even talked about us. What are we? Are we fixed? Is he still sleeping with other girls?

"Harry?" I sniffled.

"Hm?" he hummed.

I reposition myself so I'm sitting up in his lap, dangling my legs to the sides of the chair, and playing with his hair as my other hand pressed against his naked chest. I didn't even notice we didn't grab his gown. It was muddy anyways...

"Why did you start sleeping with all of those girls?" Stupid question. I probably don't want to know the answer.

He sighed, "I was hurting, trying to forget and move on." I swallowed hard. "The thing is, I pictured you in every girl. I called them your name. I only wanted you."

I shake my head, "But I can't give you all of me."

"Do you think that matters?" his sad eyes look into mine and I nod. "Angel, I don't need to sleep with you. I just want to hold you, give you a shoulder to cry on, play with your hair, cuddle with you and so on."

"You're such a girl," I giggled.

He chuckles, "A real pussy, huh? You made me that way. You're not the only one who's falling hard." His word make me blush. He laughs and strokes my hair, "You mean more to me than sex does. If that means I have to wait, even for a really long time, I will." A long time. What if I never want to? What if I make him wait too long? What if he leaves me?

"You mean it?" I avoid the questions in my brain. Stop being so paranoid, Iris.

He kisses the corner of my mouth, "Every word of it."

"How do we more forward from here?" my face suddenly heated with embarrassment. What am I saying? I always feel so pushy with this shit.

"Well I could start by taking you out on a date," he bites his lip, obviously trying to hide his nervousness.

"Like this?" I scanned his body and joked, "I don't think so."

He chuckles, "Damn, I knew this chair would let me down."

"I was talking about this," I giggled and pointed to his bare chest. "Such a let down."

He gasps, "Jerk." Then, his fingers start tickling my sides.

I squealed, "Stop!" I uncontrollably laughed as I tried to remove his fingers from my sides. It was no use, he was too strong for me so I did the one thing I knew would stop him: I kissed him. As soon as my lips melted into his, his fingers stopped wiggling and gripped my sides. He pulled me closer to him, making me giggle into the kiss. After a kissing a little longer, I pulled away and rested my head on his shoulder.

I'm proud to be wrapped in his arms. The only person who cares, cheers me up, and makes me feel normal is right here. He's better than the knife. He's better than the Christmas lights. He's better than death. Harry Styles is life.

---

"Haz!" Perrie shouts after opening her front door to reveal us. She hugs him tightly. "You had us all worried," she snapped. "We went to the hospital and found your mother bawling, saying you left her."

"Well if she wasn't trying to take me back to that hellhole, I wouldn't have ran," Harry growled.

Perrie pulls back with a puzzled look, "Why are you half naked?" She shakes her head, not caring the answer, "Look, Riley tried calling your cell and judging by looking at you, you don't have it. She really needs to talk to you. It's important."

Fuck me. Why can't I just be happy?

Notes

Uh oh, must be trouble.

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Question Time:

What does Riley want?