The Castle of Gold [Bk 2]

ch.47 Blind

But Becky folded her arms over her chest and nodded “yes.”

I was about to protest more, but she cut me to the chase.

“You come home to Danny who makes sure there’s not a scratch on your perfect skin and Niall who gives you his worldly advice, Zayn who shares his hair secrets, Tony and his bike parts, and Harry- Harry’s there to take all the pain away every night!” she yelled.

She glared at me with every ounce of contempt in her shivering body.

“Becky-” I started to correct her, but I stopped. She was right; despite everything that had come between me and Harry in the past year; we had the support of countless people now. And Becky, Becky had no one, not even her mother.

“LIAM’S DEAD!” she nearly screamed. Her voice broke.

Harry dropped something in his room.

Fury boiled over within me.

“I KNOW!” shouted back. “Don’t you realize I think about that every time I close my eyes!?” I asked her threateningly.

And it was the truth. When I sat over Liam's grave and wanted to burn myself, Harry was my only hope. Touching him reminded me that I wanted him and helped me forget how Liam felt. It helped melt away the pain of hurting Liam for so many years.

“And even if he was still alive, he would still want you! They always want you!” Becky spat furiously.

Eyes wide and fearful, I stared at her. My mouth hung open slightly.

“You wanna know why I’m such a slut? You wanna know why I can’t wait for Mr. Perfect, my so-called ‘knight in shining armor?’ You wanna know why?! She raised her voice menacingly. She sat up and stared straight into my eyes.

I swallowed hard.

“Because I’m not golden like you!” she screamed.

“Becky-” I spoke up.

“I’m not pure and innocent” she shook her head. “Everybody wants you because they want to protect you. They want to have you because you’re the only good thing in this town. You’re God’s angel and I’m the devil’s slut!” she spoke thtough clenched teeth.

I gasped quietly.

“Do you know what he’s fumbling with in there right now?” she asked as she cocked a brow.

“No” I shook my head slowly, unsure what Harry had to do with this.

“He bought a ring for you!” she nearly screamed.

“W-what” I asked, but I had heard her perfectly, I just couldn’t believe it.

“Angie, of all the things you’ve seen” she shook her head slowly and I knew she was thinking back to my dad’s murder, being attacked my Louis’ gang, Harry being shot, me being shot and everything in between.

“You are so blind” she whispered almost in disappointment.

I nodded slowly and then walked to Harry’s room.

He looked up and stuffed something into the shelf.

“Harry?” I called hesitantly.

I heard him wince when he hit his head against the railing in his closet.

He peaked from in the closet and his eyes widened a moment. He had taken the tux off and stood in a clean pair of boxers.

Then he cleared his throat and walked over to me.

“Are you ok, Angie?” he asked me softly. He rubbed my back gently and kissed my lips lightly until I nodded or smiled or showed some kind of reaction to prove I was still alive.

I nodded slowly even though the answer was “no.” For someone who lied all the time and hid her true emotions, Becky could spot the truth so easily some times. It made me feel ashamed and slightly stupid to not notice the came things as her.

Harry took my hand in his and he kissed my ring finger. I almost wanted to cry. What if Becky was right about the ring? ...And why would I cry if Harry gave me a ring?

"Is Becky ok?" he asked and he nodded at the door.

"I guess" I shrugged my shoulders.

Harry nodded.

Then he wrapped his arms around my waist and I rested my head against his chest.

"Angie, you really scared me when you ran out like that" he admitted quietly as he stroked my hair and kissed my neck softly.

I looked into his eyes.

The pain and concern that clouded those marbles on my behalf, hurt me more than the bullet that had been in my gut. He cared so much about me that it made me want to kick myself for making him feel the need to protect me at every moment.

And Danny, Danny has aged about twice as fast as he should have- because he's been trying to be my father and my brother and a student- all at the same time. Niall, Tony, Zayn- they all cared so much. If they hadn't, they would have broken off Danny's friendship and found another buddy.

I kissed the constricted vein in Harry's neck, hoping to relax him.

I wished I could protect them all in some way. I wished I could take my invisible wings and wrap them around them.

Harry massaged my cheek softly with his thumb.

I nodded as I tried to hold back some tears that were dying to pour out of me. I wished Becky were right in saying my life was so perfect. I may have had much more support than her, but that didn't insulate me from the ugly streets of Westwood.

Harry scooped me up in his arms and carried my into the shower. He slipped my dress off me carefully and pulled his boxers down. Then he turned the water on and I hid my face against his chest, hoping to muffle the sound of my tears. But he was much too receptive.

"Angie?" he asked softly as he held my face in his hands.

I sniffled back more tears that seemed to burn in my eyes from looking at Harry in his deep concern.

"We have to help her" I told him in a soft whisper. It was always hard for me to talk when I cried.

How could Becky just give herself like that? I thought back to the times I had been forced and pulled and treated like nothing more than a piece of meat, but how could Becky feel so numb that she allowed it to happen to her? How could she let her heart blind her? How could I let my eyes blind my heart?

Harry nodded and moved a wet lock of hair from my eyes.

I wound my arms around his waist, pressing our chests together in our wet puzzle.

Harry gently rubbed my back and along my chest, washing off the grains of sand and the sweat and the prickling sensation of pain and guilt.

I kissed his chest, where his heart was- over and over, reminding myself that every beat was for me and that mine beat for him, but also for Danny, Niall, Tony, Zayn, Becky, and Liam. 

Then I opened my eyes and watched a drop of water glide down Harry's eyelashes and slip down his cheek before it rested on his lips.

I kissed the drop and pressed my tongue between his lips. He opened his mouth quickly and let me into his castle of gold.