The New Member (One Direction Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

 I held my hands up in defense. “I’m not judging. I was just making some tea.” I backed up into the kitchen and rested my hip against the countertop, biting my lip to keep from bursting into a fit of giggles, which I was recently prone to doing.

 I let my thoughts wander as I waited, and almost immediately my mom and dad came to mind. Perhaps, if anyone else had been in my situation, they would cry over the dirty rumors going around that had caused that man to treat me in such a manner, or maybe pity themselves for being wanted dead by a group of psychos. I, however, could only focus on my family, and I did not regret that my heart was with them.

  Not that I was not scared for my life, but I knew that if I was going to live to tell the tale, I needed to keep a level-head about the situation, and not let fear cloud my judgments. And as long as I stayed away from social networks for a while, then, maybe I could totally avoid seeing more of those horribly demeaning mentions of me.

  The shrieking whistle of the teapot jerked me out of my reverie with a gasp. I fixed myself a cup and wrapped my fingers around it, enjoying the warmth tingling its way through my palm. Sighing, I made my way back into the living room, to find the boys in the same position that they had been in previously.

  “Are you really that scared of storms?” I asked, staring at the lumps underneath the blankets that must be them. “They can’t hurt you.”

 “Well, if you’re so brave, Delia, then you walk outside with a metal rod.” Louis snapped and I shrugged.

 “Fine…” I set down my tea, and headed for the door. I opened it, counted to three, and slammed it shut.

  “Wait!” Louis popped up from beside a disgruntled Harry and tripped getting out of the fort to chase after me. “I didn’t mean for you to…” He froze when he realized I was still in the suite, and growled. “I hate you so much.”

 “Not enough to want me dead, apparently.” I retorted, and he just marched forward, grabbed my hand, and pushed me into their make-shirt fort.

 “Just stay in here where you’re safe.” he grumbled, and now it was impossible not to laugh.

  “So a bunch of pillows are supposed to protect me better than the walls of concrete and wood around us?” I asked through loud guffaws, and received several glares. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t exactly a bomb shelter, guys. The big bad wolf would have no problem blowing you away.”

 “Just shut up!” Niall demanded, and lifted above the covers to throw a pillow at my face.

 “Okay, okay.” I said. “I’ll stay in your magical fort of safety against the scary thunderstorm.” I positioned myself on the outside of it, next to Liam, and flattened one of the blankets over my legs.

 “Good!” Harry huffed, and stuck his head above the blanket again, but this time I was close enough to see a large purple welt forming below his eye.

 “Oh my gosh, Harry!” I cried out, and jumped forward to angle his chin towards me, viewing the bruising skin. I turned to face Louis, and saw that his neck was a sickening red and blue color from where that man had tried to choke him. I ripped back the covers to see Zayn trying to hide his bruised jaw, and Liam’s wrist was wrapped tightly in gauze and the bump of his nose was yellow. Niall, though he had landed the fatal blow to one of the men, was virtually fine, except a few pink spots on his knuckles where he had punched him.