Nothing [Harry Styles AU] - DISCONTINUED

eighteen

"It's been 2 years, when are you going to let this go?" I mutter under my breathe. My Dad visibly stiffens next to me, and I know instantly that I've said the wrong thing. Mum drops the spoon she is using to stir into the pot, placing both her hands on either side of the stove, gripping the edge of the counter dangerously tight.

"What did you just say?" She asked menacingly, swiftly turning around to face us for the first time since I had arrived home.

"Nothing" I mumbled, wishing I hadn't made my way to the kitchen in the first place.

"What did you just say?" she repeated again, her voice increasingly lower and full of anger. I gulped down the lump in my throat, I hated it when she made me feel like this. So small, and unworthy and like whatever I said doesn't matter.

"I said that why can't you just let it go? It's been 2 years Mum. I've forgiven him, Dad's forgiven him, Liam knows that what happened was wrong, so why can't you just forgive him too? You're acting as if he's a criminal" My voice is small and somewhat weak, and I hate that I let her get to me every time we speak.

"How dare you talk to me like that" she snarls, her pitch threatening and voice loud. I wince at her harsh tone, I don't think I've had a normal conversation with her in months.

"She's right Linda" Dad defended, and I let out a sigh of relief at his support.

"You have no right to talk to me like that" she screeches, disregarding what Dad said and wags her pointer finger at me. "You aren't even home anymore Eve, and when you are, you think you can disrespect me like that? Telling me what I can and can't do?" she roars.

I gulp, this conversation was definitely not turning out how I thought it would. "I'm never home because I'm working all the time" I whisper.

"At the rate you're behaving Eve, you won't be getting our half of the money for Uni. You might even end up like Liam, so watch what you say to me" She warns.

My insides start to disintegrate, tears pricking the back of my eyes as I try to pick myself up from her empty threat. I know that she would never do that, of course she wouldn't hold back the money. She definitely wouldn't kick me out also. But the thought that she had so much control over my life scared me. She could take everything away in an instant, just like she did to Liam.

I felt Dad's hand grip mine underneath the countertop, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip to try and stifle the sob that was begging to come out. I needed to get out of here, get away from her and her threats and everything. I stumbled from the stool, keeping my breathes long and steady to hide the fact that I would probably burst into tears any second now.

"I'm going to Nialls" I announced, my voice breaking slightly.

"Good, and don't come back until you've sorted out your attitude" she scowled

*****

The music is loud, the bass thrumming in time with the blood that is pumping abnormally loud in my ears. There's an arm wrapped around me, my head situated on someone's chest, warmth radiating off them like a furnace. My head starts to spin as I raise my head, resting my forehead against the unknown body that I'm curled against to help stop the wooziness. I take a few deep breathes, before pushing myself up to sit and stare at the situation at hand.

Niall has passed out, one arm around me and one hand clutched around an empty bottle of beer, it's contents having created a puddle on the hardwood floor. My vision is blurred around the edges, having to squint to see around the dimly lit room to try and make out anything that I recognize. I'm only wearing one shoe, and I'm wrapped in a jumper that I have never seen before, the material slightly scratchy against my warm skin. Climbing off the bed, I get to my feet with some difficulty, not wanting to wake Niall so having to maneuver my body in such a way so I don't disturb him.