Of The Darkness (h.s)

sixteen

Leslie.

"Leslie!"

My lips curve into a smile and Harry opens his arms, my arms wrapping around his neck. He spins me around and sets me down, kissing me before joining the other men for training.

"How are you?" he asks, grabbing my cheeks and observing me as if I was hurt. It's been a couple days since I've seen him; my constant yearn to lie beside him halting as he ventured into the north again. From what Liam explained, their plan to penetrate the system is working. Yet, he says they can't execute it for several weeks.

"I'm fine Harry. Perfectly fine," I smile, his head nodding. He kisses my forehead and we walk into the training room. Louis stands on one end and Niall is on the other. Liam is facing me and Zayn's back is to us.

"This lesson, Harry has to leave," Louis says, my eyes scanning the room.

"What?" Harry asks, grabbing my arm as if he signaling he doesn't want to abide by Louis' command.

"She needs to learn to defend herself without you around. Leave her here and pick her up in an hour," Niall says, Harry furrowing his healed eyebrows.

"She needs to learn the single stance," Liam elaborates, Harry clenching his jaw but giving a firm nod in agreement.

"Don't let them do anything to you," he whispers in my ear, kissing my cheek. He walks out and the lights go out, Zayn leading me into the middle of the room.

"Lay on your back," he says, my body doing so.

"Single stance simply improves your mental compatibility in a combat zone. The enemy will try to inflict pervasive thoughts to enter your mind and it will shut you down, giving them the upper hand," Louis explains.

"We spoke to your father about subjects that could potentially hurt you in a situation. This is strictly for the benefit of your fighting skills and none of this we really understand, but he said you would know right away if you heard it."

My stomach drops and I see nothing. The light is blocked and I close my eyes, simply to feel as though nothing could come in contact with me.

"His name is Spencer. Spence, as you called him. He was killed in front of you and you did nothing to save him. You watched as the life was crushed out of him and you did nothing," Niall says, my heart clenching. Tears threaten to spill and my fists clench, anger settling in.

"You watched your beautiful mother, Heather, be ripped away from your helpless father. His legs were crushed and her neck was snapped, her body then being thrown into a window. You sat in a closet, like a coward, and watched the people you love die and get hurt right in front of you. No aid, nothing."

Liam speaks and I want to scream, my eyes squeezing to block out the manipulative words spewed at me. It's just to make you mad, Leslie.

"Then there was a boy named George. He was your best friend and he was diagnosed with leukemia when you were eight years old."

No! They are not talking about him.

"He was your first love. Sure, you were eight but that doesn't mean you can't love him."

"Shut up!" I yell, fear trembling through me.

"But I can't. You were in love and he was taken away from you, just like your family. You loved him and you watched him die as well. You were there, by his side, and his hand went cold."