Afire Love - Niall Horan Vs. Harry Styles Completed

Chapter Twenty Two - The Bruises That Made Us

H A R R Y

"Serena? Serena?!" I question her, my eyes furrowed as she stands in front of me stone cold; eyes not even blinking for a second. My hand waves in front of her stunning face and those warm heart melting eyes which could have me falling to her knees at just three little words.

"Serena, stop. You're scaring me," I pleaded.

Just then as if on the click of fingers her eyes flashed wide open from her unconscious dream.

"Sorry...I-I...," she stuttered nervously looking any where but my eyes.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You got me worried though," I calmed her down inviting her in. She was uncertain, I could see that. I would be too. I heard her coming to Niall, he probably told her every thing.

S E R E N A

His appearance shocked me, more than anything else I've ever seen. Dry burgundy and now coal black blood stained his face leaving dripping marks under his nose, his left eye luckily only lightly swollen, lips cut in the middle, knuckles clenched as he attempted to hide his bruises and pain. But deep inside even though he tried to cover up his misery I knew the truth. You can't lie to me. And it hurts me the most that he won't let me know, that he won't tell me, tell me what really happened. Because even though Niall told me some details I'm positive that there's more to it than what I've been told.

By the time that I realize just what I'm doing; my eyes wide open, eyebrows raised as high as humanly possible, mouth wide open inspecting every inch of his face and body, Harry gently closed me mouth.

"Harry?" I asked him.

"Yes," replied he.

"I've been meaning to tell you something...," I spoke unsure of I should tell him or would he laugh in my face and call me crazy...that is if he hasn't already.

"What is it?"

"I...I-" I stuttered biting the inside of my lip nervously.

"You missed me, didn't you?" he cockily questioned me, cracking a smirk,  although it seemed more as a statement, raising one of his eyebrows as he interrupted me.

"Well, yes but that's not what I've been meaning to say," his smirk dropped.

"Liam sent you here, didn't he?! I knew this was too good to be true!" he raised his voice,  letting out an aggressive yet exhausted groan as he rapidly sat on an armchair, leaning his elbows on the comforters of the armchair as he covered his face with his hands.

"Can you not jump into conclusions, please?! Because, actually, Liam warned me, he told me not to go," I explained at which his head instantly shot up.

"Then why are you here? He clearly didn't want you too come! Or did you just come here for him," he said, emphasizing the word 'him' referring to Niall who's name he could not speak as a result of the pure hatred he had for him.

"I came here because I was worried, I wanted to check up on you," I calmed down, ignoring the last bit of his sentence about Niall, moving closer to him as I put my hand on his arm slowly. He instantly slapped my hand away before snickering loudly.

"I don't need you to check up on me. I'm doing fine as you can see!" he rose up, raising his voice one again but this time I wasn't sure whether he meant it in a sarcastic way or not.

"You clearly do," I argued.

"I'm not a five year old and I'm not your kid and I'm certainly no one you care for so just, leave, me, alone," he argued back sharply, speaking the last part of the sentence slowly as well as confidently, leaving me belittled.