On The Edge

Chapter 11

Harry's POV

Parker slides into the car and I hop into the driver's seat, claiming it before Louis or Liam can. Zayn hops into the passenger seat next to me, and Niall and Louis climb over into the third throw; Liam slides into the seat next to Parker, who is behind me. I start the engine and pull out of the mall parking lot. I look back at Parker as I look in the mirrors to back out; she looks utterly depressed and... defeated. I knew she was hiding something, something to do with her eating habits; I just didn't know it was this. I feel bad for her, but at the same time, I feel like a parent for the first time, something I have to do to help my daughter. Well, sister, since we had that argument a few hours ago.

I pull out onto the main road, on my way to the hospital. I can sense everyone's dread and sadness; they all feel bad for Parker as well, but they might be more scared; they don't know what to do, and neither do I. I turn on the radio and Say Something by A Great Big World comes on.

"Say something in giving up on you. I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you..."

Parker sniffles from behind me, her head leaning against the window. Liam gazes at her sadly, and Zayn looks back at her worriedly.

"Parker, sweetie, it's okay to cry." I soothe, looking at her in the rear-view mirror.

She shakes her head and hides her face in her arm, her body shaking. Liam reaches out and touches her arm, but Parker flinches away, her body banging itself into the door. Liam's eyes are mournful, Zayn looks like he wants to jump back there and hug her, and Louis and Niall look like they're about to cry in the back seat. I turn off the music so we drive in silence, the truck's engine humming.

We arrive at the hospital and I pull up in a lucky parking spot close to the front. Everyone starts to unbuckle their seat belts and sliding out of the car. Parker stays still, her body pressed against the car door, still as stone. I hop out, turning the truck off, and closing the door. Liam opens the car door where Parker is sitting, and she falls out onto the pavement, landing on her hands and knees as she chokes out a sob. Zayn frantically picks her up and sets her on her feet, only to have wrestle herself away from him. Parker's eyes dart around wildly and she bolts to the side, trying to get away. Zayn wraps his arms around her tightly, and she cries out from Zayn's touch.

"P-Please don't t-touch m-me!" Parker cries, flailing around in his grip wildly. Zayn's face is red with effort as he picks her up off her feet and staggers towards the hospital entrance, us boys following behind him. Niall quickly opens the door for Zayn as he struggles through with Parker still fighting in his arms; tears and sweat are mixed on her red face.

As we walk into the white hospital, families sitting in chairs stare up at us annoyed and shocked. I apologize to some of them for Parker's hysterical tantrum, walking up to the front desk. Zayn drops Parker onto her feet and she stumbles, whipping her tangled hair out of her face.
Parker's eyes dart around and I know she's about to run again. I signal over a doctor with the wave of my hand and he comes up behind Parker, just as she starts to head for the exit. He injects something into her side and her eyes fog over, making her cringe at the pinch. Parker sways slightly on her feet, gazing up at me sadly.

Zayn wipes sweat from his brow, and Liam is talking with the woman at the front desk. Louis and Niall are playing chopsticks with their fingers, trying to distract themselves.

"Okay, you'll be up in about 10 minutes." the nurse informs Liam. Liam nods and turns to us, beckoning us to find a seat. I venture through the crowd of people and seats, finding a few seats in the back of the waiting room next to the glass/window walls.
I plop down in one of the five seats available, Liam sits next to me, Niall sits across from him, and Zayn sits across from me. Louis sits in the chair at the top of our seats. Parker walks over to us blankly and falls to the floor, sitting there limply. She plays with a strand of her brown hair between her fingers and gazes out at the parking lot through the window. Her hazel eyes are unfocused, reflecting the cars in the parking lot outside.