Without You - Niam Horayne

Chapter 17 - You Are Not Worthless

            “I’m sorry,” Liam mumbled to me as tears started to form in his eyes. I shook my head and wrapped him up in my arms, letting his cry into my shirt. I didn’t care that he yelled at me, it was obvious to see how hurt he was by this.

            “Maybe just give him time?” I suggested.

            “I’m trying,” Liam whimpered into my shirt. I ran my hair through his short hair hushed him softly.

            “It’ll be okay Liam,” I cooed.

Liam’s P.O.V.

            Zayn was right. I needed to figure out about Niall’s scars, so that night, I decided I was going to ask him. It was late, and Niall and I were lying in the king sized bed, watching TV. He yawned sleepily and made me chuckle. I ran my hand through his blonde hair and then caressed his face.

            “Ready for bed, baby?” I asked gently. Niall nodded and I stood up and grabbed the TV remote, turning it off. I then stripped of my shirt and pants—I always sleep in just boxers. Niall took off his jeans, but not his shirt, like he had been lately. I figured he left his shirt on the hide his scars. “Are you going to sleep in your shirt?”

            “Yeah,” Niall said smoothly.

            “You never used to,” I said. It was true. Before Niall disappeared he always slept in just his boxers.

            “Well, uh…” Niall mumbled.

            “Here,” I said, reaching over and grabbing the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. He lifted his arms to make it easier for me. Then I saw the scars. He only had a few on the front of his torso, but they weren’t pretty. “Just tell me Niall,” I begged.

            “I’m sorry,” He said, looking ashamed, “I’m ugly,”

            “No, no Niall, that’s not what I mean at all,” I said, “You are beautiful.”

            He looked up into my eyes, he was on the verge of tears. “I don’t deserve you,” Niall mumbled.

            “Yes, you do Niall. Whoever did this to you, they are stupid. So, so, so stupid,” I said, tracing my fingers over the scars on the front of his torso. Then I ran my fingers over his shoulders to his back, right in between his shoulder blades. “Can I see?”

            “Liam, you don’t want to see it,” He said, putting his head down.

            I gently spun him around so I could see his back. There, in betweens his shoulder blades were three distinct scars spelling out a word.

            Fag.

            My heart dropped. Who did this to Niall? My Niall? If I ever found them, I would kill them. Kill them right then, right there.