***Nicole's Point Of View***
"I really appreciate the help," Anne says as she takes the pie out of the oven. I smile and then go back to cutting up vegetables for the salad.
"It's no problem. I like cooking."
"Me too," she says, turning the oven off and helping me chop.
Anne told me about some barbeque she has to go to tomorrow for one of her friends. I'm helping her with the food she's bringing because it's not like I really have anything else to do. Harry said he was going to hang out at Louis' house for a few hours.
"So you met the boys the other day?" she asks. I nod. "What did you think? I know they can be crazy at times, but they're practically part of the family at this point."
"Yeah, I think they're all really nice. They seem fun. I like them."
"Good. They're all single too," she says, winking. Before I could respond Harry came in.
"Hey! I, uh, don't mean to interrupt, but Nicole do you think I could talk to you for a second?" he asks. I turn to Anne for approval. She nods.
"Go on! I'm sure you'd much rather be socializing than chopping up cucumbers," she says, smiling and taking the knife from my hands. I smile, thank her, and follow Harry upstairs to his room. He closes the door behind him. I sit on his bed and look around. His room was kind of messy, but then again he is a boy.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"What? Nothing? Why would you think something's wrong?"
"You just seem...I don't know...jumpy. What do you need to talk to me about?"
He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his curls.
"I just wanna talk," he says.
"Okay..."
"So," he says, sitting next to me. "What's your family like?"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you keep in touch with your birth family? Do you know who they are or anything about them?"
"Harry, what's going on? Seriously."
***Harrys Point of View***
I get up and start pacing, running my hands through my hair again. How am I supposed to explain this to her? Will she be mad? Will she be happy? Sad? Calm? I have no clue what to expect...
"I went to see your mum today," I blurt out.
"You did what?"
Yeah. Definitely mad.
"I went to her house. I didn't know who she was when I got there, but-"
"Harry, what the hell?! How did you even find her?!" she yells.
"Well...you were in the bathroom and your phone was right there...I'm sorry-"
"You went through my cell phone!? Harry this is not okay! Why would you go talk to her? What did you say to her?" She was completely outraged at this point.
"I told her that you're living with us."
"Was that it? Did she say anything about me? Did she even ask about me?"
"She said-"
"Never mind. Don't even answer that. It doesn't matter what she said because I know that she doesn't give a shit about me."
"Why would you say that?"
"I don't expect you to understand, Harry. You've been living in this mansion with your head in the clouds dreaming about your fame and career while I've been switching homes yearly all my life. Your parents have been there for you. They would do anything for you. Not my mum. She's too busy drinking and smoking pot. I'm surprised she's not in jail. It wouldn't be the first time. She couldn't even turn her life around for her own fucking daughter! I want nothing to do with her."
"Do you even know her name?" I ask.
"Why should I care? Why are you even defending her like this?"
"Because she cares about you."
"How do you know that, Harry? Huh?" She crosses her arms.
"Because she told me." She suddenly gets quiet. "She told me that she didn't try to fix herself because she knew if she did you would be living in poverty in some criminal neighborhood. She hoped that you would get adopted quickly by a family who could support you more than she ever could. She said that she loved you and that she was sorry, Nicole. Maybe if you talked to her you would know that."
"Why are you suddenly telling me if I should or shouldn't talk to my birth mother? It's my life, not yours, so maybe you should stop trying to butt into it. Just because I'm living here doesn't make it okay to invade my personal life! Everything she told you is bullshit, Harry. I guess you're too naïve to recognize that. She didn't get herself together because she didn't want to. Drugs and alcohol were more appealing to her than a family. She didn't want me. That is the only reason I am still in foster care. No matter what kind of crap she's feeding you I will always know that's the truth."
"Really?" I cross my arms and she nods. "She also told me you have a twin sister. Was that a lie too? Was that bullshit?"
"What are you talking about?" she asks.
"Melissa Collins. Your mother mentioned a thing or two about her, if you care. Or are you mad at her too for not being a part of your life?"
She gives me a cold, hard look for a moment.
"I thought you and I would be friends. I thought you were so nice and understanding of everything and I...I can't believe how wrong I was. How about this? From now on, stay out of my life and I'll stay as far out of yours as I can possibly get."
She gets up and leaves my room. I think about what I said for a moment before following her.
"Nicole, wait," I call as she walks out the front door. Mum grabs my shoulder before I could follow.
"Let her be for a little bit. Give her some air. It's got to be hard for her. She's only been here for less than a couple weeks and she's probably still adjusting. She'll be back. She just needs space," she tells me. I sigh.
I guess she's right.
*** Nicole's Point Of View***
I can't believe him. What's with people recently telling me how to live my life? If I keep in contact with my mother or not should be no one's business but my own. Why doesn't anyone understand that? First Molly and now Harry. Seriously, I can't handle this.
And what was he saying about a twin sister? I've never even heard of her before today. She probably lives hours away though. I'll probably never get to meet her.
I continue my stroll. I've been walking for the past hour. The sun is starting to set, but I'm not ready to go back yet. My feet could use a break though. I find a coffee shop nearby and go inside. It was air conditioned and it felt good against my skin after walking around in the summer heat.
I order an iced coffee and take a seat by the window. The place was nearly empty except for a guy alone in the back and an elderly couple about to leave.
I sit in the shop for about thirty minutes before the barista tells me and the guy at the back that they'll be closing soon. I smile, thank her, and get up to walk home. I'm tired and sleeping on it will probably make me feel better.
Outside the shop I finish my drink and turn to throw it in the trash just as the guy walks out. Our eyes meet and my breath catches in my throat.
"Nicole? Is that you?" he asks, smiling a creepy kind of sinister smile.
"Hi Brad," I say, practically trembling.
Brad was the son of a foster family I lived in when I was about thirteen. He was sixteen when he raped me and took my virginity. Before that, men that I lived with had touched me inappropriately before, but I always managed to contact Jamie and get moved to a new home before it went any further.
"I didn't know you were in town," he says, stepping closer. "Miss me too much?"
"No," I mumble. "I have to get home."
Now I know why Holmes Chapel sounded so familiar when Jamie first said it to me. I used to live here. Then again, I move around so much that it wouldn't surprise me if I didn't remember it.
I try to move around him, but he puts his arm out to block me. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, why in such a hurry, sweetheart? We really need to catch up. I haven't seen you in years. I bet you've changed a lot," he says, giving me a perverted grin.
We were standing right by an alleyway. "Brad, move," I say, trying not to sound terrified. He moves closer, making me back into the alleyway. "Stop. I need to get home."
He doesn't say anything, just smirks and pushes me against the hard brick wall. "Brad, please don't," I beg. No one was on the streets. Even if I called for help no one would hear me.
He was way too close to me. He had my arms pinned to the wall as he crashed his lips against mine. "Get off of me," I cry. "Please!" He lets go of my arms, but moves his hands up my shirt. I try to push him off of me, but he's too strong and he doesn't budge. I couldn't even scream for help at this point because his lips were still on mine. I wanted to vomit. Tears started falling down my face.
***Harry's Point Of View***
"Mum, it's been over an hour. I have to go look for her. She should be back by now," I say after sitting and trying to give her space for the past hour and ten minutes. I've tried calling her and she hasn't picked up, probably because she's still mad at me. There's also the possibility that she's in danger.
"Alright," she says worriedly. "Text me as soon as you find her. I can't imagine where she is."
I run out the door and into my car. I start driving up and down the streets looking for her. Where could she have gone? She doesn't even know the area very well. She's probably lost and confused.
God, I hope she's alright...
***Nicole's Point Of View***
"Get off of me!" I scream, trying to knee him between the legs as he struggles to rip my shirt off. He eventually achieves his goal. "Help!" I yell. "Someone, please!" I was crying, and I doubt anyone could understand what I was saying. I violently kicked and hit Brad as he tried to hold me down.
"Shut up and stop moving," he orders sternly, slapping me across the face. I hold my cheek, but he grabs my arms again. Tears flowed down my face like a river. I finally started to accept that this was going to happen to me and there was nothing I could do about it.
Suddenly, Brad's body was pulled off of me. I watched as Harry defended me by beating the shit out of Brad. I couldn't believe the sight in front of me.
"Get in the car," Harry orders.
"How did you find-"
"Nicole, get in the car now," he repeats. I do as told and watch through the window as he keeps kicking and punching the man who raped me when I was younger and almost just got away with it again.
After a few minutes he gets back in the car and pulls out his phone.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Calling the cops. Do you know that guy?"
I nod. "His name is Brad Wilson."
After Harry gets off the phone with the police he turns to look at me. I had no shirt on, just my bra.
"Are you okay?" he asks softly. The tears start again as I shake my head no. He pulls me into a hug. "Here," he says, reaching into the backseat and pulling out an extra shirt. "Put this on until we get home." I nod and thank him.
"How did you know where to find me?" I ask.
"I didn't. I've been looking for you for half an hour."
"I'm sorry," I say through my sobs.
"It's okay," he says, hugging me again.
"Thank you for saving me."
"Of course. I wasn't going to let that guy hurt you."
"Thank you so much for everything. I'm so happy I met you, Harry," I cry, continuing to sob into his shoulder. I was probably soaking his shirt.
"I'm happy I met you too," he tells me.
Soon the cops arrive. Harry hurt Brad so badly that he was still lying on the cold hard ground by the time they got here. The police took him away and asked us some questions. We answered them truthfully. It felt like it took forever before they were finally done and we got to go home.
***Harry's Point Of View***
Nicole fell asleep on the car ride home. I called Mum and told her about everything. Of course she was freaking out and I told her I would answer all her questions tomorrow. Right now I'm exhausted.
When we pulled into the driveway I considered waking up Nicole, but she looked adorable so I thought I'd let her sleep. I undid her seatbelt and picked her up, carrying her inside.
Mum saw me come in and I motioned for her to be quiet because Nicole was sleeping.
I took her upstairs to her room and laid her down on the bed. I pulled the blankets over her and kissed her on the cheek before turning off the lights and leaving.
I go to my own room and shut the door, stripping down to nothing. I sleep nude, in case you weren't aware. I crawl into bed and flick off the lights. I just lie there for a few moments thinking about earlier.
Does this mean she's no longer mad at me?
AUTHORS NOTE
HOLY shit. I'll give you a moment to just let that whole chapter sink in. Yeah. DID ANYONE CATCH MY TSWIFT REFERENCE?? XD go back and look for it. I dare you. WELL I LOVE YOU<3 THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!!! if you feel like it vote or comment or follow me. school is still hell for those of you wondering. sorry to rant for a moment but IM GETTING MOVED UP A LEVEL IN LA AND I HAVE TO READ GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY NEXT WEEK AND ITS FREAKING 500 PAGES LONG AND IM REALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT SO THERE GOES MY WEEKEND I had to share because im really pissed about it well BYEEEE<3