The police show up in nearly five minutes. They take Dominique to the ER because her forehead is in need of stitches. They ask me who I am.
Charlie Wilson, I say, but even I don't believe my voice.
They ask me who did it.
I don't know, I say but for a moment, I think I do. I can feel it in my veins.
Then they leave. They tell me they will investigate and my friend will be just fine. And that's it.
Everything is fine now.
Wrong.
I run out of my dorm and run off campus, stretching my legs to take longer strides. I don't stop running until I am far into town. I run like I know someone is chasing me. A part of me believes someone is.
Harry's POV
God damnt.
Where could she have gone?
"You fucked up." Louis shakes his head at me and pushes his nightstand over.
"Will you shut the fuck up?"
"She's not like them Louis. I told you to stop at the night of the party. We can do better." I whisper.
"Haz, she's perfect." Zayn whispers from across the room. I glare at him.
"You only don't want to because you're in love with her." Louis narrows his eyes at me. I laugh at loud.
"Nail her on my bed for all I care." I say loudly, but even I know I am lying.
"Seriously Harry, were in too deep. What is stopping you? Julia?" Zayn pushes. I turn around and grab him by the collar.
"Charlie will never be Julia." I whisper and Zayn smirks. I push him down and he falls back onto the bed. I begin to pace around the room.
"I am not going to stop. This is a good one. Zayn and I will do it ourselves if we have to but you know he will be impressed..."
"I don't give a shit about him." I seethe.
"He pays you out of his asshole Harry. Listen you came to me a while ago because you needed money for your Mom. You could have left but you're still fucking here and you were the one who told us about Charlie anyway. You're in this wether you like it or not." Louis says, standing up and getting closer to us.
"I won't hurt her." I breathe. I cant hurt her.
"Then don't. Let us take care of it." Zayn smiles and I shake my head. I rush out of Louis's dorm before they can say another word I can't bear to here.
I know they are going to take her. I know what they will do, because I do it. But Charlie, she's different. Her scars scream a story on her body; I have no interest adding more.
I am not in love with her.
But I cannot let them hurt her. She is different.
Charlie's POV
I am in the library, too aghast to touch the keyboard. I know someone will tell me to leave if I don't use it so open up a blank document and stare at it.
I wonder about the course of infinity and if this stupid number eight looking figure could be broken in half. Then it would just be a three. And nothing is special about a three.
After minutes of looking at the document I begin to type.
"I am suddenly standing on sand. The sun is shining bright on the beach while I watch the water glisten. My stomach twirls as I look at the ocean, remembering my first time ever swimming in the ocean and I almost drowned. I step closer to the shoreline and let the foamy water circle my toes. It tickles and I laugh, tilting my head back to the sky. The clouds almost look too perfect to be real. I am so absorbed in the warmth of the sun that it takes me a moment to actually hear a scream. I look out into the horizon at the bobbing figure clinging on to the booey. She is screaming for help. I look around but the beach is deserted, there is only me. I step closer into the water and shiver at the thought of going deeper. I consider just running away and letting someone else save her but the only direction my feet are willing to go are forward. I take one step, than another until water spills past my knees. It isn't until I hear my name being called that I realize who is screaming. It's Ellie.
I immediately jump into the water in a panic. I never properly learned how to swim but I splash and kick my legs continuously in order to inch toward her. She is so far out it makes my body ache. I do not stop. I can't even think about stopping knowing it's my sister screaming. The one who let me run, the one who said she was right behind me and then never came; my older sister by 52 seconds. Her cries for help get louder so I swim harder and I don't dare to look back at the shore. I push away all the thoughts and fears swarming in my mind and focus on her delicate voice.
I swim for minutes, not stopping. I ignore my lungs plea for air and I keep going. It feels like it is never ending. Each time I progress and get closer, she just seems farther away. When I finally can't breath, I pause for a second and look up at the sky. I turn back to the booey only to see it empty.
"Ellie!" I scream, nervously turning around in the water looking for her. But she is gone. I then look back to the beach only to find no land. It is all gone. I am surrounded by nothing but water and fear. Then, the waves disrupt my fear and take over my body. I begin to sink. But I don't stop myself. I let it happen."
By the time I finish typing, I am in tears. I notice I should have chosen a farther away library from school because I practically hear his heartbeat as he enters through the huge doors. I shut down the computer quickly and duck my head so he can't see me at the computers. Looking up with just my teary eyes, I see him searching, determined, charging by every computer desk and looking in.
Shit.
I quickly scoot up from my chair and run into one of the many aisles of books. It almost feels like a maze. I must be fucking Harry Potter.
I run through the first aisle and enter the fiction one passing two teens making out. I know he must have seen me get up from my seat because I hear his breathing behind me but I block out his voice.
I don't want to see him.
I run the opposite direction back down an aisle to try to trick him, making my way through the children's section and back into bibliographies. I realize I am now running. I pass two aisles then run down it and turn right. I am close to the exit, but not close enough. I feel a hand wrap around my waist and swing me around, pushing me against the wall. His hand clasps over my mouth as I stare at him in a panic.
"Don't scream." He breathes. I don't know why I am listening to him, but I stay silent and his hand loosens over my mouth. Just as he reaches down in his pocket I twist under his grip and escape from his grasp. I start running for the door but I am grabbed again, this time swung over his shoulder and carried back deeper into the empty aisles. He sets me down gently and keeps his hands on my hips while I flare my nostrils at him.
"Why me?" I say and I can he tell he knows.
"Listen Charlie..." Harry begins but I shake my head at him.
"I have been through too much to be a part of some little frat boys' games." I whisper, terror sounding in my voice. Harry shakes his head slightly.
"This is more than a game Charlie. I know you don't want to, but you have to trust me."
I shake my head repeatedly. I don't believe in trust. Not anymore.
"You have to let me help you."
"Not until you explain." I cross my arms.
"Charlie, I can't do that. I know it doesn't make sense but you have to trust me on this one."
"Why should I? You hurt Dominique." I whisper in horror. His eyes twist.
"What are you talking about?" he whispers, grabbing my elbow and pulling me against him.
I look at him laugh. "Don't you dare play dumb. You live in some sick kind of sick world Styles but I need you and your friends to leave me the fuck alone."
Harry looks befuddled and I wonder if it's because he seriously expects me to just fall under his grasp and open my legs or something.
"Charlie, I just, I need you to listen to me. I don't want you to get hurt so I need you to stay with me."
I laugh. "Never." I get up to his face.
"If they hurt you..."
"Who is they Harry? You expect me to trust you when I know nothing."
He steps back for a moment and observes me. "He'll destroy you." He whispers. The way he says he makes my teeth clatter.
"Let me protect you."
"How?"
"If you just stay with me, they can't hurt you. They'll give up." He says uncertainly.
I open my mouth to protest, but Harry quickly covers it with his hand and shifts his head to the side to listen.
"Someone is here." He whispers, slipping his hood over his head. Without speaking, he takes the hood from the back of my head and slips it over mine.
"On the three, I am going to do something and you aren't going to like it."
"What?" I ask, worried.
"I need you to go with it." He licks his lips.
"But..."
"1...2...3." He whispers as the voices get closer and suddenly, his lips are pressed to mine. Our heads are facing the opposite wall and Harry's lips feel warm against mine, sending a shock of electricity up my spine.
Just go with it.
I quickly slip my tongue under his top lip and he greedily opens, accepting my request. I imagine his lips to be plump grapes, matching with mine. His teeth slowly graze my bottom lip and for a moment, I forget why I am kissing him. Slowly and hesitantly, he pulls away and smirks at me. I turn behind me and the voices are gone.
"Why?" I whisper.
"We just look like a couple of teenagers snogging." He smirks and I somewhat understand his logic.
"Do you trust me, Charlie?" he whispers and I immediately shake my head.
"Well, it is time to start. Go back to your dorm, lock your doors and do not leave. I will come by later tonight and make sure you are okay." He whispers.
"Make sure I am okay or hurt me?" I mutter and his eyes harden.
"That wasn't me...I wasn't thinking Charlie. I will never touch you like that, I will never hurt you. I want to close your scars not open them." he whispers stepping closer to me, his lips looking even damper than before.
"Then you have to prove that." I whisper stepping back and turning around. I don't know where I am heading but I know that I don't feel safe at Marson, not right now.
And I don't know if Harry is manipulating me or if I can trust him after all the things he has said but I do know one thing, though I will never say it aloud.
My lips yearn for his.
Mary Kall's POV
I put the pastries in the oven and dust off my apron as I hear the door ring. Today hasn't been a busy day, which certainly isn't helping the bills. I look up from the register and smile at Charlie.
"Charlie sweetheart, you don't have a shift today." I say, a bit confused by her sudden appearance. Though I have a feeling why.
"I...I need to stay here tonight, if that is alright with you. I need a break from Marson." She breathes. The girl looks like she just saw a ghost so of course I agree. I slip under my pocket and dig out a key for her and tell her to go rest. As I watch her walk up the stairs I run into the kitchen and grab my phone hastily.
Quickly I pick up my notepad and dial the number.
He picks up immediately, harsh breathing coming from the other line. I am beginning to think this isn't worth it, worth anything. She's innocent, reminds me of myself as a teenager. But I already agreed.
"She's here." I breathe into the phone, running my thumb under the wrinkles by my lips.
"Yes of course. I will make sure of it." I say and hang up.