*The pictures in this post are only to give you an idea. My descriptions are not exactly the same as what is shown in them*
Ryder's POV
I wake with a groan sounding through my lips as I rub my hands against my eyes. Blinking them open, my heart spikes into panic taking in my surroundings as I quickly sit up in the unfamiliar bed. However, soon enough my mind combs back to what happened last night and my shoulders sag in relief.
I'm at Harry's.
A small smile tugs on my lips because of despite how late I managed to fall asleep last night I slept great. My eyes scan the bedroom, not really able to take in the details last night with my fuzzy and tired mind.
The walls were painted white, a large flat screen tv hanged on the wall above a dark wooden fireplace directly across from the large four poster bed where I sat on. A white door was closed, just a bit farther down from the fireplace, which I assumed lead to the bathroom. The closet space was just to my right; I could tell because one of the dark grey doors was slightly ajar giving me a view of Harry's clothes hanging on the wrack, most of them appearing to be office suits. A large window was to my left which I assume gave a beautiful view of the scenery outside, but right now I couldn't tell with the grey curtains covering it completely. There was also a small dresser in the corner of the room, the same grey color that matched with the closet space, the backboard and base of the bed.
The best part of the room, however to me, was the small row of books that sat on a shelf above the desk in the corner of the room. Curious as to what Harry reads, I want to get up and look but that would be invading his privacy. My brows furrow, seeing a small brown chest sitting on the corner of the desk, next to a stack of files.
Hmm, that's odd. I wonder what he keeps in there?
After finally feeling like I was fully awake, I stand from the bed allowing Harry's shirt to fall back down my thighs. Running my fingers briskly through my hair to tame a bit of it's messy state, I walk out of the bedroom in search of Harry while oddly thinking as to where he slept last night. All I can remember is that we were talking and then sleep finally took over me; feeling slightly guilty for falling asleep on him.
A selfish part of my wishes and hopes that Harry slept beside me last night, while the other felt nervous and crazy at the impossible idea. An impossible idea because the rational part in my brain took in the neat space beside me; no indentation on the other pillow.
Walking down the stairs I turn and peek into the living room, standing under the archway, seeing Harry no where in sight.
The living room had dark flooring with three large couches sitting in the middle, the walls painted a dark grey color apart from the white roof that was filled with small rows of circular bright lights. Two of the couches were black, while another small grey one stood off to the side; all of the couches decorated with grey and black cushions. A white rectangular rug rested on the floor directly in the middle of the couches, with a wooden coffee table resting above it, a few books stacked neatly in a pile right in the middle of it's smooth polished surface.
My eyes flicker over to the wall of windows, that contained a door right at the end, giving a full view of the grilling area on the back patio surrounded by green grass.
As I step down the steps, walking further into the living room, it's now that I realize that almost everything in the house had the same color scheme.
I purse my lips together walking over to the kitchen that was connected to the living room. My eyes briefly take in the polished, modern looking area, scanning over the grey cabinets and marble counter tops before they land on Harry, who was sitting on a stool by the large kitchen island; looking down at his phone. From what I could tell he was wearing a black plain t-shirt with his unruly curly hair pulled back into a bun; and I do have to say it suits him.
"Hey." I mutter shyly as I make my way over to him.
Harry's jade colored eyes snap up at me, a smile slowly pulling on his heart shaped lips...the same lips that were delicately pressed against mine not too long ago. I feel my cheeks heat up at the memory.
Will this make things awkward? I know it was just a thing in the moment but still.
"Hey, how'd you sleep?" He asks, setting his phone down on the counter.
"Fine. Thank you for letting me stay." I mutter, recalling me asking him if I could stay last night. I really didn't want to deal with Shawn's anger and worry on top of everything that happened.
"No problem. How are you feeling? Do your bruises hurt?" He asks while gesturing to the side of his face with his index finger. I shake my head looking down at the floor, pushing my hair behind my ear, not wanting to think about that at the moment.
How could I have been so stupid? What if Evan does get to me again? He was so angry before...
A shiver ran down my spine at the painful memory, and I didn't realize just how evident my worry showed on my demeanor until I felt Harry's fingers slip beneath my chin.
"Hey." Harry murmurs, lifting my head up to look at him, now standing right in front of me. "He won't get to you. I already took care of it."
"What do you mean?" I ask, perplexed, looking between his eyes.
"I arrested him for assault and battery." He says reluctantly, dropping his hand from beneath my chin, scared what my reaction will be.
"You did?"
"Yeah, well Peter did." He corrected. "I'm still not allowed to make arrests on my own."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not an official cop. I just work for them." He explains. "I'm more of an informative but since I know how to use guns and all of that jazz, my boss let's me do more things than what I should."
"Oh, well that's pretty cool." I smile.
"Yeah, I guess it is." He nods, smiling back at me.
"So you have nothing to worry about, okay?" He says placing both of his hands on my upper arms, running his thumbs against my skin. I nod.
"Alright," Harry nods, dropping his hands down to his sides before turning around. "Would you like some breakfast?"
"Yes, please." I reply as I watch him make his way over to the fridge.
"Okay, love I'm going to go change out of my pajamas." Harry says after placing his empty plate in the sink. "Then, I'll drive you home okay?"
"Okay." I say, taking a sip out of my orange juice. He gives me a smile before walking out of the kitchen.
Placing my empty glass back on the counter, I pick up the last piece of my omelet off my plate with my fork before popping into my mouth. I chew the piece of food as I jump off the high stool, grabbing my empty plate and glass before turning around placing them in the sink.
I should wash these, it's the least I can do.
Determinedly, I open the faucet and grab the sponge from the side of the sink running it under the semi warm water before squirting a bit of dishwashing soap from the bottle by the faucet. Grabbing a dirty white plate, I begin to scrub.
Once the dishes were fully washed and placed on the rack to dry, I head out of the kitchen deciding that it's best that I go upstairs and get changed back into my clothes.
Oh gosh, what will Shawn say when I get home? I don't even have makeup with me to cover the bruise.
Biting on my lower lip to suppress my worry, I grab the knob of Harry's bedroom door and click it open, stepping inside. My eyes trail from the floor up, landing on Harry who stood beside his open closet shrugging his arm through one of the sleeves of his white shirt; his back towards me. I gasp involuntarily, my hand dropping from the door, when my eyes fall upon the pink lined scars that ran up and down and adjacent on his skin.
Harry turn his head around and smiles, shrugging his other arm through the other sleeve before adjusting his shirt over his broad shoulders.
"S-sorry. I didn't mean to barge in on you." I stutter, as he turned around to face me.
"It's okay." He smirks, amused at my embarrassment, as he shut the closet door.
"You can ask me you know. I know you saw them." He says, grasping both sides of his shirt, starting to button it up, slowly covering his impressive torso; my eyes absentmindedly following his hands.
"I-it's none of my business." I swallow, shaking my head looking down at the floor. Harry chuckles making me glance up, seeing him sauntering his way over to me making me feel even more nervous.
"It's okay, really." He nods. "It happened a very long time ago."
Oh, if he only knew that I'm not just blushing by the fact that I walk in on him. Gosh, he sure is hot.
"What happened?" I ask, my voice quiet, feeling slightly reluctant and guilty for asking the question.
"My dad lost his temper on a friend of mine when I was little." He explains, his eyes briefly looking away from me. "He was going to hit her and I stepped in."
"Why would you do that?" I question immediately. "Why would he hit her?"
Harry purses his lips, focusing his eyes back down on me. "Because she was my best friend. We weren't allowed to play together but she kept on coming back to me. I tried to stay away from her but..." He stops, looking down at the floor; recalling the memories. "She was just so sweet and younger than me. I couldn't let him hit her, so every single time we would get caught I would take the beating for her."
I shake my head still not understanding. "But why would he do that? Why would-"
"My dad isn't a guy to mess with."
"Oh." I nod, thinking about what could make a man hit his own child, and that's when it clicked.
I gasp. "Is that why you got so upset when you almost fought Evan down at Burke's Diner? And about the man the police are looking for?"
Of course, it's all revolved around hurting women and children. Harry said so himself when we went out to dinner.
He nods raising his hand up to my cheek, frowning, as he gently stroked his thumb over my bruise. "I just don't like innocent women getting hurt."
My lips slightly part as I stare up at him, his eyes flicker from my bruise over to mine and I smile wrapping my fingers around his wrist pulling his hand off my face.
"Well, thank you for helping me." I murmur.
"You're welcome." He nods as I feel his fingers slide down to my wrist. I frown as he glances down at our hands, furrowing his brows together.
"What's that?" He asks. I look down to what he was referring to and see the scar of a faded burn on my left wrist.
"Oh, I have no idea really." I admit with a small chuckle. "My dad said I got it when I was little. He said I got too close to the grill but I really can't remember."
"Oh." Harry says letting go of my wrist. "Well, I'll leave you to change so I can take you home."
Harry's POV
I step out into the hallway closing my bedroom door behind me, letting out a sigh while my mind still racked around the image of Ryder's scar.
Is it her? No, it can't be.
Flashback
"Dad! What are you doing?!" I yell as I stepped into our kitchen, hearing loud cries. He was holding the little girl from down the street up against his chest, his arm wrapped around her while holding her small wrist tightly in his other hand.
"She's my friend, let her go!" I yell at him, my eyes flickering over to her wide, big brown, teary eyes.
"No, that's exactly why! I told you I didn't want to see her around here!" He snarls, glowering down at me. "I can't have you get distracted."
When will he learn that I don't
want to do what he does?
"Dad, it's not her fault!" I protest. "She-"
"Ah! N-no!" She cries out, as my dad leaned forward right over the stove, my eyes widening seeing a huge red splotch on the inside of her wrist.
"Dad, stop!" I yell, charging over to him giving him a strong shove but I only managed to make him off balance just for a second.
"Get the fuck off kid!" He growls, placing his large hand on the front of my chest pushing me onto the dirty, smudged floor.
I groan when my back hit the floor and open my eyes seeing him setting her back down, feeling slightly relieved.
"H-Harry!" She sobs quickly running over to me as I sit up, quickly wrapping her arms around my neck. I immediately, wrap one of my arm around her, scowling up at my dad.
If only I were bigger and leaner...
"Make sure she stays away or I will do worse." He threatens, while she sobbed into my neck, pointing a finger at me before turning walking out of the screen door; slamming it hard behind him. His threats meant nothing to me, it'll only take him a few minutes to realize what he has done and come back to apologize, he always does. I hate it when he gets like this, when he gets into his other personality.
"It's okay. I'm here." I sigh wrapping my other arm around her, hugging her tightly against my chest.
"I-it h-hurts." She weeps, her small hands gripping at the back of my shirt.
"I know, but I'm here. He won't touch you. No one will, not while I'm here." I say rubbing my hand against her back. "I promise."
End of flashback
I shake my head, to push back the anger forming inside me at the recollection. That day was the day that I decided I would never be like my father, I would never hurt women like he does.
No, Styles. It isn't her, you have no proof. Almost every kid gets burned when they're little.
Strangely, I feel a part of me sag with disappointment because if it was Ryder, than that would mean I kept my promise to my best friend. I would have finally found her.
Ryder's POV
I step cautiously into Shawn's house, once I opened the door with Harry right behind me, while shutting the door.
"Ryder!" Shawn's voice echoed through the house. "Where the hell where you? Why didn't you answer my calls?"
I bite my lower lip but quickly letting it go, feeling a small sting. I stare at Shawn with cautious eyes as he quickly made his was down the stairs.
"I was worried sick and-" He stops, and his eyes widening once he looks up at me. "What the fuck happened to you!" He exclaims quickly rushing over, placing both of his hand on either side of my face.
"Who did this to you?" He scowls, turning my head to the side to look at my bruised cheek.
Ugh, this is so embarrassing. Stop reprimanding me in front of Harry!
"Tell me who it was." He commands. "I swear I will kill them. I will-"
"Shawn, it's alright." Harry says, finally verbally announcing his presence, though I was pretty sure Shawn already knew he was here.
Shawn's eyes flicker over to him, letting go of my face. "What do you mean?"
"I already took care of it." He replies, taking a few steps to stand beside me.
"It was Evan, Shawn." I mutter, looking down at the floor. "I went to go see dad and..."
"She went to Katie's, Evan showed up and he was upset so he hit her." Harry says, vaguely explaining the situation for me. "Katie called me so I took her to my place so she could stay there for the night, and I arrested Evan for assault and battery."
Shawn sighs, shaking his head. "Wow, Harry." He runs his hand over his face.
"You have helped my sister so much what can I do pay you back?" Shawn asks, pulling at the roots of his hair before dropping his hand down to his side, his other resting on his hip.
Harry chuckles. "No, it's okay, Shawn. Making sure that she is okay is enough for me." He says raising his hand up, pushing the sleeve of his shirt up his wrist to reveal his watch.
"I have to go to work but I'll see you guys later." He says nodding at Shawn before reaching down giving me a hug.
"Call me if you need anything." He says before walking out the door.
Maybe the kiss really didn't change anything.
"What happened with dad?" Shawn ask sounding a bit hesitant.
"Evan was in his office, I heard them talking and he was telling dad that we broke up. Evan was demanding the money dad promised him for breaking up with me but since I caught them..." I pause, feeling the need to cry again but quickly push it aside.
"Evan said he didn't want to give him the money which is why he showed up at Katie's and hit me."
"However, I really don't get why he didn't give him the money. I mean after all he did bribe him." I grumble heading over to the kitchen.
"I can't believe him. I can't believe I was actually starting to think my dad was a good guy, that he just made a few fatherly mistakes." I say walking over to grab a glass from the cabinet.
"He is a good guy, Ryder. My mom wouldn't be engaged with him if he wasn't but there are-"
"A good guy?" I scoff, turning around to face him, placing the glass on the counter. "Are you kidding me? He bribed my boyfriend into breaking up with me!"
"Evan wasn't a good guy, Ryder."
"And? That still doesn't justify what he did." I scowl. "Oh, and in the mix of trying to justify his reasons, dad accidentally slipped out that my mother was dead."
Shawn's lips part at my words.
"Is that what you two meant about things I don't know?"
"Partially." Shawn mutters, biting on his lip.
Partially, really?!
"Are you kidding me? There are more things that I don't know?" I hiss, he nods.
"Okay, then what are they." I demand.
Shawn shakes his head. "I can't tell you."
I scoff. "Wow, well thank you for looking after me bro. I really appreciate it." I say leaving the empty glass on the counter walking around the island.
"Where are you going?"
"To shower, Gavin's gallery event is tonight." I say stalking, angrily, out of the kitchen; trying to come up with a way to explain what the hell happened to my face to Gavin when I see him.
Author's Note:
Hey loves! How are all of you doing? Here is another update for you guys, which I hope you enjoyed.
What did you think of Harry's flashback, do you think it mean something? Do you think Harry is just helping Ryder just to be nice or is because of something else? What do you think Ryder's father is hiding, and why didn't he give the money to Evan?
Love you all!! Xoxo