shorts || h.s.

6 days after

Connor rubbed her eyes of the bumpy sleep and climbed out of bed. She took the comforter with her, using it like a shield around her body. She walked into the kitchen and joined Eleanor and Louis at the table.

Louis had learned to keep quiet around Connor, only allowed to be brought into the conversation. He couldn't even walk without making sure her eyes weren't on him. He kept quiet.

Eleanor started a simple conversation with Connor, with half-minded questions, until Connor took it somewhere.

"Where are my parents, Eleanor?" She asked, eyes on her hand.

"Oh," Eleanor gasped, stuttering a bit. "I think they . . . ." She stumbled, looking at Louis. He was debating to say what he knew or to stay out of it.

"Connor," Louis soothed, sitting back. She nodded at him, keeping her eyes on her hand. "I think they are at home," he said.

"They don't know," Connor said, shocking everyone.

"Know what, Connor?" Eleanor asked, making sure that she could take the conversation where it was going.

"That I'm living with you guys now," she whispered, pulling on her pinky finger.

"Oh, well no, I assume they believe you are still living with Har-"

Connor pushed herself out of her chair, climbing under the table. Her head was in her knees and she couldn't stop screeching through thick tears.

"Shit," Louis mumbled.

"Oh, God, she had forgotten," Eleanor cried, tears in her eyes.

"Do something!" Louis shouted, knowing he was helpless.

Eleanor cried and cried, trying her best to see through the tears. She watched Connor scream and slobber, shaking with heavy breaths.

But Eleanor couldn't help but be even more nervous by the sound of the television in the background. She threw the empty cup from the table at the screen, missing it only because she could hardly see through the clouds in her eyes.

"El!" Louis shouts, shocked that she was behaving this way. He runs to her and snatches her up in his arms, taking her to the bedroom. He kisses her lightly, petting her head.

"I don't know what to do," she cries into his shoulder.

Louis decides to hold Eleanor in his arms a little longer, letting Connor calm down on her own. It didn't seem like there was much else to do.

Little did he know, Connor and Harry were accidentally watching the same news report. Harry, siting in the dining hall waiting for a new suit since he thrashed a hole in his last night. Connor, recently regaining her vision and hearing.

"Former boybander, Harry Styles, has been arrested for rape against his girlfriend, Connor Hollick. Details are limited, but we do know that it was on the day of Styles' thirtieth birthday. He was apparently very drunk at the party and seemingly overwhelmed. A close friend, Eleanor Calder, called the police at once, the ambulance escorting Connor to the hospital, and Harry to a holding cell at once. The only other thing we know about the case is the date of the trial, which is set to be February eleventh. The entire trial will be broadcasted on our webs—"

Harry cried because they said her name and called her his girlfriend. Connor cried because they showed his mugshot, they said his name, and addressed her as his girlfriend. They made it seem like he didn't even do something that bad. They both cried over that.