One Person Changes Everything

Chapter 19- Trouble

Who else loves the song 18?? lolz here's chapter 19

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Recap

Lucy's POV

There's a cop car outside your house."

"What?" I stand next to him and watch as my mom walks out of the house, crying hysterically to the cop in front of her. I quickly close the blinds. What is happening? Did I really think I could pull off running away? What am I doing?

"Hey, it'll be okay." Zayn pulls me from the window. "Let's just sleep. You don't have to go to school tomorrow, alright?" I nod numbly and lay down on the bed, jeans and all. And I did go to sleep. Well, tried to, anyway.

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Lucy's POV

I woke up to darkness. The whole room was dark except for the tiny sliver of moonlight coming through the window. I looked at my phone and squinted against the brightness. 3:27. It was the middle of the night.

Zayn was sleeping beside me, an arm across his face, blocking his eyes. I felt shaky, like none of this was real, and I could go back to sleep and wake up in my own bed, hiding from my dad. I couldn't fully comprehend that I left for good, that I was no longer supposed to jump when someone walked up the steps, or when someone raises their hand. I didn't have to, but I still worried. Was he going to track me down? What would Zayn do? Would he even be able to do anything at all?

I get up and tiptoe over to the window, looking out. The police car we saw yesterday was parked down the street, across from my house. I wonder where the police is. Maybe at my house,waiting for me. I stood there, wondering if Zayn was right. Maybe I should tell the police. Nothing good is going to come out of me telling, though. What if my dad doesn't get any sentence? Or if the court doesn't believe me? Then I have to go home and face my dad after running away and telling on him.

"What are you doin', love?" I turn around. Zayn was sitting up, looking at me.

"Just....nothing really." I turn back around. I feel him stand beside me and we both look outside.

"You worried?" he asks.

"Yeah."

"What about?"

"I think I should go home."

He sighs. "Please don't start this again."

"Zayn, you could get into trouble. Your parents could get into trouble.."

"So can your dad."

"If he plays it right, like I know he will, you'd be the only one getting in trouble."

"Why can't you just believe it's going to be okay, love?" he says quietly.

"Because it's not. If I go back to school, they'll just come get me. If I even walk outside they could find me."

"Then don't go to school."

"That's not going to solve the problem."

"You're right. Reporting is, though." I don't say anything and he sighs again. "Tell me why you really don't want to take this to the police."

"I just don't. I don't need that kind of....attention. Plus, everyone would hate me. My mom, my sister, my dad-"

"Why do you care what he thinks? How he treats you...that's not really acting like a father."

"But I still think some part of him doesn't want to do this anymore. Maybe he does have a tiny bit of love for me. For all of us."

"Sorry, but to anyone else, that's not how love works." I don't say anything. "Hey." he pulls me to him, hugging me. I really didn't want to cry, so I held my tears in. "You don't deserve any of this, okay? No matter what he does, he'll always be in the wrong here."