I groaned as I felt the throbbing in my face, what happened. I scrunched up my eyes but gasped in pain, my nose, what the hell had happened. Then I heard a scream. My eyes flashed open and I saw January writhing in a chair beside me.
She was still asleep but the tear raced down her cheeks.
“No,” she begged an invisible force, “no!” she cried out again.
“January,” I sat up and took her hand, but she wouldn’t wake up.
“Stop please I’m sorry,” she cried out, her sleeping sobs erupting from her body.
I sat up and grabbed her jaw and turned her face towards me, “January!” her eyes flashed open and she threw herself away from me, before realising it was only me.
“No,” she sobbed, “it’s back, he’s back, it’s all back.” she cried, sobbing into her hands.
It all came flashing back to me, January falling, me chasing him out the door, and him turning against me, fighting twice as fast, taunting me with the blade he had used against her.
“January,” I said, “What was your dream about.”
“That night,” she sobbed, “oh God.”
“What happened?” I pressed, “It wasn’t just the scars was it?” she shook her head.
“He didn’t,” the realisation hit me, the way she moved if anyone touched her, the way she had screamed no in her sleep and how she had panicked when I had been too close when she had woke up.
She gave a slow nod, “I’m sorry,” she whispered. I raised my eyebrows shocked.
“Why?” I asked her in disbelief.
“Because you’re lying in a hospital bed, and I’m here raking up the past.” She got off the chair and moved to the corner of the room.
“Come here,” I said gently, she ignored me, “come here, please.” I said again.
She moved over to me slowly, still in the dress she had worn last night, I got a glance of the scars up her leg, and flinched at the deepest one that slashed across her the four others like a tally chart.
When she was close enough, I took her hand in mine and pulled her onto the bed with me; I pulled her close to my chest, and hugged her close as she sobbed gently onto my hospital gown.
“Do you need to talk about it?” I asked her, but she shook her head, and I understood, she had re-lived it once already this morning, she didn’t need to do it again
The door swung open and Louis entered, if he was surprised at our closeness he didn’t show it, he held several Sunday papers in his hands.
“Are you okay,” he asked me, concerned, I nodded as January buried her head deeper into my chest as though shying away from Louis.
“What’s with all the papers?” I asked him, he looked at me anxiously, “I thought these were better coming from me,” he glanced at January, “is she asleep?” he asked me, I looked to her, her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep.
I nodded, he handed me the papers, the covers of them all had the same image, the one with January lying on the ground with her dress hitched up to reveal her scarring, and then they were zoomed in on her abdomen and thigh to show her scarring more clearly, the words on her hip were the headlines used
“Harry what the hell is this all about?” he demanded.
I threw the papers back at him, “this isn’t what she needs right now,” I hissed at him.
“Then why don’t you tell me what the fuck is going on here?”
“Remember before I moved to theUSfive years ago there was all that stuff about me and her?” I asked Louis, he nodded.
“You did the whole publicity thing with Ashley then.”
“Yeah, well her boyfriend was convinced something was going on, and he hurt her but it was only minor, but he started watching us, and then he lost it, but she got out and I took her to the train station.” I felt tears spring in my eyes, “I thought she was safe but she went to a motel and he found her.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands.
“He did this?” he asked pointing at the papers, I nodded, Louis inhaled deeply.
“He’s out of jail now,” I murmured.
Louis looked at me, “Harry no.” he said.
“What?” I asked him confused.
“Tell me this wasn’t him,” he demanded, I looked away.
“He was there during her performance, and she got scared, that’s why she fell.”
“Why is she your responsibility Harry?” Louis asked, “I know she’s your friend and all but is this worth it?”
“I can take a few punches Louis,” I reminded him angrily, why would he understand, everything always worked out for him.
“She hasn’t told you yet has she?” he asked.
“Tell me what?” I asked.
“Get up,” Louis commanded, I looked at him before shifting my weight so that January lay on the bed alone, Louis directed my to a mirror.
“Undo the back of it,” he instructed, I frowned at him, “just do it okay?”
I did as he said, and looked at in the mirror, the words scarred in my back:
“I’ll be back for you.” I read aloud.
“Harry, I get that this is horrible for her, but he will kill you.” I shrugged the robe back on.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Harry, I don’t understand, why won’t you give this up?” Louis demanded.
“Because I’m in love with her.”
YOU ARE READING
Thunder
Fanfiction"I knew what I was doing throughout all of this, I knew what I was getting into. They may blame us, persecute us and say it was all our own fault, but do not let them weaken what we built, you are what I have been living for. I’m not afraid anymore...
