Addiction. (Harry Styles AU)

Chapter Thirty Nine.

"I'm so sorry Francesca"

"How many times do I need to tell you to stop apologising? I'm fine"

Harry's done nothing but apologise since the second we hit the ice. And when I say hit, I really mean hit. The fall caused a massive bruise up Harry's forearm and my knee is practically black. The first aiders at the rink put a sling on him but of course, he kept it on for about 0.3 seconds. They bandaged my knee up and told me to get it x-rayed within the next 24 hours, but I probably won't bother. They'll just fuss and bandage it up again.

I insisted on walking to the car, I love being in Harry's arms but I don't need him to carry me everywhere. I can walk... Slowly... With a limp.

When we finally make it the car I'd given up trying to make it there on my own and let Harry wrap an arm around my waist to help me. I was extremely conscious of putting too much weight on him but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, I think he was battling with himself as to whether he should carry me even though I said no.

The passenger side door opened for me, I smashed my knee on the front counter as I sat in the big SUV.

"Fuck!"

Harry instantly began to fuss, asking me numerous times if I was okay and even placed a tiny kiss on my knee in the cutest little way.

The drive home was pretty quite, Harry broke the silence by saying "This whole date thing is new to me, but I'm pretty sure we weren't meant to end up like this". Which made me burst out into hysterics and the sound seemed to spark something inside him, the emerald in his eyes glowing that little bit brighter, dimples a little bit deeper, the tousles of his unruly hair falling onto his forehead before being pushed back with the flick of his head.

He was admiring me, as I was admiring him. It was weird, but beautiful.

Gosh, he's so beautiful.

After laughing at ourselves for a good 10 minutes I decide it's time to ask my questions.

"Harry?"

"Mhm"

He stays focused on the road but briefly looked my way to acknowledge the fact I'm speaking to him.

"Why do you keep getting into fights?"

Silence engulf us like a crippling black fog that burns you as it fills up your lungs, depriving you of oxygen. I knew he'd be closed off about this, but I didn't expect the silence to hurt quite so much.

I opened up to him just the other day but he can't even tell me why he fights? Yeah, because that's totally fair. Not.

"It doesn't matter"

"It matters to me.."

As we pull up outside my house Harry turn his whole body so he's facing me properly. His hand reaches across the console to grasp mine, pulling it into his lap and entwining our fingers.

"I care about you Harry, I don't like seeing you covered in cuts and bruises.."

A smile creeps on to his beautiful face and I can literally see the joy in his eyes.

"I care about you too Francesca"

And with that, the previous inquiry of fighting is lost. Our eyes are locked on each other's as our bodies naturally lean towards each other. I close my eyes once I see his emeralds close and our lips finally touch just as a loud knock on the drivers window sounds through the car.

We quickly pull apart and Harry turns back into his seat to see who has disturbed our perfect moment.

At first I'm too busy fussing with my composing myself to realise, but as I look over to see for myself I'm stunned by what I see.

Harry's body has straightened and he looks stiff, as if he was an old gear that hadn't been used in a awfully long time. Forgotten by time.

The sight outside the tinted window was one that I never thought I'd see. I've seen a lot of accidents, cuts and bruises, blood. But never like this. Never covering this angel of a boy with brilliant bright blue eyes that were now tear filled and so dark they were nearly black.

Niall.

His crimson covered hands had left marks on the window as he stood before us, broken and bruised. His hair was messed up and sticking out all over the place. His white shirt was blood stained and ripped in places. His lip was sliced open in two places, a cut just under his left eye on his cheek bone.. Clearly from a strong right hook. He was covered in blood, I was smudged all over his face, neck and shirt. Fresh bruises were beginning to appear all over him, a deep purple circle around his left eye. He stood there... Clutching his right side in pain as Harry and I looked at him in awe and panic and complete disbelief.

I wasn't sure I was supposed to hear the next words that uttered from my curly haired boy's mouth.. And I wish I hadn't.

"They've got to him too.."

Whoever was hurting Harry was now hurting Niall, and a terrible crunching in my stomach told me that I was next..

[Hey guys! I'm sooooo sorry that it took me like a month to update but I've been super busy as my exams are coming up soon. I'll try my best to update again soon but I won't be giving you weekly updates until around June when my exams are all over! They'll be updates between now and then obviously, just not weekly ones! I hope you understand and aren't too mad at me. Thank you so much for 16K, I can't tell how much your support means to me!❤️]