Always Love You: A One Direction Adoption Story

Chapter 8

Roselyn POV:

The boys were all really nice to me once I told them what happened. Niall and Harry sat next to me during the ride to their place, cracking jokes to keep my mind off of things.

I had to pick my jaw up from the floor when I saw their house. It was really nice and very well kept. It was even gated!

Once we walked in, Louis showed me to where I would be staying. He was really quiet, but he seemed super nice. All of them did.

I was just happy to have a real, hot shower. I definitely overdid it, but I wanted to scrub dirt out of every nook and cranny. Although it stung at my cuts and burns, it was overall very soothing. Plus, once I got out and looked in the mirror, I noticed my black eye starting to fade.

The clothes Louis set out for me were super soft, and they smelled just like him. I had to tighten the string around the sweatpants to make them stay up, and the hoodie hung on me like a bedsheet on a pole. I chuckled in the mirror, but I was just glad I had something clean to wear.

I headed out of the room and down the stairs. I wanted to explore a little, but the house was already confusing enough as it was. They must be rich to be able to afford something this nice in New York!

As I slowly made my way down the stairs, as to not aggravate my bare feet, I heard the boys talking at the kitchen table. I only caught snippets of the conversation - something about lawyers and my dad being in jail. But what stuck out to me was something about "handing her over to CPS."

At that point I just couldn't stop crying as I rushed back up the stairs. Of course they didn't really want me. I was stupid to think that after 2 days some random guys would just take me home with them. It sounds idiotic now that I think about it.

I'm sobbing on the bed when all the lads rush in.

"Roselyn, it's not like that," Harry says quickly, sitting next to me.

"Y- you guys were talking about - about sending me to C - P -S," I sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry if I did anything. I'm so sorry!"

"No, no, love, you didn't do anything wrong," Niall assured me.

"We were figuring out how we could get you to stay here with us. It's called being Emergency Foster Parents," Liam said. "It's a bit of a process, but I'm sure the lads and I are ready to go through it."

Everyone nodded and smiled at me, which made me feel a little guilty for doubting them.

"So... I can stay?" I asked quietly.

"Of course you can," Louis smiled, wiping my tears off my cheek. "Now, let's get you all cleaned up, okay?" he said, and I nodded, following him down the stairs into the kitchen while the rest of the lads stayed upstairs.

He sat me on the countertop and opened up the medicine cabinet, grabbing tweezers, disinfectant, burn cream, and bandages. He was really gentle with my hands and feet, getting out all the shards of glass that I hadn't been able to reach on my own. He worked quickly, even though the disinfectant stung, and I was grateful he didn't ask too many questions.

"Okay, I'm gonna put this cream all over those cigarette burns, okay? It shouldn't sting at all, but if it does, let me know," he said, as I pulled my sleeves up. He worked slowly, taking time to massage it into my skin, and I was very grateful for his patience as he kept raising my sleeves higher, finding burn after burn.

I could tell it was hurting him to see so many on me, so I tapped his shoulder and smiled at him. "It's okay, I'm used to them. They normally heal on their own anyway, but what you're doing is really nice. Thank you."

He just nodded, blinking rapidly, and finishing up as much of my arms as he could reach. "If you have any more, you can just apply this the same way I did," he said, handing me the cream. We both silently understood that he was talking about the ones that snaked down my neck and onto my chest. "I'm going to go upstairs for a minute. When you're done, there's ice in the freezer for those bruises."

I nodded as he walked off, and it hurt me that I made him so sad.

~~~

Liam POV:

The lads and I were talking in the guest room when Louis walked in a few minutes later, tears in his eyes.

"Guys, I can't do this," he said sadly. "She has burns everywhere. And so many cuts and bruises, oh God! What was he doing to her," he sobbed, and we all engulfed him in a hug.

"She's safe now, okay?" Zayn reassured. "We're not gonna let anything happen to her."

After we hugged it out and Louis calmed down, he continued. "I'm really worried about her. I think we should take her to a doctor or something tomorrow."

"I can go with," Harry offered. "And I'll come too," Niall added. "We can stop and get her some clothes on the way back."

"Good idea. Me and Zayn were just talking about heading over to speak to our lawyers; see how we can speed up the process so that Rose can stay with us." I added.

"Don't worry guys, we got her," Zayn smiled.