Tolerate It || l.s ✓

Chapter 27

"Baby, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Jake rushed out, darting forwards and Harry immediately retracted.

Harry was cowering in the corner of the room as he clutched at his jaw. His eyes were wide and glazed over and his hands were shaking.

"Babe, I'm sorry." Jake repeated, trying to crouch down next to Harry.

"You hit me..." Harry said in disbelief. "You, you fucking hit me-"

"I'm trying to apologise." Jake frowned.

"Why did you hit me?" He whimpered.

All looks of regret left Jake's face and he turned stone cold. "You were fucking going against me."

"All I said was that I didn't want to have sex." Harry's voice barely carried across to Jake. "I just wanted to cuddle with you."

"And I wanted to fuck you." He glared. "You always fucking do this. I want to fuck you and you say no. You blow me off all the time."

"Sometimes I just want to spend time with you without being naked." His voice cracked. "I can't believe you hit me-"

"Oh, get a fucking grip Harry. Stop being such a little baby. I barely touched you." Jake scoffed, "now get up and get on that bed or I'll show you what a fucking hit feels like!"

Harry's tummy turned, "I-I don't want to Jake-"

"Well you're fucking going to, get on the fucking bed."

Harry shut his eyes for a second, seemingly hoping that if blocked out his surroundings everything would be okay.

Jake lunged forwards, grabbing Harry's wrist tightly and yanking him up. Harry let out a strangled cry as Jake's grip put pressure on his cuts, most likely opening a few up. "No, Jake, please-"

Harry stopped kicking, lying back as he realised he had no hope. Jake smiled as Harry admitted defeat. He grabbed ahold of Harry's top, ripping it off of his body and Harry thought he might throw up as his cuts were revealed.

"No no no no no no no-" He whimpered loudly, "no, no you can't, no-"

"Fucking hell you're even more pathetic than I thought." Jake sneered, grabbing Harry's hand and turning it so the palm was facing up and yanking out his arm. "Hold your arms out and smile." He grinned maliciously as he grabbed his phone.

"What are you doing? No-" Harry wrapped his arms around himself.

"Fucking listen to me." He growled with another hit to Harry's face, and then a kick to the shin. "Look, it's not much to ask. Let me have this one picture or I'll tell everyone you know."

Harry let out a small whine, his breathing laboured as he held out his arms, looking away. He heard the click of the camera and he squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

A hand trailed up his bare chest before coming to rest on his neck. "Look at me Harry."

Harry opened his eyes reluctantly.

"I'm doing this for you." Jake said, "you've got to learn when you can and can't say no baby."

Right as Jake was about to undo Harry's trousers, a knock sounded on the front door.

Jake turned to him, "I swear to god, stay on this bed or I'll kill you."

Harry nodded, his breath catching in his throat. As soon as Jake left the room, Harry grabbed one of his jumpers, pulling it on to cover himself up. He checked that his car keys and phone were still on the bedside cabinet, and thankfully they were. He took a second to compose himself, wiping under his eyes vigorously before he tentatively opened the bedroom door.

He walked right up to Jake, who was busy talking to one of his neighbours, who Harry actually quite liked. "Hello Harry, how are you?" He smiled.

"I'm good thanks, how are you?" Harry replied, trying not to collapse as he could feel Jake's stare on him.

"Pretty good thanks mate."

Harry nodded politely before turning to Jake. "I'm just going to pop down to my car to grab a few things." He lied easily, knowing Jake saw straight through it but hoping that he wouldn't do anything with a neighbour at the door.

"I think you've got everything you need here." Jake gritted his teeth.

"No, I left something in my car." Harry said, "I'll be back in 5."

He didn't wait for Jake to say another word as he slipped past the pair, breaking into a run as soon as he was out of sight. He kept running until he reached his car, and without even taking a breather he started to drive.

He couldn't go to his house because that's the first place Jake would check, but he couldn't go to Louis's because Louis would know something's wrong again. He unfortunately didn't class Niall or Liam as close enough friends to hide out at their house, and he wasn't in a good enough state to drive 2 hours to see Zayn or Gemma.

He would have to go home. He could lock all the windows and all the doors, he would be safe enough.

//

All windows were locked with the curtains pulled across, and the doors were locked. Harry was curled up in the corner of his bedroom, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He was shaken up from earlier, with his breaths remaining shallow and spells of sickness taking over him. His wrists were burning, the cuts inflamed from where he had scratched and blood sat under his fingernails.

He dialled Zayn's number, resting his phone on his knees.

"Hey babes. You alright?"

"Jake and I are over." Harry said quietly.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"He hit me...he hit me and he tried to rape me and he saw my cuts and he took a picture-" He squeezed out. "A-a neighbour came and I ran and now I'm home, I just, we're over."

"Oh my god, oh my fucking god Harry. Are you safe? Please tell me you're safe."

"I don't know what to do." Harry's voice broke. "I'm in my room. My house is completely locked up but I can't stay here forever Zayn."

"Do you need me to drive down? I can leave now."

"It's okay, I'll be okay. I'll be alright." Harry shook his head.

"Can you call Louis? Can you get him over or stay with him?"

"I don't want to. I don't want him to know." Harry gulped, "I'll be okay."

"Why don't you want him to know H? I think you need to be around someone you trust." Zayn frowned, "seriously, I can come down. I don't know, I don't like you being there on your own though."

"I feel like I'm using him, I don't want to keep doing that." He whispered, "I keep going to him when I'm upset and I need to stop unloading everything onto him."

"Fucking hell Harry, he doesn't care. Okay? He doesn't care. This is your fucking safety. Please go to his."

"I don't want to. I can't leave, Zayn. What if he's outside? Oh my god, I don't like this."

"Harry, please call Louis."

"He's going to think I'm so pathetic." Harry teared up again. "I don't want to be here."

"I'm not letting you be alone right now. I'm sending him over."

"No, Zayn. Please don't. I'm going to go to sleep now. I promise you, nothing is going to happen. I'll call you tomorrow morning, okay? I'm okay. For now I'm safe from him and I'll be safe from myself."

"I love you Harry, just, yeah, call me tomorrow. And maybe see if Louis can pick you up?"

"Maybe. And I'll call you, yeah. I love you too Zayn." Harry shut his eyes before hanging up.