C'mon, C'mon (TMH 1)

Chapter 10: Carried

Bella's POV

I see it.

I see it happening.

And I can't believe it.

Before my very eyes, my stepfather launches himself at Niall, who backs up but is pinned to the ground. I let out a scream, but I can't even hear my cry over the beating of my own heart. No... Not Niall. He shouldn't even be here. What has he done to deserve bearing the weight of my stepfather's anger? It's not him. It's me. He can't take my whipping. I have to bear it on my own.

"NIALL!" I yell. I guess it's a common thing for girls to fantasize being rescued by their idols, but never this. Never this...

At the very last second, I see Niall's eyes widen, and he dodges my stepfather, lunging for safety... in front of-me? Why, in the midst of this horror, is he looking out for me?!

I fall back against my bed, my jaw agape and my mouth to numb to form words. My stepfather gazes at Niall with such hate in his eyes like I've never seen before, even when his malicious eyes are staring into mine.

Niall's arm thrusts outward, blocking me.

"No!" I scream. I don't want him protecting me; he'll only acquire something worse from my stepfather. He doesn't deserve that. Not that I do either, but it's something I'm entitled to bear.

"Niall!" I cry out. "Niall, get out! You don't know what-"

"Shh!" his words come louder than I ever expected them to and he pushes me backwards onto my bed, which is pushed back into the small space inside the dormer window. Niall shifts in front of it, blocking the space into the alcove.

I can't bear it. Seeing my stepfather standing there, his eyes glowing with hate, and then Niall in front of me, the Niall Horan, completely dwarfed in size with respect to my burly stepfather, terrifies me at the thought of what could easily happen within a matter of seconds.

We have to get out of here.

I leap across the bed and seize the window latch, my fingers shaking so much I can barely grip the knob. I seize the side of it and twist it to the side. With thoughtless speed, my hands leap back down to the bottom of the window, and I push it upward at a swift rate that surprises me.

Behind me, I hear the sound of a blow that sends a shock through my body, but it thuds against the wall, implying that it lost its mark, and I relax slightly, but my heart rate does not slow as I draw my fist back and punch the screen as hard as I can

I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Instead, my knuckles smart with pain and I wince.

My head spins around and I catch sight of the nearest heavy object-my copy of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I love reading and I'd hate to get filed for book abuse. But this is an emergency. I seize the book with one hand and bring it straight on against the screen. I hear the satisfying sound of a rip, and I drop the book, grab the screen at the torn part, and rip it further until it hangs in tatters in front of me.

I duck my head out and the sight of the ground below me sends my stomach reeling. "Niall!" I scream and rotate to see him positioned in a dodge from my stepfather's attempt at a blow.

"Bella!" he gasps. "No-wait-I'll go first. It's a long way-"

He rushes past me and I clamp my mouth shut tight, pressing my hands to my lips as he launches himself through the small space of the window. I close my eyes.

"Come on!" comes his yell from below and my mindset instantly switches to panic-you-had-better-move-right-now-or-you-will-die-and-if-you-move-quickly-enough-you-will-be-okay mode.