Insatiably You | l.s.

Chapter 15

"Hi, honey how are you feeling today?" my mother asks while shutting the bedroom door behind her, with a slightly awkward Niall and a pensive Liam in tow. "I brought some visitors to hopefully cheer you up," she then says. 

God no, this cannot be happening. 

Why did she do that? Why on earth are they here? What did she tell them? 

Why did she bring them to see me? 

Did they somehow find out the truth? Did she somehow find out the truth and tell them? 

What am I going to have to tell them now?

Inhale.

Exhale.

Collect your expression, don't let them know. If you put on the perfect facade no one will ever know.

Inhale.

Exhale. 

And just do it. 

Just lie through your teeth to the most important people in your life, and everything will be fine.

"Hey mum, thanks for— thank you for inviting the lads over, I haven't seen them in what feels like ages... You alright mates?" I question, in hopes of providing some form of normalcy to the situation, while they both nod their heads in the affirmative.

My mother, then interrupts, by saying, "Oh! Don't you worry about them, they're good H...what we're all concerned about is you...How are you feeling, sweetheart? Are you in any pain right now? Is there anything I can get you? Maybe some painkillers? Some juice? A snack?" whilst pretending to be the perfect mother in front of a room full of people.

If she was the perfect mother, or half as good as she pretended to be, she would have seen through my facade the moment we spoke on Friday.

"I told you, mum, I'm fine, really... You didn't need to disturb both Ni and Lee from their lectures. I could have seen them later in the week or even next week. They didn't need to come here...I've already told you it's...it was just a scratch and I'm fine really. Perfectly fine...Plus Louis here is taking good care of me so there was no need to bother them...I've already got all the doting I can handle," I grit out while focusing my attention on the sheets surrounding me, not daring to meet anyone's eye.

However, before my mother is able to formulate a reply to my little outburst, Liam beats her to it by saying, "Don't be stupid H, of course, it's a big deal. If it weren't for you that poor lad probably would have been beaten to the pulp, isn't that right?" while throwing an unreadable expression my way and continuing with, "...in any case, whatever happened, rest assured, the next time I see Axel I'm gonna kill him. I can't believe — according to what your mother told us — Axel hit you after you were just trying to stop another kid from getting beat up...I always knew he was no good, from the moment you two started dating...I just— I didn't say anything because I knew how much you liked him," which leads to me visibly frowning due to this new information, as well as the tone he chose to say it in. 

Liam knows. He knew all along, and Niall possibly did too. My mother now knows, and oh God so does Louis too.

"You— You mean to say, that...that piece of shit...that he was your boyfriend. That when he was supposed to treat you with respect, and care, no matter what happened between you two, that he—"  Louis starts, with anger evident in his tone, only for me to raise my hand and cut him off.

"Please...not now, Louis. Just leave it. Not now...please not now, just drop it," I whisper not daring to meet his eyes, whilst all he does is scoffs in response, and clench his fists and jaw.