Secrets. ✍🏻

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Harry POV

I woke up that night to the sound of a door being shut loudly. My dad was back for more than a week now and the atmosphere in the house was worse than ever.

He was drinking heavily and he blamed the smallest thing on us.

Liam was doing his best to protect us, but he was not always there.

I keep hearing him walk around the house until I heard him enter Liam's bedroom. It was stange as he was never the one to walked into our rooms. He would usually just sleep on the couch downstairs without bothering checking on us.

After five minutes, I started to panic. There was no noise, no screams, no nothing coming from Liam's bedroom.

That was quite unusual.

I walked carefully to my door and pressed my ear to the wood. I could now hear faint voices but I couldn't distinguish what they were saying. I persisted until I heard something I never thought I would hear. Something I knew quite too well, something horrible.

The sound of the bed knocking on the wall. The sound of skin hitting skin. Cries that die into a pillow.

The terrible sound of incest.

Tears fell down my cheeks, as I understood everything. Why my brother was so strange around my dad, how he became that monster, why his behavior was so off.

Was it the first time? I doubt it, I was certain that everything he put me through was just the consequence of this.

It made so much sense now.

I went back to bed, crying at what I just discovered. I couldn't believe it, all this time, Liam was just reproducing his own nightmare on me.

I couldn't close my eyes that night, I watched the sun rise until it was time to go to school. I was terrified my dad would eventually do the same to me so I left using my bedroom window.

When I arrived to school i immediately walk to Zayn and hugged him tightly.

- I'm happy to see you as well babe. What's wrong?

Just as he asked that, Liam walked besides us. He looked so tired and sad.

- Listen I can't explain you why but, could you... talk to Liam? Become his friend again?

- Come on Harry, you know I can't do that after what he did to you.

- Zayn, do it for me please. He needs a friend.

- Not before you tell me what is this all about.

- What are you talking about?

Louis asked as he walked to us with a worried expression on his face.

- Harry wants me to forgive Liam and be friend with him again..

- Maybe it's not a bad idea. He understood that he did something wrong. He is beating himself over it.

Louis said nonchalantly, like it was a nornal act for him to want what was the best for Liam. Of course it was not and I needed to know why he would be so magnanimous with my brother all of suddden.

- Care to explain?

Zayn asked knowing perfectly that Louis was acting strange.

- Ok ok... The other day when I slept at your place, I found out that Liam was cutting himself.

- What?!

I asked loudly getting everyone's attention on us.

- Shhh, we need to talk about this privately. People can't know that he self-harm, nor what he did to you. And you need to tell me everything Harry, I need to understand... what is up with him.

I hesitated a moment before accepting to say everything to them. They knew so much already; it was not one more shady secret that would change much.

- I think my... father.... He.... He did the same things Liam did to me.

- What do you mean?

- He is abusing Liam....

Zayn and Louis had their mouths wide open, unable to formulate a coherent response.

- I think I will be sick.

Louis said, shocked by what I just said.

- Are you sure? How do you know?

I explained the night before, into details. They were both confused and disgusted by it.

- You need to leave that house. What if you are the next on his list?

- I don't have anywhere to go and I can't leave Liam there. As much as I hate him for what he did to me, he is still my brother and I can't let him there.

- Then you leave, the both of you.

- To go where?

- You could come to my house? My parents love you like you are their son, and Liam could go to Zayn's? I'm sure if we explain everything to our parents, they will let you stay.

- I'm not sure it is a good idea.

- Come on Harry, I will talk to my parents and convince Liam, you are in danger and I won't let anything else happen to you.

- Alright but... let me talk to Liam first. He doesn't know that I heard them.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. There was nothing I needed more than leave that house but I was terrified at my father reaction. He wouldn't let us go that easily. I went to class after texting Liam that I needed to talk to him.

It took a while before he answered but finally he agreed to take me back home after class. I was nervous to have the chat with him. How was I supposed to talk about this. It was still so unreal to me, I had so many questions for him.

I finally reached Liam's car later that day with a terrible headache. I was so nervous. I noticed what a wreck my brother was as he walked to the car. His hair was all over the place, he looked like he hadn't sleep in days and he was losing more weight everyday.

- What do you want Harry, I don't feel like talking today.

- Is it because of dad?

He froze for a second but shook his head no.

- Liam, I know what he is doing to you.

- I don't know what you are talking about.

He denied playing with his fingers nervously.

- I heard it, yesterday during the night. I heard everything.

He looked away, hiding the tears that were falling from his eyes.

- How happy you must have been, learning that I was going through the same nightmare. Funny enough eh?

- No, I never wished something bad would happen to you Liam. No matter what, you are my brother. Nobody deserve this, and I understand much better why you did all this to me. You need help Liam. We need help. We need to leave that house.

- And what do you suggest? That we live in the streets?

- Louis said his parents would take me in with them and Zayn agreed to let you live with him.

- Zayn?

- I know that you miss your bestfriend Liam. Zayn is doing it for me; maybe it would be a good occasion to make things better between you two.

- I don't know Harry, he doesn't really want to see me there. And what about dad? He won't just let us go.

- I think I have a plan; you could send him to jail for what he did so if we give him that as an ultimatum, he won't have any other choice. Come on Liam it's the moment to make things right. You can't continue living like this. If you do it, I will consider forgiving you. If I do, Zayn will and maybe even Louis will eventually.

He sighed sadly.

- Ok let's try.