On The Edge

Chapter 17

Louis's POV

I can't believe we basically got all the answers. I thought it would've taken us months to get what we have now. Mrs. Wellfar said that it took several minutes, but then Parker eventually broke apart like a jack-in-the-box. She afraid to be touched because her brother, Eric, beat her for almost two years, and she has anorexia because he never fed her. She didn't know what to do when she kept throwing up, so she stopped eating. Her parents died in a car accident and her psychotic brother took all is rage and grief out on her.

Harry and I feel victorious; we got what we wanted- more than we hoped for. But now, Parker looks like a shattered shell. Her walls are rubble, her eyes are cracked glass, her breathing is shaky.

"You okay, love?" I ask her, turning around in the passenger seat.

She doesn't answer, and she just stares out the window, unmoving. I cast Harry a confused look and he shrugs, glancing at me and looking back at the road.

"Parker, sweetie, can you talk to us?" I prod, my expression filled with concern.

She lets out a lifeless sigh and doesn't move. I frown and touch her knee, making her flinch. But I don't pull away. She looks up at me and I feel guilty for taking her to a counselor. She looks so defeated. It was best for her, I remind myself.

"What else do you want?" Parker asks, her voice quiet.

"We don't want anything from you. I just want I make sure you're okay," I say, gazing into her musty green eyes.

She pulls her knee out from under my hand and stares right back out the window. I frown and turn back to face the front. We arrive at the school and Parker takes her jacket off. We walk into the school building and she hides her face with her hair and beanie, not looking up at the students walking down the halls. I spot Liam waving to us from a door and I nod, walking towards him. Harry walks into the room with Parker and whispers with Niall and Zayn.

"How'd it go? What happened to our little rebel?" Liam asks, trying to make sure no one can hear.

"We found everything," I say.

Liam's eyes go wide. "Everything?"

"Everything."

"Well... save it for when we get home. I don't want Parker to think we're talking about her."

"I think she already knows." I sigh, seeing Parker spin around to look away from us.

"Ah, you must be Mr. Tomlinson." A kind lady walks up to us, shaking my hand.

"Yes, and you are Mrs. Kilson?" I ask with a genuine smile.

"Yes, Headmaster for the Middle School. I hear you plan on attending after spring break? Why so late in the school year?"

"My daughter--" Parker stares at me, waiting for my answer. "We just wanted to see if she could makes some friends here before high school."

"Alright." She turns to Parker and I can see the uncertainty behind her smile. "Come with me, dear. We'll get you fitted for some uniforms."

Parker follows Mrs. Kilson into another room, and I let out a sigh of relief. The lads look at Harry and I with a look that says to give them answers to their unasked questions.

"What happened at counseling? She seems worse," Niall says, frowning and crossing his arms.

"Well, the counselor lady said that Parker basically spilled everything. Almost right off the bat. We basically have everything there is to know." Harry informs them. "That shows us that Parker has a point where she just breaks and says whatever's on her mind. We need to figure out how to get to that point."