On The Edge

Chapter 18

Niall's POV

"Louis." I whisper, nudging his shoulder and trying to wake him up. "Louis."

He groans and his eyes peel open. He confusedly looks around at Parker's bedroom and seems to notice he's sleeping with her in her bed.

"What time is it?" He asks, his voice raspy as he rubs his eyes and brushes his messy, brown hair out of his face.

"10:30." I answer, still bent down to his eye level. I glance at Parker sleeping behind him and ask, "What the heck are you doing in here?"

"It's... it's a long story." he replies, sitting up slowly, so he doesn't wake her. "I'll tell you and the lads downstairs."

I nod and rush out of the room, banging on Zayn's door as I pass. I hear Louis trudging down the stairs behind me and I tell the other lads to come over. Harry and Liam flop down onto the couch and I sit on the arm of the couch. Louis leans back against the tall table that holds the TV, and sighs. Zayn stumbles down the stairs in his boxers and sits on the chair next to me, not even fully awake yet.

"So last night, when all of you went to bed, I dozed off at the table and heard crying later on." Louis starts his story, and I notice the preciseness of his words, as if he's being careful on how he words this. "I ran up the stairs and into Parker's room, and she was in the bathroom. She was... she was cutting herself."

Zayn's eyes snap open all the way and Liam brings his hand up to his mouth. My heart stops in my chest and Harry's mouth just hangs open, his eyes blankly staring at Louis.

Louis clenches his fist and continues, "She was cutting three lines: one for each of her problems, and she was begging me stop. I got her to drop the razor... and she fell into my arms. She let me hug her." Louis sniffles and shakes his head as if to get himself together. "Now, she has 2 1/2 scars on her wrist. And she asked me to stay with her. So I did. And..." He wipes tears from his eyes, and Liam stands up and walks up to him, pulling him into a hug. Louis sniffles and hugs Liam so tight that his hands turn red and white. "And she's sleeping now. She could finally sleep."

I glance down at Zayn and he's staring at the ground, clenching his fist. I look over at Harry and see a tear roll down his cheek, still staring into space, like a raindrop on a leaf.

After a few minutes, Liam pulls back from Louis, and Louis lets out a shaky breath. He holds up a finger, indicating for us to give him a moment, and he kicks the wall, the loud and dull bang echoing throughout the room. He shakes out his foot and walks into the kitchen, aimlessly starting to make breakfast. I stare at the dent in the wall and get to my feet, parting Zayn and Harry quickly on the back before walking into the kitchen.

"But we have to act like everything is fine, lads," Louis says, harshly stirring the eggs. "We have to pretend everything is alright."

"Louis, mate, chill." I try to soothe him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He lets go of the whisk and breathes heavily. I haven't seen him this mad and disturbed in a while. "It's all over, now. Parker's fine."

"She could've died." he whispers, glaring at the bowl in front of him. "If she didn't know what she was doing, she could've cut a vein and bled to death before I could've gotten to her."

"But she's alive." I reassure him, shaking his shoulder. "You saved her, Lou."

He doesn't respond, but then he nods his head, going back to the eggs. I cautiously start to set the table, eyeing him to make sure he doesn't suddenly start throwing kitchen supplies everywhere. I remind myself that I have to look happy and cheerful when Parker comes down. I hear footsteps on the stairs and I look up along with the other boys. Parker doesn't meet our eyes, nervously rubbing her arm and staggering into the living room.