No Control • hs

sixteen

     I set down my suitcase. I am finally home from the lake. It was a nice break from all of the coffee shop hustle. Although, I can never catch a break from Harry. But I don't really mind. I turn on some TV and start unpacking. I put dirty clothes in the hamper, and clean ones back in my dresser or hang them up in my closet.

     I come out from my room to sort my toiletries. I put most of them away then I hear a knock at my door. I swing the door open to see no one but Niall. "Did you follow me here?" I yell not opening the door further.

     "I'll be asking the questions here, sweetie." Harry comes out of his apartment, he has on a tshirt and sweatpants. "Is this Mr. Boyfriend?" Niall asks, walking closer to Harry.

     "Get away from him, Niall." Niall walks over to me, taking his sunglasses off.

   "You don't scare me Peyton. When we were dating, I had control over you, and it's no different now."

     "You have never had any control over me-" I start.

     "And you never will." Harry chimes in, walking closer to Niall. "I'm going to give you ten seconds to get on that elevator and forget you ever came here, or else."

     "Or else what, you'll run away and have Peyton play doctor again?" Niall says. I could see that Niall was very, very close to Harry now. Niall turns around and comes back to me. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, rising to my cheek. He takes his hand and puts it in my hair, he twirls my loose curls in his fingers. I smack his hand away. "Easy there, Peyton, you wouldn't want to hurt yourself." Harry had enough, he grabbed Niall by the shirt and pushed him up against his apartment door and then threw him down.

     Niall falls to the ground and another smack sounds. Harry's neighbor to the right comes out of their apartment, seeing Harry holding Niall to the ground. They go back into their apartment and security comes out from the staircase.

     Security rips Harry off of Niall and they each talk their side of their story. I can't hear any of Harry's side but I do hear the officer questioning Niall. "Would you like to charge this man?" Niall shakes his head, ashamed of the fight he just got into. Niall walks out without either boy being charged.

     I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head on his shoulder. He bring his arms up and wraps them around my waist. "Are you alright?" He asks, searching my eyes for an answer.

     "Yes, as long as I am with you." I rest my head on his chest, listening to his breathing patterns.

     "Peyton."  I look up at him and he searches my eyes again. "You know I love you right?"

     "Love is a big word, Harry."

     "I know, that's what makes it so special."

***

I wake up, eyes fuzzy and throat scratchy. I walk into the kitchen to fix some breakfast before I go off to work. My heart races when I see Niall at my sink. "What are you doing here?" I yell, "Get out!"

He stares out the window and takes a breath."I can tell you aren't much of a morning person, am I right?" He turns around and leans against my countertop.

"Get out right this second, Niall."

"Why, because you don't have your friend Harry to protect you?" He slams his fists down on the kitchen island. "You may want to go get him before I do." I brace myself against the threshold of my bedroom and when I feel it is safe, I run to the door. I approach Harry's door and rapidly knock, looking back to see Niall gaining on me. I reach for the doorknob and open the door, surprised to know it was unlocked. Silence fills his apartment and then it fills me inside.

"You already got him." I don't turn around, I just look at the empty room.

"It's amazing how the brain works, isn't it?"

"Where is he?" I yell and turn around.

"Don't worry, he was in good hands. He was fed all his meals and had a bed." This was Niall's ultimate revenge, taking Harry away from me forever.

"Was?" He used all past-tense, this can only mean one thing.

"Yeah, we couldn't help it when he tried to escape and didn't make it past the door."

***

"Peyton? Peyton, wake up." Louis shakes me and I'm suddenly aware that I had fallen asleep on their couch. I made myself stay until Louis was home, so Harry wasn't alone for the night. It was now morning and Louis had obviously came back.

"Where's Harry?" I sit up and look around.

"He's in his room, why?" I didn't answer Louis' question, I ran to make sure Harry was in his own bed, safe.

"You're okay." I take a deep breath and it wakes Harry up. What a light sleeper.

Harry rubs his eyes and sits up. "Of course I am okay, what do you mean?"

"It's a long story."

Harry looks at the clock on his side table. "I've got some time."