One Plus One

Chapter Fifty-Seven

BRODY'S POV

Harry had almost broken down in front of me. If it hadn't been for the heavy bruising around his eyes they would have been bright red with emotion. He sat defeated on the end of the bed, refusing to tell me of the exchange between himself and Jamie. Whatever it was had shook him up big time. My attention was diverted away from him for a second when my phone began buzzing.

Marlie.

"Brody, where are you?" she asked, quietly, seemingly a little frightened.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I'm just a little scared."

"Who's that?" asked Harry.

"Is that Harry?"

"Is that Marlie?"

"Yeah." I replied to the both of them simultaneously.

"Where is she?"

"In the car."

"Go and get her."

"Haz, you aren't thinking straight, she can't see you like this."

"Go and get her. I need to see her."

MARLIES POV

I had curled up into a ball, trying to make myself invisible. The darkness of the alleyway I was sitting in was beginning to intimidate me. It was dead silent except for my breathing, which was trembling. The door on the drivers side flew open, so I grabbed the nearest thing to me, a water bottle and brandished it at whoever it was. I was greeted by raucous laughter.

"Wow. A water bottle. I'm scared." Brody said sarcastically.

"You scared the shit out of me, Brody."

Suddenly, the comedy dropped from the situation. Brody's eyes were staring intently at me, his face holding a more serious look.

"Haz wants you."

"Where is he?"

"Just stay calm, ok?"

I nodded nervously as I climbed down from his car. Brody took hold of my hand and led me to the front of a tall, dingy building. It looked as if it had been abandoned for years. It reminded me of some of the places you see gangs hang around in in all the soaps. I couldn't prevent the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach as Brody pressed the buzzer to allow us in. Even the ascent up the stairs scared me. The stairs looked as if they would give way any second, plummeting me to my death. I gripped tighter onto Brody's hand, just wanting to see my curly-haired boy as quickly as possible.

I almost collapsed at the sight I was faced with. I brought my hands to my mouth to stop sobs from escaping. Harry didn't look like him. His face was unrecognisable.

"H-Harry?" I whimpered.

"I'll leave you two alone. I'll be outside if you need me." said Brody, making his swift exit.

"W-What happened?"

Harry looked up at me through the curls that flopped over his forehead. His knee was jumping up and down, a sign of his uneasiness. Mine was being communicated by the sick feeling that remained in my stomach. Harry's eyes were dark, no longer the emerald shade that made my heart flutter. 

"Come here." he spoke, his voice shaky.

I neared him slowly. His chin was quivering. Harry himself was on the verge of tears. He gently took hold of my hand, pulling me towards him. I sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around him, his head falling into my chest. I began to play with his curls as I heard him sniffle against my chest.

"I'm so glad you're ok." he mumbled.

"Tell me what happened, Harry. Please."

"No, you're safe, that's all I care about."

Was someone coming for me? Of course, Jamie. I should have known that after what he did to me, Harry wouldn't let it lie.

"Did Jamie do this to you?"

His silence was all the response I needed.

"He was threatening to do a lot worse. But you're here, so he hasn't followed through. I was so scared I wouldn't have you to hold in my arms when I got back." he finally said.

I swear I heard my own heart shatter. Harry was quite literally in pieces in my arms. I felt my own warm tears being to run down my cheeks.

"Stay here with me, please. Just tonight."

"If you promise you'll come back with me."

"I can't, Marlie. Not until my face has cleared up. My family can't see me like this. Not again."

Again? Harry's past was still pretty unknown territory to me. Except for the parts that involved my sister, and some stories his sister and Brody had told me, I knew little about him. I had let him in to one of my biggest secrets, I had exposed such a large part of myself to him, something that I felt made me grow closer to him, I knew he'd protect me. But now it was my turn, I wanted to be able to protect someone I cared about. I didn't want to be person people could walk all over like they had done my entire life.

"I'll stay." I sighed.

Harry seemed to gain composure at my agreement. I slid off his lap onto the end of the bed as he stood up and walked over to the door, telling Brody to come back in the morning. When he turned back around, he looked like a lost puppy. He seemed to have lost track of everything, the only thing he looked sure of is that he wasn't going to let me go. I was handed a t-shirt, my cue to change and climb into the safety of his arms in bed.

I nuzzled into the crook of his neck, delicately kissing his collar bone as he wrapped his arms tightly around me and entangled our legs. It was the closest embrace I'd ever felt. My heart thumped against my rib cage. I could feel his too against my chest. My connection to Harry was reaching new heights. I didn't think it could happen so fast, but the events that had led up to this moment had played a huge role in the development of our relationship. We needed each other.