Scars & Flowercrowns // l.s AU

|| Chapter 5 ||

**Harry's POV**

I run, run as fast as I can in my beaten condition. It hurts. The searing pain is slowing me down, but I can't stop. The anger running through my veins right now is enough to keep me going. It's cold, I know it is as I see goose bumps on my pale skin, but I don't feel the cold. How could he? How could he humiliate me like that in front of his mother? How could he say those things? I handled it before, but this time is was worse for some reason. Maybe because his mum was there, along with the rest of his siblings. I don't know. All I know is that I couldn't stay there with him a minute more. I stop, the ache in my legs becoming too much. I feel like I'm far enough away from the house for now. I hunch over to catch my breath and try not to let the pain take over my senses. I see my breath in front of me each time I exhale as another indication just how cold it is. I slump down on the pavement and take note of my surroundings. Everything looks different with just the dim glow of the street lights and the moon above. I know where I am though and thankfully enough my house is just on the other side of the small cluster of shops at the end of this street. I think about what just happened....

**Flashback**

"So, Harry, do you have a girlfriend?" One of Louis' sisters asks as we are all sat at the large wooden dining table enjoying a beautiful meal.

"Uhm, I-" I begin but am interrupted.

"No, he isn't into that sort of thing," Louis smirks. I gulp and await his next remark.

"What do you mean, Lou?" A younger one questions.

"He's a homo," he answers.

"A what?"

"A homo."

I start to sweat nervously and lose my appetite. Which is a shame because the food is delicious.

"What does that mean, Lou?"

"It means he likes boys. Likes it up the ass," He says confidently as he gives me an evil look not even caring that he said such a thing to a young girl.

"Louis William!" His mother says appalled. I, on the other hand, am speechless and unsure how to respond. I just nod and look down at my food, face flushed. I breathe deeply to calm myself.

"What, mum? What's wrong with saying the truth? It's a disgusting truth if you ask me. That is not where a dick is meant to go!"

"Louis!"

He ignores his mother's scolding and continues, "How are you not ashamed, Harry? To like the same gender as yourself. It's horrendous. It's not right. Men aren't meant to like men. You shouldn't be allowed to be happy if you've made a decision like that. You deserve any sort of punishment you get. You are an abomination and monstrosity to our world and a disgrace. You're filthy and shouldn't be touched with a ten foot pole. In actual fact, you shouldn't even be allowed to leave the house because of the risk of infecting other people with your repulsive disease."

By this point, tears are streaming down my face and I'm having difficulty breathing. The room is dead silent. I take that as an invitation to leave. I stand up abruptly causing a horrible scraping noise from the chair, and dash out of the dining room to the front door forgetting to grab my bag.

**Present time**

I wipe away the stray tear that runs down my cheek from the memory. I hoist myself off the ground with a grunt and a sigh. I start to feel bad for just running out like that, but I just couldn't stay. If I make it home alive, I'll ask mum to apologise to Jay for me or something since she's been so kind. I continue my walk to my house extremely paranoid that someone is going to jump out from somewhere and mug me or kidnap me or something. I feel sluggish and heavy and the pounding in my head is starting to return meaning the pills are wearing off. I wrap my arms around myself and shiver.