it hurts. // n.h.

14- Him

Niall and I just stood there for a minute, keeping a tight embrace around each other. He smelled like his usual Armani aftershave and a mix of cologne and wintermint gum. I loved Niall's smell. I hope that doesn't sound weird but something about it just makes me feel relaxed and at ease. Lately a lot of stuff has been going in and I don't know how to keep up.

Harry is leaving soon for the X Factor, Tanner is still at the house so me and Niall can't really be seen together alone. If we were caught, all hell would break loose. And not only that but I'm kind of getting scared of this relationship. Not that anything bad is happening it's just that to getting really serious. The last relationship I had was about three years ago. Long time right? I guess I just never was able to move on from him. Every time I got close to anyone I would just push them away. And it's all because of him.

I don't really like bringing him up and Harry knows that. Since we broke up Harry has done nothing but stand by my side and protect his little cousin. And that had to be hard for him considering they were best friends. They were both so close and when we started dating I never really thought that it would get so serious. We truly loved each other. We were as happy as could be. But then things started to change.

We began to fight a lot and then it would just keep getting worse and worse each time. The first time he put his hands on me was about 2 years into our relationship.

*Flashback*

"Come on ba-babe." He said inching closer to me, wrapping his hands tightly around my wrists. I tried to get free of his grip but he only tightened it causing me to let out a whimper of pain.

"Let go of me!" I yelled still trying to pull away from his tight grip. Drunk. Of course he had to come home drunk. Just when I thought our relationship couldn't sink any further. He decided to come home drunk and angry.

"I said come on! I'm not asking you!" He yelled grabbing my waste and throwing me up against the wall of the small apartment. His hands once again grasped onto my wrists tighter than I thought was possible, leaving bruises along the way and he pinned them up against the wall above my head.

"No! Jesse , I'm leaving you and that's final! I've had enough of your bullshit! All you are is a lame excuse of a boyfriend. Did you think about me once tonight while getting wasted with those 'buddies' of yours?!" I screamed suddenly snatching my wrists away from him. Quickly running across the room to get my things was the only plan I had on attempting at that point. I'd be lucky if I even got past the door.

Quickly I pushed him away from me, him stumbling a bit and then falling over onto the glass coffee table, completely shattering it into pieces.

I made my way across the dinner area and to our used-to-be shared bedroom and grabbed my pre-packed bag sitting on the edge of the bed. I was just about to get ready to make my way over to the door before a hand came in contact with my right cheek leaving a strong sting throughout my face. I looked up and saw Jesse standing over me with a smirk on his face as I fell to the floor from the impact. He chuckled and grabbed my bag, throwing it across the room, leaving my stuff to fly out of the bag landing carelessly on the floor around me. He walked over to the side of me and began kicking me in my stomach repeatedly causing me to yell out in pain. My voice suddenly caught in my throat and I lost my breath from the blow. I could feel myself slowly weaken from the impact of his boots kicking into my lower abdomen.

"Trying to leave are we?" He made a tsking noise before picking me up and throwing me against the wall with all of his force. "You're not going anywhere princess." Suddenly I felt a blow to my other cheek but this time a lot stronger. Blood gushed from my nose and poured from my right nostril as pain immensely waved over my left cheek. I could sense that my nose was broken but I didn't care to check. I was too weak, afraid, and tired to even think about my nose at this point. My eyesight had gotten a bit blurry and I was seeing black and white all over the place.

All I remember after that is Harry rushing into the room seeing me pinned against the wall with blood gushing not just from my nose but from my side as well. He tackled Jesse to the floor and that's when it all just went dark.

Things were never the same for me and dating after that. I was sacred. I had a pretty Damn good reason to be. I had scars that no other woman should ever have. That's why when I saw Niall's scars from his dad I immediately knew something was up.

I finally got up the courage and left his sorry ass and moved into my old house where Harry was now living. I decided to move on from guys and focus on school but that's when I started developing feelings for Niall. I knew he was different from the other boys. Nicer, smarter, and dare I say it. Hotter. Never in a million years would I think I'd be here, standing at a racetrack, going on a date with my best friend.