Fiendish

Chapter 31

The wound heals but it never does, that because you're at war with love.

-Guy Sebastian, Battle Scars

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Harry's Pov.

"Fucking hell!" I shouted and punched at my steerwheel, making the horn blare.

I watched as Carmen scurried away from me and anger flooded me. I'm such a fucking dumb ass. I didn't mean to snap, but I didn't except that. I haven't really even had a conversation with my mum for what felt like years. The burning anger toward her hadn't yet faded.

And I just projected that anger toward Carmen.

"Why can't she just learn to mind her own fucking business?" I muttered to myself and then felt guilty for it.

Carmen didn't know. Carmen doesn't know. Hell, she might not ever know, nor understand. Nobody ever did get it. Carmen won't be any different, but damn it would be nice to unload all my shit onto her. Then again, she wouldn't understand that either.

I pulled out my phone, the urge to speak to Carmen almost unbearable. I looked up her name and put the phone to my ear.

"Hey, you've reached Carmen," I almost smiled as her voicemail began as I knew it would. "Please leave your name and number and I'll get right back to you. Thanks! BEEP."

"Hey, Carmen..." I trailed off, my stomach twisting weirdly. "I, uh, I knew you wouldn't answer but I called anyway. I-I just want to say...I'm sorry. It just...complicated." And with that I hung up and ran my hand across my face.

"You know, Harold, if you keep doing that you'll get wrinkles all over your face." She smirked and I rolled my eye.

Unwanted anger rolled through me as did a hint of sadness. I didn't want to think about her. She didn't think about me when she was with him. Now, she's all alone like I always wished. Though, I guess being alone is better than staying together with someone that could never care about you.

I put my phone down on the console and put my car in drive. I was already halfway done the road when my cell buzzed violently. I quickly grabbed it, only to be disappointed when Niall's name blazed across my screen.

"What?" I answered, a little annoyed that he called.

"Meet me at Louis's place in twenty minutes." Niall stated and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm really not in the mood to fuck around." I told him, clenching my teeth together.

"You need to get over here." Niall said. "Zayn's going to be there so-"

"Why the fuck-" I shouted in the phone but Niall interrupted me. Something he rarely did.

"Harry," Niall bit out, the tone in his voice urgent and serious. "It's an emergency. Get you ass over here."

With that, he hung up his phone and I made a unturn.

Carmen's Pov.

"So you weren't going to tell me?" I asked.

The class filed out slowly, but I stayed behind.

"So you found out?" Anne said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Touché. "Did...did Harry tell you?" Her voice was laced with hope and hesitation.

"No," I told her honestly, shaking my head slightly. "Liam did."

Anne nodded her head and sat back down behind her desk.

"Liam. He's always been such a good boy." She said with a far away look in her eyes. "Harry and him use to be great friends."

"What, if you don't mind me asking, happened?" I asked in a low voice, afraid to speak up.

Anne let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair. Much like her son. "It's a long story." She stated standing up. "You have classes to attend to and I have to grab a very early lunch. It is just horrible that my lunch break is in the morning." She forced a fake laughed and I dropped my backpack into the desk closest to me.

"I could always use an early lunch." I told her and shock was evident on her face. "Besides, I think this a little more important than classes." That was stupid of me to say, but I couldn't stop the words from coming out. My body was close to shaking and I wanted to know what has happened more than anything.

Anne gave me a small smile and blinked her green eyes a few quick time.

"Now I truly see why Harry so smitten with you." She said and I blushed, shaking my head from side to side.

£

"I haven't been the best mother toward my son." Anne began. We were sitting in the corner in a local diner. A few people were littered around but none paid any attention to us. "I guess I did pretty well with my daughter, she still talks to me. Tells me she loves me almost every day."

Tears pricked her eyes and my heart clenched. We weren't even close to the middle of the story, yet tears filled her eyes. I took a deep breath and pushed my hair back. This couldn't be that bad.

"I love Harry, I really do, Carmen." She told me earnestly and I nodded my head so she would continued. She sighed. "Harry's father, Adam. He, um, he wasn't a good man; he never was a good man. He wasn't capable of being a good husband, nor father. I could have sworn I loved him. For so long, he left and came back. Cursed and spat at me, yet he always came back. I always forgave him." Anne stared down her drink. She was unable to look me in my eyes and I knew whatever she was going to say had her hating and shaming herself. "Then, a few years after I had Harry, he hit him." I cringed at her words, feeling as if I've been slapped. "Harry cried and I watched. I was too afraid to do anything. I failed my son, then."

As time went on, Harry got these...um...scars on his back. I don't know how or when, but I knew Adam did it. I didn't do anything, just convinced myself that he would be fine." Her voice cracked and a tear slid down her face. This was too painful for her and I didn't want to hear any more. This was horrible. She...she was horrible for this.

"Anne-"

"No, you are involved with Harry and you deserve to know." She stated, looking me directly in my eyes. The glossiness of her eyes surely matched mine. "He cares so much about you. We don't talk, but I know my son."

I nodded my head slowly, unable to speak, let alone swallow the lump in my throat.

"So, more time past and Harry grew older. His scars multiplied and I never questioned them. Harry rarely spoke to me and when he did we would argue. Then one day...Adam finally hit me. Beat me to be more accurate. Beat me...pretty bad, Carmen. Harry was the one who stopped him. Hit him on his head with a wine bottle, knocking him out cold. Next thing I remember is being put in an ambulance and Adam being put in a police car."

Tears streamed down both our faces and our waitress gave us questionable looks as she dropped off our food.

"I'm such a terrible mother." She muttered and wiped her face.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to say she wasn't terrible, nor did I want to agree with her.

"Why?" I asked and my voice cracked. "Why so easily tell me all of this?"

"Because honey," She began and reached for my hand. "Harry doesn't speak to me and he hardly speaks to his sister. He talks to you almost every day. He doesn't have close friends anymore and he is filled with hatred and anger and sadness. But when he's with you, he's different, right?"

I slowly nodded my head, wanting to cry all over again.

"If he loses you," she said. " He'll never, ever, be happy. And you, my dear, make him happy."

No pressure there.

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[Status: Edited and Revised]