Poison

Chapter 27

---------|| { Alex's POV } ||---------

I felt myself stop breathing.. He hasn't told.. ANYONE? What could he be talking about? Was it something to do with the way the nurse was acting? She seemed afraid of him. He was known for being secretive. No ones knows anything about him.. This secret could be anything. I like Harry. I really do. I feel.... Sort of attached to him. Him and Chapin are the only people I can say that about. I can tell whatever it is he's hiding has been weighing heavy on him. Whatever it is, I won't leave him.

"You can tell me." I said as I leaned over, put my hand on his knee and I gently squeezed it. He met my gaze and gave me a small smile before looking to his right over the water.

"Might as well start at the beginning...

I was 7. Me and my family live in Holmes Chapel England. My mom and dad went out to get some food or something. I was sitting on my dresser. I was always a climber as a kid. My mom would always find me on top of tall counters or on the washing machine. She called me her little monkey."

Harry smiled slightly at the flashback and then brought his attention back to the present making his smile fade.

"I was playing with my action figures when my parents came home. They were fighting again. This time it was a lot worse than usual. They weren't just arguing. They were yelling. Stomping through the house and knocking things over. I normally just tried to tone them out. But them my dad walked into my room. He yelled at me about something. As a kid I had a stuttering problem and it pissed my dad off. He yelled at me some more and when I couldn't answer his question he grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me off the dresser. I fell head first."

Harry moved his hair out of the way to reveal a small scar near the beginning of his hair line.

"My mom ran in and gave him hell for it. They kept yelling back and forth until they were too tired. Then a few moths later, my mom vanished. Nobody knows how. I was at my babysitters house when I got the news that she disappeared. I remember the day before, my mom had done something that completely enraged my dad and he pushed her against the wall and started choking her. He only let go when I started screaming. My mom slid down the wall and fell onto the floor. She held me in her arms telling me it was okay and that she was fine."

Harry wiped a tear from his eye and looked away at the water again.

"I remember how he looked at her when she was holding me. He looked at her like- like-... Like he was disgusted with her. Then he grabbed her arm to make her look at him and he said 'I will fucking kill you. Make no mistake about that.' And walked away. When I was told she disappeared, I knew he had something to do with it. Deep down I knew he did. But I didn't say anything. For gods sake it was my dad. I didn't want to believe he would do such a thing. After my mom past everything got worse. My mom was always the one to stop my dad when he would get angry at me. But without her there was nothing to stop him. It started with just pushing. He'd push me into the wall or into some stairs. Then there was the punching. That escalated into kicking and throwing things. And by the time I was 14 we were having real fist fights. I'd come home to someone who wanted to fuck me up every day. But I fought back. That's how I survived. I fought back. When he called me stupid because of my studder, I read all the time and eventually grew out of it. Whenever he hit me, I hit him back. But he was always stronger than me. I couldn't win. And that's why when I was 15 I ran away. I stole all the money in his accounts, got a plane ticket, and my cousin, who lives out here, met me at the air port and helped me leave. I lived with her for a while and then, with the help of the money I stole, I bought my house. It was worn down and abandoned but I fixed it up with some help for my cousin and .. Well it's no Hilton, but it's more than enough for me. And that's my secret."

He said as he finally met my gaze. He waited anxiously for my response. I was just shocked.

"Wow.... Where's your dad now?" I asked.

"Well that's the bad part." He said as he looked away for the thousandth time.

"He's furious I left and even more furious that I stole his money. He's been looking for me. Ever since I left. He won't stop till he finds me. That's why I keep to myself and try stay out of trouble. I don't want to draw attention to myself. And that's why I always denied what I felt for you. If my dad finds out any weaknesses I have, he'll use them against me. He'll hurt you..."

He said as he gazed into my eyes. He looked at me with such passion. With such feeling. He looked at me as if I was his everything.

I took a deep breath and tried to organize my thoughts.

"So.. You have an insane abusive father who is looking for you and will kill anyone in his way?" I asked.

"Basically." He replied as he laid down on the windshield again. He took in my shocked expression and sat up. He took both of my hands in his and looked me deep in my eyes again.

"But you don't need to worry about that."

"Why's that?" I asked with a frightened expression. What he told me really scared me.

"Because I'm here. I know you don't feel the same way about me, but I love you. I know that now. Nothing is going to hurt you. Come hell or high water, I'll keep you safe."

I smiled and looked at him. But I didn't just look at his face. I looked into his eyes. They were vibrant emerald. And being as close as I was to him made it possible for me to see the gold flecks near his irises. He was the only person I had felt close to. He was the only person who gave a shit about me. He was beautiful. A head of curls with the cutest dimples, and whenever I see him I get butterflies. Especially when he gives me that smile. That smile sends tingles from head to toe. Why have I been avoiding it? Fear. That's why. I've never been like this with anyone. I've never let anyone know about Karen and my home life before. But I told him like it was nothing. He's the only one who understands what I've been through. He's the only one.

Harry's face was about 5 inches from mine. I placed my palm on his cheek. He gave me a confused look but didn't move.

"But I do." I whispered.

"You do what?" He asked.

"Feel the same about you."

His eyes widened as I gently placed my lips onto his.

Fireworks.

No.

An explosion. An explosion of emotions I had bottled up inside me just broke through. All the feelings. All the love. Just broke free. Harry was shocked. We had kissed before but that was during sex. This was our first kiss that wasn't lust fueled. I moved my lips but he stayed still. I pulled away.

"I'm sorry I just thought-"

"No.. No. I was just shocked. You- you love me? But I was an asshole to you."

"But now I understand why. To protect me right?" I asked.

He nodded his head and smiled slightly.

"I get it. The only reason I held back was because I was afraid and confused. But I.. I understand what it was that I felt when you looked at me. And I want to try."

"Try what?" He asked.

"Try to... be with you.." I said as I swallowed down the nerves.

"R-really?" He asked as his eyes widened.

"Mhm" I said.

"I've um... I've never really... been with anyone before."

"Me either." I said with a nervous giggle.

"We can figure this out together." I sad as I took his hand in mine.

"Together." He said with a sigh. I placed my palm back on his cheek and brought him close to me. This time he came to me. He pressed his lips to mine. His lips were soft and moved along with mine as if they were made to do to just that. His hands found their way to my hips as my hands tangled in his hair. I felt a knot start to form in my stomach. I didn't want to ruin the moment with sexual advances so I pulled away. I rested my forehead on his as I breathed heavily to catch my breath.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you." I said as I felt myself smile.