Scars (Luke Hemmings)

After Midnight

Brynn's POV
~~~~~~~~~~

'How long has she been asleep?' Said Lukes scared voice.

'Ever since you caused that moment as Iris calls it.' I heard Calum say.

I pulled my knees to my chest and whimpered in pain. Stupid back.

'Hey Ryn.' I heard Ashton say as his footsteps grew closer.

'No don't touch her!' I heard Calum whisper-yell.

'Why?'

'After a moment that big she usually doesn't trust the person of his friends who caused it. No contact with her unless she talks or touches you.' Michael said reciting what Iris must've said.

I stared blankly at the couch as I picked at the fringe on the blanket. I just won't talk to them. I'll listen and wait. Maybe they'll give me a reason to be myself again.

The room was silent as I lifted my arm over my head to grab my glasses. The scrape of my glasses against the table was the only sound as they watched my every movement. Finally I had them off the table and on my face. I, very slowly, rolled over and made looked into Ashton's green orbs that had a hint of brown.

'Hey Ryn.' He said softly. I just looked away.

'We understand your choice of not speaking.' Calum said after a few seconds without a response. 'We just want you to know that we won't hurt you. We want to help you.' I looked into his concerned chocolate brown eyes.

'And if you want us to throw Luke out the window, we will' Ashton said smiling. I giggled as I looked up into Luke's eye as he stared at Ashton in disbelief.

'There we go. It's a step to come back to us, yeah?' Michael said.

I shrugged.

'I'm hungry.' Calum said.

I pointed at him and touched my nose.

'Charades? Really?' Ashton said shaking his head.

I nodded smiling.

'Okay what do you want?' He asked Calum.

'Pancakes!' He said while I did the whole charades thing again.

'But it's like 1 o'clock! And I don't know where to get anything.' He looked at me hoping for instructions. I pointed at my laptop.

He handed it to me and I typed in 'McDonalds in Boston'. 3 popped up all within a 6 mile radius. I showed Ashton the instructions to the nearest one which he used his iPhone to take a picture of.

'Thanks Ryn.' He said as he walked into his room to change into actual clothes. The other three walked into the kitchen.

I moved into a seated position and used the wall as support to get to the bathroom. What happened to my face?!

A bandage was plastered to my forehead and I had dark circles around my eyes. My hair was still nice from earlier but my face was void of all color.

'Ryn! Where'd you go?' I heard calum yell panicked. I slowly moved back to the main room.

'Why are you up?' Ashton asked. I just mimicked him silently.

'Oh so we're doing this now?' I nodded smiling. As I slowly made my way to the couch and crashed down onto the soft cushions.

'What am I going to do with you?' I shrugged as I buried my head into the pillow that faintly smelled of tea and mint. 'Okay c'mon boys lets go. I'll bring you back something, okay Rynny?' I have him a thumbs up.

'Bye!' Calum said. I waved.

I heard the door shut and lifted my head from the couch.

'Hey Ryn.' Michael said. I waved and moved over on the couch to let him sit.

'Ever play Xbox?' He asked. I have him the 'are you crazy?' Look.

'Have you played Call of Duty Black ops 2?' I nodded.

'Zombies?' I nodded giving him the 'duhh' look.

'Shall we?' He asked holding out a controller.

~*~

'Ahhhh!' I said as Michael went down on the other side of the map.

'What!? No! don't let me die! I have upgraded five-seven dual weld! I can't die!' He said desperately.

I shook my head as I made a mad run across the map spraying bullets at every zombie I saw.

'Ahhhhhhahaha!' I screamed as I finally reached where Michael was on the verge of death. I revived him and bought some Jugger Nog before going back to fighting off the zombies with Mike.

I heard the door open but didnt dare to look for fear of dying.

'Hey mike! Hey Ryn!' Ashton said as he placed a McDonalds bag on the table

'Hey.' mike replied while I nodded.

'How long have you been playing this?' Ashton asked.

'Since after you left.' Mike said without breaking eye contact with the tv.

~*~

'No!' mike shouted jumping up on the couch.

'AH!' I screamed, my mouth full of hotcakes.

'Run!' Calum yelled as the flood of zombies can into view on the screen.

'You cannot die in level 32! you can't!' Ashton yelled.

'No!' they all screamed as mike went down.

'Leave him to die!' Calum yelled

'Hey!" mike said with mock hurt.

'Ahhhhhahahaha! I scream/laughed as I jumped up on the couch and ran towards the nuke that was blinking on the screen.

''Go!' they all yelled. an hour of video games gets to you.

'Yes! they all yelled as the zombies burned and I revived Mike.

'You all sound crazy!' yelled Luke who, for the first time since I arrived, laughed and smiled.

It got quiet.

'Shit!' Mike yelled as zombies ran towards us.

~*~

'No...' they all said sadly as I went down in the middle of a swarm of zombies in round 47.

'it was good while it lasted.' Calum said standing up on numb legs

'It lasted 4 hours!' Aston said looking at the clock.

'Wow.' we turned and saw Luke standing in the doorway of his room that he retreated to after causing the awkward silence earlier.

I looked at the table and saw all of our food wrappers from earlier still in the same position. I giggled

'Who's hungry?' calum asked raising his hand. I raised mine as well.

'no wonder you're so fat. all you do is eat.' Luke said quiet enough for only me to hear.

'I hate you...' I whispered to him. I heard a collective gasp as I said my first words of today. Luke smirked.

'See if I care Rynny.' He said before he walked off looking intensely at his phone.

'Rynn.' Mike said not knowing what to do.

'Im okay.' I said. I curled myself up to try to make myself as small as I could. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I could disappear.

'Rynn?' Calum said looking me in the eye as he sat down infront of me. I pushed my head farther into the pillow. 'I don't know what you've been through or what you've seen, but I want you to know that even though I've only known you for like 12 hours, I still think of you as my friend. And I hope that in time we can all be as close as you and Iris. 'Cause I don't want to see you hurt. None of us do.' I cupped his cheek with my hand.

'im not like normal people. I have walls that have been built up by my past and my fears. the holy person that made it through was iris. she was like the Trojan horse. she was a 'Gift' that made it past the guards. there are things that tie me to her. memories and actions that cannot be undone. Im the reason we share the same disorder. I brought her into this life. she had no idea what she was getting into. I will try to push you as far away as I can. but if you keep coming back, I might just let you in. I cant promise you anything. I cant say that ill trust you tomorrow or in a few hours. but I can say that for once I feel safe, not safe enough to tell you my secrets or trust you, but safe enough to talk to and touch you.' I said as I looked between greenish-brown, green, and brown eyes. I rubbed my thumb over Calum's cheek before pulling my arm back to cover myself with a blanket. 'Now how about that food? have you guys ever had Panera Bread?'

'Yes.' they said

'theres one a block away from here.' I said.

'theres one problem.' Ashton said.

'What?' Mike asked.

'the cars being fixed and its snowing.'

'Of course it is the beginning of November in Boston.' I said.

'lets just walk.' Calum said.

'Fine. But Brynn's staying here. Now someone go get Luke.'

I stood up. 'What did I say about walking?' Ashton said.

'im pretty sure you don't want to walk me to the bathroom' I said walking away. I heard them talking and then the door shut. I walked back and sat on the couch.

After about 30 minutes of messing around with my laptop and phone I got bored.

Since they're all gone I might as well explore, right? I walked slowly and peaked into the first open door I saw. It was a clean room with two beds neatly made. And seeing that the sweatshirt I had in earlier was on one of the beds I'm guessing that this is Ashton and Michael's room. The next door was closed so I avoided that room. The next was one I wasn't expecting. Then again how could I forget.

It was a bedroom that wasn't in use. There were different cases of instruments that held important pieces to their band. I saw a guitar case. I couldn't resist as I ran my fingers over the clasp and released it. As I lifted the cover up I saw a beautiful acoustic guitar that made Baylee, our crummy guitar from the thrift shop, look pathetic. I ran my fingers along the neck before lifting it up out of the case and sat on the bed. I've never held something this nice in my life. Everything ive ever had was used or handed to me by various social workers. Even my car was used. It's a 2006 mini cooper.

I ran my fingers along the strings before plucking the complicated chords to the only song that can sum up my life in a matter of 3 minutes.

'I remember when
I remember, when I lost my mind. There was something so pleasant about that phase. Even your emotions had an echo In so much space.' I sang to myself.

'And when you're out there, Without care, I was out of time. It wasn't because I didn't know enough, I just knew too much.' A memory flashed of him yelling at me for getting an award in science. He told me I wasn't supposed to be known, I was supposed to sit in the back like the stupid girl I am.

'Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Does that make me crazy
Probably. An I hope that you are having the time of your life. Oh but think twice, That's my only advice' I sang as tears stung my eyes.

'That's my guitar.' came an Australian voice from the door. I almost jumped out of my skin.

'Sorry. I thought I was alone.' I wiped my tears and carefully placed the guitar back in it's case.

'I'm sorry.' I froze. ' I didn't know that you would have a panic attack because I was saying my thoughts out loud. I'm awefully honest when I have jet lag.' Luke said his voice mocking me. I mean I knew you were ugly from the moment I heard your voice, but I didn't know you would be the stupid girl who starves herself and crys at night. Who has a mental disorder and cuts herself because she wants people to give her sympathy. But you know what?' He walked up to me and leaned in. I felt his hot breath on my ear.

'They wish you were dead...' He whispered before backing up and smirking at me. 'Gonna cry little girl?' Before I knew it my fist made contact with his eye. I screamed. Screamed long and loud as hot tears ran down my face. I screamed in pain, rage, frustration, sadness, just to get rid of all these pent up emotions.

'Ryn!' Yelled a voice from the door. They came running in as I backed myself up against the wall.

The memories hit me like a train. I ran my hand through my hair and continued to cry as the pain took over. I could hear the boys calling me but all I could see was HIS face.

~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~

When my cheek hit the pavement all I could feel was coldness and the blood running from my mouth.

'Stand up you worthless piece of shit.' I did as told to prevent the punishment for getting worse.

'You took your mother away from me. It's all your fault!' He said as I received another blow to the gut.

'People say that you look just like her. But you know what?' He spat in my face. 'You're nothing like her. Your mother was gorgeous and thin. And you're the ugliest human I've ever seen. I wish I wasn't your father. I see how much you eat in that school! Using my money to stuff your face full of food. Well look at yourself. If you went without food for a week, you wouldn't even loose an inch around the waist!' He said slamming me up against the wall.

'I could kill you right now.' He whispered as his hold on my neck tightened. 'But it would ruin my reputation. Millionaire's daughter suddenly goes missing. That doesn't sound to pretty does it. And after everyone sees the ugly pictures of you no one will look. Who needs an ugly piece of shit like you?' He let go of my neck and let me fall gasping for air. 'No one.' He delivered a swift kick to the side of my head knocking me unconscious.

~~~end of flashback~~~

'Ryn. Ryn, babe, it's okay'I heard Ashton's voice say. 'It's not real. Whoever's hurting you isn't here. You're okay, brynn. It's all a dream.' I opened my eyes and saw all the boys with tear stained faces. Even Luke. They all were kneeling or sitting a few feet away from the corner I was pinned in.

'Brynn, what did you see?' Calum asked as more tears stained his face.

'I don't want to talk about it.' I said as I wiped my tears and rested my chin on my arms that were wrapped around my legs.

'Your screams. It was like you were being killed.' Mike said pushing his hair away from his face.

'Why are you like this?' I cringed upon hearing his voice.

'Because of people like you.' I whispered before drifting off to sleep.