She's Afraid // Louis

Chapter 18 {Tantrums and Choices}

They were hot on my heels before I even made it out of the door, my Mother's oddly calm gaze causing to me stop, pondering why exactly she wouldn't be yelling at me right now.

She cleared her throat, my father now by her side with a stern look on his face. These weren't the parents I knew before, nothing like them.

"Harley. You have to understand, honey. If we had told you that we were alive, everyone would know. If we had come into your lives when we were just barely made, we would have hurt you." She paused, looking at me with her eyes.

They weren't the familiar muddy brown I had always liked about her. No, they were an amber-red, glowing almost. Her brown hair was smoothed back around her shoulders, her small height looking even smaller now that I was taller.

My father quickly filled in, taking her place with his words,

"Now, Tomlinson, and his gang? One of them nearly killed you. You were supposed to be-" He breathed in, just habit of course, before forcing the words out, "killed. Vampires like him don't have feelings. They're just going to hurt you. You deserve better, Harley."

"You don't get to decide that! Yeah it's true, I was supposed to be dead. But you don't know them! They would never hurt me now, they wouldn't do that." I tried to defend myself and the guys.

That's when it dawned on me.

They had kidnapped me, and only because they didn't want me to to tell anyone about vampires. I wouldnt do that to Louis, or Liam or Zayn. Even Harry.

This whole situation, it just got even more complicated by the second.

My mother shook her head, then turned it to whisper something in my Dad's ear, before looking once again at me. Tears still kept stinging my eyes, my breath coming out louder now as it turned quiet.

"You want a normal life, don't you? A normal life doesn't have you being held captive by five vampires, Harley. Think of how much your sister and brother will be glad to see you.

"Harley, please, please just go see them. You don't need Louis. You need family." I clenched my teeth together, wanting to scream and tell them to stop. "It's either your family, or those killers." My dad offered, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I swallowed hard, actually considering what they were saying. Forgetting all that's happened in these past weeks? Forgetting that I was kidnapped, nearly killed, and introduced to the world of vampires? Some part of me, some part that had grown to care for Louis was telling me to say no, even if he was a vampire. There was something about his smile, about how he cared about everything I did, and yes, the fact that on the back of my neck the marking was more important than anything. It was true, it seemed. Somewhere along the way, I had grown to like him. He had made me realize that I had feelings, and it was okay to feel them. He had protected me, and wouldn't let anyone kill me. He had said he loved me.

 I.. I loved him too. Even if I didn't want to admit it.

 Dayla & Victor's face flashed before my eyes. They were smiling, her gleaming eyes sparkling and urging me to come forward, her arms open. Victor's grin was wide, his hands on her shoulders, their reassuring gazes telling me to go with them.

They were my family. It would always be them, because my little sister would need me. My little brother would need me.  If I didn't go with them, they would have to deal with never seeing me again, never knowing what happened to their older sister.

And, as I stood there, my thoughts racing, I suddenly came to a conclusion. I had picked who, because I had to. In the end, I would always pick them.