Show Me (A Harry Styles Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty - Nightmares

When the darkness creeps in, 

I feel my nightmares watching me.

And when my dreams are sleeping, 

I feel like my nightmares are watching me.

- "Nightmares", Ed Sheeran

....

AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS CHAPTER ALSO DEALS WITH THE TOPIC OF RAPE. IF THIS IS OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, PLEASE DON'T READ.

It felt like all the air rushed out of my lungs as the words left Harry's mouth. I wanted to do something, to say something, but it was as if my mouth was rooted shut. I could only stare at him unblinkingly. 

Harry wiped at his face quickly with the back of his hand, looking at me. "Listen, okay? I just want you to listen." His voice cracked. 

"For my entire life, my family had always been close. Me, Gemma, Mom and Dad. We'd take family vacations, we'd play board games in the living room...we'd watch our favorite shows on TV. My dad and I always watched marathons of Family Guy. My father was my...best friend. Mom always said we were inseparable." He shut his eyes. 

"When I was six and on summer vacation, my dad took me to Grant Park for the first time. That's when I met Louis Tomlinson. He was new here, apparently. He was playing with a stray dog. I wanted to play with it too, and Louis and I spent the rest of the day messing around with the dog. I wanted to meet up with this boy again.  It seemed as if I'd finally found my very best friend. Seemed like Louis was someone who was going to be extremely important to me.

"Louis and I met at the park again - my dad dropped me off. We got into a bit of trouble, throwing bread around people to get birds to attack them." The side of Harry's mouth lifted into a smile, but it didn't touch his eyes. 

"Gemma made good friends with Louis that summer too. He had a bit of a crush on her. He'd told me he was going to start at my school and I'd never been happier. Felt like Louis Tomlinson was the brother I'd always wanted.

"So...skip ahead a few years." Harry's voice was thick and fragile at the same time. I held his hand tighter. He squeezed my palm and took a shaky breath. "Louis and I started middle school. We had first period together. I was a good kid, a really good kid. Never skipped a class, never cursed at a teacher, never even thought of picking up a cigarette. I was on the dean's list.

"This...this new girl came to my class. She was...beautiful. Her hair was long - kinda reminded me of the color of honey. She had real big, brown eyes. She had this brave air about her, like nothing would ever shake her. Like Louis. Initially that's what attracted me to her - how fearless she was. She waved hi to every new kid in this room. When she looked at me..." He let out a thin sigh. "I got all nervous. Her name was Cara." 

"Louis saw the way I looked at her. He literally forced me to go talk to her by giving her wrong directions to the cafeteria." A small humorless chuckle came from him. "She and I decided to stay in the school garden, just talking...

"Cara and I just wouldn't leave each other's side. It was me, Cara, and Louis. Always. One night, when I invited her over to my house, I asked her out. Louis was so happy for us. I was happy. I finally had her. She would always ask me to sing to her and write songs for her."

Harry's cell phone rang just then. I was jerked harshly out of his story, blinking. He made no move to get it. The phone sang five times over before it stopped. His face grew very pale, and his bottom lip trembled, letting his eyes fall shut. His hand started to tremble.

"It was Saturday." His voice was soft, choked. "Saturday, a couple of days before my birthday. Cara and I had been dating for several months. Still remember everything. I was wearing a flannel, and it was warm. I was just coming back from Louis' house. Cara had called me saying she was at my place, and wanted to see me. So I walked.