Unstable (Sequel to Twisted)

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"I don't like how Perrie talks to you."

Eleanor's soft voice sounded behind me in my bedroom, and I glanced over my shoulder to see her coming inside, closing the door behind her. Her face was solemn and serious, and she was wearing a new t-shirt she had bought with some denim shorts, her brunette hair splayed out over her shoulders in messy waves. However, even in her muddled state, Eleanor still looked absolutely amazing.

"You heard that?" I asked quietly, throwing my legs back onto the bed to stretch them out. My hair was still wet from the shower I took earlier, and I felt a bit cold so I found a red sweatshirt and wore it to help warm me up.

Eleanor nodded to my question and sat at the end of the bed. "She's wrong, and she has no idea what she's talking about."

I silently agreed with her, remembering the look of total disgust and horror in Perrie's eyes. I knew that if any other normal person was in the same place, they would've reacted the same way also-if not worse. It surely wasn't Perrie's fault for not quite understanding, so no matter what I could do, I could not find myself blaming her one bit.

She was kind of in the same situation I was in, although it was Vladimir who had her. I didn't know much about the rival gang member, but I did know that Perrie had a much stronger mind set than I did, which was probably how he never quite got to her. Either that or he didn't have her very long. I couldn't even remember the exact amount of days I had spent with Harry, but I could remember every single thing that happened.

"She doesn't understand." I mumbled. "But it's not her fault, you know?"

Eleanor slowly grinned at me-a smile unlike I had ever seen from her. It was sly and somewhat devious, and I was shocked as hell when she held up her hand to reveal her knuckles were covered in messy yet firm bandages.

"What did you do?" I asked, sitting up and my mouth falling agape when Eleanor chuckled a little, her brown eyes admiring her knuckle.

"I punched her." Eleanor said. "I don't know why I did it, but I just couldn't sit there and let her call you crazy." She shyly looked at me, letting her hand fall to her lap. "It hurt-a lot."

"I can't believe you punched her," I repeated, the urge to laugh rising in my chest. "Was she hurt?"

"I punched her in the face, on her right cheek. I think she was so surprised to really do anything."

I could see Perrie's surprised, because I was so surprised right now, the information slowly sinking in as I stared at the bandages. I just could not fathom the fact that Eleanor, the sweet girl I have always known, actually punching someone. It didn't make any sense. It was like seeing a cute bunny tackle a turtle or something-you would never expect a bunny to do that.

"I'm really sorry she said that to you." Eleanor said. "And I also heard what she and Fran were telling you earlier. None of them understand what you and I are going through, so of course they're going to call us crazy or insane or foolish." She was lightly fiddling with one of the bandages. "And then, well, I didn't even think before I punched her. Lou actually had to pull me back, or else I think I would've done something else."

"Wow," Was all I could say, sitting back against the pillow. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"I, um, I like to think of all of us as, you know, what Louis said." Eleanor mumbled, suddenly shy and quiet, unable to look me in the eye. "You remember what he said? He said we were like a dysfunctional family living in a twisted world-I like to think of us as a family, and you of my sister." I could feel my entire body warming up from her words, a smile gracing my face from how bashful Eleanor was being. "And, also like Louis said, family always sticks together-no matter what." Her eyes met mine. "Right?"