Broken

Chapter 18

I didn't know what to do with myself after Harry left. I paced up and down his living room, checking the clock on the wall at least 1000 times. In the end, I decided to go home, thinking he might want some time alone when he got back.

Different explanations fizzled inside me as I walked along the road, what did he mean? Why did his dad leave him...his family? I was so confused.

I locked the door behind me as I walked into my empty little flat, leaning against the door with a sore head with all the thinking.

Time seemed to tick by so slowly, I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't sit still! The whole time I was panicking, thinking the worst. I had to do something to keep my mind off it. The Halloween party wasn't far away and I still didn't have a costume. I raked around in my wardrobe and found an ancient black swimming costume that was too big for me. Right at the very back there was a baggy t-shirt that I used to wear for PE.

I took them through to the living room and started cutting and sewing, making a tail out of thick tights and kitchen roll for stuffing. It looked like a cat...I guess?

I shoved it in my cupboard where it couldn't be seen as there was a pathetic knock on the door. I opened it to find Harry, his face white, huge dark circles under his bloodshot eyes.

"Harry-"

He threw his arms round me, his body cold and shivering.

"Kristen..."

I pulled him into the living room, placing him safely on the couch. His legs seemed shaky, he wasn't steady on his feet.

"Hey, it's okay. Whats... what's happened?" I asked, unsure whether I wanted to know the answer.

"It's my dad, he found us," he whispered.

"What do you mean Harry, what do you mean?"

He looked at me with his swollen puffy eyes. I knew that whatever was about to leave his lips wasn't good.

It turned out Harry's dad had been beating his mum up when he was younger, making him and Gemma watch. He felt like it was his fault, that he should have done something. He was just a boy, he was scared.

"And...he...he beat us too," he said.

Tears rolled down my cheeks, it turned out I wasn't the only one with skeletons in the closet. He said that a neighbour found out about his dad hitting them due to the amount of loud bangs they could hear through the walls. He went to prison for 10 years, Harrys mother Anne promising to wait for him. There was no way that was happening. Anne took the kids as far away as possible, trying to start a new life here in Holmes Chapel. But now he was back and had tracked them down, ruining everything.

"The police have come back, he's gone. Hopefully forever this time," he whispered, biting his fingers.

He looked up at me and noticed that I was crying, tears spilling out of his own eyes.

"Don't, please don't," he cupped my face, wiping my tears with his thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I cried.

He looked away, his hands sliding down my arms.

"I didn't want your pity,"he said.

It turned out we had more in common than I thought. A messed up childhood and ever more complicated parents. He kissed me softly , his salty tears touching my lips.

"I need you," he breathed.

"I know."

He rested his head in my lap, staring up at the sealing while I brushed my fingers through his hair.

"I used to have nightmares before..." he said.

"Before when?" I asked.

"I met you."

I smiled and kissed his forehead, his eyes rolling with pure exhaustion. He soon fell asleep, his head heavy on my legs. I moved him gently, throwing a blanket over him. Knowing his past made me feel closer to him. I switched the light off and left him sleeping peacefully on my couch, going to my bedroom to finish off my Halloween costume.