✓ Meanwhile [h.styles]

.four.

Astraya wakes up to a tap on her face. She fights the heaviness in her body and looks up to find Liam standing over her with his phone extended in front of him. He looks exhausted. She can see the tinge of concern in his eyes as she leans up in his bed.

"Hey, you okay? Your um- your brother called and he wants to talk to you. He came by earlier but you were sleeping."

The events from before begin to flood through her head. She remembers everything from being seated in Uriah's car to being with Harry where she assumes he lives. "No," she surprises herself by saying. Her voice sounds different to her own ears. It's raw and tight and Liam crouches down, tapping one button on his phone before giving her his full attention.

"You're okay," he tells her. "You're done, you're out. Harry'll leave you alone, I promise."

"What happened to your face?" Her head tilts, just now noticing the bruised skin around his right eye. The swell isn't really noticeable but it's there and Astraya's more confused than curious. "Who did that to you?"

He doesn't say anything and she reaches out to touch it.

"It was Harry, wasn't it?" She pulls away and hides her shaking hands between her thighs.

He shakes his head quickly. "No, no it wasn't Harry. It doesn't matter who did it. I'm asking you if you're okay. Do you need your painkillers? Harry brought some over and said you need to-"

Astraya holds out a hand to stop his rambling, blinking at him until he finally meets her gaze. "It was Uriah," she decides quietly, looking for the slightest bit of doubt in his face to let her know she's wrong. It never comes and she closes her eyes, resting her head in one hand, elbow pressing hard into the skin on her thigh. "Why would he do that? Liam, why would he do that to you?"

He takes her hands in his but she's too wrapped up in her thoughts to register that he only does it for comfort. "It's not a big deal."

She pushes him away as softly as she can and then stands up, eyes drawn to the burgundy carpet on the floor. Almost everything in his bedroom is burgundy. It doesn't help that all she keeps thinking about is blood.

Her stomach is twisting and Liam's in front of her just as she wavers on her feet, hands coming up to her shoulders. With a shake of her head, Astraya looks down at his hands and he removes them with soft eyes.

They're bloodshot. His face is so bruised and there are finger marks on the side of his neck where she's sure is where Uriah tried to hold him in place. Her fingers find the marks and the pads of them gently roll over the skin.

"Astraya,"  he whispers, catching her attention.

She tilts her head and licks her dry lips. Doesn't answer him as his gaze keeps hers hostage. It surprises her when he looks away.