Show Me 2 - Remember Me (A Harry Styles Fanfiction)

Chapter Eighteen - Loved You First

Because I've been waiting,

All this time to finally say it.

But now I see your heart's been taken,

And nothing could be worse.

Baby, I loved you first.

- "Loved You First", One Direction

....

The muscles in my heart clenched with overwhelming force, and my throat seemed to constrict. Miraculously, I whispered, "Zayn is coming back? As in, free?"

"Yeah." Niall closed his eyes. "They let him off for good behavior, and he has to do a few weeks of community service."

"That's it?" I shrieked. "But he almost killed Harry!"

"They finally ruled it off as self-defense." Niall shook his head in mute horror.

"But..." The image of Zayn swooped over my brain like a raging tsunami. His beautifully haunting hazel eyes, framed with long lashes. His flawless caramel skin. He seemed to draw you in by his beauty, so you were unaware of the danger inside of him.

I could see his frightening, unsettling smirk. The rage twisted in his face before he slapped me, and the insane laughter when he shot at Harry.

"Oh, god." I moaned, sinking into a chair myself.

Harry remained silent. He was chewing on his lower lip, his eyes very far off.

"Harry?" I breathed.

"Why is everyone freaking out?" Josh looked bewildered, looking from me to Harry and to Niall. "Someone's getting let out of jail, so what?"

"It's Zayn Malik," Liam snarled from the bed. "He was here last year. He's a fucking troublemaker - even more so than Harry. Zayn's got a criminal record, for god's sake."

"He's...he's dangerous," I whimpered.

"Baby," I heard Harry say. He moved over to me, pulling me into a hug. "Don't you dare start crying on me, okay? Look at me." He turned my face to his, guiding my chin with his thumb. His stunning green eyes were unmoving from mine, and his voice was clear. "I won't let him hurt you. I will not let him come near you."

"You're not with me twenty-four seven," I added, swallowing.

"Then Louis will be there. I cannot fucking let that psychopath close to you. And you won't go to him either. Understand?"

I knew he was only trying to protect me, but I didn't like the way Harry was treating me - like a six year old. "I, uh, I understand," I said in a small voice. "But I have the right to do whatever I want - "

He gave me a disgusted look. "Do you want to get killed or something?"

I decided not to answer. I was much too terrified to start an argument with Harry.

"Liam," I said, "I would've stayed longer, but I think I'm going to go home."

Liam's eyes softened. "Understandable. Take a nice long rest, okay? Everything will be just fine."

Harry rolled his eyes while I gratefully thanked him. "When are you being let out of here?"

"One more day," said Liam blissfully. "Just another twenty-four hours."

"You're leaving?" Josh's eyes were wide as he looked at me. "Just like that? Just because this Zayn guy is coming back - "

"Look, clearly this doesn't fucking concern you. Don't you have to go cry about your dead dad or something?" Harry spat, causing gasps all around the hospital room.