Completed Heart

Chapter 39: Discovery

Chapter 39: Discovery

Harry’s P.O.V

I was awake early. I waited for about an hour, though, to wake Zayn. When I felt it an appropriate time to wake someone up I poked his chest. He didn’t move.

“Zayn,” I cooed. Nothing.

“Zayn,” I said more seriously now.

“Zayn!” I nearly shouted. One of his eyes squinted open.

“I heard you the first time, jeez!” He turned on his side, away from me.

“Zayn, we need to get up at talk to Susie’s friends.” I poked his back. He turned back to me, slapping my hand away.

“Harry, it is seven fucking a.m., no one will be up to talk to us. Get back to sleep.” I didn’t give up. I stood up and ripped the covers from his body, throwing them on the other side of the room. He opened his eyes angrily.

“Bloody hell, Harry. What the fuck!”

“We need to get up and ready. We need to discuss what we’re going to say.” I said calmly. He sat up sleepily.

“Tell them the truth, ask them what they know. Now go the fuck back to sleep or leave me the fuck alone. Just like Susie…” He muttered.

“What?” I perked up at her name.

“I said that you’re just like her. You both use annoyingness as a tactic to get what you want and don’t quit until you do.” He mumbled, reaching over for his duvet and snuggling back under them.

“I’ll be back in an hour, Zayn. That’s all that I’m giving you. You will NOT spend an hour doing your hair, understand?” I didn’t wait for his response, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a quick breakfast. Somehow I occupied myself for an hour. I woke up Zayn at eight. While he was getting ready I scribbled out a quick note for Niall.

Niall-

Zayn and I were getting restless

Went for a walk

Will be back soon

-Harry

I finished up the note as Zayn strolled in.

“Ready?” I asked, he nodded and we walked out the door. I remembered where Leah lived. Once, while driving by it, Susie had pointed it out. It was only like two or three blocks away. Zayn followed me sleepily to a small, but nice house around the corner. I looked at him quickly before marching up the walk and ringing the doorbell. A small-framed middle-aged woman answered the door.

“Hello?” She asked in a gentle, motherly voice.

“Hello, we’re friends of, er,” Zayn looked to me, he had no idea whose house we were at.

“Leah’s. We’re friends of Leah’s. Is she home?” I finished for Zayn. The woman smiled and nodded.

“Come in! I’ll go get her, she just got up. She was had a sleepover last night, so she’s slightly cranky.” The woman warned, heading up the stairs. Zayn cracked a smile, ready to bring on the charm. I did the same.

“Honey, there are two cute boys downstairs waiting for you!” I heard the woman call.

“What are you talking about, mum?” I heard a sleepy voice answered. The talking quieted. Zayn raised his eyebrows as the woman came down the stairs.

“She and Sarah will be down shortly.” She informed us. When she left the room, I turned to Zayn.

“Sarah’s the other girl we met. This was just luck, them having a sleepover the morning we come to see them.” He smiled and nodded. I heard feet padding down the stairs. I saw a small head peep around the corner, which led to a scream. The head pulled back and a different head peeped around the corner, letting out another scream. After about five minutes the two familiar girls turned the corner.

“Oh wow! Harry, Zayn, it’s lovely seeing you again!” the exotic looking one greeted us. I assumed that was Leah. The pretty brunette, Sarah, smiled shyly at us.

“Yes, it is,” Zayn responded, “unfortunately under bad circumstances.” Sarah and Leah exchanged a knowing look.

“Please sit.” Leah motioned to the couch. Once we were settled, Leah opened her mouth and turned us.

“We know why you’re here. It’s about Susan,” I shot Zayn a confused look; they knew? “She’s going through a tough time, now that you’ve left. How long are you guys back for?”

“Not long. Do you know that Susie- Susan is in the hospital?” I asked coolly. The girls’ faces dropped, shocked and alarmed.

“What?” I decided to explain.

“Yeah, well… Apparently, Susan has been being abused for a while, ever since the lads and I left. A recent incident landed her in the hospital. The abuse was pretty bad.”

“Someone was… She was… Abused?” Sarah squeaked out. Zayn leaned across the couch and patted her knee reassuringly.

“That’s why we’re here. She won’t tell us who was doing it. Do you girls know anything about that?” I leaned forward. The two exchanged glances.

“Well, she has been pushing us away recently. We just thought that she was depressed about you lads leaving. We tried to talk to her, but nothing worked. She stopped hanging out with us. She only hung out with…” Leah looked down. I leaned forward even more.

“Please.” I whispered. Leah looked at me, sympathetically. Just then, Zayn’s phone went off. I shot him a death glare.

“Sorry, I’ll just…” He stepped out of the room. I turned back to Leah.

“Please,” I whispered again.

“Tyler. She only hung out with Tyler.” The pit in my stomach tightened, I knew it.

“Do you think he could have?” I asked.

“I’ve known Tyler for a while, he’s never been a violent person, but after the band left, he changed completely. So did Susan. She followed him around obediently, submissively. He told her what to do. She was scared of him. You know her; she takes orders from no one. Afraid of nothing, afraid of no one.” I nodded, that didn’t sound like her. Even when Liam decided to move her she threw a fit, despite it being something she wanted. She had just wanted to be consulted with. The fact that she allowed Tyler to treat her that way immediately confirmed my suspicions.

“If she was being abused, then she hid it well. I never noticed any bruising, just a change in her attitude,” Sarah put in. I nodded and stood up.

“Thank you ladies. You’ve been a great help.” I was about to leave and get Zayn, but Leah approached me.

“We may have lost touch with her, but we never stopped loving her. Do you think you could take us to visit?” I nodded at her, it was a simple request.

“Under one condition: you tell no one about Tyler. Not Liam, not Louis, not Niall, not even Zayn, not even Susan.” I wagged a finger towards her. She nodded apprehensively. The two girls followed me out the door. Zayn was just hanging up.

“Niall’s awake and bored.” I nodded. The four of us walked back to Liam’s house, making small chat. We didn’t even need to go in the house; Niall was ready to go. He quickly greeted the girls and then the five of us piled into the car.

“What’d did they tell you?” Zayn whispered to me. I was driving, he was in the passenger’s seat. The other’s were comfy in the back.

“Nothing,” I whispered back, “just that she was being distant from everyone and having some problems at school,” I lied to him. He nodded, suspiciously, but dropped it. We parked in the back of the hospital to avoid the fans. We entered through the lobby and got on the elevator. Leah turned to me.

“She won’t forgive me. I’m her friend; I should have been there for her. I should have seen this coming. I should have done something.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

“I feel the same way; I should have protected her, but I didn’t, and she’s forgiven me,” I reassured her, “although I haven’t forgiven myself,” I mumbled so no one could hear.