My mouth drops open, although I know Niall can't see me. "Um... excuse me?"
"You're not my sister. Honestly."
"Niall, I'm not that stupid. I may not be exactly smart, but I kn-"
"Raye, oh my God, shut UP! I'm telling you the truth. The whole truth, if you either get your butt off the bathroom floor and get out, or unlock the door so i can come in."
I choose the latter and unlatch the lock on the wooden door. My brother (or whtaever I should call him) doesn't look surprised to see me on the floor. He jusg crouches down besides me and gently cups my head in his hands so I'm looking up at him. "Are you ready to hear it?"
My parents are both dead? I was kidnapped by the man I've called Father my whole life? He MURDERED the innocent man that deserves to have me call him that? I look at Nial when he finishes, dumbfounded. His face is a mask of sorrow, and suddenly I feel so guilty for screaming at him his whole life, and running away from Eleanor and Louis, and the tears are streaming down my face.
Niall's POV
Poor Raye. I feel so horrible being the one to break the news to her, that her 'father' is a murderer, that she has no one left, that this secret is the reason why I'd stuck by my mother my whole life. When she starts to sob once more because of ghe words that come out of mouth, I feel so horrible that I bend down and wrap my arms around her. It's all I could do. This one young girl has had such a terrible day. A terrible week. A terrible year, a terrible life. Because of one disgusting, disguised man she'd called her father for 13 years of her 15 year old life. And I let her cry.
Louis' POV
As soon as Raye ran off, I figured out who she was. Niall had told me the secret. Once, a few years ago, when he'd first met me and put all of his trust in his new friend. He'd told El, too, who'd seemingly realized the girl with a bundle of red hair and perfect teeth was when I had.
"El..."
"I know. I know. And I feel horrible. But do you think she knows?" My girlfriend's anxious face looks up at me as her brown hair tumbles down her back.
"I don't think so, babe, but we have to find her."
After looking around the ginormous hotel for about half an hour, we finally find Niall's hotel room (he texts us the room number.) El knocks for me. "Hello? Niall? Raye? It's Eleanor and Louis." The same bright haired girl we saw before answers the door, faint smudges of mascara under her eyes. "Hey," she smiles weakly, and El, being the sweet girl she is, jumps in right away for a hug.
Raye seems a little taken aback by this, but decides to hug back with a cute smile. "Thanks, I needed that. It's kind of been... a whirlwind of emotions today. I mean, first of all, my dad's on his deathbed.... and now I just heard the news he's NOT really my dad. I'm just so freakin' confused. Wanna come in and sulk with me?" El nods and pushes her way through the doorway.
"Wow, how long have you been here?" I look around the trashed hotel room. It's strewn with clothes, food, and makeup. "Um... well, like three hours. Liv's kind of messy. But she seems nice... except for the fact she carrys around a giant book she threatens to hit people with. But besides that.... she's my kinda gal."
Eleanor nods in sympathy. "Yeah, in order to get comfortable enough around her, you kind of have to stoop to her level." I whirl around to face her. "So you want Raye to knock people out the first time she meets them?" El rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Louis."
The bathroom door creaks open and out comes Niall, fully clothed in footy pjamas, hair wet and toothbrush in his mouth. "Oh- hi guys."
Raye snickers. "Nice pjamas, weirdo."
"Well you're in a good mood, aren't ya?" Niall looks amused.
"Yeah, I decided there's nothing to sulk about. I mean, so what? I don't remember my parents, my 'dad' is a murderer, and I just cried in front of complete strangers. Life's good."
"Raye... I'm sorry. I really am. But I'm sure the boys and Perrie, Dani, Liv, and El will help you through it. You know Pez has gone through a similar situation, right? She'd talk to you about it, I'm sure."
"Yeah, Raye, let's go talk to her." El smiles kindly at Raye, takes both of our hands, and leada us out of the room.
We walk in silence for awhile, until I tell her my name. She smirks. "I know, Louis. my broth- I mean, NIALL, talks about you guys ALL the time. And you guys too, Eleanor and all your friends. And... I'm sorry I ran away from you guys. Not a great first impression, I know. But... when you didn't recognize me, I was really angry. Angry at Niall. I thought that.. that he was ashamed of me or something. I mean, everyone I know is, pretty much. But now I know, I know he was just trying to protect me. If someone found out who I was, I would be sent to some kind of institute orphange thing, and he didn't want that. And for that, I love Niall like a brother."
"Raye." I take her arm and stop her right in front of Perrie and Zayn's room. "We weren't angry or anything at you. We were just... confused. But now we totally understand. And please don't feel bad." I look deep into her blue eyes, being completely honest. She turns her head slightly, looking at the floor. I notice a giant scar on her right cheek.
El gasps. "Raye! What happened? To your cheek!" Her blush covers the dark red of her scar. "Um.. it's a long story. I'll tell it to you at some point. It just... kind of goes along with what I said before, that everyone's ashamed of me." And with that, she yanks free of my grasp and knocks once on Perrie's door before walking in.
