WARNING: REFERENCES TO SELF- HARM IN THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER, AND MY BECOME A TRIGGER.
I FEEL IT IS AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT OF THE CHARACTER, AND HAVE INCLUDED IT FOR THAT REASON. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A CHAPTER SUMMARY, PLEASE MESSAGE ME
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While Liam, Harry and Louie sketched designs for Liz's future tattoo, she and Niall decided to watch a movie.
"What's your preference?" Niall asked. "Please, like there could be any other choice!" he said, holding up the case to The Princess Bride. Liz clapped and grabbed a blanket from the bedroom.
Within moments everyone was speaking the lines along with the actors. Liz loved playing the princess, and Niall made a great Fezzik. Liz hadn't known that the guys knew the movie, but in the scenes with all the characters each person in the room took a role and acted it out perfectly.
Liz asked Niall to pause the movie just before the duelling scene.
"We have reached an impasse" Liz said seriously.
"What's wrong?" Liam asked.
"The duelling scene" she said, gesturing to the screen. "The handsome hero and the Spaniard have to fight. Harry has the hair of the Spaniard, but also plays the handsome hero"
Niall and Liam groaned.
"It's so true." said Harry as he ran his fingers through his long curls. "It's a burden"
"Fine" cried Louie " I will be the handsome one. But just this once!"
Liz giggled at the absurdity of the moment. When Niall restarted the movie he sat back on the couch and pulled Liz so she was sitting in front of him, in between his legs.
"I know I'm not Liam, but.. okay?" he asked. Liz nodded and leaned back against his chest.
" I think this is what I missed the most." Liz mused. "Touching."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, refining his sketch.
"I think for a year the only people I physically touched was doctors and nurses. And they always wore gloves. There was just too high a risk for infection."
Niall wrapped his arms around her waist "I would go mad without cuddles" he said. "We'll make up for lost time"
True to his word, when Niall made sure there was always someone with her. When he had to take a bathroom break he called to Louie.
"Louie, tag me out!" he hollered. Louie ran over, have Niall an exaggerated high-five, and slipped in behind Liz while Niall got up.
Louie was tracing patterns lightly on Liz's arms, and she really was enjoying it. After a few moments his left hand focussed on the parallel scars on the inside of her left arm. The pad of his thumb repeatedly brushing over them.
"They won't rub away" Liz whispered, leaning her head back against his shoulder.
"Did you make these?" he asked. Liz nodded.
"It was a long time ago. Seems like a lifetime ago." Harry and Liam came over and sat down beside them, clearly waiting for a further explanation.
Liz reached for the remote control and pause the movie. "I feel like I am more drama than this movie." she said. When her sarcasm didn't sway their attention, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to tell them.
"It really was ages ago, way before I got sick. I just felt so trapped, I felt there was so much pain and frustration inside me that I tried to physically relieve the pressure." She looked at her arms and back at them.
"Why?"Liam asked. Liz shook her head, but pulled her pajama sleeve down. "It was like pulling off a scab. It stung but provided relief at the same time."
"But I was really lucky in a way. My family didn't even react. Not even when I was washing dishes with gauze bandages taped around me wrists"
"How were you able to stop?" asked Niall from the doorway.
" I told a friend I was doing it." Liz said, smiling at the memory. "She actually sat on my hands for a whole afternoon once to help me stop"
"Harry, tag me out!" cried Louis from behind her. Liz laughed as Harry tried to manipulate his long frame in behind her. When he was finally situated he tucked his arms around her waist.
" Do you still get the urge?" he asked quietly. Sighing, Liz leaned back against him.
"Truthfully, yes. BUT" she said "My doctor is amazing and we've found a medication that really helps. And when I do get the urge I call my doctor and we figure out what to do"
Niall picked up the phone and spoke quietly into the receiver. In 10 minutes a cart appeared at their door with the biggest hot fudge sundaes Liz had ever seen. A few tears welled up in her eyes, but she quickly brushed them away. She put her fingers to her chin and lowered her arm, giving Niall the ASL sign for Thank You.
Liam walked over to Niall as he ate his ice cream. "Spill it" he said quietly.
"What?" asked Niall innocently, focussing on his sundae.
"Hot fudge sundaes at the ready and she welling up with tears. I want the story" Liam stated.
Niall put his empty bowl back on the cart. "Her dad used to go and get hot fudge sundaes on special occasions when she was growing up" he explained.
"Yeah, I guess most people don't do that anymore. I bet he misses it too" Liam said.
"He's passed away a few years ago." Niall said quietly as he walked over to the couch.
"How did I not know that?" Liam asked out loud.
"
YOU ARE READING
Girl Almighty
FanfictionEveryone wanted to be their best friend. To be one of the guys, dreaming of it becoming something more. But what if you had all that, and you knew they still couldn't see the real you?
