Cursed

Chapter Five

I sit up, my hand still in his. I grab the flashlight from the floor and push my long hair from my defined face. I push the switch up on the flashlight and I begin to examine the wounds on Niall's face.

"Hey boys! Bring me a wet towel and some ice if there's any left!" Liam yells loud enough for the others to hear. I wince, his loud voice sending a pain through my head. Luke hit me hard, but Niall harder.

Niall's face is scattered with cuts, bruised and swollen, but his blue eyes still shine bright like the only stars in a dark sky. He smiles. I feel like it lights up my vacant, empty heart.

"What?" I say responding to his smirk.

"Nothing. It's just kind of cute when you're worried," he responds, his words slurred, and I giggle. I feel my face turning red.

"Yeah. He must have hit you really hard," I say and he laughs. His laugh turns to a cough. Blood runs from his nose and eyebrow.

I hear someone coming and I find Zayn rushing into the room.

"Shouldn't we get him on the bed?" he asks, handing the ice and wet towel to Liam. Liam hands the towel to me and I begin to clean his wounds. Every now and then I touch a tender spot and Niall hisses in pain.

"Yeah. I guess," Liam answers Zayn lifts me from Niall, tearing our hands apart. The boys lift him up carefully. Niall screams in pain and I bolt to his side as if it was the last time I would ever see him. They gently lay him onto the bed and I pull the blankets onto his sore and bruised body.

He grabs my hand again and I let him. He's breathing heavily and his teeth are gritted. I drop the rag onto the space next to him. "Shhh. You're fine. It's gonna be ok. It's alright. Calm down," I say commencing to help him. My hand finds his face and my thumb gently rubs over his jaw bone. He squeezes my hand tightly but I don't say a word. His eyes are squinted closed, but his breathing is slowing. I feel a pulse of anger towards Luke.

I feel a hand land on my shoulder and a sharp knife-like pain cuts through my torso. I yelp, but try to ignore it for Niall's sanity. I turn to see who it was and find Harry's emerald eyes staring into mine. "Come on. Let him rest," Harry says and I start to back away, but Niall won't let go of my hand.

"No. Please let her stay. Stay Lace. Please," He says, his eyes fluttering slowly. I turn and look at Harry. He nods in reply and I walk back over to the bedside. I grab the wet washcloth and dab it over the cuts on Niall's face.

"I'm really sorry," I say, laying the small bag of ice on his swollen eye.

"It wasn't your fault. It's ok," He replies with a smile on his face. "He was just trying to protect you."

"Yeah. I guess, but that isn't how you protect someone. You can't try to kill the best protector she's ever had," I say, still dabbing on the bloody wounds. He smiles and chuckles. His hand raises to the rag and pushes it away. His sharp, ocean-blue eyes flick to portions of my face. "What?" I ask, laughing a bit.

"I'm just trying to memorize this moment. I don't want to forget," he says and I smile. He's like my dad, sweet but stern.

"Me either. Now rest," I respond.

"Don't leave," he says quietly.

"I won't."

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I awaken peacefully. I realize that my head had been on Niall's chest all night. I feel warmth on my head and find that he had been playing with my hair when he had fallen asleep. I lift his hand carefully as to not wake him. I lay it back down on his chest. His fingers move slightly and I wait to make sure he doesn't wake up.