Give and Receive ((Zarry))

Chapter 14

Zayn's POV:

I whimper and try to force my eyes open, but they feel clipped together, unable to move. I feel an icy cold against my face and shy away immediatly. That's when I hear the voices. "Shhh don't move Zaynie you're fine." Someone sniffles. "Just keep that ice there, that bruise looks nasty." Another voice whispers. Harry. "H-harry..." I managed to croak. "Shh I'm right here just don't move okay?" I feel a warm hand slip in mine. I squeeze the hand, only to have a spike of pain shoot up my arm. I hold back a whimper and that's when everything rushes back to me.

The fight. Kicking Boss out. And Harry. His hand was bleeding. Worry surges through me at the thought of Harry being even a tiny bit hurt. "Harry... you're hand." I whisper, finding my voice is stronger. "It's fine. Let's worry about you for now. What hurts?" He asks quietly and I begin to sense more people in the room. "Everything." I say smirking and finally prying my eyes open. I am met with a sight that I wish I didn't see. Harry's eyes are puffy and there are tear tracks down his cheeks. His emerald eyes glisten with a threat of more tears. It hits me that he was crying... because of me. "Harry. Seriously though, I'm fine. I can take a few hits." I whisper urgently, trying to erase the dark cloud of worry staining his eyes. "Zayn you passed out!" He exclaims, looking on the edge of tears. "Yeah... but I'm sort of used to it by now. Remember I'm Boss's runner." I say, trying to sit up and failing. "Were. You were Boss's runner. We'll find another way to pay for your sisters." He insists and I roll my eyes. "Fine. Besides I don't think he'll be very happy that I kicked him out of his new girlfriend's house. Plus kicked his ass. I don't think I've ever fought back against him before. Although I would get in quite a few tussles with rival systems and the other runners." I say thoughtfully. Someone coughs and I force my protesting body to half sit up so I can look around the room. I realize that I am on Harry's couch and that there are more worried sets of eyes waiting for me. Danni, Perrie, Niall, Liam, Louis. Anne. Everyone was staring at me as if I was dead. I didn't like all the attention, it made me nervous. "Wow. If I didn't know any better I would've thought someone died in here." I joke and only Louis cracks a small smile. "Well Harry just texted all of us that you had passed out and that you weren't waking up. We came here expecting to have to drag him away from your corpse." Niall answers, looking so serious it's unatural. "Now would you care to tell us what the hell happened here?" Perrie demands, crossing her arms.

I look down at my hands and notice that my knuckles are bruised and bleeding. I shoot a look at Harry and he looks incredibly awkward. So I come to his rescue. "Well see. I am a-" I begin and Harry coughs; raising his eyebrows and I realise my mistake. "Sorry... I used to be a runner for this dealer. I would deliver and collect bags and packages for this guy we all call Boss. The bags usually had money or drugs, and the packages were mostly guns and weapons. He would pay us for our runs. Anyway... it turns out that Boss was the guy who beat up Harry and his Mum. So when he shows up here I sort of got into a fight with him. He threw some punches. I threw some. In the end we pushed him out the door and then I sort of passed out. Then I wake up and see you lot staring at me as if I've grown three heads." I explain, skipping over some details. "We?" Niall is the first one to break the awkward silence. "Harry got a pretty good punch in." I say shrugging and looking at his bleeding knuckle. I think his hands must be worse off then mine even though I got more punches in. That must've been his first fight. And I started it. Great. I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Harry's voice. "That guy. Boss. He kept calling you Daniel... why?" He asks and I manage a small smile. "I use a fake name so that he can't trace me once I quit.  Perrie's next question is the one I fear the most. "Why do you even run in the first place. I pay you." she says, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. Everyone seems to be leaning towards me, waiting for my answer. Except Harry. He shoots me a sorry glance and I look around the room. Can I trust these people. Yes. Even Harry's Mum? Yes.

"I needed money to send to my sisters. I was going to stop once they were here with me." I mutter and am met with confused expressions. "What do you mean? Are your parents divorced?" Niall asks and they seem to be encouraging me to spill my secrets. "No. My family doesn't live with me. I am a runaway." I say, bowing my head under the weight of my shame. "W-why?" Danni stutters. I force myself to meet her gaze as I answer. "Because I got tired of being treated like a piece of shit and beaten senseless every night. But I was stupid and left my sisters with them. My two little sisters. My older sister ran away with some guy ages ago." I say, and my voice cracks at the end. "Y-you were b-beaten." Louis stutters and I shrug. "Pretty much." I murmur quietly. "So that's what all those scars are from?" Liam asks and I shoot him a smile. "Yep." whisper, turning my gaze away from the stares. "But I left. Only to get the shit beaten out of me from Boss instead. But at least he had a reason for it." I say, staring intently at a part of the wall that's a shade darker than the rest of the room. "What reasons could he possibly have?!" Louis demands, popping a hip out and crossing his arms. "Being late on a run or not getting the full amount of money. My parents beat me because I was pathetic, and gay. They hated me for no reason." I spit angerly; remebering my father's sneer of disgust as he hit me until I passed out.  "Wow." Perrie whispers and I look to Harry for help, who was unusually quiet. I let the silence stretch and Harry smiles towards my direction, but I can see the pain in his eyes. "But I'm done now. No more Boss. And Anne? The offer still stands to spend a few days at mine until things cool down. Boss doesn't know where I live, don't worry." I say, breaking the silence. She sends a warm smile in my direction and nods. "Perfect. Now I don't mean to be rude, but Boss could be back at any minute... with friends. So I would go pack." I suggest, fiddling with my thumbs. She smiles and leaves the room, Harry trailing behind her. Leaving me alone under the variety of stares. "Wow. But thanks for telling us Zayn. But you should've told me sooner. I could've helped." Perrie whispers, walking over to me and engulfing me in a hug. "I know. But I was ashamed that my own parents didn't love me." I whisper and she nods in understanding. "Danni? Are you okay?" I ask, noticing that her fists are clenched and that tears are starting to spill over. "Yeah. I just..." She trails off, walking over and wrapping her arms around me whispering in my ear "I understand." My eyes widen and I return the hug before pulling away.  She sends me a tight lipped smile and I nod. I am not the only person who's ever been abused. "Alright mate, thanks for telling us the truth. Finally. But I suggest we all go home for the day. This is a lot to take in." Liam states and I smile thankfully. They all walk to the door and I mouth a 'Thank you' at Liam and he nods. Louis unexpectedly dashes to my side and leans down and whispers "Check your texts." In my ear before leaving. 

After they all leave I look at my phone.

From Lou:

"I have to tell you something. I understand. I used to be a runner. My name was Ash."

My phone clatters to the floor. Ash was considered a legend in our runner group. He was the first runner to ever fight back against Boss and win. He knocked him out cold.

Ash was dangerous beyond compare.

And Louis was Ash.

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A/N:

Drama!!! Mostly just a filler chapter but with a twist.

Happy Valentines Day!!!!!