mockingbird ; h.s

year five

age: 10

victoria woke up, walking over to her small desk where her clothes for today were already laid out. she got dressed and left her hair down, being that she wore a braid last night it was curly. she walked downstairs where her mother was sitting at the table, drinking her coffee.

"morning!" victoria chirped. her mother smiled widely at her, returning a greeting. today there was no school, which made victoria happy. harry was coming over later, around four. it was ten in the morning now so she still had quite a wait.

"i was thinking, want to go to the mall today? for mother-daughter time?"  her mother suggested.

"yes! that would be awesome! can we leave now?" victoria asked. her mother nodded, picking up her purse and waiting for victoria to put on her shoes. once they were finished getting completely ready, they walked out the door.

~

harry was walking around the neighborhood, looking over at victoria's house. what he saw surprised him. there was a maroon colored car parked in front of the house. he looked inside of the window carefully and saw someone he never thought he would see again.

victoria's father.

her father was on the phone with someone. harry got closer, praying that mr.carter won't see or hear him.

"yes, first i'm going to kill her mother which won't be that hard. then, i will take victoria and bring her to you. remember, you have to pay me five thousand dollars. you won't regret it, man."

harry looked in the passenger seat and saw a small metal object, quickly recognizing as a gun. harry took out gemma's phone, running to a bush. gemma lets harry take this whenever he goes around the neighborhood, in case of emergency. this was definitely an emergency. he quickly dialed 911. harry explained the whole situation, and the cops were on their way to victoria's house.

when the cops arrived, they dragged mr.carter out the car against his will. a muscular cop pinned him to the car, putting a pair of metal handcuffs around his wrist. at that moment, victoria and her mother arrived from their trip to the mall. victoria ran out the car, going towards her father.

"daddy!" she screamed, panic in her eyes. victoria had no idea why her father was being arrested, but harry did. she kept trying to get her father's attention, but he kept ignoring her. harry stepped out the bushes and jogged over to victoria.

"victoria, i had to call the cops. your dad-" victoria cut harry off, sending a glare his way.

"wait a minute. you called the cops on my dad?!" she raised her voice. harry flinched, not used to victoria raising her voice at all. she was usually quiet.

"yes, but-" once again, harry was cut out. victoria was furious, it was very evident. her eyes were squinted into a glare, her jaw was clenched along with her fist. it was a scary sight for harry to see.

"but nothing! you called the cops! you know how much i have missed my dad, and as soon as he comes around you call the cops on him! just because he abandoned me, that's not a crime! he came back!" victoria screamed in his face. harry's eyes went wide.

"victoria! that's not why i called the cops!" harry said, raising his voice only a little. nothing compared to victoria's voice.

"then why? because you hate him that much?" victoria asked, her voice not changing a bit.

"just let me talk to you, in private." harry said, grabbing her wrist. victoria needed answers, and she needed them fast. harry walked her inside, going up into her room. harry closed and locked the door, turning to an angry victoria.

"i called the cops for a very important reason."  harry started. "your dad was.. he was.." harry couldn't find the right words to tell victoria. how do you tell someone that their father was plotting to sell them and kill their mother?

"spit it out, harry!" she was getting very impatient.

"he was going to kill your mom!" harry yelled, closing his eyes after the words came out. victoria stood frozen, eyes wide and jaw wide open.

"get out.." victoria whispered, almost inaudible. harry felt as if his heart fell to his feet. harry stepped closer, hoping that he had heard wrong.

"w-what?" harry asked, feeling tears come to his eyes

"i said get out. why would you lie to me like that?" she looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"i'm not lying! victoria you can't be serious right now, y-you just have too much happening. you don't mean that. you don't want me to l-leave." harry was pacing around the room.

"harry, get out!" victoria raised her voice again. harry sighed and ran down the stairs, slamming the front door and running to his house as fast as he could. as soon as he got in his room, he slammed his door. he ignored gemma calling his name, asking what was wrong. he jumped onto his bed, and let out the loudest scream he could manage.

victoria slammed her door, pressing her back to it and sliding down. she put her head in her hands and let out all the tears she has been holding for these past five years. all the pain she was hiding, the torture, everything. her cries were so loud, her mother heard her from outside. victoria didn't care though, she was so hurt. with a sudden burst of anger that overpowered her sadness, she screamed something she never thought she would scream.

"i hate you, harry styles!" victoria screamed at the top of her lungs. everyone outside heard it. her neighbors heard it.

harry heard it.

harry looked up from his pillow, hearing the words he never wanted to hear. she hates him. gemma opened the door, eyes wide. she ran to her little brother, wrapping her arms around harry.

"what happened?" gemma asked frantically. harry couldn't speak, or at least pronounce a simple sentence.

"s-she hates m-me!" harry cried into gemma's chest. gemma knew exactly who he was talking about. gemma knew how much harry loved victoria and it hurts her to see him like this.

"no, harry. she's just mad right now. everything will be okay. i promise."

~

victoria laid in her bed, sniffling. she felt lonely. her mom has been ignoring her all day. in her mom's words, "he should've taken you! i never wanted you!" the only person she had left, now hates her. victoria closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep. no matter what, she wasn't tired. physically at least. emotionally, she was tired. so, so tired.

harry closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his pillow, and started to whisper sing.

"hush little baby don't you cry everything's gonna be alright. stiffen that upper lip, little lady, i told ya' i am here to hold you through the night." harry stopped to wipe his tears and take a deep breath. "and daddy's not here right now and we don't know why, we feel how we feel inside. i know it might seem a little crazy, but i promise daddy gon' be alright."

victoria could hear harry's voice in her head, as crazy as it sounds. that was how she fell asleep. trying to remember his voice singing to her.