He Never Does || n.h

Chapter 19: Playing With Fire

Chapter 19:

I snap my eyes open and try to gather my thoughts. I'm in my bed with the covers tucked around my body but I have no clue how I got here. I move my head to the side and something cold slides off of my face. An ice pack? Why an ice pack? I vaguely remember coming home from the shopping centre and then falling asleep. That's it though.

My brain suddenly snaps back to reality and registers one thing; pain. My entire body feels like it's been thrown off a cliff. My muscles ache and my skin radiates the horrid feeling whenever I move. My cheek is throbbing now that the numb has left it. I have an overwhelming migraine too, but thankfully it's dark out still.

4:39 a.m.

Well that's a bit earlier than I predicted.

I sit in a trance, staring at the tiny green numbers on the clock. The fog lifts from my memory and I can see it all happening again. Ben. Niall. Everything.

The clock shifts from 4:59 to 5:00 a.m. and an alarm blares making my heart leap with shock.

"Shit." I hear someone mumble from the ground beside my bed. The violent ringing stops and I hear the person stand up. They turn on the small light by my desk which only produces a dim glow throughout the large room.

"Niall?" I grumble. He walks over to my bed and stands by my side. I then notice his pillow and comforter arranged on the ground in between the door and my bed.

He must have slept in here to 'protect' me. I can't believe he chose the floor though, that must have been hell.

"Shit, did I wake you?" He yawns.

"No, I was up. Why did your alarm go off?" I ask. He's not one to wake up early...ever.

"Oh, I just uh...I set an alarm for every two hours so I could change your ice pack." He rocks back and forth awkwardly on his heels.

"You didn't have to-" I begin, awestruck by his thoughtful gesture.

"Oh, shut up. Somebody did and if it won't be your prick of a boyfriend it'll have to be me. And that's perfectly alright with me."

"Don't be mean to Ben, it was my fault for provoking him." I defend Ben.

"Don't you dare say you deserved any of this. Okay Rosie? Don't you fucking dare. No man should ever, ever, lay a finger on you. It's sickening to even think about that kind of shit. He's a low life and you deserve so much better than some controlling and abusive jerk." Niall says very seriously.

"Stop, please." I beg, not wanting to hear his words because I know if I do I will agree with them. I'm in no mood to be chastised.

"I will never stop until he is either behind bars or far away from you. Don't even tell me for one second you would allow this if the roles were reversed with you and me. Would you watch me get hurt?" He challenges.

"Never." I lie. I'm the one causing his pain, of course I watch him get hurt. I just never enjoy it.

"See? And you think this is okay for me to say nothing why?" He pushes again.

"Because I asked you to. Please Ni, he's all I have. And it may not be much in your mind, but-"

"Not much? He's less than nothing." Niall interrupts with another rude remark.

"Please, just listen to me. It's not much to you, but it's everything for me. He is my future. And we both have to learn to accept and deal with that. If I'm trying to why won't you?" I ask, irritated that he doesn't see what I clearly do. I'm filth, and if Ben is willing to accept that then why would I turn him away?