WOUNDS ♚ henry bowers [it]

t w e n t y - o n e

"Wait out here, please. We need to speak to Henry alone, for this part." The overly obese cop stopped me from walking into the interrogation room with Henry.

"Oh... okay." I said, and Henry gave me a worried look. I returned it with a reassuring smile, right before the cop closed the door on me. I rolled my eyes at how annoying the cop that we've been talking to has been acting toward us.

Deciding I need some fresh air and thinking that Henry was going to be in there for awhile, I made my way past all the desks littered with papers and coffee cups. There was maybe three cops in the meeting room, and a secretary that sat in the little windowed room in the front so that she was the first person you saw when you walked into the building. Ignoring the cigarette smoke smell, I pushed my way outside and through the doors.

I took a seat on the stairs, the wind blowing my hair in every direction. I was proud of Henry for actually taking a stand and facing his biggest fear in this world. The fear that made and shaped him into who he is now. The fear that made him do all the things he's done, that's made him act the way he acts. The fear that poisoned his brain with lies about the world and people.

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw a familiar, lanky figure walking down the sidewalk. I quickly stood up and ran down the stairs. "Richie!" I called out to him. He looked up at me, and his eyes widened. I saw him turn and he looked like he was about to start running away, but my voice stopped him. "Wait, Richie, please don't go. We need to talk."

Richie gave me a death glare once I reached him. "And have that asshole of a boyfriend of yours murder me? Yeah, no fucking way." He rolled his eyes and started to walk away, but I grabbed his arm.

"He's not going to kill you, Richie. I promise." That was a lie, and we both knew it. If Henry were to walk out here and see Richie standing next to me, he'd loose his shit. "Besides, he in there anyway." I cocked my head toward the station.

Richie gave it a look, then turned back toward me with a snicker. "Finally got caught carving his name into someone I see. Good, he deserves it."

A mixture of guilt and anger built up into me. Guilt because I was with someone that did carve his name (or at least a letter) into one of my friend's stomach, but anger because although Henry did do those things, I still love him. It's not his fault his pathetic excuse of a father raised him to hate everything and everyone.

I ignored his comment, "Look, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry Richie. Truly. You were, and still are I hope, my best friend. I should've told you my feelings toward Henry before, but I just couldn't bring myself to it. I was afraid you, and everyone else, would reject me as a friend and not want to even speak with me anymore knowing what Henry's done to you all." Richie scoffed and muttered something about how 'I was right, there', and I felt as if someone just slapped me, but continued nonetheless. "I know that you hate me-"

Richie cut me off with a sigh, "I don't hate you, Taylor. I hate him."

I realized I was still holding onto his arm, so I let it go. "I know, but I just can't control my feelings."

"Yes you can, all you have to do is leave him, Taylor." His voice raised a bit. "It's a few simple words, 'I-wanna-break-up'."

I shook my head at him, "I can't do that."

"Why not?!"

"...Because I love him."

Richie's angry face was replaced by surprise and shock, and he took a step back at a loss for words. I looked down shamefully. I was in love with the person that caused my best friend shit everyday for the past years, of course Richie hated me.

Then I realized something, and all these emotions surfaced. I was angry, no, I was pissed. "You know what, Richie?" I glared at him. "This whole time I've been thinking I'm the bad friend, but no, it's you. I thought best friends were supposed to be accepting and support the other through everything, even if they decide to like someone the other doesn't. They're supposed to be there for each other through thick and thin, but obviously I was wrong." I give Richie a disgusted look, then turn away from him and start walking back to the station, leaving him standing there in shock.

I have someone that would do anything for me, someone that loves and cares for me, someone that would (literally) kill a person for me. I don't need a best friend, I don't need Richie, because I have Henry, my love. I thought as I stormed up the stairs toward the double, glass doors.

But, then again, doesn't everyone need a best friend? Someone to go to talk about your lover to?

I washed those thoughts away as I stepped back into the police station. Henry needed my full support right now, there was no time to even be thinking about Richie.