Extricate // l.s

12

"Hey, Tommo! C'mere."

I rolled my eyes at the sound of my roommate's slurred words. He was beyond drunk, per usual, with a beer bottle clutched in his hand. He stuck around inside today since everyone was out of town for the first week of summer vacation. His family lived in Ireland and he really didn't want to make the long trip up there, even though he rarely sees them. Typical Niall.

I paused the show I was currently watching and gave him a look that said I wasn't moving. I was perfectly comfortable on that sofa with a blanket draped over me and a bowl of popcorn in my arms.

Niall groaned and walked to me. He cupped his hand by my ear and I nearly cringed at the smell of the alcohol in his breath when he whispered lowly, "We need toilet paper."

I groaned. "I bought a family pack of toilet paper last week."

He shrugged his shoulders and took a swig from the bottle he was holding. "Beer kinda gives me the shits. You know this."

"Why don't you run to the store and buy some since you're in such dire need? I'm quite busy, if you didn't notice." I told him, resuming my episode and shoving a handful of popcorn into my mouth.

Niall glared at me before stumbling out of the apartment, bottle still in hand. He would probably get arrested again. It seemed like whenever he left that room, he got into some shit. Just last week, I asked him to get the mail from our mailbox downstairs, a simple task, and he came back with a black eye from arguing with the old lady that lives across from us. She was ninety and very hard at hearing but she still managed to hear Niall call her cat a rat.

I glanced down at my phone that had lit up with a notification. It was a text from Harry.

Hazza: Hey, can we talk?

I frowned. That wasn't something people liked to hear.

-sure, what about ?

A few minutes passed before another text came through.

Hazza: Could we talk in person? Cafe?

-of course x

Hazza: I'll meet you there in ten.

As soon as I read his last text, I got up from the couch, abandoning my popcorn and Netflix, and slipped on my shoes. I couldn't help but overthink this whole thing. What if he was breaking up with me? We had only been together for three months... Shit, shit, shit.

I locked the door to the apartment and walked down the stairs to the exit. My hands were starting to clam up so I wiped them on my jeans. I couldn't show Harry that I was nervous.

When I arrived, I saw a head of curly hair inside sitting by the fireplace. Memories of our first kiss sparked in my mind. I couldn't help but smile at that and walk inside, making my way over to him.

I slowly sat down next to him and he jumped a bit in surprise. I chuckled quietly. "I apologize for my ugliness."

He scoffed and lightly punched me in the arm. "Shut up."

"Alright, alright. So, what'd you want to talk about?" I asked, feeling the sweat build up on my hairline once again.

Harry played with the rings on his fingers and looked down. I looked down as well and saw dried blood on his knuckles. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Um, you know how I told you about my 'episodes' and my anger?"

I slowly nodded my head. 

"Well, I've been seeing a therapist for awhile. He, um, he told me.." He stopped and I heard a quiet sob.

I rushed closer to him and took his hand in mine, squeezing it and brushing my thumb across it. "Baby, what did he tell you?"

He looked up at me with glossy eyes, tears threatening to fall. "He told me to stay away from you. He said I'm dangerous. Lou, I can't lose you."

A tear rolled down his cheek and I brushed it away with the pad of my thumb, my hand cradling his jaw. I gave him a weak smile, tears welling up in my eyes as well. "You'll never lose me, Haz. They can do their absolute worst but they will never get me away from you. I care about you too much."

He returned my smile, his hand reaching up to brush my cheek. "I care about you too."

He ducked his head the same time I did and our lips met. It wasn't a messy kiss, it was a bittersweet kiss filled with passion, meaning, tears, and most importantly, love.

We both pulled away with tear-stained cheeks and laughed lightly.

"Oh, Lou, what are we going to do?" He asked softly, his glossy green eyes peering into my blue ones.

-

Earlier that day

"Ah, Harry. It's nice to see you again." Zayn greeted me when I walked into the room I was all too familiar with. "Please, sit."

I did as I was told. "So, what are you going to pester me about today?"

Zayn remained perched by the window, looking out over the city instead of at me. "How are you and that boy doing?"

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "Louis?"

"Yes, that one. How's your relationship going?"

I didn't understand why he was so interested in this. Jeff probably gave him raise.

"Um... Good, I guess. We haven't gotten into any fights or anything so everything is good."

He finally turned towards me, his light brown eyes studying me for a moment. He was quite intimidating, honestly. "I want you to stop seeing him, Harry."

I gave him an incredulous look. "Come again?"

That's what he said.

"I want you to stop seeing him."

I rocketed off the couch and paced the room at a brisk pace, running my hands through my hair. "Why? We're doing perfectly fine. You can't just tell me to end my relationship when nothing is wrong with it."

"Everything is wrong with it, Harry."

I approached him, only a few feet away separating us now. I was so close to sending him out that glass window. "Why?"

Zayn wasn't phased at all, not moving an inch even when I moved closer. "You're dangerous, Harry."

When those words left his mouth, something seemed to snap in me. Without my control, my fist plummeted into the drywall next to Zayn's head and I screamed out in pain. He didn't even flinch.

"That's why."

I clutched my wrist, pain shooting through my whole hand. What the fuck? That wasn't me doing that. It was like I had completely lost control of my body and something else took over.

Zayn took a few steps away from me and sighed. "I want you to go to Doncaster and talk to him. End it. I hope you understand now."

"What makes you think I'll end it? I'm the happiest I've ever been and it's all because of him."

Zayn simply just looked at me. "If you truly cared about him, you would do this for him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Trust me."

-