I'm Broken {Harry Styles}

Chapter 7

| Lacey's POV |

I walk into the kitchen to find Harry standing by the counter eating one of those small packages of oyster crackers. "Ah, I see you found a nice snack," I said.

"Your food is shit. Don't you ever go shopping?" He replied with a strong attitude.

"No, when I'm not working I'm taking online courses and that nasty thing on the couch doesn't even know where to go," I said as if it was the most obvious thing.

"Whatever, let's just go," Harry left the packaging on the counter and walked towards the door. I grabbed my purse and keys from the table next to the door and followed him out, locking the door behind me.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as we pulled up to the diner. "I guess," I mumbled.

"Okay," he replied. He was in a very bad mood for the entire car ride and I don't know if I said something or what happened.

I sighed and slammed the door, walking up to the restaurant. Harry immediately drove away and I rolled my eyes; I swear that boy is bipolar or something. Well at least Zayn will be home so I can spend time with him instead if thinking about how awful Harry is.

"Hey Meg!" I said as I walked into the kitchen to get my apron.

"Hey girl! Had a nice night?" She sweetly asked.

"Uh, yeah, it was alright," I replied. I didn't want her to know what my dad does to me, or that I called Harry. "How about you, do anything fun?"

"Well me and Ryan went out to dinner and that was really great." Ryan is her boyfriend. "You know he told me he loved me? Ugh I swear I am going to marry this boy!" She exclaimed.

"Tell me about it later, customers just came in," I said.

The day went on pretty normally, except the guy who washes dishes cut his finger on a knife so Meg was doing it. It wasn't super crowded yet, but around 5:30 was when the wave started coming in. I was on my lunch break, eating at one of the tables when she came over and sat down to eat her own lunch.

"Do you think you could wash the dishes for the rest of the day? My hands are turning into prunes," she sighed, holding up her hands to show me that they were, in fact, turning into prunes.

"Yeah sure, no problem," I responded. I continued eating my ham and cheese sandwich and Meg her salad, she told me about her dinner last night with Ryan for my entire lunch break.

"Well, I better get washing those dishes," I said as I got up to bring my plate to the kitchen.

"They won't wash themselves!" Meg called out and then started laughing. I looked back to see the 4 or 5 tables we have seated, staring at her. They all seemed to be pretty discusted watching her laugh hysterically at her own joke that wasn't even funny.

I walked up to the sink and turned on the water. I went to roll up my sleeves but once they got up a few inches, you could see bruises. I started panicking, I couldn't wash the dishes with my sleeves down or else they'd get soaked. But if I rolled them up everyone could see my injuries. If only there was a way-I got it! Rubber gloves! I looked around everywhere but I couldn't find them. I walked out of the kitchen to ask Meg, who was still eating her lunch.

"Hey Meg, where are the rubber gloves for washing dishes?" I asked.

"Oh, um, I don't know I actually didn't use them," she replied. "They might be in drawers by the stove, I don't really know."

"Okay thanks, I just don't want to actually have to touch other peoples' food soaked in water," I made up an excuse.

"Yeah, I feel you. Good luck," she ended the conversation there and turned back to her lunch. I walked over to the stove and looked in the drawers and cabinets all around it and found gloves in the third place I checked. I slid the gloves on before rolling up my sleeves and getting to work.

The whole time I was washing dishes, I couldnt help but think about Harry. He must have some form of a mental illness, that would be the only explanation of his crazy mood swings. He's been giving me whiplash: seductive, angry, playful, then angry again. I cannot stand being around him, he just gets this awful reaction out of me, I didn't even know it's possible to get so angry at someone you barely know.

Then I began thinking about Zayn. He's such a nice guy, I mean he paid for my milkshake. And he is super hot, not that I'm that conceded where I judge people by their looks, but wow. Why would Harry not want me to see him? I get that he wanted me to sleep with him but what I have with Zayn could be real. Why should I mess that up for a guy who only wants to get in my pants? Exactly, I shouldn't. I'll just ignore Harry and hopefully he'll get the hint.

Over the few hours that I washed dishes my mind wandered over the most obscure things. First on Toaster Strudels, then to pandas, then I started dancing around while singing songs in my head. I got a few strange looks for the latter.

"Lacey?" Meg asked while laughing at my not-so-good dance moves. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, um," I blushed. "I was just-ugh never mind, what's up?"

Meg laughed at me interrupting myself and said, "Well it's time for you to go home, your shifts over."

"Oh okay," I replied while taking off my gloves.

Meg stared down and my arms and her eyes practically fell out of her head. "WHAT'S ON YOUR ARMS?!" She screeched. She quickly grabbed my arm and began examining it.

Shit I thought to myself. "Shh! Don't cause a scene!" I whispered to her.

"Not cause a scene? NOT CAUSE I SCENE? HOW THE FUCK COULD I NOT CAUSE A SCENE?!" She was shouting now and I could hear the customers getting quiet.

"MEG! You need to shut up right now!" I scolded. "And give me my arm back," I pulled my arm away from her and quickly pulled my sleeves down.

"But what happened?" She quietly asked.

I sighed and said, "Well, you know how whenever we hang out we always go to your house?" She nodded. "I-it's because," I took a deep breath. "My dad, Dylan, hits me," I looked up at her waiting for her response. All she did was pull me into a tight hug. "Ow, ow, please let go," I muttered. She released her grip and gave me a sad look.

"God, Lacey!" She exclaimed, running her hands through her hair. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you," She sounded really upset.

I just shrugged. "I was kind of embarrassed," I mumbled.

"Embarrassed? What's there to be embarrassed about? This isn't your fault, Lacey."

"I dont know," This is not the right place to be having this conversation. "Think about you, I mean, you would never let anyone do that to you but he does it to me all the time. And what do I do? I let him," I sighed. She doesn't understand.

"If you ever need anything, and I mean anything, call me, okay?" I simply nodded in return and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm always here for you, just remember that."

"Yeah, I know. I don't know what I'd do without you," I replied pulling her into a more gentle hug. "Okay, I have got to go. I have a date with Zayn tonight."

"Have fun little lady," she said. "But not too much fun, if you catch my drift," she winked at me and I just laughed. Meg is always so good at lightening the mood. We said our final goodbyes and as I was leaving she called out telling me to be careful. I'm so glad that she didn't make me explain all of the details even though I could tell it was hard for her not to pry. I walked home, praying that my father wouldn't be there.

~

Hey guys ;****

Thanks for reading, like this is only the seventh chapter or something and I didn't expect to get past two so I love you all and thanks for making this possible !!!!!!!! <333333

What do you call a bagel that can fly?

a plane bagel (omfg im so funny lolololololol but this joke took me days to figure out #dontjudge)

QOTC: cats or dogs?

-Jess xx

I swear it gets better keep reading