Through The Dark COMPLETED

Chapter 23B

Julie and Niall brought the bags into the apartment and to the kitchen.

"Geez, where did you guys go for groceries?  The moon?"  Amanda asked.

"Sorry."  Julie said.  "I didn't mean to keep him away from you for so long."  She started unloading the bags.

"No, that's not, JJ it's fine."  Amanda walked up to her.  "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, of course."  She said.  She put things away and started unwrapping the things she needed for dinner.  "I see Niall got some beer.  Why don't you take some into the boys and sit down and have a drink with them?  I got this."

"Right."  Amanda grabbed some beers and took them into the other room.  Not because she believed a word that came out of JJ's mouth because then she could talk to Niall and Harry without JJ.  She walked in and handed them each a drink.  "Ok Niall, so what did she tell you?"  She didn't sit.  She couldn't.  She was officially worried.

"I should go see if Julie needs some help."  Harry said standing up.

"No, wait just a minute."  Niall said quietly.  "You need to hear this too.  I hate doing this behind her back, but you were right Amanda.  She's not as good as I was hoping she was."

Harry sat back down.  "Yeah, I figured."

"Oh, but it's worse than I imagined.  She's afraid he's going to find her because of pictures posted on social media.  And I saw it today, it's possible.  She's afraid to stay with Amanda if her and I are together, because of all of the attention.  So that makes..." Niall started.

"Being with me a real issue?"  Harry said.

"Yes, she's been trying the past couple of days to prove to herself she should be with you, but Harry, she's afraid that you're going to come to the conclusion that all of this isn't worth your time.  And she believes the things he said to her in that alley.  She's been so easy and so cooperative because she wants you to think she's worth it."  Niall said.

Amanda sat down and set her drink on the table.  She tried to stop her tears.  She was thinking back to the words being thrown around in that alleyway.  It hit her after a while.  "He told her that she wasn't anything other than another bitch to fuck.  That she couldn't be anything more than that."

"Why in the world would she believe anything he would say, ever?  It pisses me off.  I'm pretty sure I've proven she's more than that every day since we officially got together."  Harry said.

"Yeah, but that confrontation, took her right back to the past."  Amanda said.  "I knew there was more going on, and so did you Harry.  I also don't think a confrontation will work with her.  So as much as she should be slapped for believing what she does; we have to just accept it, and work on proving to her she's wrong.  If we confront her and push her it won't end well."

"I'm sorry Amanda, but I disagree.  She needs to know straight up its bullshit."  Harry said standing up.

"Harry."  Amanda started but he just walked away.  "Great, guess I should be prepared to pick up the pieces."

"He won't hurt her Amanda."  Niall said.

"Yeah, not on purpose."  Amanda said getting up and going towards the kitchen.

Julie stood up from putting dinner into the oven and set the timer.  She turned, and when she did she was caught off guard with Harry standing right there.  "Hey, I thought you were having a drink with Amanda and Niall.  I've got this really."  She touched his arm and went to go around him.

"No, wait."  He took her arm.  "We need to talk.  Now."

"Ok, I'm sorry."  Julie said.

"Stop.  Just stop."  Harry said to her.