Again

Chapter 17.

First I'm confused, as to why he just left without another word. I expected him to at least, insult me. The look in his eyes is like a burn mark in my mind. I suddenly feel the tears again, burning and pushing, begging to fall freely on my face. I take a deep breath, when I turn around I notice the source of his sudden decision. Andrew.

''Everything okay with you?'' he asks, jogging towards me.

I shrug, running my hands over my face even though the tears didn't make it out. ''I guess. What are you doing here?''

As he makes his way to me, I finally take the time to fully take in his appearance. He has dark brown hair, and green-bluish eyes. Maybe it's just the darkness of the night, and the faint lighting of the road lights. His eye color reminds me of Bob's eyes, so he instantly is sympathetic for me. When he reaches me, I notice him being way higher than me. Well, everybody is actually.

He doesn't seem to have any tattoos. Which is interesting, considering his choice of friends. I know I have only met him today, but...

''Do we have... Have we met before? You seemed too familiar on the party... '' He asks confused, struggling to get his breathing under control. His has a slim, but quiet muscular body.

''No, I don't think so. I actually asked you what you're doing here. I thought you went home with.. .’’ I struggle to find the right word. ''Someone else?''

''No, no,'' he shakes his head, a light chuckle escaping his full lips. ''I was helping Niall getting Heather under control. She totally freaked out on the way here, because she didn't know us. I didn't want Jamie to worry.''

''That's a pretty shitty excuse. She's mad at you.''

He grins lightly. ''It's okay.''

I manage to give him a light smile as we walk towards the apartment. It's silent for half of the way, a little bit awkward. I would say it's a good awkward, but does something like this even exist? It's strange, not even twenty-four hours ago, I could've never ever imagined something like this happening to me. The night is no longer scary, the shadows seem to have melted with the night, no longer visible to my eyes.

''You don't live here do you?'' Andrew's voice makes me look up. He's talking in a normal tone, but being alone on the street, his voice echoes from the buildings around us. I should actually feel scared, or at least paranoid. Since I am walking in an unknown part of town, at night, with a guy I met at a frat house party. Not the standards I'm going for when finding friends.

But to my own surprise, it's actually not scary at all. It's kind of comforting, to have someone protect you from the shadows and the sounds. I was always afraid of the dark.

''No,'' I shake my head, pushing my hair up in elastic. ''I just know Finn. The girls and he thought it would be a 'good idea' to spend my birthday here.''

He grins at me. ''You don't seem very happy about that idea,'' he nudges me with his shoulder. ''Happy Birthday, by the way.''

''Thank you, and I am not. This night was... very different,'' I explain, as we turn a corner.

''You've never been to a party, right? Or have I heard wrong?''

''No, I've... never been out of the house after seven o'clock,'' I tell him slowly. Usually I don't tell anyone, but when I do, I earn laughs. People usually think I am kidding.

But Andrew just raises his eyebrows curiously. ''Why's that, if you're comfortable with me asking of course,'' he asks politely. Maybe he could teach Harry some manners, whispers my subconscious sharply. Almost instantly, images of Harry's face pops up in my head. His shocked face when I screamed at him, the last look he gave me before we walked away. The grin that his plump lips formed as he talked to me.

''My Mum and Bob just aren't comfortable with me going out,'' I shrug, looking at my feet and trying not to think about him. ''I'm not a party-person anyway, so it never really mattered to me. Just when you want to go to the movies after seven it's usually a problem.''

He laughs. ''I can imagine that. It's not that wrong, though.''

I stop in my tracts, just as he does. Did he just say, that he thinks my parents are doing the right thing?

• • •

I sigh. ''How is he?'' I whisper. I have changed into some pajamas the girl's stole from my closet when I was showering and changing in the bathroom. They put it in the trunk of Finn's car. Sadly they didn't put any facial wipes in his trunk, so when I washed my face it literally became a mess. At least Niall had some spare toothbrushes.

''He woke up twenty minutes after you guys left and I gave him some pain killers,'' Emma explains tiredly. ''He'll feel the real pain tomorrow. Right now, he's as peaceful as a beaten up can be.''

I shoot her a glare. ''That is not funny.''

Emma -who’s sitting on the floor, back against the sofa- closes her eyes. ''I'm not joking.''

''You guys should get some rest,'' Niall says, giving me some water. ''Tomorrow is Saturday anyway.''

I reach my hands up, securing my hair in a bun to have it out of my face. I give him a small smile, before opening the bottle. ''Thank you so much for your help. I bet this isn't how you wanted to spend your Friday night?''

He shrugs. ''Every weekend is a party. I don't think I missed anything,'' he says. Niall also has changed into some sweatpants and a simple black shirt. His hair is messy, but his blue eyes still seem bright and deep. Heather is sleeping on the other sofa. I look around, worriedly.

''You can sleep in Finn's room. We won't get him up now anyway, and I honestly don't want to disturb him.''

I nod, kneeling in front of Emma. ''Come on,'' I whisper, stroking her arm to keep her awake. ''It's bed time.''

After Emma changes as well, we get into Finn's small bed. Emma falls asleep the second her head hits the pillow. I envy her for that, I wish my thoughts would let me go. But every time I get to bed, my brain seem to work even better, spilling out millions of unnecessary and frightening thoughts. But this time there are also pictures, captured moments of a boy who has been my neighbor for years. Words he had spoken to me when I walked into his room earlier. I don't even know why I waste my time thinking about him, because he surely isn't doing the same thing. Why should he?

After what seem like forever, I finally find a position even my brain can't fight against and my eyelids finally become too heavy to keep open. So, I fall asleep with green eyes and plumb pink lips on mind.