I waited {L.S}

1.9

I woke up to Harry holding me. I was confused at first until I realized he was humming that song. I looked up at him, blinking. "You're here."

Harry was literally the only person I talked to. He kept me safe, I had to talk to him. I only wanted to talk to him.

"I told you I would be." He smiled. "You didn't even stir last night."

"You were here," I whispered.

He held me a little tighter for a few seconds. "I'm so glad you don't hate me," he admitted quietly.

"I... missed having you there. He was always focused on me and... it never stopped."

I heard footsteps and pulled away from Harry. He tried holding onto me, but I couldn't let him see it.

"Are you guys up?" Mom called through the door.

"Yeah," Harry answered, glancing at me, almost like he was waiting for me to react. I picked at my nails instead.

The door opened and I looked up. My mom smiled. "Good morning."

I signed it back, while Harry mumbled it. I could see that he was still watching me from the corner of my eye.

"Is everything okay?" Mom questioned.

"Yeah, it's fine," Harry said, turning away from me. "Everything's fine."

"Louis?"

I nodded. All good.

She nodded. "Are you hungry?"

I stood up, pulling my sleeves over my hands and looked at Harry. He stood up slowly, nodding his head. "Yeah."

Once she was out of the room, Harry grabbed my elbow gently. "Why did you stop talking?"

I can't talk in front of them!

"It's safe, Louis. All of this, it's safe." He looked past me for a few seconds. "Your mom, sisters, they're going to keep you safe."

I shook my head. He told me-

"What he says, doesn't matter, Louis. He's not here."

"He's coming back," I whispered, glancing at the door. I hated talking about it, it made me feel like he was going to show up at any second. "He swore he was coming back and I'm already breaking so many of his rules." I shut my eyes tightly, not wanting to see a reaction or anything else for that matter.

"I swear, if I find out even one of these rules are broken in any way, you're going to wish you never left in the first place. Your little 'paradise' won't be a paradise anymore, and you'll be right back here."

"Louis!" Harry called. I pulled away and shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself.

"You don't know what he told me!" My eyes filled with tears. "I can't do this, Harry."

"What? Louis, you can do anything." Harry stepped closer to me. "Please, Lou."

"I can't... I never could."

"Louis-"

"He hurt you because I couldn't do anything. He hurt... all of those other kids. It was my fault. If I would have listened, he wouldn't have done anything."

Harry pulled me to his chest. "Louis, none of that is your fault. I was trying to protect you. I was the oldest in that room, it should have only been me, not you, not any of the other boys."

"I can't talk in front of them," I cried. "Only you."

Harry sighed but didn't argue. I held onto him while too many of the events crashed through my head.

"Louis," he called in a sickly sweet voice. I forced my eyes up to his figure, trying to stop myself from shaking. "Aren't you happy now?"

I shook my head. I wanted the other kids. I wasn't alone then. "Unlike you, they're all going to be okay and back with their families. But you're... you're perfect for me."

"Louis. Look at me. You're with me, not him." I shook my head, pushing my hands against my ears. "Louis..."

I kept shaking my head, even when he grabbed my shoulders. I cried harder, wishing Harry was there. I wished I wasn't alone. Why did Harry leave me alone?

"Louis, Louis look at me," Harry begged with my face in his hands. "Snap out of it."

I opened my eyes, but Harry was blurry from the tears. I grabbed his wrists, unable to stop myself from crying. I sobbed and leaned closer to him, my head hitting his chest. I was shaking my head and mouthing 'I can't' over and over.

"You're okay," he whispered. "I'm here. I'm okay. You are okay, Louis."

"I'm not. I'm not okay," I cried harder. I'm never going to be okay again and no one could understand that part.