Divided

Some good ol' spaghetti

"Aim, use your dominant eye, finger on the trigger, squeeze."

"Harry, I can't. Punching you in the face was one thing, but shooting a gun? This I can't do. Not after what happened the last time I shot a gun."

"Ireland, we've talked about this, what kind of man that man was. It wasn't a life that will be missed, baby."

"I know that, but it could have been you. I could have shot you."

"Exactly, so we're going to practice and you're going to get really good, just like you are already at fighting so you don't have to worry about that." I sigh and softly nod my head.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Aim, use your dominant eye, finger on the trigger, squeeze," I say before squeezing the trigger. The giant paper person Harry has taped to the tree stayed intact as I sigh.

"Baby, it was your first practice shot, it's never perfect on the first try. Go again." I nod and this time after pulling the trigger the paper tears as a bullet passes through it's foot.

"There you go!" Harry shouts with a smile etched onto his features.

"I was aiming for his head." Harry looks over to me and his smile falters as he notices my sad features.

"What's wrong baby? I thought it was target practice but I get the feeling it's deeper that that."

"Harry, it's just," I pause trying to gather my thoughts. "This is insane."

"What is?"

"This, me, you, guns, gangs, all of it. The last time I held a gun, I killed a man. I know, I know, his life wasn't one that will be missed but that's stills someone's son, maybe someone's brother, or father. I'm sure he had a family too, you know? I never thought I'd handle a gun, let alone shoot one or use one to kill someone. Hell, even learn how to shoot one so I would know how to kill someone if need be. When did my life become this crazy mess? I'm dating the leader of a gang who is literally in an active war with another gang, living in his house with his fellow gang members. Harry, the freaking lady at the jewelry counter at the store is in your gang. Is everyone in a gang nowadays? Is everyone fighting and killing each other? Is my mother even still alive?"

"Yes," Harry says, ignoring everything else I said.

"What? How do you know?" I question curiously.

"I have some guys that keep an eye on her, make sure she's safe."

"Wow, and you didn't think to tell me?"

"What do you mean 'tell you'?"

"Everyday I wake up wondering if my mom's up getting ready for work or laying dead somewhere on the side of the road shot or stabbed like tons of people already. Wondering if she's become another victim of this war or if she's still alive, missing me like crazy, worried out her mind wondering if I'm dead on the side of the road."

"Baby, I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner."

"Yeah, you should have." With that I carefully lay the gun down on the wooden bench and storm inside the house.

"Liam," I say walking up to the brunette who was sitting on the couch reading from his phone.

"What's up, Red?"

"I've learned basic self defense, some boxing moves and techniques, when am I gonna learn how to fight with a knife?"

"You don't bring a knife to a gun fight, love."

"Well, I want to learn how to fight with a knife and how to protect myself in a fight with a knife."

"I don't know too many people who use knives anymore but I'll teach ya." I nod with a satisfied smile and follow him to the basement. He opens a drawer from behind the bar and pulls out a knife.

"Wait, we're actually using knives?" Liam chuckles and shakes his head.

"No, it's fake, see?" He opens the knife and a plastic blade pops out. I nod and he hands it to me to get familiar with it and so I can trust him.

"First things first...."

After a solid hour and half of fighting with fake knives with Liam my stomach begins to grumble. I check the clock on the wall and it reads quarter after six.

"I'm getting hungry, you?"

"Yeah, I could eat. Let's go see what the boys want for dinner." I nod and we put up the fake knives before  turning off the lights and walking up the stairs closing the basement door behind us.

"Hey, lad. What do you suppose we do for dinner?" Liam asks Niall.

"I'm in the mood for some good ol' spaghetti," Niall says rubbing his shirtless toned stomach. Liam nods and I enter the kitchen hoping not to see Harry, still upset about earlier. To my pleasure he wasn't in the kitchen. Before I get started on dinner I pour myself a glass of raspberry lemonade. I grab a two pots, one for the spaghetti and one for the sauce, and begin preparing the food. I grab a stone from under the oven and place the garlic bread on in and pop it in the oven once it's heated. As the water begins to boil for the spaghetti, I break the noodles and put them in the pot. I dump the sauce into the other pot and it begins to heat up. Once the spaghetti is cooked all the way through and the sauce is hot enough, I turn both of them on low and begin to quickly set the table. Once the table is set I shout for the lads and begin making plates. Niall is the first to enter the kitchen with Liam behind him. I hand them plates full of saucy spaghetti and then slip on my oven mitts to take the garlic bread out of the oven. Once it's cooled down a bit I cut it into even pieces and the boys take a piece or two. I grab my plate and fill it will the sauced covered spaghetti and grab a piece of garlic bread. I sit down at the table with Niall and Liam as we start a small conversation waiting for Harry to join us.

"Evening," Harry drags out deeply as he enters the kitchen. He gets him a plate and fills it with food before sitting down at the table. Niall, Liam and I continue to make small conversation, trying to involve Harry but he does his best to stay out of the conversation. Once my belly is full I place my empty plate in the sink and rinse it off. Once the lads finish they hand me their plates and I rinse them before running some dish water.

"Here, I'll wash the dishes, go ahead and go to bed. It's getting late," Harry says walking up to me.

"It's okay, I can wash them," I tell him.

"No, go to bed. Get some sleep. I'll take care of this," he says sternly. I nod and he gives me a soft apology smile before grabbing ahold of my face and leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes and relish the sweet moment before he pulls away.

I exit the kitchen and make my way up the stairs, running my hand up the banister as I go. I quickly use the bathroom before entering my room and closing the door. I strip of my clothes and pull on a pj romper and untuck my bed. I crawl into the cool bed and sigh as it comforts me. A yawn escapes my lips as my head hits the pillow, my yawn being the last thing I remember before sleep overcomes my body.