Escaped

Chapter 12

Escaped: Chapter 12

I laid on the bed and cried for a good hour. But after a while, the tears just wouldn't come.

I got up and went into the conjoined bathroom. I looked in the mirror.

I was horrified by my reflection

I had cried all of my eye makeup off. My eyes were bloodshot and puffy. And my red hair was tangled and in need of a wash.

I stripped down and got into the shower.

I just stood there in the water for a good ten minutes before I realized there was no soap. Or shampoo. Or conditioner. You get the picture.

I heard a knock on the door and Perrie poked her head into the bathroom.

"Sorry," she said. "We were unpacking and I heard the shower. Then I realize you'd probably want these."

She reached past the shower curtain and handed me shampoo, conditioner, citrus scented body wash, soap and a razor.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

She smiled, nodded, and slipped out the door.

I washed my hair and my body then I picked up the razor.

I just looked at it.

I considered bringing it somewhere other than my legs. I looked down at my wrists. My scars were old and faded. It'd been so long. Could I really go back there?

I set the razor on the edge of the tub.

'No,' I told myself firmly.

It'd been years since I thought that low of myself. Since I'd harmed myself. It took me a while but I saw the value, the worth, in me and I wasn't going to let anyone, not even Liam Payne, take that from me.

I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I put my old clothes back on when a knock on the door made me jump.

"Y-yes?"

Niall responded on the other side.

"Food's ready."

"M'k. Thanks."

I heard his footsteps fade and the bedroom door close.

-

I walked down stairs where Eleanor was dishing out spaghetti.

There were eight of us so we didn't really bother trying to gather around a table. In fact we all found spots in the living room, some of us on the couches, other on the floor, And we just sat around the telly.

It was almost nice. The football game on. Niall and Louis cheering when their team scored whereas Eleanor, Zayn, and Liam, all supporting the opposing team, would boo and shove them off the couch.

I just stayed with Harry and Perrie who were kind of neutral. Until Liam piped up.

"No more of that," he said. "Pick a side," he laughed. Perrie shrugged and went over to sit by Zayn.

"Fine then," Harry stood up and sat next to Niall and Louis, both laughing and slapping him on the back.

Liam looked at me.

It was clear that we were both a little afraid of what was going to happen.

Of how I would react. But I decided that things were going smoothly and I didn't really want to ruin that. I preferred everyone in high spirits. There was less yelling, angry glares, and threatening that way.

I laughed and said, "No way! You're not making me pick a team, Payne. I've never really cared for football and I'm not gonna start now."

I crossed my arms defiantly.

He chuckled.

Remember when I said things were going well? I guess nothing can last forever because at that moment the football game switched over to a news anchor woman.

"We interrupt this scheduled viewing to bring you this important news update. We just received more information regarding missing girl, 18-year-old, Charlotte Hale."

The whole room went silent. No one moved.

"The police suspected that Hale had been taken not two days ago from outside her home at around 7:15pm. Their suspicions were confirmed this morning when her parents, Tiffany and Benjamin Hale, received a ransom note signed by none other than One Direction. Now, we don't have all the details so we aren't sure what-"

But that was all I had needed to hear. I stood up and bolted for the front door. I swung it open and took off running.