Personal Experience

Chapter Thirty-Three

*Colleen’s P.O.V.*

It’s been a couple of months since I ran. I’ve been updated by Andrea, the only one I will talk to, that there’s a manhunt for Jack. I made her make yet another promise; to tell no one she has been talking to me. No one. If Harry knew; he’d kill her.

Anyone who finds him gets a reward, and no questions asked about how he was found or if he’s injured. I’ve been reassured that once he’s caught there’s no way he will be allowed to leave. Ever. I’ve been promised. There’s also a restraining order on him so he stays away. He can’t even be in the same town as me. I wake up every morning around eight; never being able to sleep any longer. I shower since it’s actually been a few days; the only thing that crosses my mind is death. I can’t really get into any routine. After my shower I head downstairs to help my dad with breakfast; one thing I have come accustomed to since I’ve been back. It relaxes my nerves as much as the Ativan does. Today, when I walk through the kitchen door I freeze seeing Harry at the breakfast bar with a cup of coffee in his hands.

“Harry!” I gasp.

“Hi,” he greets back staring at his cup.

“I’ll give you two a moment,” my dad says as he puts his cup in the sink.

“How… How have you been?” I ask when I know for sure my dad isn’t listening in.

“I’ve feel like shit considering my so called girlfriend shut me out once again and left without saying a word," anger rises in his voice. "I had to see stories of you through tabloids and gossip magazines all saying the same thing. That you left me! And hated me!”

“Harry, I can expl-"

“Well please do, Colleen!” he interrupts. “Because I’ve been wracking my brain; trying to piece everything back together and make sense of it all! Why you left me," Harry yells. "Why you kept stuff from me…” he starts to tear up.

“Har-”

“Did you even know what happened the night Niall and Louis arrived at their apartment?!”

“No…”

"Niall and Louis caught him red handed trying to get in through the bedroom window! Eleanor and Andrea were in hysterics. Niall and Louis got a few punches in before they threw him out and called the cops anonymously. They didn’t even accept the reward that was offered; all they cared about the girls’ privacy and our safety."

“Harry! I’m sorry! I know that I should have told you and everyone else. Told you all of what was going on. I was selfish; I’ve realized that. I… That’s why I left; I had to fight this myself. It would only work if I could get through this myself! If I stayed and pretended that I was okay and happy, I would have ruined your career! You and I would have never been the happy couple we wanted to be. I did this for us," I step closer to him, "So that we can have a happier, stable future. I went to rehab. It’s been two months now, and I haven’t been cutting; the night-terrors have nearly disappeared. I wish you could understand why I had to leave everyone, and sort this out myself first. I’m healed now, at least more than I was, and I can now be the girlfriend I always wanted to be for you; the one that doesn’t flinch when you touch her. Harry, I did this for us!” I finally get to say as I place my hands on his face pulling him close to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

He pulls away wiping the tears off his face speaking again, “Niall and Andrea took the first flight they could get to Ireland when he finally reached her. I haven’t heard from them since. Louis and Eleanor have been taking care of me... Zayn joined Perrie on her tour, and Liam and Kaitlyn are spending most of their time between her family and his."