Stay With Me

Chapter 3

I was forced to stay with Harry in his flat until I could get myself back on my feet. I really didn't want to. I was fine on my own. But, I have slowly grown closer to Harry, learning more about him everyday. It seems like we have been friends for years, but in reality, it's only been 3 weeks.

I slowly recovered from my injuries from that terrible night. Annabel still on my mind. Was she scared? Was she warm? Was she hurt? This pained me because I couldn't answer those questions. I didn't know. All my life I dedicated myself to keep Annabel safe. Make her feel loved and protected. That nothing could hurt her. I let her, and myself down.

I learned that the guy who was with Harry when I first woke up was Dan. He had been friends with Harry for years. He helped Harry carry me back to his flat.

"Hey Alex, are you hungry?" Harry asked. He is really sweet. Which is why I don't understand how we can get along so well. He calms me. Ever since what happened when I was 5, I have always had anger issues. A short temper. I'm not going I deny it. My mother would take me to theropy and all of the psychologists she knew. None of them understood why I was angry, and how to calm me. Harry just looks at me, and I forget about the world.

"Um...a little yeah" I replied, referring to the dying whale sound my stomach was making.

"Good. Becasue I'm taking you out on a dinner date." he said, with a cheeky smile on his face. He wasn't asking me, he was telling me.

"W- what? We just met Harry!" I protested. "Exactly. I need to know more about you." he said, stepping closer to me with each word.

I gasped at the fact that he was so forward and that he was now only 3 inches away from me. He took my hand in his and guided me to the living room. I was amazed at the difference in hand size. Mine looked so small and dainty compared to his large muscular ones. He pulled out a pen and paper from the side- table and turned to face me, cross- legged.

"Name some restaurants you like" he said, slightly grinning. "I -I don't know..." I trailed off, looking away from his gaze.

"Oh c'mon. You have to know at least one." he teased looking at my flustered face. "Harry I- I haven't been to a restaurant since I was 6" I admitted, looking down at the couch.

"Really?" he asked, clearly baffled. "I highly doubt that." he said, completely unaware of my past.

**Flashback**

"IM SO FUCKING DONE WITH THIS BRIAN!" my mother screamed, furious at my fathers actions. He had caught my father cheating on her with some bar-tender. This was rare for her to scream at him. She feared him. See, my father used to beat me and my mother. I became so overly - protective of my sister, that he never got the chance to lay a hand on her.

"REALLY? THEN WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE? THE DOOR IS RIGHT THERE CAROLINE!" my father screamed back, angrily pointing at the front door. I hid my sister and I under a series of blankets in my closet, leaving a hole to breathe out of. She sat there, only 4 years old. Already exposed to the bull shit my parents caused. We sat there in silence, with the faint sound of Annabel's sobs. We were both startled when we heard a crash.

"What was that?" Annabel asked, gazing up at me with her dark brown eyes. "I- I don't know." I confessed, getting up slowly. "No, no Alex please don't leave me alone." she pleaded, hanging on to the hem of my shirt. "I'll be right back, I promise" I told her, gently tugging away her grasp.

I slowly made my way down the hallway, stopping at the the corner where the hall met the kitchen. I peeked around the wall to find what I never wanted to see. My mom was on her knees, grasping her forearms desperately. My father was in the next room over in the living room, gathering my mothers things. I knew what was happening, and I prayed all my life this wouldn't happen. And now it was.

My mother was leaving.