Consumed

Chapter 8

Harry's POV

She ran out so fast not even saying goodbye. Quickly grabbing her bag and walking out of the classroom. I have whiplash from these mixed signals...If that's what you call them.

As I walk out of the school I think about what she told me about her mom causing that burn against her arm. I cant help but compare her situation to mine, well my past maybe shes going through what I did, but she's old enough to do something about it, but why isn't she?

My cries for help aren't heard since I've lost my voice from all the crying I've done these past three days. There's more welts, four to be exact right on my collarbone in a line. The bad man locked me in the attic. With no food, no water. I'm so thirsty, so hungry. I'm to weak to even get up and bang on the window to try and catch someones attention on the street. I lay back against the cold wood floor, covering up with the thin sheet I found in a box in the corner of the attic. It smells of must and mold but it keeps me warm. I curl up, bringing my knees to my chest slowly closing my eyes to try and get some sleep.

I run my fingers over the scars across my collar, I can still feel the way the cigarette melted my skin and it sends chills through my body. That man was nothing but cruel,nothing but a monster that used me as his damn ash tray. I cringe, opening the door to my car climbing in sticking the key in the ignition and driving off back to my flat.

...

As I pull in to the parking lot of my complex. I see a familiar blonde sitting on the steps just right outside my door. I groan slamming the car in park, climbing out of my car.

"What get kicked out of the house again?" I roll my eyes walking up the steps unlocking my door.

She laughs standing up smoothing out her black dress, "So funny, no I wanted to see you," her fingers trail down the middle of my back, I push the door open stepping away from her touch.

"Not interested Alexa, I'm busy and don't have time to have a meaningless f**k with you." I drop my keys on the counter and she invites herself in closing the door behind her.

"Oh, come on Harry," I hear the zipper to her dress being pulled, I tun to face her and her dress is pooling at her feet.

"Alexa I'm done with you, D-O-N-E, done. got that?" I walk over to her grabbing her dress shoving it in her hands. "I have better things to worry about than f*****g you. Sorry" I turn back on my feet walking down the hall to my room, until I feel something hard and sharp hit me in my shoulder. I look down at my feet and her heel is laying right at my door. I sigh, shaking my head.

"You're a f*****g prick you know, a f*****g f****d up asshole, you're crazy, everything about you you're a freak!" She spits, I clench my fists at my sides turning to face her once more.

"And you're a f*****g b***h," I'm now walking towards her grabbing her wrist pushing her against the wall. "That's all you ever were, and always will be, why do you keep coming back, when we first met I thought we agreed this would only be for fun, no f*****g strings attached! I have no feelings for you Alexa! None whatsoever!" I scream, angry, pissed even.

"You never once had an issue with my burns, why all of the sudden am I now a freak!" I slam my fist against the wall causing her to jump. "Huh! Because I won't f**k you, I won't give you want you want!" I yell spitting the truth to her.

"What the f**k is wrong with you!" She pushes as my chest, but she lets her hands fall. "Why are you acting like this, is there someone else?" Huh? I step back looking at her confused.

"Someone else, you act like we are a f*****g couple, you're being a ludicrous, b***h. Why can't you get that through you're f*****g skull!" I tap my temple with my index finger. "Get all you're s**t you've left here an f*****g leave I want nothing to do with you anymore and I f*****g mean it this time Alexa if you step foot here again I will call the damn police."

"You...I..." she pulls her dress back on, walking down the hall grabbing her heel slipping it back on. She goes into my room, for only a moment coming back out with only a few articles of clothing and her toothbrush. "You are a heartless man, you will never find somebody to love you!" she screams pushing her hair back behind her should has she angrily walks past me. She reaches my flat door for the last time turning on her heel facing me.

"Whoever, or whatever is making you act like a total ass, should turn back now and hold her f*****g breath. You're a monster Harry Styles!" Tears brimming at her eyes. I don't feel and ounce of sorry in me, I may have acted out to much but I'm not sorry. I want her out of my life for good!

"Out!" I move opening the door grabbing her shoulder pushing her out onto the door step. "Goodbye Alexa!" I slam the door shut, groaning leaning my head against it. I feel a thud as she kicks the door calling me every name she can before finally I hear nothing but silence.

...

I reach the restaurant, parking in the back, I go through the back door leading into the kitchen. Its crazy at night here, people screaming orders, all sorts of good smells swirling in the air. after that fighting match with Alexa I'm glad to finally have her out of my life hopefully for good. Being here and smelling the food clears my mind and I'm glad to be here for once.

Everyone greets me quickly as I make my way thought the kitchen doors, now behind the bar. I'm greeted by Grace's warming smile and Devin's oh-great-now-I-have-to-deal-with-you smile, I watch her grab the apron from under the bar as she did the first night she worked here, wrapping it around her waist. I watch her hands struggle to tie the strings, but she finally does so. She's now wearing a long sleeve shirt, pulling the sleeves down to cover her burn.

"Harry don't just stand there get an apron on and go wait tables." Grace waves her hand in front of my face pulling my eyes away from Devin. "And try not to get in a tussle again like last night please."

"I can't promise you anything."

"Harry," she crosses her arms over her chest, kicking her foot out tapping it in annoyance.

"Fine, fine." I shake my head grabbing my notepad, walking out behind the bar, heading over to my section by the windows near the back.

Of course the first table I attend to is the same guy from last night, but this time hes with another women. Oh great. I groan, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly walking to the table.

"Hello, how are you folks tonight?" I ask, sending both him and his arm candy a fake smile.

"You again, excuse me can I request a different waiter." The man turns in his chair trying to get Grace's attention.

"We are short handed, and last night was a misunderstanding, now if you want food I suggest you order." I hold the notepad out pressing the pen to the paper looking at him.

He clears his throat looking down at the menu, "We'll both have the stake and potato's." I nod writing it down.

"Will that be all?" He nods again not saying anything else to me as I walk back and give his orders to the cooks.

...

The whole night, Devin and I cross paths multiple times, but neither of us spoke a word. Just a few shy smiles or glaces in each others direction. There was a full house tonight and I'm glad its coming to an ends soon.

The guy I had earlier ended up leaving me a fifty dollar tip and a napkin with an apology. How sweet of him. Again the sarcasm. I groan taking a seat in an empty booth once the last person pays their bill and leaves.

I rest my head down on the table closing my eyes for a moment. I feel the table shift a little and a foot kick mine lightly under the booth. I look up and there she is, arms resting on the table, her hair pulled back from her face.

"Hi." She simply speaks.

I smile, "Hi." I say back sitting up. We look at each other like this for a while, her looking down at her hand picking at the cuticle.

"So, earlier in detention, I don't know what came over me," she breaks the silence. They way she still looking down at her hands, still picking at the loose skin around her nail, I know she's lying. "And then when you touched my leg, I knew it wasn't right," her words come out more like a question.

"Are you sure about that," I lean back scratching my chin. She looks up from her hand, one eyebrow raised. "You just seem to be questioning it yourself, like you still are debating if it was right or not." She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth looking back down at her hand.

It was wrong, but I find my self questioning it too. I find my self questioning a lot lately.

"What are we doing?" She speaks again looking up at me.

"What do you mean?" I know what she means, but I want to hear her say it.

"Harry, I don't know what it is, one minute I hate you and the next I'm kinda in awe of you." Her eyes soften as she continues her confession. "You're the most annoying human being I've ever met, you piss me of almost every time you speak, and you just love to get under my skin. And it's only been two days."

"Well, thanks that was the best insult I've gotten in the last ten hours." I chuckle, watching her pink lips curve into a smile.

"I can keep going if you'd like?" She challenges me.

"Oh, please do," I lean forward resting both my elbows on the table laying my chin in my hands keeping my eyes on hers. 'You may proceed." Oh how I love feeding the fire.

"Your a bit full of yourself, walking around like you know everything, Oh you love pushing buttons, that really gets on my nerves, and just because your a teacher doesn't mean you need to throw detentions every which way every chance you get. That how people start to hate you."

"Name one person who hate me?"

"Me," she bites down on her lip but her smile breaks through.

"That's a load of s**t," I call her out and she giggles, her smile lighting up her face as she does. My heart literally leaps at the sight.

"Okay, okay you're right I don't hate you, you can just be a little aggravating at times."

"I'm your teacher, its kinda my job to be pushy, annoying, get on your nerves and what not. But I will tell you one thing Devin I do not walk around acting like I know everything and I'm not full of myself. I'm Harry, the teacher still discovering new things everyday about life, about how the world works in many different ways."

"Well hi Harry," she reaches her hand out wanting me to shake it and I take it in mine, her small hand fitting perfectly in my large one. "I'm Devin, the student, also still discovering new things about everyday life, but currently struggling to discover herself at the same time." Her tongue slides across her bottom lip wetting it, as she removes her hand from mine.

"Devin, Harry there you are." Grace calls scooting into the booth beside me. Way to ruin a good moment mom. "Whoa, tonight was crazy, but thank god i had you two to help." she smiles patting my arm, both Devin and I nod.

"Oh, did I interrupt something?" she asks looking between both Devin and I. Yes.

"No," Devin's answer is opposite from my thought. "Harry was just asking if I need a ride home..Right Harry?" I look back at her, both her and Grace look at me.

"Oh yeah I did, but i still don't have an answer. Grace moves her eyes to Devin. What is she doing?

Devin shrugs, "yeah sure why not." She stands from the booth removing her apron.

"Okay that's good because its raining again and I don't want you catching a cold or anything," Grace slides out of the booth, me doing the same. "Harry I'll close up, you two go ahead and head home."

"Grace, are you sure I don't have to be home right away." Devin offers.

"No, no," Grace waves her hands." Go home and sleep, you need the rest, the rest of the weekend is yours as I promise, go have fun be a teenager." I shake my head smiling at Graces promise.

Devin nods, "alright then, well you have a good weekend grace I'll see you Monday."

"I'll be over tomorrow, I guess dad and I are going fishing." I place a kiss on her forehead telling her I love her walking out of the restaurant with Devin following behind me.