Something You Want to Forget About

Ameina staggered in shock. Just like me? What?

Niall nodded. He showed Ameina a faint scar under his left arm. “You never noticed, huh?” Niall asked, not expecting an answer.

“I know how you felt. I’ve been through it all.” He told Ameina. “I used to be like you.”

Ameina widened her eyes. “But Niall, you have so much pride, so much dignity…” Ameina muttered, “why did you do that?”

Niall sighed. “This was two years ago,” he explained, “I was bullied too. My mother was too busy to be there for me. Greg never even noticed…”

Ameina didn’t speak. She was deeply lost in Niall’s eyes. This continued for a while. Ameina never thought Niall could have changed this much from the person he was before…

Finally, without thinking, she hugged him. She let go and waved goodbye to him. “Thank you.” She said to Niall before he left.

I was exactly like you.

Those words echoed in Ameina’s head. She had never thought Niall used to be… like her. She always thought Niall’s past was happy, judging by his personality. But you never know what kind of battle people are fighting.

Niall decided to drive to Harry’s house. Maybe he could just clear his mind for a little while…

When he arrived, he pressed the doorbell and waited for Harry to answer the door. He did so, and Harry was holding a bowl of popcorn. He was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and jeans.

Behind Harry, Niall could see Louis watching TV, laughing and pointing at the screen. Niall raised an eyebrow. “Movie night?” he asked. Harry nodded.

“What movie?” Niall questioned.

“The Hangover.” Harry told, “are you coming in?”

“Sure.”

Niall took of his shoes and stepped inside. Louis pat an empty place on the sofa next to him, inviting Niall to sit down there.

As he sat down, he began to watch The Hangover as well, laughing along with Harry and Louis. And the visit to Harry’s house, did, in fact, clear Niall’s mind.

The movie ended. Niall decided to text his mom to say that he was staying over at Harry’s house – besides, tomorrow is a Saturday.

For a moment, Niall thought about Ameina. Is she doing well? Has her wound healed? He decided to call her and ask instead.

“I’m going outside for a while, be back in five minutes.” Niall told Harry and Louis before going outside to take the call.

He dialed the numbers, hoping Ameina will pick up. It took quite a while for her to pick up – usually she picks up two seconds after Niall calls her.

When she did, Niall heard her crying.

“What?” she sobbed.

“Why are you crying?” Niall asked.

“I-it’s nothing.” She replied, starting to stop.

“Is your head okay?”

“I guess.”

As Niall was about to say something again, Ameina quickly said “bye” and hung up.

This is the last straw!

Ameina stomped around her room, punching her pillow, sat in a corner – crying. Her mom had hit her – again – with a belt. A belt.

It opened her wound again – the one from being hit against the locker this morning. She doesn’t know why exactly her mother did that. All Ameina did was spill a cup of water on the floor by accident.

She did not want to tell Niall anything about this. She doesn’t want him to worry. She wants to forget about being bullied. She wants to forget about cutting. She wants to forget about everything…

But Niall…