Captured Soul

“Jack,” I croaked. I could feel the color drain from my face.

“Proposée si vite (moved on so quickly)?” He asked, nodding at Harry. I looked at Harry to see his confused expression.

“What did he say?” he asked.

“He aske-“ I began, but was cut off.

“Pourquoi ne pas aller pour une promenade? Seul. (Why don’t we go for a walk? Alone),” Jack said to me while he glared at Harry.

“Je ne vais pas partout avec vous (I’m not going anywhere with you),” I spat. I tried to be brave and not look cowardly in front of Jack or Harry. Especially Harry. He’s never seen me this vulnerable before. I don’t know what he’ll do if he knows I can be this defenseless.

“Vous êtes beaucoup plus courageux que je me souviens (You’re a lot more brave than I remember).” I flinched suddenly when he removed his hands from his pockets.

“Vous ne me fais pas peur (You don’t scare me),” I tried not to stutter, but horribly failed.

“Oh vraiment (Oh really)?” Jack took a step closer, staring at me with a raised eyebrow. I flinched again and closed my eyes and turned my face.

**HARRY’S POV**

Jack was obviously making Stella uncomfortable. I stood up from the bench and toward Jack, pushing his chest away from her.

“Okay, I think it’s time for you to leave,” I said. Who does he think he is to talk to her like that?

He glared at me and then looked back to Stella.

“Je suis désolé pour votre sœur (I’m sorry about your sister),” he told her. I don’t speak French, but the tone of his voice and words were cruel and sarcastic.

“Go,” I said again.

“Does loverboy always talk for you?” he smirked, looking at me. Well, now I know he speaks English.

“Leave,” I warned.

“Stella wants me here. If she didn’t, she would tell me herself.” I noticed his slight French accent.

I clenched my jaw and balled up my fists. My knuckles came in contact with his face as stumble to the ground. He said some words in French that I assume aren’t appropriate for G rated movies. He walked toward me while rubbing the impacted area of his face. He stopped directly in front of me and glanced over my shoulder at Stella.

“Are there any las-“ I saw the color drain from his face when he laid eyes on her.

I quickly snapped my head back to see Stella sprawled across the bench struggling to breathe. She was having another attack. I rushed over to the bench and gently held her face in my hands. Jack stepped toward us and tried to touch her, but I immediately swatted his hand away.

“Get away from her! You’re the reason she’s freaking out!” I shouted at him.

He glared at me and I turned back to Stella. She changed position from being strewn on the bench to having her knees pulled into her chest and her arms belted around them. She looked so pained. So hurt. So vulnerable.

“Stella, baby. Look at me,” I said softly.

I learned that the calmer the environment around her, the easier it is to calm her. She kept her eyes closed and inhaled, hiccupping, but didn’t exhale. I scooped her into my arms and I sat beneath her.
Jack still looked offended that I pushed him away from Stella. Good.

I rubbed her back and stroked her hair. “Shh… Shh… It’s okay… Everything will be alright… You need to breathe, darling,” I said tenderly.

She looked… Delicate. Like a piece of china; you have to be very careful not to drop her, because she’ll shatter into a million tiny pieces. She’s already been broken, I’m just trying to put all her pieces back together. At least not let her break anymore.

She finally exhaled and closed her eyes tighter. I looked up at Jack and he was staring at Stella, but then locked eyes with me. Stella’s breathing was beginning to regulate.

“H-H-Harry?” she hiccupped.

“Yes, baby?” I asked, concerned.

“T-tell them to stop,” she stuttered. I looked behind Jack to see paparazzi taking pictures of us.

“Get out of here!” I shouted at them.

I know their game; they’re going to publish some stupid article headlining ‘Manchester United’s Star Player Makes a Girl Cry?’ or something stupid like that. I hate the press.

When the paparazzi didn’t move, Jack tuned around and punched one of them in the jaw.

“GO!” he roared. They all stumbled away, snapping as many pictures as they could get.

I looked back down to Stella, and she was breathing almost completely normally again. I continued to comb my fingers through her hair and pat her back.

“C-can we go?” she begged.

“Yeah, c’mon,” I replied.

I helped her up and took her hand. She stumbled when she took her first step, so I picked her up bridal style and carried her to the car. She looked over my shoulder at Jack and then rested her head against my chest. When we reached the car, I gently placed her in the passenger seat and shut the door. I saw her head fall against the window and her eyes close.

The drive home was silent, aside from the sniffles and hiccups coming from Stella. When we got to our houses, I parked the car in my driveway.

"Would you like me to walk you inside?" I asked her.

"No, I should be okay. Thanks, though." She gave me a slight smile which I returned.

"Are you sure? I don't think your parents are home to make sure you're ok," I offered again.

"I'm alright."

"Okay." I watched as she opened the door and unsteadily walked inside the house.

**STELLA'S POV**

Thank God my parents aren't here to see me like this. My face is a mess, my clothes are disheveled and my mind is going crazy.

I closed the house door behind me and sunk to the floor, pulling my knees into my chest and resting my forehead on them. I haven't had a panic attack in about three months, and never in front of anyone else. My attacks would last at least fifteen minutes, and the only person who could calm me was Sadie, but...

I just wanted to go upstairs and sleep. Preferably forever. I finally got the strength to stand and I steadied myself, using the wall. Just one foot in front of the other. I walked to the first step and took a deep breath. I began walking up, one step at a time. As I got further up and realized how high I was, the memories began flooding back.

“Leave her alone!” I screeched.

“Get in the car!” Jack grunted as he held me back.

“Get off me!” I tried to push him away. I slipped through his arms and ran after her and Finn. She ran as fast as she could, and I knew exactly where she was going. I turned onto a street that was a shortcut to her final destination. I heard Jack’s loud footsteps thumping behind me. The rain trickling down my neck made my hair stick. I ran to the end of the dead end and snapped my head to the right and saw her running full speed ahead, Finn slowing when he saw where she was going. She took a huge leap.

“SADIE!” I screamed as I fell to my knees. Tears were pouring down my face and Jack caught up to me.

I felt pain surge to my back and I groaned when I felt a large hand on my face. I couldn’t breathe or open my eyes. A familiar voice was calling my name.

“Stella? Stella? Stella, love?” he cooed.

“H-Harry,” I said dizzily.

“Stella, baby, you need to breathe. Look at me, darling.”

It took every ounce of strength I had, but I opened my eyes slowly. His beautifully eccentric green orbs pierced through me. They caught me and didn’t let go. They soothed me.

“It’s okay. You’re okay, baby,” he comforted.

I huffed and tried to breathe normally. Harry picked me up and carried me up the stairs. I was too preoccupied thinking about Harry’s eyes to notice that I was on the bottom of the stairs when he grabbed me. How’d I get down here? He opened the bathroom door and gently placed me on the counter. He walked to the bath and began to run the water.

“I won’t look,” he promised. I gave him a small smile and lowered myself from the counter. Harry turned around and I undressed. I carefully slipped into the bubbly tub and let the water cover me. When I gave Harry permission, he walked to the toilet and lowered the seat cover and sat upon it. I bathed in silence, washing my hair and body. I submerged my head in the water to rinse the shampoo and closed my eyes, blowing bubbles out of my nose. I came up from the water and inhaled.

I drained the water and reached for my towel. Harry handed it to me and I quickly covered myself, wrapping the towel and securing it underneath my armpits. I walked to my room and pulled some pajamas out from my dresser. It was only about three in the afternoon, but I just wanted to sleep for an eternity. I finished dressing and walked back out to my room, sitting on the bed against the headboard, next to Harry. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and tugged me close to him. I closed my eyes and savored the moment, inhaling his delicious scent.

“Who is Sadie?” he asked softly. My eyes shot open, not expecting that question. Should I tell him? Will he understand?

“My twin sister,” I replied truthfully.

“Why doesn’t she live with you?” he curiously asked.

“Uh, she doesn’t live anywhere. She died last year,” I said quietly, looking down.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he said, hugging me closer. They all say sorry. But why? It’s not your fault.

“Yeah. She committed suicide. I saw it all. I could’ve stopped her,” I sobbed into his sweatshirt.

“It’s not your fault, darling,” he said. No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t believe his words.

“Yes, it is. If I wasn’t so stupid and rebellious, then nothing would’ve happened,” I cried.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean, I was dumb and I wanted to go to a stupid party and I dragged her along with me.”

“Do you want to tell me the whole story?”

I nodded slowly and began.

“I was fed up with my parents’ pressure to be as good of a skater as her. I resented them when she got to go have fun while I was stuck at practice doing axel jumps. Jack was my partner and Finn was hers. They invited us to a party one night, and she didn’t want to go, but I persuaded her to join me. She didn’t want to because she said we needed to go practice. That’s all she ever did. Practice, practice, practice. She eventually came with me and when we got there, Jack and Finn were already drunk. We danced for a while and I got hammered. I don’t really remember what happened, but she stayed sober so she did. I woke up the next morning naked in bed next to Jack. I couldn’t walk at first because I was in so much pain. I found my clothes and I heard someone screaming. I walked to a closet and opened the door and Sadie was in there, naked and tied up with bruises all over her body. I was shocked and I untied her. I gave her some clothes that were laying on the floor nearby. She grabbed my arm and we ran. She couldn’t really move either, because she was too hurt. So we ran as far as we could and I stopped her. She told me that Finn and his friends raped and tortured her.” I sniffled and tried to hold back the tears, but I couldn’t.

“We went to school the next day, and she got bullied because everyone called her a slut and a whore. The rumors got worse, and she eventually got stuck in a huge depression. She talked to me about committing suicide, asking if I would help her. I told her no, and I stayed by her side at all times, to make sure she didn’t do anything. One night, Jack and Finn came to our house and they apologized for everything. She forgave Finn, but I didn’t forgive either of them, for the pain they put her through. They convinced her to go out with them again, and her mental state wasn’t ready for decision making. She agreed to go with them, but I stayed home. We got in a fight before she left. She said I needed to loosen up and have some fun. I reminded her of the last time we ‘had fun’ right before she left with them. Later that night, I got a call from one of our best friend saying that Sadie left with Jack and Finn, and she was crying. Apparently, she got crap from girls at the party because she showed up alone with Jack and Finn. I immediately got into my car and drove around and I saw their car. I followed it, and it suddenly parked in the middle of a park. The back door opened and she began running. I parked my car and ran over to the car. Jack grabbed me and Finn chased after Sadie. I got Jack off of me and ran after them. I knew she was going to the bridge, to jump. I knew a shortcut and I began to sprint as fast as I could. I got to the bridge and I saw Sadie, just as she jumped.” At this point, I was bawling my eyes out and Harry shirt was soaking.

“It’s not your fault, Stella. There was nothing you could do,” Harry said gently.

“If we didn’t go to the stupid party like I wanted to, nothing would’ve happened and she would’ve never been bullied to the point of thinking about suicide,” I croaked.

Harry lifted my chin and adverted my eyes to his.

“It is not your fault,” he repeated. I nodded slightly and rested my head on his chest.

“The police didn’t even investigate the case. The funeral was closed casket, and she wasn’t even in there,” I confessed.

“It’s okay, darling, you’re going to be okay,” he hushed.

I snuggled closer to him and closed my eyes, inhaling his heavenly scent.

Notes

Mkay, so I don't speak French. I just used Google Translate, so it it's totally wrong, don't blame me:D

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