Forbidden

Then the door burst open and Liam trooped in, followed by Zayn and Niall. Liam had his mouth open, ready to speak, but then he caught sight of me, and his eyes opened almost as wide. Having caught me in my underwear, Niall and Zayn both instinctively turned away, before processing the bruises they'd seen covering me and turning back to face me, gasps escaping their mouths.

I was mentally screaming at myself to turn away, and make them leave, but, in reality, I stood there, too shocked to move.
"Millie...what... what happened?" Zayn asked slowly, a dazed look on his face. Liam stood there, looking completely stunned. Niall looked at me, open mouthed and seemingly near tears.

I didn't answer.

Having realized that the other two boys were quite unable to move, Zayn walked forward, reaching out and taking hold of my upper arm slowly. I winced, despite the fact that his fingers were only just brushing my skin. I allowed him to guide me over to the bed, where I sat down, looking downwards into my lap.

"I... last night...that guy." I managed to choke out. It was hard to speak, although I'm wasn't crying. Yet.
As soon as the words left my mouth there was a quiet yet threatening growl from across the room. Liam had begun to react.

"What did he do to you?" Niall asked, and I glanced at the Irish boy, who looked as if he'd been knocked for six.
"I think it's obvious what he did to her." Liam hissed, walking over and sitting next to me on the bed, where he proceeded to wrap his arm around me, in what was meant to be a comforting fashion. Instead, I let out a small 'ow' and he dropped his arm.

"No, I mean, did he just hit you, or... was it worse than that?" Niall asked quietly, reluctant to utter the R word.
I shook my head, sick of lying. "Worse than that. He just wouldn't stop. I told him to - again and again. But he said he had a gun and he'd shoot me, and everyone else, if I didn't let him get what he wanted." I told them, barely even listening, although I heard them gasp.

"So I went round the back of the club with him." I told them, and the tears finally began to fall.

I was whispering, but no one had any trouble hearing what I was saying. In fact, my voice felt loud, if anything, in the unnaturally quiet room.
"Millie..." Liam gasped, choking back a sob, but I continued, glad to finally get it off my chest.

"He pushed me over, and I hit the floor so hard that it went black for a second. And then he was there again, breathing on me. He said I was a whore and deserved everything I was going to get. I just shut my eyes, but it hurt so much. He was digging his nails into my side and my back, and he pulled my hair." I confessed, and I saw Zayn nod at the black semicircles etched into my sides, confirming my story. Niall had his head in his hands, and Liam was sitting next to me, tears in his eyes as he began to shake, either in anger or upset.

"Then he left. I didn't know what to do, so I just got in a taxi and left." I admitted.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Liam asked, his voice soft.
"I felt dirty." I admitted. "He said it was my fault. I didn't want to face anyone, let alone you. I knew that you'd know something had happened, and I couldn't deal with having to tell anyone." I whispered.
"I just went to my room, and tried to make myself clean again. But I've showered so many times, and scrubbed myself to the point where my skin is raw, and I still feel disgusting."

"You've done nothing wrong." Niall said suddenly, his voice fierce, although his eyes were red from crying.
"I was so stupid. I just walked out of the club with a total stranger. I was going to have sex with him. Willingly. But then I just changed my mind. I don't know why." I lied, as an image of Louis appeared in my mind.
"I can't blame him for thinking that I wanted to have sex with him when I'd been shoving my tongue down his throat two seconds earlier." I told them.

"Yes you fucking can blame him!" Zayn exclaimed. I looked up at him and he continued speaking.
"When a girl says no, the boy should stop. Whatever she'd said or done before that, the moment she says no is the moment he backs off." he finished, running his hand though his hair.

"We need to phone the police." Liam said quietly, and I immediately shook my head.
"No. I don''t want people to know. I don't even want Harry and" I pause for a moment before saying his name. "Louis to know. There's no need." I tell them.

"There's no need?" Liam asked in disbelief. "Millie, you are literally black and blue. You're crying. But you think he doesn't need to be punished. What about the girls he's hurt before? What about the girls he'll undoubtedly hurt again?" he asked, standing up as he spoke. I only sob, not answering him.

"Look." he begins, voice softer this time. "I know you don't want people to know. But this guy needs to be punished. We can't let him hurt other girls like he hurt you. And we will stop it from coming out. We can take out a super injunction, whatever you want." he promised me. "But please. I don't want anyone to have to go through what you've been through, ever again."
I nodded lightly, knowing I wasn't going to win this battle.

"But I don't want to call the police. I'll go down to the police station myself." I told him, before he pulled his phone out.
"I'll call ahead to tell them we're coming." Zayn offered before turning to Niall. "Niall, you phone Paul and tell them to have a car waiting round the back." he ordered.