Shot Me Out of The Sky

I stepped back from the door to allow them all inside. Taylor immediately pulled me in for a hug. I felt her tears seep into my shirt and mine started to slowly fall. I hugged her back, just as strong. I made the mistake of looking up and I saw all the other boys getting misty-eyed. Knowing it was my fault made mine fall that much faster.

“What are we doing? Group hug!” Louis started the largest, most tearful group hug I had ever been a part of. More pairs of arms wrapped around Taylor and then a lone pair wrapped around me, a head nuzzled my other shoulder. I looked over and saw blond, Niall.

After our large, and long, hug we all separated and sat, ready to talk. Liam, Zayn, and Louis sat on my couch. Harry and Taylor sat in front of them on the floor. Niall sat in my big arm chair, and pulled me to sit with him. I didn’t protest, I was going to need support.

Liam, of course, started to talk first, “Start at the beginning Sam, why did you start cutting?” My heart dropped. I didn’t expect to have to tell my life story.

My voice shook as I began, “My mom was alcoholic and abusive. She didn’t really like me and told me everyday. Everyday she said I was fat, ugly, and a waste of space. When I did get a boyfriend, I never brought him home. When she found out she called me a stupid whore. I cut for the first time at the age of twelve.” The group collectively gasped around me, with good reason. “I’ve had three scares where I cut too deep and passed out immediately. We lived in an apartment though, so our downstairs neighbor always listened for bangs on her ceiling.” My voice cracked from tears and it was hard to go on, so I didn’t. I curled into Niall’s side, whether I met him hours ago or not, he was closest and I was broken. I hadn’t thought about my monster of a mother since I left New Hampshire.

“Oh kid,” The sympathy and heart break and Louis’s voice made me cry harder. I never wanted sympathy, that why I never told anyone. I’m stronger than this, or I thought I was. I heard Taylor sobbing as well, though it was muffled.

By the times my eyes dried up, I knew Niall’s shirt was soaked. When I looked up to say sorry, I saw that he had been crying as well. Our eyes met and he kissed my cheek while whispering, “ You will never be alone, and you are loved.” He said it with such conviction my heart soared.

“Thank you Niall,” I whispered, “Thank you everyone. I’ve never told anyone what I told all of you.”

Liam looked up at me, “We may not have known you long, but you are special. We do care. You’re beautiful and strong.” I kissed Niall’s cheek and pulled away from him, moving to the rest of our new, awkward pack.

“Group hug!” Louis screamed again, and they all rushed me, tackling me to the ground. Niall, who had followed me, ended up on the very bottom, then me, then everyone else in a big pile.