*trigger warning
~pls tell me yall like the lil images i put up :,)

Zayn has decided that the group of guys were going to go to a diner after school with the group of girls, although Harry truly didn't want to go.

Nether the less, he had somehow been dragged along with them, not really knowing why or how he got talked into coming - especially when Lexi was there. Yet here he was, stuck in a crowded booth with people that he didn't want to be with.

"Oh my god! You should totally see her room!" Lexi laughed in her high pitched voice, making harry cringe a little. God he hated her, and he couldn't help but wonder just why someone like Steph would be friends with someone like Lexi.

"Tell us!" A blonde girl squealed, almost falling off her chair. Harry didn't really understand why girls gossiped so much about complete shit, nor why they get so excited over it. "What's Stephs room like?!" Another gasped, cupping her face with her hands, leaning closer as if she wouldn't be able to hear if she was any further.

The mention of Steph instantly grabbed Harrys attention, and his head snapped into Lexis direction the second that the girl he seemed to be so infatuated with name leave the girl that was sat beside him mouth. He didn't even process his movement, and he knew in that moment that he hadn't been smooth about it as it had clearly been noticed by those around him - including Zayn.

"She is some crazy stalker!" Lexi laughed to the group of girls. "She literally has posters up of the entire football team on her wall! And if that isn't enough," She continued "she has pictures of Harry up everywhere!" She laughed, the group around her joining in, including the boys. Each of them feeling the need to make comments.

"I know that she has a crush on him, but that seems a bit far!" Lexi laughed again, only causing Harry to become angrier.

He had been in her room, so he knew everything that she was saying was a complete lie. But he couldn't let them know that. They'd only have more to say.

'Besides, why on earth would she be interested in me?' He thought to himself, looking down at the table and began playing with his rings.

Harry knew that he had this 'bad boy' title, and he hated it. Despite all the girls at school throwing themselves at him, he knew just how much girls like Steph hated the thought of guys like him. Maybe thats why he seemed to get so jealous of Alex. Not only did Alex make her laugh, he was a good guy. He was everything someone like her would want, everything she needed; and Harry was not.

"Stephanie!! Door!" Carter yelled up, trying to get his little sister downstairs.

Although she didn't budge. She didn't want to leave her room, not now, not ever. She was so ashamed of herself, even though she had no reason to be.

She stared at herself- at least, the reflection of herself - pulling and tugging at her skin, trying to make herself seem slimmer than she already is. The tears rolled down her face, the all too familiar feeling washing over.

It didn't take long for her to pull out the small box that had been hidden in her bedside drawer, opening the lid and picking up one of the shiny metals, pressing the pad of her index into the corner to see if she were satisfied with the sharpness of her little tool.

Using her left hand to grasp her right thigh, she stretched the skin out several inches below her hipbone, before sliding the tool that she had held in her right hand across her soft skin, watching the blood exit from beneath, leaking from the new slit.

She had done a few more, only finishing when she felt calmer than she had a few minutes ago. She knew that it was wrong, yet she couldn't help it. It had been something that she had done since she was 12. The only thing that relieved her if any pain - the only thing that calmed her racing pulse.

Every time things went wrong, the little voice in her head would practically beg her to tear open her skin and let all of her demons come pouring out. She could never find the strength not to do so, it was the only thing she knew.

"Stephanie, i swear to god!" Carter, her brother, bangs on her bedroom door. "Please, just answer the ducking door!"

"Just tell them i'm not here!" She calls back, not having any idea on who it could be but not caring at the same time. She didn't want to see anyone anyway.

"Thy know you are."

The front door knocks again, the person on the other side clearly getting inpatient. "That's it! I'm letting them in!" Carter states.

Steph wish she had the energy to argue, she truly didn't want to see anybody. But she had nothing left in her to fight. She was far too tired to argue with her brother, and knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer anyway.

She quickly ran to her closet, taking out one of her oversized hoodies and throwing it on, making sure that whoever it was doesn't see her naked. She then quickly hid the little box back into her drawer, not wanting to expose her little secret and having another thing to be openly ashamed about.

Just as the drawer closed, her door opened, revealing a worried Harry on the other side.

"Hi." He says, unsure on what to actually say. He wasn't even sure if he should be here, in her house with her. But he couldn't help but worry, and he knew that he wouldn't sleep until he knew that she was okay.

Steph just looked back at him, not bothering to reply. Not to be rude, she just wasn't sure what to say.

"Sorry, i know i shouldn't have just turned up. I just- I was worried." He blurted. "have you been crying?"

"Go away."

"It was Lexi. The one who put the photos up." he says, hurt that she had been crying and automatically felt bad for not running out of school with her.

She couldn't help but let out a faint laugh. "I know." She says, looking down. "You helped though."

"Hey! Hold on! I had nothing to do with this!" He promises, hurt that she thought he would ever do that to anyone, especially her. "I'm the one who ripped them off that stupid board!" He says, pulling the torn pieces of paper out of his hoodie and showing it to her.

She couldn't help but feel guilty for even accusing him of doing such thing. She didn't even know why she had.

"I know you don't want to keep them or anything, just thought maybe you'd like to shred them." He smiled, trying to comfort the girl in front of him.

"Thank you." She says, giving a weak smile back; trying her best to look appreciative.

They spent a while talking about things. Both sitting on her cold white wooden floor with their backs against the bed, Harry trying his hardest to distract Stephs busy mind.

"You know she's saying that you have posters of me." He smirked, looking at Steph. Although when she looked back at him completely pissed, he couldn't help but worry that he had ruined the her good mood and put her back in a bad one.

"You're fucking joking?" She scoffed. "She's the one with the fucking shrine!" She spat out before she had any time to process what it was she was saying, her hands immediately covering her mouth when she realised what she had just said.

"Don't tell her i told you!" She pleads, giving puppy dog eyes to the tall boy beside her, placing her hands together as if she were praying.

Harry couldn't help but smirk, only worrying her more. "Please, please, please, please, please!" She begs some more, straddling Harry to keep him hostage until he swears that it stays between them. This only caused his smile to grow and he couldn't help but get a little excited.

Harry left soon after, feeling content with himself for managing to cheer Steph up. He had never really been good at making people feel better, and usually would just make things worse, so this was certainly a big deal to him, especially since he cared for her as much as he did.

"Did that asshole make you cry?" Carter snaps as Steph exited her room for a glass of water, not realising that her brother has just walked upstairs.

"No. He stopped me crying." She gave off a soft smile, adoring her brothers protective side.

"Good." He nods, looking away quickly. "If he does, ill snap his neck."

Steph couldn't help but laugh at his remark. Despite how much they argue and call each other names, they truly did care for each other and put each other before everyone.