Captive (Sequel to Infatuation)

Chapter 22

SONG(s) FOR CHAPTER: 

♬ Human by Christina Perri ♬ 

♬ Monster by Skillet ♬  

CHAPTER 22

♕ HARRY STYLES ♕

MOMENTS PASS WITH my gratitude for the two incredible humans in front of me steadily increasing. Even in a place like this, they have me laughing and smiling as if I wasn't losing my marbles. As if I wouldn't be haunted by my own thoughts and dreams when they left. I wished there were words more meaningful than a mere thank you to express my appreciation for them.

About thirty minutes after Max left, Jacob stood and scowled at my plate. He said I couldn't be trapped in a hellhole and have to suffer their food simultaneously, so he asked me what I wanted. Lunch was on him, he said. I didn't try to argue because I knew he'd buy it anyways, even if I gave him my own money. So I simply went with Chick-Fil-A.

"Will they even let you bring that in here?" asked Grace, sitting beside me on the bed while I played with her fingers, just savoring the small contact for as long as I could.

Jacob shrugged. "Even if they don't, they will." He winked before saying he'd be right back, and then he was gone.

Grace looked to me and smiled, but there was some odd nervousness in her gaze. I brought the back of her hand up to my lips softly, hoping whatever was bothering her would spill. Or maybe she sensed my own unsettled nerves from Max's previous visit.

But then she kissed my cheek and stood, her smile more easy. "I brought something for you," she said.

I leaned my head back on the pillow. "Please tell me you didn't buy anything."

"Psht, I'm a broke college student. My internship is keeping me my apartment and food on the table, but that's about it."

I laughed.

"No, I actually, um... made you something."

I raised an eyebrow. "What, like a macaroni mask?"

She shot me a playful glare. "It's not as cool as a macaroni mask, unfortunately. Don't hate me too much."

"I could never."

She walked over to the chair she was previously sitting in with the therapist was in the room, grabbing the paper she had set face down. She held it to her chest, looking back at me with that wary expression once more. "I know this is super cheesy, but... it felt necessary, if that makes any sense."

Grace cautiously sat in the chair beside the bed, letting out a small breath. I straightened a bit, crossing my legs under the blanket just as she handed it to me. "Don't look at it yet," she warned hastily, keeping her hand on mine to make sure I didn't peek.

"Why not?"

"Because I have this really stupid and extra cheesy speech I want to say."

I smirked a little, resting the paper face down in my lap. "Proceed."

She took in a breath. "Rewind back to the day at the park, the day a goose chased me and you laughed instead of being my knight in shining armor."

I grinned merely at the memory.

She couldn't but smile as well before meeting my gaze. "Even though I was terrified, I felt really accomplished. And I remembered thinking you had the brightest smile, the most angelic laugh. I didn't tell you that because I didn't want to embarrass you.

"Anyways, we walked a little after that, remember? Got ice cream and everything. I actually convinced you to take a picture with me. I was even more surprised when you looked utterly happy in the picture, even playful. You were embarrassed after that because I did gush about it, but you let me keep it."