Paper Birds

Chapter Thirty-Three ; Faltering Voices

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"I can't sleep."

We had finally gotten back to the hotel and washed off at around 12:30 (Harry insisted to help me in the shower and I had to refuse him repeatedly). Harry was asleep aslmost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Me? I was sick to my stomach. We were going to be on The View within hours and I was hardly prepared at all. Making a fool of myself was already in the bag.

"Just close your eyes and think of me."

I shot him a look though I knew he couldn't see it in the dark. Subconciously I started to hum the song Decode, trying to get all of my uneasiness out.

"Claire!"

I flinched, Harry's voice startling me. 

"I'm trying to sleep."

I smiled to myself. "Sorry."

I continued to hum, a bit quieter to tease him, grinning when I heard him groan across the room. 

"Would it help if you slept over here with me?" he asked sleepily, rolling over and popping one eye open. I sat up and brushed my hair back, swinging my legs over the edge of my bed. "Maybe."

I walked across the room and climbed in next to him, his bed considerably warmer than mine. I pressed my forehead into his chest and in breathed in, a faint smell of cologne still lingering on his skin. His fingers ran across the ends of my shorts.

"Your shorts need to be a tad shorter, I think," he mumbled, a sly smirk playing on his lips.

I pinched his side affectionately. "You dirty dog."

His chest rumbled with a huff of laughter. "Go to sleep, Clairedy."

I closed my eyes, falling in and out of sleep as the minutes ticked by. Harry's chest rose and fell peacefully, his heart beating as a steady drum. At least, for a little while it was.

"I've killed him.. I've killed him.."

His heartbeat quickened as well as his breathing, his muscels becoming tense. I scooted away from him in concern. "Harry?"

"I.. killed him.."

He grunted and stopped, his body relaxing. I opened my mouth to say something, but I didn't want to wake him. I tried to convince myself that I was dreaming and fell back asleep.

----

I tapped my finger against Harry's hand to try and reduce the shaking in them. 

"Crap, Harry, I'm not ready."

"Just be yourself. They'll love you." 

Being myself was 99% of the reason that I've gotten into trouble. And besides, with my hair curled and my body covered in a girly black and white bow dress, I was very far from being my usual self. Very far.

Harry took my hand in his just as someone told us that we'd be on in thirty seconds. I muttered every swear word I could think of under my breath, leaving Harry to chuckle at my nervousness. To him, this was just another interview. No big deal. But this was the first time I'd be on TV without being part of the news or some pop-culture show, and I didn't want to bring shame onto my family (though I probably already have). 

"And here they are, Clarissa Coligan and Harry Styles!"

"You'll be great," Harry whispered in my ear just as we walked onto the set, a huge applause erupting from the crowd. Barbara Walters, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd greeted us with smiles. Elisabeth said something to us that I couldn't hear while Joy sat Harry and me down on a green couch.