Memory (Harry Styles)

Chapter 37

The song for this chapter is Don't Forget Where You Belong by (surprise surprise!) One Direction! Loving their new album! How are you all liking it?

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"W-What are we doing here? I said I was fine!" I groan as he cuts the engine of his Escalade in the parking lot of what looks to be a fancy clinic or hospital. The building doesn't really resemble a hospital, with its glistening floor to ceiling windows and sleek modern steel structure. Not to mention the large marble fountain situated on the pathway leading to the entrance. However, the big medical symbol placed right next to the sign above the front doors that reads "Winston Oaks General" tells me that it is in fact, some sort of medical centre.

"Relax, we're not here for you," he says as he hops out of the car goes around to my side to help me out. Yeah right! What would Harry Styles be doing at a hospital on a sunny Sunday afternoon? Reading to the terminally ill in the children's ward? I highly doubt that. I cross my arms over my chest and stand my ground as he opens my door. He can't just decide to take me to a hospital because of a bad hangover. I know I was sick to my stomach and puking my guts out yesterday, but I'm feeling fine now. I'm not going in there. He extends his out towards me but I don't budge.

"Oh come on, you're not serious! You're the one who wanted to come with me, remember? I swear, we aren't here for you. This is where I have to be right now," he says, but I still sit there questioningly.

"Hurry up, I don't have all day! Look, if you don't trust me that much, I promise that if I'm lying, I will personally wait outside your dorm room with you until El and Allie get home for as long as it takes. I'll even break you in there if you want." He reasons with me. Hmm, he makes a pretty good deal. In some ways, I kind of do hope he's lying just so I could finally go back to my dorm. His outstretched hand still beckons me and I finally give in.

"Not a fan of hospitals?" he asks as we walk down the path towards the entrance. I shake my head silently.

My mind flashes with memories of eleven year old me, half-conscious as they wheeled me into the operating room on a stretcher. The bright fluorescent lights blinded me as my ears rung with the different robotic sounds that filled the room around me. The sharp pain I felt in the lower half of my body caused tears to spring from my eyes as the doctors worked on me. Soon, I was numb. I remember turning my head over to the adjacent bed only to see another circle of doctors in a frenzy. Blood covered their hands and the subject they were working on, on the bed. I could hear their voices, all sped up and jumbled before they suddenly stopped, and the only sound was a steady buzz from a machine; a flatline and a lifeless heart.

"Welcome, to Winston Oaks! How may I help you today?" A middle aged overly cheery lady behind the front desk says as we approach. Her teeth are almost blinding against her incredibly tanned skin as she continues to hold her smile for an unnatural period of time.

"Here to see Gina Cox, please." Harry responds in a much milder and normal tone. Who's Gina Cox and why is he visiting her at a hospital? I don't think he's ever mentioned her before. The curiosity eats away at me while the perky lady fiddles around for a pair of visitor passes. Who is she? Is the question that seems to be replaying on a loop in my brain. Once she hands them to us to wear around our necks, I read the label written on the front of the small laminated card attached to the lanyard. "Winston Oaks General Retirement Residency: Visitor's Pass." The realization immediately dawns on me. We are visiting Harry's grandmother.

"Have a lovely day!" Perky lady calls out to us with the creepy smile still plastered on her face. They must pay her to do that. I can't imagine someone actually being like that in real life. As Harry taps the elevator button and we both wait patiently for the doors to open, he turns to face me with honest eyes.