Sex Lessons [h.s// fanfic]

Chapter 78

S t e l l a

As soon as I pull out of Siege's driveway, I speed down the road, almost completely uncertain of the direction I am going. I call Harry nearly 4 times, I'm utterly stunned and surprised when he picks up on the fifth. To my astonishment,  a high pitched female greets me in a slightly slurred voice.

A fine line of worry and curiosity creases my forehead. "Stella?" Who the hell is this? Jealousy and uncertainty begins to boil under my already tingling skin. I remember to keep cool, this female may know where Harry is.

Wait, how does she know my name?

"Hello?" I'm confused.

"Stella, this is Gemma, Harry's sister." She clarifies. I hear  deep rumbling, a heavily slurred voice on the other end of the line. My heart throbs uncontrollably at Harry's voice. He is begging to speak to me.

"Stella, I'm going to text you the directions to my apartment, I know you're worried about him." There is a pause, a long sigh as more of the bantering continues. "Meet us there, there is deal for us all to talk about," Gemma finishes.

I settle a little, pulling into the lane Harry took after we came from church on our way to Liam's weeks ago. I know where Liam's apartment is, I've surprisingly memorized the route, there was an animal adoption center across from the complex.

"Thank you Gemma..is he.. okay?"

"Would you rather I lie to you?" She sighs sympathetically. I can hear the sadness drenching in her voice and it makes my chest sink.

I forgot that Des was her father too, that she is suffering a loss as well. Does she know? Obviously she does. "I'm sorry Gemma." I apologize, my heart aching for the two.

"It's..it's fine," She replies, but I can tell by the way her voice breaks that she knows that she isn't. 

I apologize to her and she replies that it's okay and that she'll meet me in less than 5 minutes. After she ends the call, I begin to deem.  If she isn't fine, then...what about Harry? How is he handling this? What's going through his mind? I wish I was there with him right now, holding him and delicately stroking his skin, whispering reassurances into his hair that everything will be alright. Not only do I have to be here for Harry, I have to be a backbone for my father also. My head pounds with a slight headache, my eyes feel heavy and my throat threatens to close on me.

I do not need to cry, not right now. I need to be strong for Harry. He is at his weakest point right now. I repeat that line in my head until it is permanently branded there. I take a deep breath pulling into the parking lot, the sun is at it's highest in the sky it feels as I step out of the car. I don't know what car Gemma drives, I don't know where to look as I scan the slightly vacant lot for her. I shade my eyes from the sun, and look up at Liam's apartment door, are they already in there?

I walk up that stairs, using every step up there to build my courage and tolerance of seeing Harry broken; heartbroken, and drunk. I know he's drunk, I know Harry. I hope he doesn't get into the habit of drinking his sorrows away, my suspicions of him selling drugs still lingers.

I knock on the wood, straightening the ends of my shirt before taking a deep breath. My heart skips several beats when I'm greeted by Harry himself, to my surprise, he has a goofy grin splattered across his face. I step into his arms and rub his lean back, his muscles appearing to relax under my delicate touch. I almost want to cry, he is drunk, I can smell it lingering in his clothes somehow, his goofy grin does not match this gloomy situation.

"I'm so, so sorry Harry," My voice breaks and shakes uncontrollably.

"Shh, shh," he slurs. "Mum has said enough sorries already."