Little Shy Ariel (ft. Harry Styles)

Chapter 28 - Lake Girl

Chapter 28 - Lake Girl

“Uh…” Harry mutters, looking away and blushing furiously. “So… am I gonna live?” he asks next and the confusion from his question helps me to overcome the shock.

It takes me a few seconds to understand what he means and when I get it I open my mouth in a big O before chuckling. That makes him meet my eyes again, an embarrassed smile playing on his lips. I take a step back, leaving the space between his long legs and putting a reasonable distance between us. My heart is still beating like crazy but I’m focusing on this other issue.

“Well, the injury was more severe than what expected, but it seems like you’ll survive. Congratulations, you’re a lucky lad,” I tell him smiling and completely ignoring what just happened.

His smile widens and he chuckles, as well. “I’m lucky indeed. This is the second time I almost die at the lake. Maybe I should keep my distance, you know?”

My eyes widen when he mentions the first time he fell and hit his head. I was thinking the same thing and for a moment I had forgotten that he was the one and he would also remember that time. Very different from this one but still, it’s in his memory.

Harry takes my expression as an invitation to explain further, so whilst he stands up and walks to the heating he tells me, “When we got here I brought Niall to see this place. It was the new attraction for the centre and I wanted to see it. And well, pretty much like today, I thought I could see around without almost killing myself,” Harry laughs but I remain serious, just watching his back. “Long story short, I slipped and fell to the lake. Niall wasn’t around anymore ‘cos he got mad and left. When I fell I hit my head so I was kinda knocked out. I don’t know whom, but a girl saved me. Pretty much like you did but not the same.” This time he turns around and smiles widely at me. “She saved me, yeah, but she left as soon as I was out of the water. I think she sang to me or something, I don’t know, I was barely awake and I didn’t really see her. I just know that she took me out of the water and then ran when Niall came back and helped me. I can tell you, my injury was much worse back then. She wasn’t like you, making sure I was okay or something.” I notice how his expression darkens as he keeps telling me the story from his point of view. “I came back the next day, looking for her, to thank her, of course. I mean, she fled after she saved me but she still saved me. However, she didn’t want to be found. I came many times I even found her one night and she literally hid from me. I don’t know why, I wasn’t going to hurt her, just wanted to thank her. Anyway, I left her a note because I wasn’t going to force her, right? She replied and said she had her reason but still, I was hurt, I guess, because she ran from me.”

I take a deep breath. I never imagined that hiding from him could hurt his feelings. I never thought of that. I was just… scared? I don’t know. I was just a coward, maybe. But this time I stuck around, this time I made sure he was all right.

“I-I’m sorry,” I say and he shakes his head.

“It’s not your fault. I think who she is, though. Your friend, Mare. I mean, I saw your video,” he smiles and I can’t breathe. “And her voice sounds awfully familiar. Which pisses me off because why can’t she just accept my gratitude? Why did she run from me? And when you introduced us… she acted like she didn’t know me. I didn’t even know her name, I called her Lake Girl all this time.”

I can see he’s really pissed about the situation and I feel terrible. Maybe I should tell him right now it was me and that I’m sorry but I can’t utter a word. I don’t want him to be mad at me like that, but it’s unfair that he stays mad at Mare when she didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who made this mess and it’s my responsibility to clean it up. I just don’t dare to speak up.