small world

chapter 31

CHARLIE

Being in Holmes Chapel was like being in our own little utopia where only Harry and I existed; here he wasn’t Harry Styles from One Direction, he was simply just Harry – my Harry. I could feel the pressure extinguish as we drove further and further from London, and upon arrival you could sense the difference in the air, you could feel that we were somewhere far away from our problems – they were left behind us in the rearview mirror. Harry practically jumped out of the car and into his mothers awaiting embrace, the two of them gushing such love: my little momma’s boy. Anne’s eyes were smiling as she gave me a cuddle, genuinely glowing with joy to see us. We piled into the house and collapsed onto the sofa, the three of us catching up on how life had been the last few weeks. Anne was eager to hear about Harry and all of his adventures of being in London and the new album just coming out not too long ago. He left out the bits of clubbing and our fight, knowing how Anne’s heart would shatter if she had known – she really stressed for Harry to keep grounded through all of this fame, and I desperately hoped her presence would be good for him. I hoped being home would remind him of who he is and who he wants to be, and not who he had become for a period time. I knew living without Harry wasn’t an option for me, but if he wasn’t going to change, things certainly would and I’d have to make a choice even I knew I couldn’t bare. Thoughts raced through my always-wandering mind while we had popped in a movie and were sipping on tea, the flame in the fireplace dancing in the foreground. There were times throughout the film where I would catch him looking at me, and every time, without fail, he would blush and then look back at the screen. Harry’s sweet little actions in times like these were like putting a dash of salt into your cooking, they enhanced the flavor and intensified my love for him, something so simple having such a strong impact. I fought to keep my eyes open through the movie, not even entirely sure of the title or the plotline except for the fact that Channing Tatum was in it – the only thing keeping me awake – I absolutely exhausted, and as soon as ‘THE END’ lit up the screen, I was ready for bed.

“What could be greater than this, me and my two favorite women in the world,” he said squeezing us whilst the credits scrolled, Anne and I with matching smiles on our faces as he kissed the tops of our foreheads.

“Well sweethearts, I’m going to go to bed, you two must be exhausted from the three hour trek here” Anne said whilst standing, the two of us mirroring her action. Anne was walking to the kitchen to put her mug in the dishwasher as she spoke, “Oh Charlie sweetheart, seeing how all your stuff is at the London flat, you’ll have to stay in with Harry” she called to us, Harry and I whipping our heads to face each other. The two of us had cheeky devilish grins plastered on our faces and before I knew it he grabbed my hand and called to her, “Goodnight mum!” and all I could do was giggle as he ran me up the stairs, pushing me playfully into his bedroom and closing the door. I slipped into Harry’s bathroom and put on an old band t-shirt of his and brushed my teeth, listening to Harry fumbling around in his bag on the other side of the door. I creaked open the door and he was laying on his bed staring up at the ceiling with a satisfied smirk on his face. I crawled into bed and took his hand in mine squeezing it three times, gazing at his profile. He was so effortlessly handsome. His curls tossed messily on his head and his piercing eyes focused in a deep stare.

“What are you looking at?” I said rolling onto my back to follow his gaze and my eyes grew wide as did my smile when I saw what he’d been looking at: a mistletoe hung from the ceiling above his bed.

“Harry…” I said with a chuckle but before I could even speak his fingers were tangled in my hair and my lips pressed against his. Harry climbed on top of me; the weight of his body on mine was comfortable, his large frame towering over my small body making me feel safe and protected. One of his large hands supported my neck as the other lifted the hem of my shirt, resting it on my stomach, the warmth of his skin on mine causing the spot beneath his touch to erupt with goose bumps. Harry had this way to him, with a simple grin, a touch, a look, to make you go breathless – he was constantly taking my breath away. Everything with Harry was so simple, so easy; we flowed together like two streams spilling into a river, rushing as one. I got lost in him, but at the same time, when I’m with Harry, I’ve never felt more myself. No matter how selfish or ignorant he had been he still managed to bring out the best in me.