CHAPTER 37

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Carli

"You tracked me?" I asked again. 

"Yeah, it isn't a big deal."

"Well it is! That's creepy." I shot back. 

"Is it?" Harry whispered, looking me in the eyes. "The only reason I tracked you is because I'm ready. I'm ready to let you in and see how horrible I really am. But first, I want to take you on a trip. Can you come with me so I can bring you to your apartment?"

I hesitated and stood there. I wanted to go, I really did. How could he trust me after I failed to tell him things about myself? Harry looked at me, silently pleading with me to say yes. I could tell he was hoping that I would say yes, his eyes looking at me with sadness. I heaved out a breath and nodded slowly.

"Yes. But I want to know what I want to know. If I ask a question, you have to answer." I said, agreeing with him. Harry looked rather relieved as he took my backpack and walked me back to his car. Harry shoved his free hand in his pocket of his jeans, clearly not knowing if I would be okay with having physical contact with me. I held my hands out in front of me as I walked, my dress letting my legs feel the wind on my soft skin. I had bought the dress at the vintage store and have loved wearing it ever since. It was old and made it so I could breath and move freely. I looked sideways at Harry and watched him as he walked.  His boots scrunched loudly as his foot connected to the earth, his long legs carrying him gracefully as he walked. Harry's jaw line was toned, his tattoos decorated his soft skin. His mind was off somewhere else, his mouth not uttering any words. 

He squinted as we got to his car, his eyes scanning the place around us. I could tell he was nervous, but who wouldn't be? If I was Harry I would be scared out of my mind. I always couldn't understand how Harry got so tough, in a good way. It seemed like nothing hurt him, he could dodge anything that life threw at him. Harry was so strong and his heart could take loads. The first time I have ever seen him break down and look absolutely horrible- was when I left him. Deep down I wanted to deny everything but I could no longer deny it now. I had an affect on Harry, something that I thought was good for him. I was a fresh breath to his dirty air of his past. Harry needed me as much as I needed him. Once we got into the car, comfortable silence engulfing the space.

Harry started the car, soft music coming through the speakers. His hand stretched out and turned it down as he pulled out of his spot and made the way back to my apartment.

"Did you walk all the way over here?" He asked me as he leaned one of his arms against his side of the car. His hand brushed over his lips and chin.

"No." I shook my head slightly. "I took a cab and walked a couple of blocks."

"A cab?"

I didn't like cabs, at all actually. The smell inside indicated that people rarely cared what they smelt of, my nose burned for several minutes after. The driver was rather rude and cocky, which made me not want to pay him for my journey.

I nodded and Harry softly chuckled, stopping soon after. "I thought you didn't like cabs."

I waited for a moment to answer him, shifting in my seat slightly. "I.. I don't. I just didn't want to walk all that way."

"Why didn't you call me or shoot me a text?" Harry asked. I stayed silent, knowing that he would get the answer from me not saying anything. Once we had arrived at my apartment, I got out and made my way up to my room. "We really need to move you." Harry said as he followed me. His hands were back in his pockets and inside I was slightly annoyed and flustered that he wouldn't take my hand. What was I going to do? Push him away? Truthfully, no. I missed his touch tremendously and I just wanted to kiss him, imagine everything was ok- that we didn't need to talk about anything.

"We do. How about we go look for a place that I can call home after I get my things? I don't think it will take very long." I suggested. Harry nodded and leaned against the wall.

"I love your dress princess." I stopped packing for a moment, my heart swelling as I heard my favorite thing that Harry called me. "Is it new?"

"No, I mean yeah. I bought it at that vintage shop before we biked New York." I answered. Harry nodded knowingly and sent me a small shy smile.

"I like it. It shows off your body that I love so much."

I blushed. "Thank you. What things should I pack to wear? What about bathroom things? Money?"

"Money, no. Bathroom things, sure. Wear? Well, like what your wearing. That style."

"Why?" I giggled softly, listening to him.

"I just love that style on you. Now hurry. We don't have all day." Harry said hurrying me along. I nodded and raced to pack everything.

We looked for apartments for several hours and ending up not buying any of them. They all didn't meet Harry's high standards bar. To me that didn't even make any sense, since he wont be living with me. We got into his car after the last house, a sigh leaving my mouth. I was tired and moving was something I didn't like very much.

"You know you could always move into the cabin until you find something." Harry suggested.

I thought that over in my head and at the end, I thought it would be fine. Living out in the forest could mean I get the alone time to work on my art, think over things and truly find myself. It would be close to Harry so if anything happened he would be only a few minutes away. I do think I would get lonely, how can I tell Zayn and Niall that I'm moving almost out of the grid and into a forest? I don't think they would really understand the reason I needed to move. Louis kept popping up in moments that I know for certain that he's getting payed to keep a watch on me.

"That sounds amazing, but how are we going to do it so that Louis doesn't find out where I live?" I asked Harry. Harry looked over at me for a long moment, processing that question in his head.

"I don't know yet, but it will be easy. I can let Karl help, if he must." Harry said as he started driving to our trip that was unknown to me. "Louis doesn't need to know anything more about you, if he does I might just have to kill him."

"Kill him? Have you ever killed someone?" I asked him.

Harry took awhile to answer and stared out at the road as he drove. "We will talk about that later." Was all he said. I nodded and watched the trees zip past us. Fog was claiming the earth at this time, little water droplets hitting the window softly, making the calming effect of rain sooth me. I leaned back in my seat and thought for awhile. I had no idea where we were going but I do know that it's out of town and maybe even out of state. I looked over at Harry and opened my mouth to say something but was cut off by his sweet deep voice.

"Don't even ask. I'm not going to tell you, it's a surprise."  

HARRY'S P.O.V        

I drove in silence as Carli slept in a tight ball next to me. I hummed a soft song to myself and thought of my plans. We were going somewhere that had a lot of history for me, and being honest I was completely and utterly a ball of nerves. I hadn't been back since everything happened, just to get everything out and re-decorated. I got there in a couple of hours and parked in the green over grown grass. I got out, walking over to Carli's side. Opening the door, I scooped her up in my arms and carried her inside.

This is how I remembered the house to look like...

Because this is where it happened.

It was the Beach House where Sophia drowned.                                                     


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