Pretty Punk Cherry

24 ⭑ What makes you happy?

I inhaled deeply and groaned softly as I pulled back a little bit, my eyes so heavy and ready to fall back asleep as I looked down at him.

"Harlow.." I said groggily, wanting him to move.

He didn't answer me but did wake up a little, opening his eyes for just a second before they rolled back closed again and he held me closer. He was too tired.

I got butterflies in my stomach but held him back, resting my head back down until I eventually, once again, fell back asleep.

I was tired. Beyond tired. And he was a good cuddle whore so I thought... 'o'well.'

The final time I woke up, Harlow was awake and I was on top.

He wasn't snoring like before, in fact he didn't even breathe all that heavily when he was awake which was how I knew he was.

So I thought about moving, letting him know I was awake too, but his hand on my back kept me frozen in place, scared to move.

His fingers were tracing against it.

Small patterns or a word, so slow and oddly gentle. Up my spine and then back down, in little circles with two fingers and then just one when he'd reach my shoulder blades.

It was relaxing which confused me because I didn't think Harlow had a remotely affectionate bone in his body that could be capable of giving comfort to someone like me.

I didn't understand what could have provoked him to so such a thing, and my head actually hurt just thinking about it.

He yelled at me then he did things like this or cried like a baby, begging not to be alone and making it seem like he was the saddest person in the world.

It was so confusing, terrifying, but more of just confusing.

I stayed there frozen in shock for five minutes, bouncing around with the idea of moving when his phone rang on the bedside table.

I closed my eyes out of fear and he stopped rubbing my back to answer it.

"Hey..."

His hand came back down on my back again, slipping underneath my shirt to rub it. It seemed almost like he was doing it to distract himself, but it honestly just felt really good. I knew I was blushing, I could feel the heat creeping up on my cheeks.

"No, I'm... I'm fine."

I knew whoever he was talking to, he was lying to because the dried tear stains on my shirt told another storrrryyy...

This man was 'fine' if fine meant literally the worst ever.

"Zayn came by? Yeah... no - Ive been asleep, I didn't know..." He whispered. "Yeah. Niko, I... get it. I do."

I could hear indistinct talking but I had no idea what Niko was saying.

"I didn't bother anyone. I haven't talked to anyone. I'm home alone."

Also a lie.

"I'm whispering because I'm tired. You woke me up from a good nap... yeah I know." He said tiredly.

His heart rate was speeding up a little bit, I could feel it but he was calm.

"I understand." He whispered.

Understand what?

"I'm...gonna go. I'll go. Tomorrow I think." He said, sniffling a little.

Go where? Ugh, I'm so nosy.

"Yeah." He said, hiding a voice crack with a clearing of his throat. I frowned but kept quiet. "Two weeks? Okay."

He sounded very upset.