smother. [h.s.]

10. bruised

You've Got a Woman - Lion

The sound of a Steely Dan song blares out of the open doors of Ivan's van as we approach it from afar. A light wind blows through every so often, whipping my freshly washed hair behind me. Winter has decided to take a break for this special weekend and shower us with warmth and good energy. 

After auditions ended, Sasha and I rushed back to our room and packed. She stuffed a duffle bag full of our clothes and toiletries as I took a well-needed shower. Sleeping on a bench, I have come to learn, can really do a number on your personal hygiene. I took the time to shave, exfoliate, deep condition, and more. We changed into our swimsuits and put our clothes on over them before heading out.

The music gets louder as we reach the front of the old vehicle. The yellow paint coating the exterior is chipping away, but I still find it cute. It's got a certain charm. I can see myself owning one of these in the future and taking it out on long drives— just me and my collection of CDs. 

"Can you lower the volume?" Zayn shouts over it, leaning against the side of one of the doors. 

"I like this song," Niall groans, but still reaches over and lowers it slightly from his spot in the passenger seat. He lets his arm droop out of the open window as he chews on a toothpick sticking halfway out of his mouth. 

Zayn and Niall notice me and Sasha nearing and greet us. Ivan comes around from the other side of the van and grabs the heavy bag from Sasha's arms. 

"What took you guys so long?" Ivan asks. 

"Had to get her highness freshened up," Sasha nods her head at me playfully. 

"Alright, I get it," I laugh. She's been making fun of my disheveled appearance all morning. 

"We're still waiting on the rest," Ivan squints at a group of people in the distance. "Think that's them... slow fuckers. Come on, we're wasting daylight!" 

I walk around to the back of the van to the open trunk. Harry's sitting in an empty space by the growing pile of bags, bouncing a tennis ball against the inside of the car. 

My body tenses up when I see him. Memories of last night flood in from the back of my mind, where I had tucked them away discreetly. 

He saved me. 

Then ordered me to forget the remnants of memories, the small glimpses of a night I can't remember. To ignore this nagging feeling in my gut.

I don't know where we stand now. 

"Hi," I say quietly. I put my backpack on top of another bag beside him. 

He lifts his head at my voice, revealing a deep gash across his cheek that until now was blocked by the shade. His eyes are shielded by a pair of square sunglasses. 

My eyes widen in shock as I take in his appearance. Instinctually, my hand reaches up in between us, towards his battered face. 

"Hi," Harry replies. He looks down at my raised arm and then back up at me. 

Reluctantly, I grasp onto his chin with the lightest of touches. I tilt his face to the left to get a better look at him in the light. I notice a slight yellow discoloration dotting the skin below his sunglasses. I push them up to rest on top of his head, his eyes shutting automatically as the sun shines down into them harshly. 

His left eye is bruised and battered. The skin around it is slightly swollen and raised in dark splotches of purple and blue. 

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. The rest of his face seems to be relatively unscathed. I trace the back of my knuckle up his jaw and across his cheek, making sure to not touch the newly healing cut. The anger I felt at him last night is buried, replaced with a seed of curiosity and concern.