Distract and Sedate H.S

Chapter Seventeen

My weight was steadied onto something comfy. "Yeah, she's fine. She's just asleep now. I can come in tomorrow for you to check up on her bruises... No, don't— uh... don't worry about that one."

I opened my eyes but they felt so heavy. The room was dark except for a small source of light in the corner. I blinked twice and lazily rubbed my eyes. I was on a couch, I think.

Harry was sitting at my thighs, clutching a phone to his ear.

"I don't want to speak about this, Todd." I shut my weak eyelids and half listened to whoever he was speaking to.

"I don't want any trouble when I come in. Understand?"

There was a long pause before he spoke again in a lower tone. "No. None of them do."

He hung up without a goodbye and tried to wake myself up with remembrance of the events leading up to now.

I fell off the horse... I dug into myself deeper and vaguely recalled Harry's face in front of mine when he found me. His arms were too tight carrying me back to the stables.

"Where are we?" I mumbled softly.

He turned his head to me and a soft sigh was heard from him. Relief?

"Home-" He bit his lip gently. "The farm house, I mean."

I nodded, ignoring the slight sympathy drawing from my heart. I was still mad at him about something. I couldn't remember what, but it was something.

"Wait..." Now's a good chance to get him back. I spoke in a small voice. "Who are you?"

His eyes widened immediately. "Wh... What do you mean who am I?" His expression hallowed as he looked to the wall in front of us. "Oh God... Please don't-"

I couldn't hold myself to do it anymore. My hand cupped his elbow and I chuckled. "I'm kidding."

He turned to me again with anxious eyes. "You... You- What? You did that as a joke?" His mouth slipped open. "What the hell, Hazel?"

"Revenge is sweet," I exhaled, lowering my head back to the pillow in a relaxed state.

He put his hands through his hair slowly. "That's not a joke. I was about to suffer cardiac arrest."

I scoffed. "As if you had a heart."

"Oh good, it seems you do remember me," he mumbled, smiling only faintly when he glanced over. Part of me didn't like the element of seriousness in his voice, because I knew he was.

"I'm kidding, Harry. I'm fine," I told him. He just nodded, staring at the blank TV of the lounge.

"I'm sorry."

Why the hell was I apologising? It came out of nowhere.

His eyebrows knitted together curiously. "What for?"

"For... I don't know. You just seem mad."

"Not at you," he stated firmly. "I should be the one to... Never mind."

"To apologise? I completely agree, Harry."

He opened his legs and propped his elbow on his left knee. His large hand wiped over his jaw slowly.

"I don't know how to explain this — I'm trying to, I just find it..." He trailed off without a finish. What, he found it difficult to apologise?

"You have got to be kidding me," I muttered in annoyance.

"What does apologising do for anyone?" he said. "You say you're sorry and it's supposed to fix everything. It never works."

He got up before I could add anything. His silhouette stopped at the doorway. The light in the hall traced a golden outline around him. I thought he was going to add something but he fisted his hand at his side before turning into the kitchen out of view.