I'm Right Here- SWM Sequel (Harry Styles)

Chapter 25:

I wake up a while later when a ray from the sunset gets in my eyes. Bear starts moving as I adjust myself but goes back into her sleeping state. From where I lay, I can watch Bear with a smile as she sleeps. I push her hair lightly away from her face, revealing her soft and delicate features. Her light pink lips are barely open, showing a hint of her white teeth. Her nose is tiny and her cheeks have the smallest amount of scattered freckles that I’ve never noticed before.

Natalie is actually very tiny. It must have been her large amazing personality that stopped me from ever noticing before. Her hand that was holding onto my necklace now hangs loosely from the chain. Her small legs are interwoven with mine and it’s almost as if I’m shielding her with my own body. I notice that Bear has barely moved as she’s slept, which has never happened before. She’s always thrashing about and her bed is usually torn apart by morning. But now, she remains in almost the exact same position she fell asleep.

Her beautiful body pressed against mine. I want this moment to last forever. I want Bear to be mine. And there was only so much time I had left. It was now or never. I stare into Bear’s features again and see that her eye brows are furrowed, almost as if she’s thinking of something uncomfortable. Bear’s blue eyes flutter open seconds later and I lose my breath when her eyes meet mine. She looks away quickly though and tightens her grip on my necklace as she brings her face to my chest again. Her breathing is rapid and her voice cracks when she speaks.

“Bad dream.” Her voice is muted as she speaks against my chest but the nasally sound coming from her voice suggests that she’s crying. My thoughts are confirmed when a few hot teardrops fall onto my skin.

“What happened?” I ask quickly.

“It started off with me in Able’s stable and I was telling him about my bucket list. Then all the lights when out. I heard Able cry out and I smelt you. I turned around to see that Eric was there. I got so scared that I woke up,” Bear says into my chest and she sniffles before continuing. “The worst part of the dream was hearing how long my bucket list is. I don’t have enough time to do everything on it.” Bear says sadly before starting to cry harder and I try to comfort her.

“I thought you promised that you weren’t going to talk like that today.” I say quietly while rubbing Bear’s back but she pushes me away by my chest and sits up in the bed.

“I know what I promised but it’s my life. I could die, Harry! I think I’m allowed to talk about it when I want.” Bear snaps as she wipes her eyes harshly.

“You are allowed to do anything you want, Nat. I just don’t want you to be upset. So why don’t you tell me what you told Abel- What’s on your bucket list?” I say seriously as I sit up next to her. I take her hands in mine and she looks me straight in the eye as I wait for her to tell me.

“They're lame..” Bear says shyly but I give her a kind smile.

“I want to know about them. Tell me.” I say quietly, rubbing Bear’s hand with my thumb.

“One of them is to have a family of my own. Like a husband and a kid. Just that simple. I don’t know, something about loving others more than yourself is just something I wanna live through.” Bear confesses after a few moments of quiet thinking.

“See, not too bad. You can tell me anything. Go, do another.” I smile and Bear blushes as she drops her head.

“There was one main thing that I wanted to experience. I was telling Abel about it because I wasn’t sure if I’d done it or not already...” Bear says awkwardly, obviously trying to avoid telling me.

“Will you just tell me already?” I say and I lift Bear’s chin so that our eyes meet.

“I-It was t-to fall in love... And I think I have.” Bear stutters out, blush flooding her cheeks. My heart nearly stops at her words. Her eyes searched mine for a response and my mind panics for a quick second. It’s now or never.