Cross My Heart // Harry Styles

29

He picked up the bed linen pile, and the large duffle. I picked up the backpack and we headed downstairs.

As soon as I got down there, I put the backpack down...."Shit! I forgot my phone charger!" and I started back up the steps.

I pulled it out of the socket next to my headboard, and turned around and Mirabella was standing in my doorway, which scared the shit out of me, making me jump.

She laughed at me. "Sorry! I didn't realize you were leaving already till I saw Harry with your bags and blankets and pillow.......and dammit Gwen! Why do you have to go?" she teared up now, which made me immediately tear up in response to her tears. Tears were contagious just like yawns, I noticed.

I started towards her with my arms out, and she closed the rest of the gap between us, and we hugged and squeezed and rocked back and forth for a while, lightly sobbing on each other's shoulders.

"I want you to come visit me, and I'll come visit you, ok? I told the rest of the girls that too. We have to all hang out sometimes. It'd be fun, right?" I told Bella when we finally broke our hug and wiped our tears.

"Yes! Definitely! I'll miss you so much. And I'll miss seeing a man around here all the time too!" she laughed. "But it's ok....I got some man friends of my own." she laughed again, but I didn't laugh that much. I didn't approve of what she was doing with the boys in that house through the woods. She didn't love them. They didn't love her. And it sounded to me, from what I'd heard whispered around the house, like she'd slept with a FEW of the guys there. Not just one.

But...if this was what she wanted....if this was how SHE was getting over our "old life", then....I hoped she knew what she was doing. I hoped it worked out for her. Even though I didn't know exactly what I was doing either.....I could be just as wrong for moving in with Harry, and I knew it.

But at least Harry loved me. And I loved him. That's gotta be worth something, right?

"If you ever need to talk, you can probably use the office phone and call my cell phone, if you want. I'll have Harry write you the number. I don't know it", I laughed awkwardly.

"Oh, good idea! I like talking to you. Even though we didn't have many talks....I don't know....you're a good listener. The best out of all of us. And you make me feel like my advice is good, which makes me FEEL good, so yeah! I'll call you! You can call for me too, if you want....if you argue with Harry or something....." she offered.

"Definitely! I do like your advice. And I'll miss you the most...shhhhh, don't say anything! You were the only one who wasn't mean to me at all, and I thank you for that, Bella", I told her, and teared up again, which made HER tear up this time.

We gave one more hug, and wiped our eyes and giggled as we walked down the steps.

I put my charger in the backpack pocket, and put it around my shoulder and looked at Harry.

I peeked into the living room as he picked up the duffle, and I saw what I was looking for. Tearsa.

She hadn't come to say bye to me. I wondered why. She hadn't been one of the terribly mean ones here, so......?

I got bold and walked in to the couch she was laying on as she stared at the tv.

"Tearsa?"

"Oh hey Gwen. Leaving already?"

"Yeah...right now.........I uh.....just wanted to say goodbye." I told her nervously, not knowing if she wanted to say goodbye to me at all.

"Ahhh, shoot, Gwen! I was hoping to avoid this. It's too emotional for me. But ok......" she laughed a little as she stood up off the couch and came in for a hug.

"Are you gonna visit us? You better! Or we'll find you and fvck you up!" she laughed, but her voice was shaky now.

"I definitely am going to visit you all. I didn't get to spend much time with any of you since I've been here, and I know I should have..." I started telling her.

"It's all good. I know, you got a man you like to be with. I understand. I'd be the same way. Hell, me and Bella are barely around anymore, since we hang with the guys at the boy's home now!" Tearsa told me.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Be careful you two, ok? There are not so nice boys there, you know", I warned her. She nodded. "I know it. I still can't believe what happened to you. But hey, if we're having s.ex with them, there's no need for them to hurt us for it, right? So we all win" she told me.

True, I thought....but not what I thought I should hear. It sounded like if they gave those boys s.ex, they wouldn't hurt them. Is THAT why they did it? Were they sort of f0rced? Or did they offer it in the first place? I didn't know. I just hoped they'd be alright.

Tearsa and I wiped our tears, laughed awkwardly at really nothing, and said goodbye, and I turned and walked to the hall, where Harry wasn't now. I guess he was putting my stuff in his car.

When I got to the hall, Harry came through the door. "Ready now?" he asked.

"I guess so.....oh, wait.....", I told him and I dropped my backpack one more time. I went to the office door, and told Meem and Jodi was leaving now.

Jodi gave me a file with some papers in it. I guess it was official stuff, I'd need to keep for...whatever you need this stuff for in real life.

Then she hugged me tight and told me good luck. She told me to call if I ever need someone to talk to, and to call sometimes just to check in and say hi and let them know how I was doing, cause she'd be thinking of me. She wiped what was probably a tear near her eye, and stepped back to her desk, and Meem came over to me now.

I turned to her, and I finally lost it, and started a full on cry now.

She had been the first one I'd met that day when I wouldn't get on the mini bus with her, because I didn't know if she'd take me somewhere horrible or not.

She'd broken the rules and let Harry ride with me that day.

And after saying my goodbyes to everyone, it had finally taken an emotional toll on me, and I couldn't hold back the tears now.

She got teary too, and hugged me, giving me a few kisses on my hair.

"You're gonna be fine. You're gonna be one of the success stories, Gwen. I know it. And I know Harry will take care of you. He's a great guy. We're all pretty jealous around here, ya know. We'll miss him too. Make sure you guys visit, ok? Or at least call us, like Jodi said. Ok?"

"Ok. I definitely will. I'll miss you all. I'm so nervous!" I told her between sobs.

"You're gonna do great. I know it." she reassured me.

We finalized our goodbyes, and then Harry stepped over to each one and gave them hugs.

And then....we were in the car, and I was looking at the house getting smaller and smaller as we pulled down the driveway.

Once I was out of there, I wasn't AS sad as I was saying goodbye. I guess because I was officially with Harry now. I was "free". Even freer than before.

I could see him looking at me out of the corner of my eye, so I turned to him. He was smiling, and his eyes were shiny. When I looked over, he put his hand on my knee.

"Oh jeeze, Harry! Don't YOU get me started crying again! Come on!" I laughed to him.

"Sorry. Heh hem.....ok. I won't cry. I won't do it" he repeated as he fanned his face with his hand, like a girl I'd seen do that in some movie I'd watched at the home. Something about a police woman and a beauty pageant. What a dork Harry is. Oh my God. I broke into laughter, and so did he. He looked over at me, and kissed me when we got to a red light.

"I love you Gwen."

"I love you Harry. I always will."

"Promise?" he asked.

"Cross my heart." I answered with a smile. He smiled back, and stepped on the gas when the light turned green. We were free to be together now. Starting our lives together. I felt good about it.

I was absolutely happy.