'Back To Life' - Harry Styles fanfic

Chapter 7

He suddenly turned to face me. He quickly looked down at his hand still being on mine and squeezed his eyes before slowly taking it away. I followed suit, resting my hand in my lap and fiddling with the sleeves of his jumper again.

"It...looks good on you..."

I snapped my head up and looked right at him, my lips parting slightly.

"Where...where did we meet? Tell me?"

I sighed slightly before answering him.

"It was in a karaoke bar..."

He groaned and hid his face in his hands.

"..Ray's...Oh god...I didn't....sing...did I?"

I laughed slightly. He was so endearing. He was beautiful.

Focus Eleanor...

"No...not that night...."

He looked at me between the spaces his fingers had created. I couldn't held but notice just how large his hands were. Memories of them holding my hips came floating into my mind and I felt my cheeks glow a deep rose. He looked like a small child and I adored the playful side to him. I hesitated but then peeled his hands away.

"You have an incredible voice Harry..."

I was still holding his hands in mine after taking them away from his face, my fingertips hooked over his. We awkwardly broke contact.

"Did...did you...sing?"

"Yes...."

He suddenly closed his eyes. His forehead crinkled up slightly and he looked as if he was forcing himself to remember. His eyes remained closed but he spoke.

"What did you sing...?"

"...Umm...a song called 'Shake It Out'...."

His eyes slowly opened and they held so much warmth I felt as if I would melt on the spot. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, showing me he was nervous. I didn't understand how he possibly could be. I was just me. I was nothing special.

"Sing for me?"

"I...umm...there's no music..."

I looked down, focusing deeply on the black material of his jumper. My whole face felt like it was on fire and then I shivered all over as he brought his thumb and forefinger up to my chin. His fingertips felt so smooth and he tipped my face up to look at him.

"Please?"

His eyes pleaded with mine and I couldn't turn down his offer, no matter how much I had wanted to. He took his thumb and forefinger away and I cleared my throat nervously before taking a deep breath, not being able to believe I was actually going to go ahead with it. As much as I loved to sing, smaller audiences were the worst, and I would always get nervous no matter what. Taking another deep breath I began, keeping my eyes closed for comfort.

'...regrets collect...like old friends....here to re-live your darkest moments....I can see no way...I can no way..."

"Eleanor....look at me...."

I never looked anyone when I sang. It was a defense mechanism for me. I just closed my eyes and got lost in my own little world, feeling every lyrics I was singing, letting the words push themselves out of my throat. His voice was an intense whisper and my stomach was rippling with nerves, but I obeyed him. I had never experienced anything so intense. There was no music. His lips were slightly parted and his eyes were melted into mine. I tried not to think about anything but the words I was singing. I wanted to sound good for him and I hated knowing that I probably didn't.