Figuring Out Emma (Harry Styles)

Chapter 19: Lucky

"Why do you have a scar in the shape of a bullet wound?" I asked after a moment passed.

"He was - wait, what?" she asked, completely bewildered.

"You have a scar, in the shape of a bullet wound, right below your collar bone on your left side," I stated, reaching out to point at it.

"No, I don't," Emma quickly denied, slapping my hand away.

"Don't lie to me, Emma. I can see it right there, plain as day," I said, becoming slightly annoyed at how Emma was handling herself. She was acting like a little child.

I watched as she glanced downward, her eyes quickly taking in the tear in her rash guard that exposed her scar. Her eyes immediately filled with fear, as she glanced up at me. She opened her mouth to say something in her defense, but no words made it past her tongue. I could tell by the way she was looking at me that she was torn. She wanted to tell me whatever it was she was keeping to herself but there was something that was stopping her from doing so.

"That's not what I thought you were going to ask," she finally spoke after a few minutes of silence had passed between us. Her voice was soft, and I knew right away that she was trying desparately to redirect our conversation.

"Well, I have a lot of questions that require your answers," I stated.

"Maybe, but the only one you'll get an answer for will be the one I know you have about Justin," she said, holding her ground. She wasn't about to let her walls fall down.

"Okay, fine. How do you two know one another?" I asked, running a hand through my damp hair in frustration before crossing my arms over my chest.

"He was Jackson's older brother. When Jack died, we were there for one another. Over time we grew really close and - "

"So, he's an ex-boyfriend," I cut her off.

"No!" she nearly screamed at me, grabbing my left forearm. "No, he was best friend and he was there for me when my dad..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but there was no need for her to. I knew how that story ended. Somebody had shot and killed her father, in front of her no less.

In front of her...

That's how she got the scar. She tried to save him by risking her own life! Emma stood in front of her father and took a bullet to her shoulder, hoping it would be enough to save his life. And in the end, it wasn't...

"H-Harry?" Emma stuttered over my name, as she took a step towards me.

"Let's go back to the group," I mumbled lowly, turning away from her.

I began walking towards the group without her, and it turns out that they had all been watching us. Giving them a "Don't ask." kind of look, I sat on one of the oversized towels Natalie had laid out in the scorching sand. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Anna get up and walk behind me. I heard her ask Emma if she was alright. Emma mumbled an "I'm okay," as the two of them came into my view again. Anna glanced down at me questioningly but didn't ask me anything, thankfully.

I sat there wiggling my toes in the soft, top layer of sand as a way to distract myself from my thoughts. My mind was being consumed by every question I'd ever wanted to ask Emma, especially now that I know a bit more about the day her dad died, or at least what I think I know.

"Hey Emma, what's that scar from?" Zayn asked.

"I, uh, burnt myself with some... hot cheese," she answered softly, her gaze flitted towards mine for half a second. Self-conscious of the scar, her hand reached up and laid over it gently, hiding it from view.