Speechless (Harry Styles AU)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

Using my free hand I brushed the hair out of my eyes. I had spent the last hour telling every deep and horrid detail of my encounter with Logan and Ryan. My mother sat by my side refusing to leave even though I pleaded with her, her face was covered with tears only moments into the graphic tale. Once the officer left my mother walked out to call my aunt and I was left alone for the first time since I woke up.

 My body was already drained of life even after the nap I took between the doctor and the police arriving. It still didn’t feel like I had been sleeping for a week. I knew I missed so much but no one would give me any information. I could only imagine the rumors that would be floating around the school about my sudden disappearance the reasoning behind it.

“Genevieve,” Harry’s voice echoed softly as his footsteps flooded into my room.

Turning my head I was met with the worn and weary figure of Harry. His hair was still messy and his eyes were cloudy with exhaustion. I let a weak smile spread across my face as he sat beside me and his eyes crossed over my face. There was something off about him now, his eyes were not only tired but they held a reluctant and hopeless gaze.

“What’s wrong?” I signed slowly my smile fading.

Harry smiled quickly but could tell it was forced and faked. “Nothing just tired.” He spoke his voice littered with a thick layer of falseness. “how are you feeling?”

I took a deep breath and shrugged. I wasn’t sure how I was feeling exactly but I was simply content with being awake.

“Alright I guess,” I signed, “just happy to be awake.”

Harry smiled again, this time a genuine smile, “me too.”

Once again I raised my hands and signed to him, “thank you for saving my life Harry. Thank you for rescuing me.”

Harry smiled weakly, “I’ll always be there to rescue you.”

He leaned forward slowly and pressed his lips softly to mine. Leaving me buzzing with the electricity from his touch.

Harry and I sat in silence as the seconds ticked by, both of us just staring at the other. I wanted to take every bit of Harry in. The way he brushed the curls out of his face mindlessly, the way he bit nervously at the inside of his lip or cheek, the way his eyes would look into you like he could see every part of you, not just what you put off to the world, the way he fidgeted with his hands, the way his bright lips would purse and relax as thoughts bounced through his head, I wanted to know every part of him because he was the reason I was alive.

Without him I wouldn’t have the opportunity to see my mother’s face again. To take on what the next few years would take me through. He was the reason I was alive. I owed my life to him and I wanted to spend the rest of life with him.

“What are you thinking so hard about love?” Harry smiled resting his hand on the edge of the bed and he tilted his head to the side inquisitively.

Raising my free hand I signed back, “You.”

I expected to see a smile again as I would have done if he had said the same about me but instead I was met with a pained and agonizing glance, like my response was a like a dagger to his heart. His head turned away from my and his hand slid off the bed and went to protectively to his pockets.

There was clearly something he wasn’t telling me about. Pushing myself higher in the bed I clenched my jaw.  I needed Harry to turn back so I could meet his gaze.

Reaching my arm across my body I felt my muscles scream in resistance but I didn’t listen. Instead I reached further and grasped Harry shoulder making him turn back to face me.