Distant » Harry Styles

Chapter 27

My body hits the cold water and my feet can’t find the bottom of the pool. I start to panic, and I try frantically to get out of the water. With my mind busy, and my heart beating fast, my body does nothing. Before I start blacking out, I see Harry lifting me up from the pool, and air reaches my lungs again.

I cough and spit out all the water that had gone inside of my mouth. I’m shaking, and I hold onto Harry so tightly that I think I might be hurting him. My breathing is erratic as I fail to return it back to normal. My soaked hair is plastered to my neck and my forehead, and I know I look like a mess.

Everyone around me is either laughing or gaping and I don’t know which of their expressions’ is worse. I feel so embarrassed and exposed and it’s the worst feeling I’ve felt in a long time. I can’t believe those two guys did that!

“Alyssa, are you alright?” Harry asks softly and I shake my head.

I’m still in too much shock to speak, and I don’t want to look at anybody right now. Being thrown into a pool when I can’t swim is already bad enough, but to be held like a baby is even worse. I can’t let them know that they’ve hurt me in any way. As much as I don’t want to, I stand up and face the two guys. I slap them hard, and am exhilarated by the sting in my hand from skin to skin contact.

Next, I walk over to Conrad in the most confident way possible. My legs are weak and I feel like I may collapse at any moment, but I keep walking. I take deep breaths with each step, hoping that I won’t faint. I feel everyone’s eyes on me, and this makes me smile slightly. I look at the indifferent expression on Conrad’s face, and have an urge to kill him on the spot.

How could he not care about me almost dying? What a great friend I have. I’m only a foot away from him, and I crane my neck up to make my eyes meet his. I stare at him for a few moments longer before I gather up the strength to punch him. I feel the pain in my knuckles, but I ignore it. The cracking sound of his jaw is much more pleasing and I hit him where it hurts before I turn around and walk away.

By now, everyone’s eyes are glued to me, just like it should always be. Harry stands awkwardly by the two guys, and I link my arm into his.

“Let’s go to your house.” I demand more than suggest. He doesn’t argue, and gives me a towel to wrap myself in. 

Harry whispers a few goodbyes and we leave the Cooks Residence. Never in my life have I felt so dead, but yet so alive. That near death experience did surprise me, yes, but it made me build confidence in myself. With everyone watching, I had to get myself together. I was on the verge of tears, but there was no way I was crying in front of that many people. 

I sit silently in his car as we make the drive to his house. I watch as we pass by the trees that’s leaves are turning a dark orange color. The grass has turned yellow, and a few leaves hit the windows as we drive along. I look over at Harry, and he keeps fidgeting in his chair. I know he has something on his mind that is bothering him. 

“What is it?” I ask. 

“You almost died.” he says staring at the road. 

“And you remembered that I can’t swim.” I say and he looks over at me. 

We pull into the driveway, and we both get out of the car. We walk into the house together, and he puts his key on the counter-top. 

“Of course I remembered. And by the way, why can’t you swim?” 

“It’s a long story.”

He looks at his watch and says, “I’ve got time.”

I sit down onto the couch, and fold my legs underneath of me. I run my hand through my damp hair would be wrong if I didn’t tell him. I know I can trust him, but I made a mistake into trusting Conrad. and look at him. Should I tell him? He does deserve to know, considering he just saved my life. It I don’t want to make the same mistake again, but I have this feeling that I won’t. This is Harry I’m talking about.

“You might want to sit down,” I recommend and he does. He puts his arm on my shoulder and looks at me intently, waiting for me to speak.

I take a deep breath and begin. 

“I was six years old, and my parents we going to a wedding held on a yacht. I was standing there, waving goodbye to my parents as the smiled at me. They were happy- they were so happy and excited about this wedding. It was my aunt’s wedding, this was going to be her second marriage to a man she had known for about four years. My grandmother had her hands on my shoulders as I watched the fireworks go up from the yacht.”

I pause and bite my lip. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” Harry states.

“No, I want to tell you.”

I wet my lips with my tongue, and I continue the story. 

“But then, something went wrong; very wrong. When the boat was nearly out of sight, it started to sink. I heard the screams of the people on it and the hands of my grandmother weren’t on my shoulders anymore. I was very confused, but then I only saw the top of the yacht, and I understood. It was sinking. I turned around to see my grandfather holding my grandmother as they both cried. I started to cry too, but nobody was there to hold me. My grandparents moved away shortly after the incident, they didn’t want to live in the city where my mom had died. I was so lucky that my dad had made it out alive. But I will never know what it's like to have a biological mom. I was six years old and ever since then I've been afraid of the water. 

At this point, the tears flow freely down my cheeks, and I look at Harry to see that he’s crying too. He holds my hand and buries his face into my neck. 

“I’m so sorry, Alyssa.” he sobs. 

“It’s okay.” I reassure him and run my hands through his curls.

“I’m okay now.” I say and we look at each other with tear-filled eyes.

“Are you okay? Are you really?”

I lean against him and put my hand on his chest, right over his heart. 

“As long as this heart is beating, I am.”