Salvation (Harry Styles)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Every time I get into whatever we do

Yeah, I'm with you

Over dinner, Mum agreed to my terms about the doctors and I felt such a relief going to bed last night. So this morning, I did as I promised and downed the right medication as Dad made toast, and Mum gave me a glass of water.

It made me idly consider that that's something Harry doesn't understand about my family. He sees what everyone else sees, the perfect family with the conservative daughter that does the right things and there's nothing wrong on the outside. But Harry sees a bit further. He sees uptight and stuffy parents that won't let their daughter off the leash because they fear she'll grow her own mind. He's not wrong.

But there's even more to the situation that he can see; what only I know because I'm constantly inside the four walls of our home. They obviously love me and they care for me, they just want the best, which is understandable. They have great intentions although it may not show that way. And I'm happy they care enough to make sure I'm perfectly healthy and that I'll live a long life.

I'm just tired with the lifestyle.

Now I'm sitting in the sea of other students, in the middle of all the kids with the last name starting with S. Surprisingly, there's not many of us, or at least after me. There's a girl who sits right next to me with the same last name as me ─ however, we are not related ─ but the first letter in her first name comes after mine.

But in no way did I ever realise or remember leading up to the assembly that Harry's last name is Styles. So when a broad body come to sit on the other side of the girl, just before the assembly began, I was startled to see him there, smirking. His jade eyes only flicker to me once, but he knows it's enough to make me blush. Then the house lights go down and Principal Bean takes to the stage and starts his speech about working hard and the end of the year as Harry leans into the girl to whisper.

I become confused as to why he would speak to her because I'm fairly sure he doesn't know her. And to only add to my confusion and my relief at the same time, Harry and the girl switch seats. Biting on my lip to conceal my smile, I glance all around me to see if any of the teachers noticed the change. They didn't.

"Hi," I whisper so we don't attract attention.

"Hey."

We keep our eyes on the speaker but I'm sure neither of us are listening to a single word. I'm too caught up in the warmth radiating off his arm as he takes the arm rest, and how his hand is awfully close to my exposed knee. Why did I have to wear a dress today?

"What're you doing?" I ask.

"Can I not sit next to you?" I can hear the smirk on his face as he feigns innocents.

I scoff, "Knowing you, you'd have a reason."

He doesn't answer to that and I'm left wondering what his real reason is. Them I jump at his hand suddenly claiming my knee. My head snaps to the left to see what he was thinking, but Harry's not looking me, only forwards with a straight face. I silently wonder if he knows I secretly like his touches and when his fingers graze my skin without a good reason, just because he wanted to.

But when his hand starts to move inwards and up, I snap my legs together in a warning. Now he's grinning at me denying his actions; it doesn't stop him from rubbing my smooth skin with his thumb. It slightly hurts to continue sitting like this, with my muscles tightened and toes pointed, so I slowly, very slowly, relax back into my original position and Harry's hand stays where it's supposed to.

Until he moves again and this time I don't move because he gives me a warning squeeze and I know that this will just continue through the whole assembly. He reaches the edge of my dress without anyone noticing and I wonder how that's even possible. Thankfully, he stops there, not making a move to continue with this torture.