ESCAPE

Chapter 63

VALENTINA

My stitches hurt as I tried my best to find a comfortable position so I wouldn't have to move again. 

Why do you ask?

Well, I wasn't asleep like Harry assumed me to be.

I had heard every word and felt his kiss, it's just that I was too afraid to face him and right now I couldn't lie down due to my nerves.

There was still so much that he didn't know and so much I wanted to tell him, but I didn't know how.

'Why do you always do that?', came a voice and I was startled to find Harry sitting in the bay window.

Crap.

He hadn't left.

He had his arms crossed as he approached me, his mouth formed a small frown and his brows were furrowed.

I tried to put up a confused look.

'Don't play that game with me, Val', came his quick reply.

'I knew you weren't asleep', he said.

I looked at my hands, unable to come up with something to defend myself.

'You allow me to touch you, to kiss you but then all of a sudden you either recoil or act as if nothing ever happened', he said and I could make out the strain in his voice.

'Why? Is this supposed to be some chase? Because believe me, Val, I would run after you in a heartbeat, but I can't do that unless I know that you're waiting for me at the finishing line. Right now, you're like some mirage', he said and sat down on the edge of the bed, his back facing me.

In all honesty, I wanted him, I wanted him so badly but this, us, it would be over in a blink and how could I ask him to be a part of this mess called my life.

'Say something please', he said and I noticed that his tone had hit rock bottom.

I could actually feel my chest tighten but I wanted to be brave enough to reach out to him.

I heard him sigh and felt the weight shift as he got up.

'I'm going to my room, I'm tired', he said and left the room.

Before, I knew it, I was a crying mess but I dared not to make a sound in fear that someone would hear.

This wasn't some fairy tale where Harry could come riding his white steed and take me away to a castle in the clouds. This was reality, this was a girl who was an orphan running for her life. He was an international pop star who had a job to do, had people to entertain. This was his life! How could I simply barge in and ask him to change it all for me?

Our worlds were too different.

The tears, however, didn't agree with me and kept falling. My nose was feeling stuffy while my head hurt from the stress.

I knew I was a fool to let him go, people like him come only once in a lifetime but keeping him was only equal to losing him. He has no idea how much I want to be with him. I mean, in this tour, we were safe, everything seems believable but what happens when we step out?

'Take the chance'

I have no idea where that thought came from but it seemed to suddenly unlock a passage of possibilities, like a flame at the end of a dark tunnel.

'So what if it didn't work out? You took the chance!'

Before I knew it, I found myself knocking at his door and my heart stopped as I heard the shuffling of feet.

What was I doing?!

But before I could run, the door opened to reveal him wearing only sweatpants and I found it quite hard not to stare at his tattoos.

Harry looked as stunned as I probably was and he quickly grabbed a white tee from a nearby chair as realization struck him.

I walked in as he put the shirt on and I noticed that his eyes looked like a storm.

'What are you doing here?', he asked finally.

Good question.

How was I going to say this?

I took in his clearly flustered face and tensed body but his eyes were what gave me courage, it was like there were pleading with me.

I went up to him and slowly brought him down to my height.

I could just show him.

I gently placed my lips on him and I could tell that at first, he was stunned because it took him a while to kiss me back.

I noticed that he was careful not to place his hand on my waist and instead held on hand on the small of my back while the other was against the wall.

It wasn't a sloppy or lustful kiss. It was slow and gentle, but more importantly, it was true. I allowed my fingers to get lost in his curls while he slowly left a kiss on my neck and as I looked at him, I could tell that he was searching for an answer in my eyes.

His eyes then fell on my lips and I felt my breath hitch.

His whisper seemed to echo my exact thoughts,

'What have you done to me?'