Unforgettable

59.

"Who do you love?"

****

I think Harry's dead.

It's been completely silent since those three words left my mouth and I can't feel, or hear him breathing.

It felt so strange to finally say them out loud, when I haven't uttered them to someone in 23 years but while in the past they've felt dead on my tongue, in that moment they felt like the only language I knew how to speak.

I lean up, opening my eyes to take a peek at him and Harry is laying there still as the dead in the morgue with his eyes clamped shut.

"You alright down there?" I ask, feeling the briefest moment of panic.

"Joey... you woke me up in the hallway right?" He asks in a slow unsure voice and it makes me grin.

"Yes I did."

"So... I'm awake?" He double checks, pinching his brows together.

I swear this boy always thinks he's dreaming.

"Yes you are."

He sucks in a deep breath, wetting his lips before he asks "Okay... Can you uh, can you repeat what you just said - so I know I'm not hallucinating."

I bite down on my lip, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt and trying so hard not to laugh at how he's acting.

"Sorry, it was a once off thing - if you missed it, not much I can do. I'm not saying it again" I say with a sigh, I can't help teasing him.

Harry's eyes snap open in a panic, and his lips part as he looks up to me bewildered "But - wait, what no - I didn't know if you said -"

Well that got him to look at me.

"I love you" I cut him off, smiling larger if that was possible and feeling my heart swell that big in my chest I swear it fills my whole rib cage.

Harry blinks at me, like he still hasn't heard me correctly; still completely frozen "Just run that by me one more time."

I dart me eyes between his, sure I look like a lunatic with this giddy expression  but raise my brows to further my point and over unnounciate my words, "I. Love. You"

Harry stays silent for a moment, just staring at me like he's dense as a brick.

"Sorry just one last time - I didn't quite catch it" his mouth breaks out into a smile he tries to suppress by pressing is lips flat together, totally giving away the cheeky game he's been playing.

"You little shit!" my mouth drops as I smack his shoulder, and he bursts out into a loud laugh; snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me flat against him; he flips us which makes me squeal in shock as he pulls himself up and hovers above me.