Introspective Strangers [h.s.]

Chapter 29

** Songs for this chapter: **

505 - Arctic Monkeys
I Feel Like I'm Drowning - Two Feet
Sex, Drugs, Etc. - Beach Weather
Better in the Dark - LEON

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Chapter 29

The second I finished knocking on Harry's door, I regretted it.

"What am I doing here?" I muttered, as my hand fell back down to my side. I wiped my palms on my pants and swayed back and forth on my feet. My eyes flitted around the hallway, looking for a possible distraction or potentially a potted plant that I could hide behind.

This was a bad idea.

The night had already been so crazy, and I knew that I wasn't in the right state of mind. I should have gone home and slept for a few hours. Calling him tomorrow morning with a clear head probably would have done us both some good.

I swallowed hard and stared at his door for a few more seconds.

How long had it been since I had knocked? Maybe he wasn't even home –

My thoughts were cut short by the familiar sound of a lock unlatching and the door swung open. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared me for what stood behind it.

"Hi," a brunette girl uttered from the doorway. I stood, staring, with my mouth slightly ajar as she gave me a small smile and cocked her head to the side. She was beautiful, radiating-ly so yet the sight of her made me completely nauseous. The worst part that she wasn't even the same girl I had originally seen Harry with at the club. "Can I help you?"

I should not have come here.

She clutched at the door and furrowed her brows together as she took in the sight of me. Rightfully so considering I probably looked a mess – I was plastered and had a full-on panic attack less than an hour ago. I must look awful.

"Um," I stammered, wringing my hands together and awkwardly backing up a few steps. "Nothing, no – sorry. I think I have the wrong door–"

"Gemma?" a sickeningly familiar voice called out. "Who is it?"

I blinked a few times and before I got the chance to flee, he appeared behind her. She glanced back at him.

"May?" Harry breathed, as he stepped into the doorway. He looked me up and down, his mouth falling open slightly. Placing a hand on the shoulder of the brunette, he gently pulled her out of the way until he was standing in front of me. "What are you doing here?"

"I – uh, nothing. I don't know. I wasn't really thinking–"

"This is May?" the brunette asked, peeking her head around Harry's tall frame. She grinned and shoved him to the side until she faced me once more. He glanced between the two of us, opening his mouth to say something, but didn't get the chance as she extended a hand to me. "Hi! It's so great to meet you. I'm Gemma. Harry's sister."

It felt like my heart did a flip and then thumped out a few beats of relief.

His sister.

I should have known. I had been too stressed to even pick up on the accent – an accent identical to Harry's. The words were enough to make me weak in the knees with relief.

Unfortunately, much like any good thing in my life, the feeling was extremely short-lived. The moment I reached my hand out to place it in hers, something else caught my eye and I glanced up to see someone else coming to stand beside Harry.

He was still watching Gemma and I intently, with an almost nervous expression that I couldn't read when another girl approached him and placed her hand on his back. This time, it was the girl I had seen from the bar. Harry flinched and spun around to look at her, immediately stepping out of her touch.