Marisol
TW: Mention of physical abuse. A heads up is given beforehand . Also she's a long one
Niall's party was this weekend, and I'm not ready for it. I was told I could bring someone and I was going to take Maya but Tully decided to take her as her plus one. I thought about inviting Asher, but recently he was more distant than ever.
I've been at work for about three hours, and within those three hours he hasn't talked or joked around with me. Maybe I took it too far with the comment I made a few days ago. Or it could be something I did and not realize I did.
Walking over towards the bar, I decide to refill my water bottle.
"Hey Sol, can I ask you something?" Asher leans against the other side of the bar catching my attention.
Grabbing my bottle I place it between us still open. "Sure what's up?" Grabbing a lemon half and cutting it into slices dropping them into my water.
"What do you think about April?"
April started working here a few days ago. April was the type of girl I hated. She was fake and a backstabbing bitch to those who never needed it. She was really friendly with me at first till I actually talked to her and couldn't stand just the way she was towards me sometimes.
I knew April before she started working here, she happened to live in the same complex as me. I would always run into her when getting the mail or leaving sometimes. I knew the type of people she was friends with and guys she dated. I also happened to know that she was right up Asher's type but he would get bored of her quick and move on.
I have a special habit where I could figure out a person based on how the way they acted with others, way they talked, and their opinions on most things. Some call it a toxic trait, I call it a handy dandy tool. It helped me out a lot in high school and with those so called friends when I was pregnant with Mila.
"Asher, I mean this in the nicest way possible but stop talking to me." I smiled.
Grabbing the lid to my water bottle and close it walking away from behind the bar back to the front. Stopping me at the entrance of the bar was Asher fixing his hair.
"Come on, I want to know whatcha think about her." He smiles big at me.
"Don't talk to me." I smile at him before tilting my head sideways and walking around him.
God I hate men. 'Whatcha think of her?' like come on really? Also whatcha? The fuck?
I could never deal with guys who asked me for opinions on other girls. Whether we were friends or not I never felt comfortable talking about girls to guys as if they were books that should or shouldn't be checked out. It felt wrong.
Turning to look at the bar area, April had just walked into the storage closet. Looking for Asher I spot him sitting at the bar watching a baseball game trying to be oblivious to April being there.
Okay maybe guys are as dumb as they look. I mean if you like her why not talk to her? I bet she has guys following her all the time since she's so freakin pretty. God to be April sometimes.
Pulling me out of my thoughts was the sound of the door opening. Putting my water on the lowest shelf, I pop up to meet the one and only Harry.
You've got to be kidding me. I can't do this today God not now.
"Sweetheart!" He smirks walking up to me, "I was hoping to find you here."
"You found me! Now the exit is behind you." I wave at him before point at the door.
"Sweetest person I know." He says so monotone.
"What's up Harry?"
"I just wanted to check up on you, in person ya know? I also had something to ask you."
"Mmm okay..." Looking at him confused, I slowly reach for my phone to see if he texted me.
Looking at my screen it showed no notifications besides Rosa texting me an update about Mila.
Okay this is planned because he doesn't know I work here since I never told him and I don't have any heads up. Wait did Rosa multi-texted me?
Throwing me off guard that she texted me not once but three times. I reach down to grab my phone before telling Harry to give me a second.
I don't mean to bother you, but I think something's wrong with Mila.
She's been crying for awhile and won't stop. I'm getting worried.
Is there anyway you can come? Maybe she misses you.
"Marisol? Are you okay?" Harry asks looking down at my phone then back up at me
"It's Rosa, Mila's sitter. Can we catch up another time? Somethings wrong with Mila."
Grabbing my water and speed walking towards the bar area I wait for the door to make the noise signaling Harry left, only to hear him close behind me.
"What happened? Is she okay?"
"I'm not sure." Looking for Asher I saw him sitting in the spot I had last seen him in, "Hey Asher, cover for me. If Marco yells at you tell him to call me." I head towards the storage closet grabbing my bag and jacket.
"No kiss goodbye dear?" He comments, opening his arms while walking towards me.
"I'm sorry." I stop dead in my tracks and turn to look at him, "Why don't you go kiss April's ass jackass?" I smile at him before turning to look at Harry who looked annoyed. "Text me a raincheck, and we can go out to lunch and talk like you wanted okay?"
"Yea that's fine." He smiles at me.
Turning around to head out the back door, he lightly grabs my arm and turns me to face him so we were chest to chest. Looking at him confused, he looks behind me and I knew what was going on. He was jealous and annoyed with Asher or his comment alone.
"Jealous now are we Mr. Harry?" I whisper making eye contact before looking down at his lips.
Without any warning he leans in and kisses me passionately for a quick second, "I'll meet you at yours in 10 it's not a problem. Plus it's been too long since I've seen princess."
Standing there completely flustered about what happened Harry begins to walk away stopping mid way to turn around and look at me.
"Love what you did with your hair too." He winks before completely walking out.
--
Sitting in Mila's room rocking her trying to calm her down I couldn't help but begin to panic. I've never seen her act this way before, she had a lower fever and was whimpering. Face all red, covered in tears and snort.
Rocking her back and forth helped settle her a bit. She wasn't giving me any of her signals of what she need. I was able to calm her down to a point she wasn't crying but she wasn't exactly calm yet. It was times like these that I wish I had a helping hand. Mila being sick was always a rough battle for me alone it was so bad once I had to stay with my parents until she was all healthy because I couldn't do it alone.
Pulling me out of my thoughts was a knock at the door. Lifting her head from the crock of my neck Mila turned and looked at the door. Getting up I walk out of her room and into the living room. Opening the door I facing Harry once again. Standing on the other side he looks at me smiling before looking at Mila. Lifting her head from my shoulder she begins to whine for Harry to grab her.
Traitor.
He steps in and reaches out to hold Mila. Closing the door I walk towards the kitchen to start a late dinner or at least try. Walking into the living room, I don't see Harry or Mila. Walking towards the her room I hear him talking to her.
"You know what's gonna feel so nice? A bath." Hs says grabbing one of her one pieces and her towel.
Turning around to leave Harry stops and looks at me a bit embarrassed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asks
"You stole my baby and now you're giving her a bath." I chuckle
"I just want to help you out, plus you must be in panic mode. Make dinner to relax, that usually calms me down. I'll give her a bath, consider this our raincheck." He smiles at me before walking out of room heading towards my room.
"Wrong way Harry." I laugh walking away
"I knew that!" He shouts back
While waiting for the pasta to fully cook, I couldn't help but laugh at Harry's idea of a raincheck. I decided to text back Rosa and apologize for the unexpected behavior from Mila today. Placing my phone back on the counter I turn around to find a tired yet happier Mila with Harry standing at the doorway.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but smile and feel a warm feeling in my chest. There was something about Harry that made him seem so natural with her, like they fit together. But there was something about the way he was with Mila that tugged on my heart strings a different way.
"What's cookin?" Harry walks over to look at the pot on the stove.
"I decided to make something my mom would always make me. A feeling of being at home."
It's been awhile since I've stayed at my parents house or even visited them, which made me sad to think about. We have a great bond, but everything's been so busy it's hard to make time to leave.
"Do you miss them?"
Looking away from the counter I look at him and nod.
We stood in silence for a moment before Mila decided to start babbling. Catching our attention we both look at her, only to see her looking at Harry.
"Is that so?" Harry laughs.
Finishing up dinner I put Mila to bed and began to clean up a bit. I started in the bathroom and then went to the kitchen only to see Harry was still here. Finishing up the last dishes in the sink.
"Hey you didn't have to do those, I was planning on it." I walk up beside him
"It's alright also the least I could do." He shrugs turning off the water. "So I have a question."
"Uh oh, Harry has a question!" I laugh walking over to the couch to sit down.
Following close behind was Harry. He's mood seemed to change. He seems more tense or more so worried about this question he wants to ask.
"Hey what wrong?" I pat next to me so he could sit and talk to me.
"It's not really my business but what's up with you and princess's dad?"
I've never really talked to anyone about Josh besides Talia. But for some reason the thought of telling Harry about our past or let alone the relationship we have now made me worry about what he'd think or the outcome of this conversation. (!!TW of abuse!!)
"Nothing really," I look at my hands before messing with my ring. "he simply didn't want to be in our lives and couldn't cope with it."
I couldn't find the strength in me to look at him right now. Even if he wasn't present he had this pull on me which would make me anxious and terrified. Harry was different from Josh, he was more gentle and understanding as for Josh I would have bruises and I was to blame.
Pulling me out of my thoughts was Harry grabbing my hand to stop making fists which were a little too tight. I slowly release them and look up at the tv to see our reflection. He was looking at me sentimentally still holding my hands.
"There would be times where I couldn't do anything right for him and he'd just let his anger out on or at me. If I was lucky it was at the wall. He would tell me horrible things then disappear for hours."
Still looking at the tv trying to read Harry's reaction, he only stared at me. As if reading my mind he lightly squeezes my hand for me to continue.
"He'd hurt me unintentionally or so I keep telling myself. He would grab me sometimes on the top of my arms and just squeeze me so hard it become sore after time. Or we would be arguing and we would get closer and closer till my back was slammed against the wall because he wanted the upper hand, throw in a couple of slaps to shut me up. One day I had came back from my parents late with Talia, and he went out with his friends that night. When I walked into the apartment, I placed my bag by the door and closed the door heading to the kitchen for a glass of water, I thought he was gone. But as I went to grab a water he walked up to me from behind and started to chock me accusing me of cheating on him. He chocked me until I was at that mid point of dying and being able to catch my breath. He let go and tell me that his friends were right about me."
Turning to look at Harry with tears going down my face.
"Out of nowhere he decided to try something new and threw a punch at me. I still couldn't breathe properly so that hit knocked me out for awhile. When I woke up I was at the hospital. I had a small cut on my hair line, my cheek was all puffy and red, my eye was bruised along with my back and arms. I had blood going down the side of my face and nose from the fall."
Breaking eye contact with Harry I wiped my face with the sleeves of my shirt and turned more sideways to look at him while laying my head on the couch. Looking at our hands and messing with our fingers I continued.
"There was no one with me so it threw me off how I got there. I knew he didn't do it. But after looking around for some sign the doctor walked in with Talia. I knew she knew all my bruises weren't from me falling or playing soccer at the time. The doctor asked me the basic questions and what happened, so I told them everything knowing this wasn't going to end well. After the doctor had left to grab an officer to help me get my things, Talia told me I was pregnant and lucky the baby was safe from the fall I took. Also told me how she found me the next morning laying in a small thing of blood from the fall and thought I was died for sure."
Harry never said a word, I knew he was waiting for me to finish but it felt so terrifying retelling our story. Reliving all the moments in my head.
"I stayed in the hospital for a few days and at Talias before I decided to head to my apartment and kick him out. I told him of course that I was pregnant, but when I did he told me I was lying, trying to get a run of his money, make him feel sorry for me. So I grabbed a box that was near by and threw his shit in there before throwing it out the door and telling him to leave, he of course argued back telling me I was a 'selfish slut who only thinks about herself and lied about being pregnant to get any guy to stay with me so I want lonely and had their money.' I avoided him in every way I could. I moved towns, changed my look a bit, new phone and social media's and new friends. I was close to avoiding him for a year till the wedding."
I look up to meet his gaze. He looks sad not the pitty kind but the kind where he wishes he could make all this pain go away.
"I know you've probably heard this before, but I'm truly sorry you went through that." He started, "There should be absolutely no reason why you went through something like that; let alone anyone in general. You truly are an incredibly strong, beautiful, and brave women for going through what you did."
I gave him a small smile in a way to say thank you.
"Has he touched you since?" He asks holding my hands in his.
His hands were warm and soft, giving me a nice comforting feeling. Looking down at our hands I gave him a small nod, rubbing my thumbs on the edge of his palms.
Pulling one of his hands away, he reaches up to touch my face to look at him. Keeping his hand there he begins to rub off the left over tears.
"Marisol. I swear I'll kill him, say the word and I'll do it."
Causing me to laugh I look away and look at the clock to see it was getting late.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep you here so late, you probably have plans." I panic looking back at him.
"I did but Niall canceled on me to hang out with Talia since they're lovers" He shrugs "Also it's okay, seems like you needed a bit of a night off anyways."
"Thank you for tonight. I'm going to bed it's a bite late, goodnight Harry." I smile at him getting up.
As I began to walk away he pulls my hand back.
"Stay with me tonight."
Without hesitation I pulled him towards me laughing. We made our way back to my room, the only light being the streetlights shining in. He's went to the left side and I went to right. Getting underneath the covers I had my back towards Harry but I could feel his gaze on me. Shifting uncomfortably I turn around to face him and meet his eyes.
Lifting his arm signaling me to snuggle with him I laugh and turn around. There was no movement from Harry making me think he accepted his defeat. Only to get pulled from behind into him, snuggling my back into Harry gave me even more warmth than the blanket was giving me. He snakes his arm over my stomach to pull me even closer, tangling our legs together.
We went to bed that night even closer than before, all tangled up to get the warmth from each other that we desperately craved.
///
That ended on a cute note huh :)