Rachel's POV
Glimpses of flashing cameras, sounds of screams, and running away play off and on in my mind.
Was that all a dream?
The chasing, fighting with Harry, falling.
Did I just have the worst nightmare of my life? Wait, I'm not dead..right?
Suddenly I hear a yell, but I can't make out the words. I think I'm coming around. My eyes open slightly and close again, trying to adjust to reality.
"No, Paul! This was out of control!" the voice from before booms again, my eyes jolting open from fright.
I grasp onto the couch I'm lying on, observing my surroundings to discover Harry and I made it to his place, but I don't know how I made it here.
I keep my position frozen on the sofa but look around and find myself alone.
Something from down the hallway falls to the floor, making a loud thump, and once again scaring the shit out of me. Did someone just throw something?
"I get that I attracted the crowd dammit! And not that I want security on me like a hawk but if you're that afraid of us getting papped, get some security or something!"
It's Harry, he must be in his room. Why is he shouting so harshly on the phone? And who is Paul?
"Fuck!" he exclaims, not as loud. "I'm hanging up. I'm done with this, I have to go and check on her."
The door of his room opens and seconds later he's out in the living room, making his way towards me. I turn my head and suddenly I hear him rush to my side.
He quickly kneels down, nothing but worry in his looks. "Rachel? Rachel are you okay? You finally woke up."
I search his eyes, not able to help the feeling of being safe once again. Harry takes my hand in his and squeezes it tight, letting me know he's here.
"I.." my voice is practically inaudible. I clear my throat. "...I think so. Um, h-how did I get here?"
Harry's mouth opens to answer, but then his expression changes. "Do, do you not remember anything?"
I shake my head. "I thought it was a dream, actually," I laugh at my own expense but stop when I realize Harry is still being serious. "Anyway, I guess I remember...well, fighting with you a-and getting chased by a mob? I fell, I think, and then it goes black for me."
He runs his other hand through his hair, our eyes never leaving each other's gazes.
"Yeah well, I um, I picked you up and we did make it here. You went unconscious in my arms. I was so worried about you," Harry explains, looking more frustrated than I've ever seen him.
I can't remember why I passed out. All that comes to mind is falling and then it's black. Why that would have happened is a mystery to me.
Harry jumps, "Oh! I left a glass of water for you in the kitchen. I forgot to bring it here, let me get it for you baby girl."
Once again he squeezes my hand, assuring me he'll return before he stands up and heads for the kitchen.
I'm not as scared right now as I should be, I think. Sure I'm a little afraid about everything that's happening, but I..I don't know. I feel I should be freaking out. Harry seems to be taking things slow, like he's afraid too. Afraid to mess things up.
I'm taken out of my thoughts when Harry returns, glass in hand. I force myself to sit up, Harry reminding me sweetly to be careful before handing me the glass. I gulp it down, fast.
As he stands and watches me, I notice too much tension between us. We have to clear up the mess we created earlier, or we will be stuck in this fragile phase forever.
I set the glass down on the coffee table and sigh, leaning back. "Look, about the argument--"
Harry takes a deep breath as he sits on the other side of the couch. I can't read his emotions. We can just end this argument simply and move on.
"I'll just take your apology about the tracking problem and you can disconnect my phone or whatever and we can put this behind us.." my words drift away as Harry peers at me as if I grew an extra ear.
He stands back up, crossing his arms. "Why would I apologize or disconnect it?"
"Why wouldn't you?"
Is he being serious?
Harry smirks at me as if I'm making no sense. "I could use an apology from you though."
I sit up more, ready to continue what happened on the streets. This argument is turning childish, which should be easier for me to win.
"You think you deserve an apology more than I do?"
He huffs, "Well being ignored isn't exactly something I think I deserved--"
"Neither does being tracked!" I shout. It makes no sense why Harry wouldn't understand. I know he's stubborn, but I didn't think he was this stubborn.
We're both getting angrier by the second. Harry's chest rising and falling as his muscles tighten, and I'm ready to get into this again until I get an explanation.
"Okay, what about hugging that dickhead you work with?"
"Here we go again.." I shake my head, rising from the couch. I have to get at his level.
"Well why do I always catch you both all over each other? What did he do now, give you a fucking cookie? He deserved that much praise?"
I groan, "No! He gave me a promotion Harry! My first, ever raise in any job I've had!" I take a deep breath, trying to bring my voice down. "Do you know how excited I was? I wanted to tell you so bad. Even though I was pissed at you, I wanted you to be the first to know. I thought...I thought you'd be proud of me."
I'm not sure if breaking down after passing out is exactly okay, but I guess I'm about to find out. The tears in my eyes are fighting their way out but I will not cry. I can't cry.
I bring my eyes to his, sadness creeping in. He keeps his eyes down, looking as if he's in deep thought.
The silence is broken when he speaks up, his voice calmer than before "Of course I'm proud of you."
"So you're proud of me, but you can't even trust me?"
"You know I trust you-"
"And you know why I ignored you!"
A loud sigh comes from him and I find my hands balled up into fists. From the look on his face he really does know why I ignored him. So why won't he just give this up and explain to me?
I decide not to pry this time and ask slowly. "Just tell me-"
"No!"
This stubborn man...
"Harry?! Why not? I was right, wasn't I? You're embarrassed by me I get that," he head shoots up and he squints at me, "but just be honest and admit it yourself--"
"You honestly think that about yourself?" he takes a step closer to me as I do the same.
I say the first thought that comes to my mind, the words rushed, "My life is nothing compared to yours!"
"That's not true! We've been over this before angel, remember?"
I know we have. The night of the date, the fight we had, he said he wanted to be with me because of who I am, no matter what my life was like. I wonder how he would feel if he knew every detail of my life, my parents, especially Jacob.
But like I thought this morning, we still know too little about each other.
One thing I'm still very determined to find out is why he's been tracking me.
"Harry, just tell me please!"
"Rachel--"
"I deserve an explanation! You don't understand how I feel, and that's just another issue added to our list! You don't get it Harry, that's why I deserve to know why you don't trust me!" I laugh a little sarcastically, continuing, "I mean, how will we even work? We don't even know enough about each other, and you don't trust me..." I list, counting with my fingers.
Harry stares at me with confusion before looking down again, shaking his head.
"I do trust you," he tries to assure me, defeat in his tone.
"Then just tell me!"
He closes the space between us, taking my shoulders in his hands and looking me straight in the eyes.
"Because I wanted to protect you!" he yells in my face before taking deep breaths, the silence giving us time to cool down.
I'm not afraid of him, I care for him. I search his features, looking at him as he looks down with worry and loss.
One of my hands goes to his cheeks, caressing, trying to have him look at me again.
"I..." he begins, his accent deep. "I wanted to protect you from situations like what happened today. There's a lot of things out there to hurt you because of me. I can't...I can't have you get hurt. I feel safer--"
I interrupt him by placing a finger on his lips. He doesn't need to explain anymore. I get it now. It makes sense. Am I angry about it? No, I actually feel more cared for than I have in a long time. Sure it sounds a little creepy, but I trust him.
I trust him more than anything.
I gaze up into his hopeful eyes, giving him a small smile.
"All you had to do, was tell me. Now I understand," I say softly, wrapping my arms around his neck.
His pink lips turn into a little grin, dimples barely showing.
Now we can both feel relieved. This is what we need to do, communicate. If we talked to each other more, and we explained ourselves more, this could definitely work.
Harry's voice stops my thoughts. "You really feel like we don't know enough about each other?"
I nod sadly, my emotions seeping back in.
Harry stands up straighter, my arms still wrapped around him. "That's the thing about dating baby, as time goes on, I get to learn more and more."
I know he's trying to assure me it's alright, because I can tell from his eyes he knows I'm scared about this part of the relationship. The opening up part. I still wouldn't tell him about the horrible parts in my past, but I at least want to tell him other stuff. Maybe I'm worried about it because I've never really been in a kind of relationship like this, I'm not sure.
His mouth opens to speak again, "For example, I've learned how cute you are when you fight."
I smile again, something he wanted to get out of me.
He leans his head to rest his cheeks on my arms and closes his eyes before speaking again.
"And how you're my little nerdy girl," his head comes off my arm and he chuckles.
I watch as Harry's arm moves up, his hand making its way to my face to push the hair behind my ear.
"I also know," he goes on whispering, his head moves closer to mine, using his nose to tilt my head the other way, "how much you love it when I kiss on your neck." When Harry's lips make contact, my body shivers. His teeth nibble the area before sucking harshly. He then sealsthe area he assaulted with a sloppy kiss.
I'm short of breath, zoning in and out of the pleasuring state he's put me in as he changes his spot on my neck, repeating what he just did.
"Harry..."
Once he finishes on that area he backs his head away to meet my eyes.
"Kiss me Harry," I beg, and only have to once before we crash our lips to each other's.
I bring my hands down to his shirt, lucky not a button up this time, and tug it up, asking for permission before he helps me get it off, our lips apart for seconds before reconnecting. We find ourselves stumbling towards his bedroom as he pulls up my shirt, holding me close at the same time.
My adrenaline I've had since I awoke is pumping faster as I impulsively try something new. I bite his bottom lip as we kiss, tugging my way and he moans out my name, something I've craved for days. My back presses up against the door of his bedroom and Harry quickly moves his plump lips to my jawline and back at my neck to take more control over us. My hands move from around his neck, slowly over his bare chest down to his pant line.
I want them off, but my subconscious wants me to think for a second.
Are you ready for this?
I notice Harry's stopped kissing me and is looking at me, his eyes asking the same thing as our chests move up and down quickly in sync.
I nod at him, a smile creeping it's way onto my face before Harry kisses me again as I work the button on his jeans and decide that when I can, I'll tug them down separately from his boxers. I feel the door behind me swing open and we walk back further to reach his bed. Harry tugs on my jeans and unbuttons them, his tongue in my mouth keeping me concentrated.
The back of the bed touches my right leg and I sort of trip over myself, flopping back on the bed, a sudden firing pain basing from my left foot and shooting up my leg, causing me to wince.
Holy shit, it's my foot. I passed out because of my foot.
Now I remember hearing a crack as we ran before, and it must have been my foot.
I'm frozen on the bed, trying to contain myself from screaming bloody murder due to the pain as Harry climbs on top of me, not have noticed my cry of pain. I snap out of it and notice he's removed his pants fully and mine, just left in his boxers and I can't even look because of how bad my stupid foot hurts.
Before he goes back down on my lips he stops. "Baby, are you alright?"
I shake my head quickly, the pain getting worse than it's ever been and my eyes squeeze shut.
"Rachel what's wrong?" he is serious now, getting off of me and standing back up in front of me.
"Foot..it's my--"
"The one I hurt at the park?" he questions, "Is that how you fell today?"
"Yessss..." I hiss, the pain getting more agonizing by the second.
I hear him put his jeans back on, as I curse quietly to myself because of how much this hurts and because what was about to happen probably won't.
Harry bends down to my dangling feet. "I'm going to take off your shoe to see it, okay?" he questions, trying to keep us both calm.
I give him an okay and as soon as the tennis shoe is off, I feel it so much more and can't bear to hold in my muffled scream this time.
"Oh god," I hear him mumble after I finish.
"What's...wrong..Harry?" my voice is strained as I try to get on my elbows to see.
I can't imagine how stupid I must look, in a bra and panties, yelling but not because of a guy, because of a damn foot.
Harry looks up at me and back down to my foot. "It's so swollen baby, and it's purple."
No..please no.
Harry must have noticed my worry because next thing I know he's right next to me, holding me in his arms. My head leaning on to his chest that is still uncovered as he rakes his fingers through my hair.
"Don't worry princess, please. I'll help you get dressed and we can go to the doc-"
"No!" I cry, looking him in the eyes with fear but he's just confused.
"We can't just ignore this.."
There's no way in hell I'm going to a doctor. "Yes, let's just.." I pause to take in the raging burn in my foot, "get some ice or something."
"Ice won't help any, come on I'll get your clothes," Harry snatches a pillow from behind and lays me down on it before rising off the bed.
"Please Harry, no!" I plead.
He bends down to pick up our clothing and shoots back up, "I'm not fighting you on this. We are going, and going right now."
"Harry--"
"Ah ah, no. You are listening to me. You said you trusted me love, now show me you do." he says, shutting me up. "Now let me help you get dressed."