A song that really reminds me of 'Harley' is Goodnight Moon by Go Radio. So yeah listen to it. It gives me emotions.
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When Mr and Mrs Tomlinson finally arrive home, Marley is half asleep on the couch in their living room. They're in the middle of a conversation and by their giggles and Mr. Tomlinson's slightly slurred speech, it's easy to tell they're intoxicated.
Marley sits up and pulls on her shoes when she hears them. The clock on the wall says a quarter to midnight.
"Oh, Marley. How were they?" Renee says when she sees the young girl in her living room. "Did they get to bed on time?"
"Yeah." She nods. "They were great, as usual."
Though that's sort of a lie. Ben whined about going to bed for a full five minutes and Jared wouldn't put down his controller to eat dinner. But Marley hopes that if the Tomlinsons think she's doing a good job, they'll hire her more often.
"Perfect." Mrs. Tomlinson grins. The flush of alcohol visible in her cheeks. And Marley can't help but envy her natural beauty and tall, lean frame.
"Here you are, love." Louis walks into the living room with a few bills in his hand. His coat is a bit wrinkled and his eyes are kind despite their slight red tint.
The way he calls her love reminds Marley of the day she met the boy with troubled kind of green eyes. And she smiles.
The bills are placed into her hand. Doesn't look at them as she stuffs them in her jean pocket. Marley learned early that it's rude to count money in front of people. She just hopes its a decent amount.
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson."
"Please call us by our first names." Louis smiles. "It makes me feel old when you don't."
Marley just nods. "Let me know when you're going out again. I'd be happy to watch them."
"Will do." He says before heading toward the stairs. "See her out, Renee?"
His wife smiles and leads Marley to the front door. "Do you have a ride home, Hun? We can call for a cab."
"No, it's fine." Marley shakes her head. They might call a cab for her, but Marley would still have to pay for it herself. And that she really can't afford. "Goodnight, Renee."
"Goodnight." She smiles. Her teeth perfectly straight and white unlike Marley's which never had braces like she should have. Her eyes are warm chocolate and caramel. And her cheeks are clear and blemish free.
The air is chilled and Marley wraps her arms around herself in the wind. Her house is about three miles from here. And though she walked here after school, it's a different story when you have to do it in the dark, at almost midnight.
So maybe it was the cold wind and the thought of his heated seats. Or maybe it was the way her eyes felt heavy and she could tell that it would take everything in her not to fall asleep in the grass by the road. But Marley opens her embarrassing flip phone and finds Harry's number in her short list of contacts.
He picks up after a few rings. "Hello?" His voice is groggy and raspy. She must have woken him. But for a selfish second she doesn't care because his voice is groggy and raspy and hot.
And then she feels bad because she woke him.
"I'm sorry. I woke you up. Never mind, I should have assumed you would be asleep this late."
"Marley? No, it's fine." He yawns before continuing. "What's wrong, baby?"
Marley's heart flutters for a moment. Because he called her that again. He has a habit of doing that. "Umm.. I'm walking home from where I was babysitting and I-I don't know... It's just... Kinda far." She stutters. "But it's fine. I'll walk. It's fine. You can go back to sleep."
"No, where are you?" Harry says. Sounding slightly more awake than before. "I'll come pick you up."
"On Garson Street. Headed toward the corner by the big Library." She says.
"Okay, that's not far. I'll be there in a few minutes." It sounds like he's rustling through things. And she hears the jingle of keys. "Don't go anywhere."
"I won't." Marley pauses. The creak of the steps in his house can be heard through the line. "Thank you, Harry."
He waits until he's outside to reply. "Anytime, Marr. I mean it."
"Thank you." She repeats. Because the boy with troubled kind of green eyes is the most caring person she's ever met.
Not everyone would get up in the middle of the night to give her a ride home. And it makes her happy that he would.
He would for her.
They hang up and a few moments later, Marley is standing in front of the library. Her breath like a ghost in front of her with every exhale. Her cold fingers are tucked into her sleeves but they itch to reach for the pack in her bag and the lighter in her pocket.
But her family has always smelled like addiction. And the thought of puffing out a breath of smoke when Harry rounds the corner kind of makes her sad. She knows he doesn't like her habit of self-destruction. Kind of wants to stop.
Kind of wants to stop for him.
Puh-lease. You know you love smoking. Not doing it won't make him love you.
"Nothing will make him love me." Marley says. The soft tone of her voice escapes into the cold air with ease despite her words which feel so tangled on her tongue. "He may never love me. Because I can't make him do anything. And that's fine."
Not great.
Not good.
Just fine.
Headlights nearly blind her vision as a car turns onto the road. But Marley is already blind. Because she doesn't need to make Harry love her. He already does.
She just can't see it.
Harry's black vehicle blends in with the night and leaves the bright beams as Marley's only clue that her ride has arrived. That is, until he rolls down the window and music drifts out across the expanse between them.
Marley takes a step closer on the sidewalk as he stops.
"Hey, beautiful." And with the darkness comes an irrational sense of security. So actions and words spoken seem less potent with smaller consequences.
But Marley doesn't mind it. She smiles.
"You look like you could use a ride." Harry smirks as the car sits idle by the curb.
She climbs inside. Laughs when she sees the imprint of his pillowcase on his cheek. But feels bad knowing she woke him up.
"What's so funny?" Harry asks as he rolls up her window and starts down the road.
"You have sleeping lines on your face." Marley says. "I'm sorry I woke you up."
"It's no problem, love." Rests his hand on her leg with minimal thought behind the action. "Really."
Marley sighs. Her seat is warm on her back and his hand is warm on her thigh and her heart is warm in her chest. Because how could it not be in the presence of the most caring person she's ever met?
And with the darkness comes an irrational sense of security. So actions and words spoken seem less potent with smaller consequences.
With little thought behind it, Marley rests her hand on top of his on her leg. The both of them smile. For the rest of the drive.
And maybe that was the real beginning. Or maybe it was the moment he saw her in his first period English class.
But it was definitely the beginning of the end.
Despite the short drive, Marley is nearly asleep when Harry pulls into her grey, patchwork driveway.
So with the security of the darkness and his cold breath a ghost in front of him, Harry shuts off the engine. Walks around to her side. And opens her door.
She squints her eyes open as he unbuckles her seatbelt. Doesn't fight it when he wraps one arm under her legs, the other around her waist, and lifts her small frame from the passenger seat.
His heartbeat. Marley can hear his heartbeat when she rests her head on his chest. Her arms around his neck. And closes her eyes again.
Something about his arms around her makes her feel safe. Safer than she's felt in a long time. And maybe it's the security of the darkness or the cold air. But whatever it is, she shifts her head into the crook of his neck. Her nose nearly brushing his Adam's apple.
His heartbeat. Harry can feel his heartbeat against his ribcage when her soft breath hits his skin. Stands there for a moment trying to control the rapid thumping in his chest before kicking the door closed and walking toward her front porch.
Opening the door proves to be somewhat of a struggle, but when he finally gets it open he heads to the stairs.
Harry always loved Marley's house in an odd way. It's not perfect or too clean like his house. And despite its dulled carpets and the slight smell of addiction, he thinks it's more of a home than his ever will be.
The stairs squeak under Harry's feet as he slowly ascends to the single, small room at the top. Only two doors make up the second story hallway. And he knows which one is Marley's room and which is the bathroom.
Once he sets her down on her mattress, he pulls off her shoes and covers her with her quilt. And he's taken back when she grips his shirt in her cold fingers. A mumble escaping her lips softer than a feather.
"What's that, love?" He asks. Brushes the hair back from her face before taking the hand still clutching his shirt in both of his hands. Kisses her knuckles.
With the darkness comes an irrational sense of security. So words and actions spoken seem less potent with smaller consequences. And something about his arms around her makes her feel safe. Safer than she's felt in a long time.
So she says, "Don't go."
Harry feels the breath escape from his chest. Her words momentarily knocking the wind out of him. And for a moment he wonders if she actually said it. Here with him kneeling beside her bed at one in the morning. Wonders if he didn't make it up in his head.
When he regains oxygen in his lungs he asks, "You want me to stay?"
She nods. Mumbles. "Don't like... being alone."
And she doesn't have to say anything more. Because Harry is entirely too captured in her essence. And in her smile. And those crystal blue eyes that remind him of icicles and frost-bitten noses. Too captured to say no.
"Okay, I'll stay." Harry says. Because with the darkness comes an irrational sense of security. So words and actions spoken seem less potent with smaller consequences.
Marley moves over to make room for him. And Harry feels like he's dreaming as he kicks off his shoes and pulls off his jacket before climbing into bed with her.
She only has one pillow. So she rests her head on him instead.
He expected for his heart to leap out of his chest. But it settles in a calm rhythm. Their breathing begins to slow in unison. Harry closes his eyes, a small smile playing on the corners of his lips.
Because Marley Parker asked him to stay. The girl with the crystal blue eyes that remind him of icicles and frost-bitten noses asked him to stay. An old quilt covering them. Only one pillow for them to share.
But it's okay because he's tired of sleeping alone.
And so is she.
So they lay together. And fall a little further into love as together, they fall into slumber.
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THIS CHAPTER WASN'T IN MY ORIGINAL OUTLINE... WHERE DID IT COME FROM!?!
THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL THAT'S WHERE.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU GUYS TO READ WHATS COMING EEEEEEEEPPPPPPP.
Love you babes xoxo
Stay beautiful.
-Lena xx