My eyes fluttered open to the sunlight seeping through the curtains. I shiftlessly pushed the blankets off of my body and crawled out of the warm confines of the bed.
A smile crept up on my face when I remembered how I didn’t bring pyjamas and Harry just took off his shirt and gave it to me. My fingers grazed over the bottom of the soft fabric as I walked around the bed.
When I got to the side that Harry had slept on, I noticed a picture frame that was flipped upside down, lying flat so that you couldn’t see it. Curiosity got the better of me as I walked over to the nightstand. I gently picked up the frame and turned it over so I could see the picture.
Inside the frame was a picture of me on Harry’s back. If I’m not mistaken, it looked like we were going up an incline. As I studied the picture, trying to figure out what we were doing and where we were, I heard that pattering of feet coming toward the bedroom. However, I didn’t put the picture down; I was too intrigued by it.
“You remember that picture?” Harry asked, not sounding upset at all like I thought he might be. “It was at Oak Pines two summers back.”
After what Harry said, I was starting to remember. The moment came flooding into my mind, slightly blurry at first, but soon it was as clear as day.
~*~FLASHBACK~*~
“You sure you can make it? It’s a pretty steep hill,” Harry quizzed with amusement.
“Fine, you can carry me mister macho man,” the girl joked. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you that you’re just making it harder on yourself.”
“Relax, Gabby, you’re not that heavy.”
“That’s what you say now; just wait until we start going uphill.”
Harry shook his head smiling before hunching down. The girl jumped up on his back and wrapped her legs securely around his waist. He stood up straight again and held onto her thighs to keep her from slipping down. She rested her head on his shoulder as they continued up the hill.
I followed up the hill, not really having much of a choice otherwise. Besides, I was curious to find out about what Harry and I used to have before I lost all memory of him. It was like I was in the scene of a movie, that’s how cute of a couple I saw them as. I say them because I’m not that Gabby anymore, I’m different. This Gabby is perfect, me…not so much.
They stopped at the top of the hill where Harry set her down on her feet. She walked around to be in front of him and they smiled at each other. Harry brushed a strand of hair out of her face before giving her the most loving, soft kiss I’ve ever seen. I actually think I started to tear up just from witnessing it.
He pulled away slowly and a smile spread across her lips as her eyes opened gradually. She cupped his cheek in one hand and brought their lips back together. All of the sudden she pulled away rather quickly.
“Race ya’!” She yelled with a large grin as she took off down the hill.
“Hey!” Harry complained. She had just pulled one of the oldest tricks in the book on him. Smart move, Gabby, smart move.
Harry quickly got over it and chased after her down the hill. I followed again and as they approached the bottom with Harry gaining up on her, she tripped and fell. The rest of the way down the hill for her was like a barrel roll. I laughed at how clumsy I was. Well, I still am.
She was lying flat on her back laughing about her fall when Harry got there. He smiled down at her, offering his hand. She took it and he helped try to get her up. Once she was on her feet again, she winced.
“Ouch,” she murmured hopping off of her right foot. Harry held her steady with a hand on her back as she concentrated on standing on one foot.
“What happened?” he asked worried.
“I think I sprained my ankle,” she answered as she rubbed the swollen ankle with her hand.
“Come on, I’ll carry you to the car,” Harry insisted.
“No, I’m fine,” she assured him. She tried taking a step forward and cursed at the pain in her ankle.
“Yep, I’m carrying you.”
Harry didn’t give her much of a choice as he literally swept her off her feet and held her in his arms. He carried her back to the car bridal style and sat her down in the passenger side. Then he went around to the driver’s side and slid in himself, closing the door. Suddenly I went from being outside to being inside the car. This is so weird, yet amazing.
“I could’ve walked, you know?” she said to Harry as she buckled herself in.
“Maybe I felt like carrying you,” he smirked. “Besides, it would just hurt worse and get more swollen than it already is.”
“I hate it when you’re right,” she joked.
“But you love me,” he replied with a smile before pulling out of the parking lot.
~*~END OF FLASHBACK~*~
“Yeah, I remember…I twisted my ankle, right?” I asked after snapping back into reality.
“That’s right. I’m so happy you haven’t completely forgotten,” Harry admitted.
I carefully placed the picture back where I found it and turned to face him. A blush crept up on my cheeks as I noticed that he was shirtless in only loose, grey sweatpants. Can anyone be more perfect than to still look undeniably hot in sweats? I don’t think so.
“Did you want your shirt back?” I offered as he strode towards me.
“No, it looks so much better on you anyway.”
I took a few steps toward where Harry was now and he pulled me closer by my waist. He gently placed a strand of my hair behind my ear and kissed me softly. When he pulled away I had those ridiculously annoying butterflies in the pit of my stomach.
Everything seemed to be perfect when I was with him. Even before I let myself believe that I might have a slight crush on him, being around him was never strange or awkward; it was oddly comfortable.
Just as he was about to kiss me again, which had me all excited, my phone started to ring and ruined the moment. I sighed, closing my eyes aggravated. Stupid phone.
“I should get that,” I said and he nods, releasing me from his hold.
As I walk to the other side of the bed to retrieve my cell phone, I can feel his eyes on me watching my every move. Some might find it creepy, but I found it to be a strange turn on.
I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket from last night and groaned when I read the name. It was my dad. As much as I dreaded the conversation I knew was coming, I had to answer it.
“Hello?” I said into the phone.
“Thank god you’re okay. Where are you? I’m coming to get you,” my dad says in his worried tone.
“You don’t need to do that. I’m with a friend working on a project,” I lie whilst motioning for Harry to be quiet with my finger over my lips.
“Yes I do.”
“No, you really don’t. I’ll be home soon, dad. Bye.” With that said, I hung up the phone.
“You should probably go before your dad starts getting suspicious,” Harry says out of the blue.
“But I don’t want to leave…I want to stay here…with you.”
“Gabby, as much as I’d like you to stay, you have no idea what your father is capable of doing. If he finds out about this, about us, chances are we’ll never see each other again.”
Has my dad done that before, tried to separate us?
Wow, that just makes him even more of a messed up father. Sure, you have the right to dislike who your child choses to date, but it’s their choice and you don’t have the right to sabotage the relationship to please your needs; it just doesn’t work like that.
Apparently that’s what my dad thinks, that he can run my life and control who I date. Well, news flash, he’s wrong. I’m going to date who I want to date and he’s going to have to deal with it whether or not he likes the lad.
Nevertheless, I knew Harry was right about it this time; my dad was already pissed off enough, this would just be the icing on the cake.
“Okay, fine, I’ll go. I just have to change first.”
I strutted off to the bathroom with my clothes from last night in my hands. Luckily the blood wasn’t very noticeable and there wasn’t much of it. After I shut the door, I closed the lid of the toilet and sat my clothes down, then I placed my hands on the edge of the sink and sighed with my eyes closed.
When I opened my eyes and looked at my reflection, I didn’t see the Gabby I used to be.
I saw a girl that was a mess on the inside, but showed confidence on the outside nonetheless. I saw the guilt in my eyes as they stared back at me.
Guilt for knowing I was never going to be that girl Harry was in love with. Guilt because I felt like even though I did truly fancy him, I was leading him on. Guilt filling up my emotions because I knew Harry was still in love with her, the girl I used to be, and that he saw her in me, thinking he was still in love with me when in reality he’s in love with her, the person I’ll never be.
I knew that I had a strong attraction to him, but it was causing me to be selfish. I was taking his love like it was for me, but when I’m honest with myself; all of his love is for her.
He loved her so much that he’s still in denial, thinking he can bring back the memories and make everything go back to the way it was.
But what I noticed is that whenever I have those flashbacks, it’s like I’m a bystander watching everything happen. If I really were that girl, I would see it through her eyes, wouldn’t I?
Another hefty sigh left my lips as I rolled my head back; trying to relieve some of the stress this was causing me. I went to clothes and peeled Harry’s t shirt off, replacing it with my shirt from the other night.
Once I stepped into my jeans, I folded Harry’s shirt and came out of the bathroom and went back to the bedroom to get my phone.
After picking up my phone and placing it in my pocket, I made my way towards the door but was stopped by Harry. I realised I was still holding his shirt, so I held it out to him.
“Almost forgot to give this back,” I said.
“Keep it, that way I’ll always be with you even if I can’t actually be there,” he smiled handing the t shirt back to me.
I gave him a small smile, “Thanks.”
He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Text me when you’re home.”
“I will,” I replied before walking out the door to my car. Time to face the man who I not-so-proudly call my father.
* * *
As soon as I got into the house and to the bottom of the steps to go to my room, my dad saw me and stopped me. I reluctantly stood there to listen as he sat in the kitchen.
“I thought you were going to help a friend with a project?” he asks.
“I was.” I say.
“Then why do I smell cologne?”
“I don’t know…She has a brother,” I lie shrugging my shoulders.
“Which friend?”
“Clarissa.”
“What class is it for?”
“Chemistry.”
“Did you finish?”
“Yeah, mostly.”
“Never leave this house like you did last night, ever.”
“Yup,” I agree with sarcasm in my tone.
My dad sighed, “Look, I’m sorry for not telling you. I just thought it’d be easier for you to start over fresh.”
I shook my head, “Whatever.” Ignoring his apology, I headed up the steps to my room.
He seriously thinks I’m going to forgive him that easily? Yeah right.
Does he really expect everything to just magically be back to normal and for me to be okay? Well I’m not okay.
As a matter of fact, I’m pissed and hurt. I would’ve rather he told me the truth. I could still switch schools and all like he did with me already, I just wish he let me in on the real reason I was in the hospital. I still don’t even know what happened to me that caused me to be in a coma.
Don’t comas happen because of near death experiences? Did I almost die? I don’t know, but I do know that I’m going to find out.
I took out my phone and flopped down on my bed after closing my door.
Just as I was about to text Harry and tell him I was home like he asked, a hand came in front of my face and snatched my phone out of my hands. I turned around from my position furious. He did not just take my phone.
“If you can’t talk to me, then you can’t talk to anyone,” he scolds as he shakes the phone.
“That’s so not fair! You lied to me about my actual name and why I was in the hospital! Maybe you just lied about mom too,” I yelled at him. What he was doing was completely unjustified compared to what he’s done to me.
“I did that for a good reason! I did it for you, dammit! We even moved so you wouldn’t be that girl that almost died!” he screams back at me, tears filling his eyes.
“Dad…”
“Gabriella, I almost lost my baby girl because of some insolent boy. You didn’t listen to me when I told you he wasn’t good.”
“Dad, who are you talking about?”
“That Harry boy. He’s the reason you were in a coma.”
After he said that he turned away and walked out of my room, slamming the door behind him. What the hell was he talking about?
A/N: Another plot twist! I really hope you guys like this story…I work really hard on it. Anyways, remember, more feedback=quicker updates! xx