60.
●•Scarlett•●
It was not until it was completely dark and freezing cold outside that I started gathering my stuff around his flat, distractedly jumping over the cushions scattered on the carpet and a few even on the hallway to the rooms, due to Harry’s insistence on keeping me with him on the couch when I really felt like going to the bathroom, throwing a few at me – and failing at actually hitting me – as if that would totally solve the problem.
The mere thought of what’d happened only a couple of hours ago made me grin stupidly, already making a little ball of clothes folded between my arms as I collected them from the floor, where I’d thrown them after I’d finally changed into my own clothing again.
Obviously, Harry was asleep on the couch – not that the thought of him being on the couch is obvious, but actually the fact that he’s unconscious –, ‘cause obviously he wouldn’t let me even stand if he was fully aware of what I was about to do, then. That’s mostly the reason why I’d stood up carefully, slowly holding his arm and removing it from where it was placed on my belly, silently tiptoeing back to his room, and… Well. Doing exactly what I was doing now.
The second reason I’d been so careful (and, logically, I wouldn’t admit it to him in a billion years) was because he looked completely adorable – and no, there’s no other word to describe it – with his mouth half-open, the upholstery of the couch imprinting its mark on his sleepy face, so beautifully peaceful. Waking him up would be a shame, since his asleep-self was definitely my favorite him.
He looked cute, calm and gullible, and maybe even innocent, like he surely didn’t do while awake, all cheeky and flirty and overly confident. Not that it happened all the time, anyways, because Styles was surely the only person who knew how and when to act in a certain way with me; and I’m not complaining either, because even if his flirts suck, I know his goals are not to make me flush, whatsoever. He seems to care more about seeing me simply rolling my eyes at him, knowing it makes me smile foolishly, than actually making me swoon.
Ha. As if that was possible.
And after all, it was still a shame I had to actually wake him up, because I couldn’t, just couldn’t leave this time without telling him goodbye. I couldn’t go away and let him think all he did last night was useless, when, honestly, it’d been the best thing someone has ever done for me. Today was even better, if you ask me, and I still couldn’t get over the fact that I was smiling like a f–cking child because he was so stupid it made me feel better naturally.
It’d been just a day, almost 24 hours next to him only, maybe? And still, I felt like I was born again.
Bending down in front of the couch, I grasped the edge of it for support with one hand, while quickly loosening up my hair and letting it fall around my shoulders with the other, covering the exposed skin of my neck that’d soon be feeling the cold wind from outside. After that, I hesitantly touched Harry’s arm, just lightly, shaking him almost imperceptibly to try and wake him up.
He mumbled some kind of complaint and turned around with his back facing me, hugging a cushion and burying his face in it.
“Harry, Haz?” I tried again, shaking him a bit harder now, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his neck, not being able to hold back the grin when he literally shivered and half-smiled, still not fully conscious. “Hey, curly, get up.”
“Mhm- sleep. I – sleep.” He half mumbled and half made (or at least tried to make) an order, burying his face deeper and deeper in the cushion as if that could silence my voice.
“Ok. I’m leaving then.” I stated simply, getting up on my feet and giggling as he seemed to come back to Earth within a sec, scrubbing his hands over his face and trying to focus on me. “No goodbye kisses.” I added, just to make him fully wake up and grab my wrist, pulling me closer until he was no longer lying, but sitting with me still standing between his legs.
“You’re leaving?” he asked incredulously, quickly turning around to glance up at the clock he kept pinned above the fridge, turning back to me with a frown placed between his brows. “Dude, it’s 2 in the morning!”
“First off,” I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “I’m not a dude. Second off, I should’ve been home earlier, but someone trapped me between the couch and his chest until I could barely breathe, so.”
“Don’t you dare act like you didn’t like it.” He raised an eyebrow, challengingly, and I just shrugged.
“The point is, I do have to go, okay? You can’t skip work tomorrow again and neither can I. Plus, I still have a house to take care of.”
“Lettie, don’t-”
I glared at him, and he sighed, giving up. The nickname made a jolt run down my spine (not in a good way, I’m afraid), making me do my best not to physically shiver at it. After that, I simply curved down at him, who still looked deadly tired and comfy in his sweat pants and a sweater that could’ve been made by his gran, I suppose, and kissed his forehead, feeling guilty as the tip of my freezing nose touched his warm skin.
“Look, I promise we’ll see more often, if you’re still up for it.” At that he rolled his eyes, as if it was obvious (which was, but). “I don’t intend on disappearing again and ignoring you anymore; it’s not like I can, anyways. You know too much about me, so.”
“Pinky promise?” he asked, puppy eyes and pouty lips, sticking up his finger in a childish way I had to bit my lips not to laugh out loud, and then I surrounded it with my own, placing a chaste kiss to where our fingers laced together.
“Pinky promise, stubborn one.”
“Fine then.” He shrugged while hiding (mostly like failing) his smile, and standing up as well, going for the small basket where he kept his car keys and grabbing my hand, sliding his long fingers between mine and pulling me towards the door.
“What the-?”
“If you’re going home, I’m at least taking you there. No way you’re gonna walk or get a cab tonight, when it’s this cold and freaking two in the morning, okay?” I nodded at his demanding yet sweet and caring tone, and he relaxed a bit. “Good. You’re learning.” He lowered the tone of his voice to say the last words, more talking to himself than to me.
“Hey, I’m not some kind of pet.”
“Oh, just shush and come.”
Then he pulled me out until we were inside his car, where he gently opened the door for me before turning around and getting into his own side, leaning forward to peck my lips and just then buckle his seatbelt, turning on the engine and grabbing my hand to lace our fingers over the gearshift the whole ride to my house.
“K.” He breathed out, standing abruptly from the couch and coming to hug me; his long, muscular arms wrapping around me tightly, his whole body awkwardly bent down so he could actually fit his head between my head and shoulder and breathe in and out heavily, as if he hadn’t done that for years.
“Tyler.” I replied droningly, pushing him away with the rest of my strength as I closed the front door completely, not bothering to be silent anymore, then starting to walk towards the room, ready to step out of my shoes and just sleep.
It felt like it was going to be a damn long night without that long body next to me to wrap me tightly.
“K.? Babe? I’m sorry, I – God, where were you? I went to Lana’s and she said- you weren’t- I was so worried. I’m sorry, okay? We can solve this, I know we can, just-”
“Tyler, shut up.” I huffed out, not even sounding mad, just tired, because that’s what I was. I wouldn’t take his sh–t tonight, not a chance. “Don’t wanna talk about it now, okay? I want to sleep and you gotta wake up early so you should probably do the same. Stay on the couch or I will, whatever. Just. Don’t follow me.”
“K.?” he asked, seeming hurt and just a tad bit angry, barely something, approaching me and clearly confused with my actions. I’d never asked him to sleep on the couch before. “What’s going on? Where were you?” he repeated, a bit louder this time, holding my forearm. “And… Whose sweater is this?”
I gnawed on my lower lip, thinking about how Harry had insisted I should stay with his sweater at least until I got inside because it was cold and I was wearing something absurdly, well, not-warm, and he kept going on and on about how I would get sick, and then become vulnerable and fragile and wouldn’t be able to go to work or ‘stand up for myself’ if Tyler tried to make me any harm again, which I knew he wouldn’t, but whatever. He won because stubbornness, at the end.
And even though the thought was nice, I rolled my eyes, pulling my arm back and turning around, not bothering to face Tyler when I repeated, fiercely this time:
“I want to sleep.”
When he stormed into our room, I was already on my socks, pulling down my jeans and opening the wardrobe to look for my PJ pants, only, since I planned on keeping the sweater for the whole night, apparently. Or at least the rest of it.
“Kirsten? The f–ck is going on? You smell man, you’re acting ridiculously and you spent too long away from home without even bothering to say a thing to me. And don’t lie to me, I know you weren’t at Lana’s, so don’t even try it.” He warned, glaring at me, trying his best to grip my wrist, though I shoved off, heading towards the bathroom once I already had the comfy pants on.
“Of course I wasn’t at Lana’s, you prat!” I breathed out, sounding surely pissed. “It’s so obvious you’d go for me, can’t you see it I needed my own time? And damn, Tyler, I smell Leroy, okay? Before you come up with your sh–tty assumptions, I was at my brother’s. Because there’s no way in hell you’d even think of going there.” I lied, trying to spit out the words confidently, which apparently worked, if Tyler’s expression’s change meant anything.
Truth is, Tyler’s a jerk, really.
Of course he wouldn’t notice I was lying. He paid no attention to my brother at all, so there’s not a single chance he would’ve noticed the sweater was not Lee’s size, nor that his cologne didn’t smell like the one that was impregnated at me completely. Besides, he also wouldn’t’ve thought of me looking for my brother, and that’s why he just left the information sink in as he looked hurt. Extremely hurt.
I almost felt bad for him. But I was just too tired to care.
“Why’d you spend the whole day out, Kirs? I tried to call you but you didn’t answer. You could’ve come back, y’know? We’d solve everything. We always do.” He was nearly pouting by now, stepping closer to me, preventing me from closing the bathroom door with one of his hands only.
“Maybe it’s time we shouldn’t try to solve it anymore.” I whispered, looking down. Tyler’s eyes widened, and I could almost hear his heartbeat through the several layers of skin and muscles. “You’ve got to learn how to control yourself, how to not take it all on me.”
His lips were pressed in a tight line, which he let go with a loud breath as he came closer, hugging me.
“So, so sorry, K. Promise you, I promise you I’ll do it.” Of course you will, I thought, knowing that was the thousandth time I heard that. “It’s all been so complicated lately, there’s so much pressure on me. But I promise, I’ll fix this. Just please don’t go, okay?”
I pushed him away, nodding ever so slightly – too tired to start a whole conversation with the reasons why I shouldn’t trust him; too tired to confront him –, making him grow a little smile of relief over his lips.
“You’re still sleeping on the couch, though.” I stated, fully turning around and locking the door behind me.
He didn’t protest.
●•Author's Note•●
dedication goes to: @fisherduncan95 thanks babe, I'm glad you like the story (: And don't worry, soon you'll learn more about Harry as well. By the way, even if I wanted to publish this, I couldn't, because I already did it online. Plus, it's just a fanfic. My original ideas are all inside my head, just waiting for an opportunity to be published :)
note: Before y'all start going crazy saying she should already break up with him, calm down. She's taking one step at a time. Don't forget she's been through a lot with and for him, so it's not gonna happen all of sudden. Butttttttt, isn't she cute? I'm not proud my character lies to her boyfriend, but, awh, for Harry. Too much haha.
next update: Sunday (October 13th)
900 votes for early update. Love you lots, really. - Dani xx