I spent all weekend in hospital sitting next to Harry's bed. Sitting, worrying, getting him glasses of water. His mum came to visit and stayed all Friday and Saturday night while I went home to sleep. I must have looked a right mess when he woke up. My hair was messy from dozing off while waiting for him to open his eyes. My non-existent make-up made me look like something out of a Stephen King film.
Harry slept most of Saturday. His blood lose had drained him of all his energy which he used sleep to gain back. He was still pretty drowsy on Sunday but at least he was talking.
"How did you manage to get a stab wound in your stomach Harry?" I quizzed him on Sunday evening.
His face grew pale and ashamed. "It doesn't matter now, does it?" he sighed.
"Well yeah it does, pretty much" I said sternly.
"You worry too much" he stated. He was right, I did worry too much but he was in a life threatening condition.
"Harry you could have died!" I said raising my voice slightly, "Don't you ever do that to me again"
"Ok, I'm sorry" he said sincerely then closed his eyes to sleep.
"You still need to answer my question though" I woke him.
He huffed. "Ok so when we were marched out of the classroom by those teachers...after the fight..." he started.
"Yes" I said, eager for him to continue.
"Well we were kept back 1 hour after school finished. Then they let me and John go home at the same time" he continued. John being the one he had a fight with.
"And what! He just stabbed you!" I said as my face screwed up.
"Shh" he said placing his finger against my lips.
"He started shouting things about you as we left the school gates" he started again.
"Things like what?" I said, a frown quickly dragged down my face.
"Please shhh" he said grabbing my hand.
"I was getting really pissed off with him now...so I asked him what his problem was and he said 'I' was the problem, because 'I think I'm so great because I have girlfriend' or somethin'" he spoke staring into space like he was reliving the moment.
I nodded showing my interest.
"I asked him if we could sort the problem by talking about it but he said he knew an easier way" Harry swallowed hard "That's when he got out the knife"
I put my head down in sadness.
"I think it was supposed to be used as a threat but I panicked and that's how I got that slash right across my stomach" he said now looking down.
"Oh Harry" I said rubbing his arm with the hand he wasn't holding, "Why didn't you tell me when I saw it on Friday?"
"I...I..I didn't think it was that deep" he said looking at me with those big sparkling green eyes. I just wanted to hold him but I couldn't because of the cut.
He was out of hospital the next morning and back to school on the Wednesday with a big bandage wrapped around him which his shirt covered. This 'John' boy was suspended to a youth police station until further notice making it safe for Harry and I to continue going to school. We didn't seem to be the luckiest couple on Earth but we had each other.
~~~
"Can you pass me that lipstick please?" asked Olivia pointing across the dresser.
"Yeah here you go" Eliza answered putting down her blusher brush and throwing the lipstick to Liv.
"Only 15 minutes left 'till we leave for school" Sara said popping her head around the door frame.
It was Friday night and what does Friday night mean?
You don't know? Oh thanks for listening! Haha
Friday night means tonight it's CHRISTMAS DISCO TIME!
'Don't forget to dress warm! It's going to be a cold one tonight xxxxx'
Harry text me. I laughed. As if I was going to turn up to a prom style party with gloves and a scarf and maybe even a little hat. Ha! No! I don't think so Harry.
I slid my feet into my black platform wedges and pulled up the gold zips. I then stood up straightening my black prom dress that reached the floor, even with the wedges on. The dress had a coral and gold belt that when fastened made my waist stand out. It also made me look like I had a slimmer waist than I really had, which was a bonus. The dress flowed down in tiers of material. It cost me a fortune but I was willing to pay for it, for Harry.
"Sara said 'c'mon c'mon we need to go now'" Kelly yelled clapping her hands enthusiastically. Kelly's dress was purple, coincidentally Liam's favourite colour. It was a similar design to mine but it was a little shorter and where my belt was she had a white ribbon instead.
Soon enough we were all in the car on our way to our school. As we pulled up at the gates we could hear the music coming from inside. Disco lights beamed out of the windows into the dark sky and teenagers from our year stood at the hall entrance getting fresh air.
Sara thanked her mum for dropping us off then we started for the door. We were deafened and blinded by the sound of the music and the lights that flashed and reflected off our eyes. Christmas songs were the played favourites so far.
"Hey where are..." Just as I asked I stopped. We all seemed to go off into our own little bubbles when we caught eyes contact with our boyfriends.
I moved my eyes down from Harry's eyes. He wore a white shirt with a black tie and pants that matched his smart black blazer with a coral pink flower pinned to it. I'd never seen Harry like this before the whole outfit complimenting him in every way. I saw he was checking me out too which made me lower my head a little in embarrassment. It felt like we were the only two people in the room as he walked towards me. The music was gone and the lights were shinning on us in our own little world. It was like something out of a movie, we were having a little moment. I could have stayed in there forever, but then I was awoken by Harry's voice.
"Lucy,..you..you look beautiful!" he said placing his hands on my little waist. His lips pressed close to my ear as he spoke.
I wanted to run a mile and scream at the top of my lungs and come back. However that could not happen right now, I just blushed and smiled as I looked at the ground.
"You're not too bad yourself" I mumbled, still looking at a spot on the ground holding back tears and laughter.
"Hey, I'm up here" he said taking a hand from my waist and waving it in front of my face. His muscled torso was pressed firmly to my body.
I laughed nervously, "Yeah" I said looking up into his eyes. I couldn't hold back a smile, my teeth pushing through my lips. Yet I didn't understand why I was so nervous, it was only Harry, my big cheese ball of a boyfriend.
"Look at those two having a moment" Louis laughed. Eliza laughed too. I sent them daggers then ended up laughing as well.
Eliza's red dress matched the flower on Louis's blazer like mine and Harry's. In fact all the boys had flowers to match their girlfriends' dresses, Niall & Sara's colour was a light lime green and Zayn & Liv's colour was a baby blue, we all looked amazing if I do say so myself.
"Want some Punch?" Harry said, eagerly waiting for an answer.
"Yes" I nodded. Harry slide his fingers in between mine before steering me away from the others.
"Ha Punch! Where does this school think it is? America?" I laughed as we approached the table with a big bowl of an orange liquid on it.
"I know we're in the UK for goodness sake, yet it wouldn't be a prom without punch!" Harry said ladling the juice into a plastic cup and handing it me.
"Yeah" I said shrugging my shoulders. "Oh thank you" I said taking the tiniest sip from the cup trying not to smudge my lipstick.
"No problem" Harry shrugged ladling himself some 'punch'.
"Soooo...will we be dancing tonight?" I said sneakily pressing one hand against his chest.
"Depends" Harry said his cheeky smile brightening up his face.
"Depends on what?" I asked playing withthe top of his tie.
Harry tapped the side of his nose with one finger. "That's for me to know and you to find out" he said before winking and disappearing into a load of teenagers. I shocked my head then laughed.
Wait! Where did he go?
I was about to panic when Liv and Zayn appeared.
"Hey, Where's Harry?" Zayn asked.
I looked around then back at the couple.
"I was about to ask you the same question" I said.
"Hmm...maybe he's gone to the Arches for some fresh air" Liv said, now she was looking around too.
"Excuse me, the what?" I said in confusion.
"The Arches...wait! Haven't you seen them?" Liv asked me, genuinely shocked.
"No I.." I started.
"We must take you" she said grabbing my arm and pulling me towards another exit from the hall. Zayn followed close behind.
"The school put up the Arches especially for the Christmas Disco. Hoh, did you bring your camera? because I know you'll want to take a photo of them!" Liv chatted away as we walked.
"Yes I did but.." I tried to explain.
"Look!" she said pointing through the door that normally leads to an empty field next to the school.
"Okay" I sighed.
WOW.
The Arches were amazing!
I looked out to a path of powdered snow with wooden arches sloping over the top of it. Dazzling Christmas lights swirled around each arch making it glow. Baskets of winter flowers in every colour were displayed at the bottom of each side of an arch. The path looked quite a long walk but I could faintly see an outline of a small bandstand. The top of the bandstand was covered in fake snow and had a little statue of Santa on his slay with his reindeer on top.
"I told you it was pretty" Liv said waking me from the trance this place had put me in.
Zayn wrapped his arm around Liv's shoulders "Not as pretty as you" he smiled.
I rolled my eyes.
I missed Harry right then. Where was he with his cute comments?
I sighed silently and started walking down the arch path feeling sorry for myself. Zayn and Liv turned around and went back into the hall.
I walked to the pace of the Christmas song that I could hear still coming from our school venue. I was having a wonderful time in my own company when I noticed something pinned to one of the arches. I looked around but no-one was there to prove I wasn't going mad so I had to investigate. I slowly reached up and pulled the note of paper from the wood and read it to myself:
'Lucy? Hello!
It must be 5 degrees right? You'd be mad to be walking out here in just that dress.
So look next to that basket of flowers and put that jacket on.'
I looked down to see a warm woolly jumper-jacket resting on the grass. I quickly put it on then continued reading:
'Now, I've left you a present at the bandstand so you need to go and get it.
Lots of love and kisses,
H? x'
I shook my head and giggled. There's no way I'm accepting a gift off him. He's too kind as it is. I suppose it was best to go get the present just so no-one else took it. The bandstand was so far away though.
I walked under five more arches when I noticed another note pinned to the 5th arch. I pulled it down and read:
'Hello again,
Cold yet? I bet you are, aren't you!
I know you, I bet your hands are white with the cold aren't they?'
I looked at my hands, they were exactly how the note had described them, white and cold.
'See those gloves, take them, put them on!
And keep going you're about 2/5 of the way there.
Love,
H? x'
I picked up the gloves and pulled them onto my frozen fingers then continued walking.
5 more aches later I found another note:
'Hey!
Annoyed at me yet? You should be haha!
Now you're feet are killing aren't they? Yes they are.
Take those shoes off, you'll move much faster.
Also the snow isn't real so it won't be cold for you.
Head up love, you're just over half way!
Love you more,
H? x'
Right there I wanted to hug Harry then punch him in the face for making me do this. I quickly unzipped my shoes and slipped them off. My feet now felt like I was walking on clouds as the artifical snow tickled my toes.
Another 5 arches and there was a fourth note.
'Good news,
This is your last note from me.
Which means you are now 4/5 of the way.
It's still not too late to chicken out if you want to.
Right, those pretty collarbones of yours are frozen, ay?
Yes they are I know it!
Look down and you'll see a scarf.
Take it and put it on.
Love you so much,
H? x'
Ok I'm so cold right now, I just want to be in bed. I'm quite angry that he's made me do this in the freezing cold when we're supposed to be at a party having fun! Why couldn't he be normal and give the present to me instead of hiding it in this bandstand. I grabbed the scarf and slid it under my pin curled hair. That was a little better now my chest was warm.
I strolled along, I wasn't far from the bandstand now.
The roughness of the wooden steps against my feet made me stop. I walked slowly in order to try and not get any splinters. That's when I got the fright of my life.
"Harry?" I said as I saw him standing in the bandstand staring out into the distant fields.
"You made it" he said as he turned around, his face lit up like the Christmas lights.
He walked over and tried to hug me but I pushed him away.
"I think you have some explaining to do!" I said crossing my arms and tapping my foot.
He laughed. "So, Today I text you asking you to wrap up warm. I knew you wouldn't listen but look at you now" he said pointing to me.
I looked down at myself. I looked so cosy with my woolly jacket, cosy scarf, these warm gloves and my feet were so comfortable.
I was internally smiling, he was so thoughtful. No Lucy! You're mad with him. Act mad!
"Ok so this still doesn't explain why we're over in this bandstand!" I said still with my arms folded.
"You wanted to dance, didn't you?" he smiled.
I guiltily looked at the floor. He walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me till his hands rested on my back just above my belt. I snuggled into him, my head laying on his prominent collar bone.
"I'm guessing this is my present" I whispered in his ear, my eyelashes gently brushing his cheek.
He nodded before pressing a sensitive kiss against my left cheek bone.
...I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...
...Just like the ones I used to know...
...Where the tree tops glisten...
...And children listen...
...To hear slay bells in the snow...
Harry placed one of his hands on my waist pulling my body close to his and placed the other hand into mine so we were in a kind of waltz hold. We started rocking back and forward to the music that played from the school. He spun me around before grasping me by my hips. I lifted my hands to his beautiful face. I used one of my thumbs to stroke across his plump bottom lip.
"Merry Christmas baby" he said before pressing his lips against mine.
So I've been thinking about it lately,
My reads are increasing amazingly and my votes and comments aren't too bad either so thank you!!! :D
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Lots of Love,
Lucy xx