Life in the middle-Harry Styles Fanfic AU COMPLETED

Chapter 19

Hi all, thank you so much for reading, I am writing this to share a little of myself with you. Please leave me some comments and share your thoughts with me ✌️

Tuesday passes me by like Monday did, with appointments but not for myself this time, for potential clients and galleries.

I take the group of paintings and drawings of Harry's green eyes down to the local Gallery and they tell me it will be displayed only.
I tell the curator that I'm fine with them being sold and we negotiate a price.

I walk done to the cafe and buy myself a large Mocha and then proceed to walk home.

It's almost 6 and I'm mentally exhausted thinking of work, new ideas and no matter how hard I've tried, I can't stop thinking of Harry.

I pull out a small sketch book and I start to doodle as a form of distraction and to calm me down.

Hours later I stop and yawn. All I see is tropical views and themes, everything from the sunset to cocktails with tiny umbrella's. I put the my book down, standup and walk to my room, which is the complete opposite to the tropics.
My room is painted a pale blue and all the furnishings are different hues of blues and greys. This room is like the South Pole and I love it.

I fall asleep and dream of me and Harry sipping mulled wine in a ski chalet.

I wake up sweating then kicking my covers off in the morning I get out of bed.
I go and have a shower with a blast of cold water to wake me up.
These medications can have adverse effects and being a zombie in the morning is one of them.
My coffee is strong this morning but not enough.

I decide I'll go for a walk and get a coffee from my regular cafe. I dress in red skinny jeans with a white striped hoodie and I leave my long hair down. It's midway down my back and I think of getting a few inches cut off.

I get to the cafe in record time but I stop short of the entrance as I see Harry siting at one of the tables with a girl facing her back to me. Ohh, ok so his a player I think? He was too good to be true and I regret telling him what I wanted that night.

I go straight to the cashier and order a double strength latte.
I stand near the counter waiting for my order and as I do, I look at the girl as she's facing my way now.
I watch her smile turn into a gentle laugh and I think they must be sharing a joke. Or could she be laughing at me? I can't help to think that in some twisted way he is making fun of me and regrets it all. He seems to have moved on from -Wednesday or earlier- his text message repeats in my head and I don't hear the barista calling my name because my eyes a glued to her. She's very pretty, with long light brown hair and lovely green eyes. Her face likes up when she's listening to him.
"Hey Echo, don't you want your coffee?" questions Simon the barista.
"Oh um yeah of course I want it!" I smile kindly to Simon who hands me the coffee. I've got to get out of here before Harry notices me, although I don't think he will as I watch him put his hand in her hand and he leans in to talk to her.
I've got to get out of here. I walk quickly to the door and exit but not quick enough...
"Echo, stop" I hear Harry's voice repeat a few times. I walk faster but he catches up to me and puts his hand on my elbow to stop me and have me turned towards him.
That's fine, I don't have to look at him or hear his poor excuse about "her".

"Echo look at me, please" he pants and begs.
I look at his face and his eyes are burning into my skin. He looks at me with hurt showing on his perfect face. But I'm hurt, hurt that I let him in slightly and he has behaved like any man.
"What Harry, what do you want?" I repeat today but not in the same context as the night in the Studio.

"It's not what you think Echo, please let me explain, please" he pleads.
"Go!" I say my voice a tone higher and more harsh.
"She's my sister, it's Gemma. We came here for coffee and I hoped you'd come by, we came yesterday too" he sighs and grabs my other arm to turn me to face him.
"I thought I'd try calling you and you'd answer, but when you didn't, I panicked and send you a few texts, but your response wasn't what I thought it would be" he pulls me closer and places his hand on my jaw line. His touch turns my body on fire, I feel like I can't fight him off anymore, so I look into his eyes and they are a little softer now.
"I'm sorry, I didn't and don't know how to act since you stayed, I'm ashamed we did what we did and I've blown you off since then". I sigh and continue "I don't know how to act or what to do, it's been such a long time and it's not like I think highly of myself and believe a person like you would be interested in me" I finish and look away again.

His hand turns my face again.
"Someone like me? I'm just a person Echo, no better then you and I am interested so I won't be just disappearing from your life. I didn't regret what we did or I'm not ashamed and neither should you be. And I want more of you, with you" he signs again and looks at me, my eyes.

"I don't know what happens next Harry, it's been a while and I come with a hell of a lot of baggage, you have enough to deal with already" I shrug at him.
"That's for me to decide but I need you to give me a chance Echo, I need you to pull the fortress down a little" he is aware of my walls but does he know he's pulled them down before?

"Could you please come and met Gemma, she's really wanting to met you, I've told her about your wonderful art and..." I put my hand on his mouth to get him to stop, he lifts his brows question why?
"Ok, coffee and a chat, ok?" I answer him smiling a little, his face lights up and he pulls me by the arm back into the coffee shop.