Roman Holiday | h.s

Twenty-Four

Harry's glass dropped.

"Harry?" Anna spoke his name as he felt his knees go weak and his eyes water profusely.

"Harry?" She repeated, holding him as he fell to the floor.

People looked on in confusion. Children tugging their parents sleeves to alert them to the broken man on the floor. A worker had come over to them, but Harry couldn't hear what they were saying over the ringing in his own ears.

Somehow he found himself on his feet, numbly being led down the tower and led into a room with a few chairs in it.

"Ti amo, girasole." Anna whispered in his ear, stroking his hair. He couldn't even find the words to express to her what had happened - they had discussed it briefly before but now it had happened. He wasn't there, and the guilt was consuming him.

~~~

"What's your biggest fear, girasole?" Anna had asked him, weeks ago.

"Probably losing everything I've worked toward and like you - losing a loved one. My stepfather is very unwell at the moment - nothing the doctors can do though." Harry told her, in a moment of vulnerability.

"Oh, Harry.." she whispered and engulfed him in a hug. He squeezed her tightly and he tried not to let any tears slip out. He hadn't thought about his step father for a few days - it hurt too much to know that he wouldn't be with him at some point. Partly why he escaped to Italy, to escape from life.

~~~

"Is he okay? Would you like us to call anyone for you?" An employee at the tower asked Anna, who left his side for a brief moment to speak to them out of earshot.

Harry felt her warmth disappear from his side and immediately felt cold and alone. He wrapped his arms around his knees, hugging them close to his chest.

"Anna." He whispered, throat hoarse from the tears trapped in his throat. He looked over and she was still talking, hands articulating while she was out of earshot.

"Anna," he repeated, trying to be louder this time but it came out as a bit of a whimper. It got her attention, though. Her eyes snapped over to him, looking at her with pleading eyes so she closed up her conversation and walked back over where she then pulled him into her arms.

"We need to go," he spoke through his tears.

"Okay, we will. I asked them to call us a taxi." Anna assured him, her fingers tracing his back.

"I'm so sorry." He wailed, feeling weak for being in such a state on a trip he had planned for her - a trip that was supposed to be happy and special.

"For what?" She said lightly, she didn't know what was wrong and she didn't know how to help him.

"We need to go," he repeated, and luckily at that second the employee gestured through the window that their ride was there.

"We can go now. They've brought you a hat and hoodie to wear, apparently there's some fans." Anna whispered calmly, trying to remain composed even though she was freaking out herself. She was worried about Harry, and scared to face the crowd.

Harry nodded and pulled on the ugly gift shop clothing.

'I went to Paris and all I got was this stupid hoodie!'

She pulled her own on and felt ridiculous. She appreciated the help from the employees but they must've bought the ugliest clothing possible.

"Ready?" She asked Harry, who had slid on some sunglasses with small Eiffel towers adorning the rims.

"Yes." He spoke numbly, but kissed the side of her face as they walked side by side. It was his silent way of thanking her. He didn't remember getting there but he somehow made it back to the hotel room they were staying in, where he was sitting in the shower - the water cascading down his back and face rapidly.

"I'm really worried about you." Anna spoke softly.

"I know." He replied sadly.

"I'm sorry. It is just, my step-father," Harry tried to speak louder. Immediately her heart sank, she recalled their previous conversation about him.

"He's um, very rapidly declined," his voice was a tad higher and it broke as he spoke, which prompted her to join him inside the shower, even though she was fully clothed to just hold him.

"You need to go and be with him and your family," Anna told him, she felt his shoulders shake in her arms.

"I know, I'm sorry." He sobbed.

"Don't be sorry, at all. Okay. This is more important, I'll help you pack, I'll help you book your ticket, I'll take you to the airport if you want me to." She assured him, his family was more important than a trip to Paris.

That evening was spent packing their respective suitcases and booking their flights. Harry was headed for England, Anna for Italy.

They laid in bed that night close to each-other, Harry's face was curled up in Anna's neck, their bodies intertwined. Both of them were overthinking and it took them both a while to drift off to sleep.

Harry was worrying about his stepfather, wondering if he would be too late. What would his family think about him leaving the country when he was in such a bad state. He had his reasons, he had to do what was emotionally right for him. He knew he wouldn't be able to take watching him deteriorate slowly, he felt selfish for it though.

Anna was worried about Harry, she had never seen him in this state. She was worried about his stepfather, whom she had never met or seen a photo of. She was worried about going home by herself. She was worried about the state of their relationship after this, since the next seven days were actually their last together.

She knew it was potentially their last night together ever. Which made it worse, it wasn't ending on a high. It was ending on a very low, low. She was savouring everything about the moment, memorising the scent of him, the feeling of his soft skin, the colour of his hair to commit it to her memories. She'd had the best summer of her life, but now it was over.

She fought off sleep for as long as she could, even long after Harry drifted off - his soft snores serving as a soft lullaby for her. But eventually she felt her eyelids involuntarily flutter.

"Ti amerò sempre." (I'll always love you) she whispered.

~
hii
nearly finished now :( only a few chapters left I think 🤍