𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 // 𝐇.𝐒.

49.

a/n: this is a part of a double update! don't forget to read 48 if you haven't!

Chapter 49

Falling asleep in Harry's arms and waking up in them was a feeling I needed to soak up while I still had the opportunity to feel it. I couldn't do that last night, however, not when I couldn't stop dreaming of the events that could occur today.

Somehow, every variation to the same dream I had ended with me getting caught. But none of them were as terrifying as the one where Harry looked at me differently.

Needless to say, I didn't have the best night.

"You aren't forgetting anything, right?" Harry asks as he opens the door with his bag hanging over his shoulder.

I shake my head, taking a quick scan around the hotel room. Other than leaving my sanity behind, I have everything else. I then step out with my things clutched to my side. "Do you want to drop the room key off at the front desk?" I then suggest. "I can take your stuff to the car and warm it up while you do that."

"I can take it after we put our things in the car," he ultimately decides and begins to move, but I stop him by touching his arm.

"I can carry your bag, Harry. C'mon, we'll just waste more time if you make two trips. I really want to beat that heavy traffic, too." Convincing him to the best of my attempt, I bite down on my lip and just hope he'll go along with it.

He heaves a sigh after a split second of pondering his options. To my luck, he takes the room key then hands his bag right over to me. "I'll be back," he then mumbles as I adjust the strap onto my shoulder.

As I watch him go, I head to the parking lot and feel relieved in the moment. I wouldn't have to explain the large duffle bag in the trunk now.

I close the trunk of the car after tossing our things in. I head for the driver's seat with my tote remaining over my shoulder. Once I hop into the SUV, I turn the car on and put dark sunglasses to shield my eyes from the peeking sun at seven in the morning. From a distance, I see Harry making his way towards the car.

He slides into the passenger seat, lightly smiling over at me with tired eyes as he buckles himself in. "Ready," he mumbles.

"Ready," I say back after setting my tote behind his seat. I then adjust myself, stepping on the brake as I put the gear shift in reverse. Just like that, I'm driving out of the resort where I constantly craved for time to stop. It was moments with him, by the beach or in our hotel room, where I found peace.

It was the kind of peace I expected to find after intense yoga or meditation. It came with his presence, instead. I'm worried things will change after today.

As much as I wanted to avoid the traffic, it was bumper to bumper towards the San Ysidro border. Through the sitting traffic, people would come up to the car windows to sell from handmade goods to food. The sight that seemed to grab the attention of Harry and me the most were the children who were selling packs of gum for a few pesos.

One kid, in particular, approached us to sell bracelets. Just as I was about to kindly turn the offer down, Harry asked, "How much?"

Because the boy spoke Spanish, I translated, "Cuanto?"

"Dos por veinte pesos," he answered, and then the boy went on to tell me how they weren't just ordinary bracelets.

To Harry, I said, "He says that his mom makes the bracelets and that the red ones with the blue beads are meant to protect you from the Evil Eye, such as jealousy and harm. Oh, and they are two for twenty pesos."