Life in the middle-Harry Styles Fanfic AU COMPLETED

Chapter 37

HARRY'S POV

Half a heart and Something great- One direction

I wake up and I know it's not early morning because we fell asleep late and I feel rested.
I look at a clock in Echo's room, is shows 12:20pm. She's not I bed with me but I lay back down and take in her room. This room has a different feel to it. It's not as warm and tropical like the other. This room reminds me of the ocean or winter, it's calm. Although she has decorated it with the same colour scheme, blues and greys I don't see the normal things you'd see in a room. Girls things thrown around, or photos with friends or family. It's clean and contained.

I wonder about her family. What their like?
I've already seen her Mother in action. A toxic parent that is shallow and pretends to be a friend rather then a mother.
My Mum me and Gemma are extremely close. We always have been. Same goes with our Dad although they separated they continued to act like adults and tried their best to bring us up loved and safe.

I decide to get up and find my beautiful girl, wondering where she'll be. In the Studio or kitchen. I pull on my boxer shorts and don't bother with anything else.
I walk down the corridor and find the door ajar. As I walk in, quietly just in case she's work, but that's not what I find.
I see her sitting in the red chaise with her knees drawn up to her chest and her hair cascading down over her face. I can hear sobbing as I get closer, she doesn't even register I'm here.
"What's going on love?" I ask her and take a seat at her feet. I gently pull her hair back and tuck it behind her eyes so I can see her lovely face. I place my hands on her face and brush away her tears with my thumb but the keep coming silently now.

Her eyes, her pretty brown eyes are now bloodshot and the look on her usually strong face is one of despair. I'm not shocked because I'm aware of her mood swings, so I just sit watching her silently.

It takes a while until she finally speaks and when she does, I'm shattered.
"I can..can't do this with you Harry, I can't be in a relationship, I'm too messed up for you. You deserve better. Please just go and forget about me" her voice betrays her and she sobs again.
I react the only way I know how.
"You're doubting yourself. Stop it" I begin trying hard to maintain eye contact with her
"We can do this baby, please don't let it take this from you"
"I just can't take you down with me when I'm down, it's not fair on you" she cries. I turn my body towards her and place my hands on her shoulders.
"Please love, give it a go, us ago, I love you sweetheart, I'm not walking away from you not now, I can't so don't ask me to"

She moves to stand up, I let her.
She paces a little then stops and looks at me with a hurt expression on her face. Have I done something to hurt her? No, and I never could but right now she's breaking my heart. I feel my eyes sting but I keep control of it for now.
"What is it Echo? Whats changed your mind in 6 hours, tell me?" I question her.
"Please leave Harry".
I feel a stabbing pain in my heart, that's the first blow but I'm willing to take more from her.
"I'm not giving up on you even if you ask me. I need to know what you're thinking?" I answer the best that I can.
She stops pacing and stands a foot away from me. Ok she is going to talk to me at least. I wait.

"I don't want to hurt anymore than I am. I know I'm not good enough for you. You have a great career back home, you have a family who needs you and I'll just zap you of your time because I'll never be 100% not now not ever. There will always be that side of me that is moody and ironic and jagged and I just don't want you to hate me in the future. You deserve so much better and could do so much better then me. I'm a time bomb waiting to happen Harry" she stops and takes a deep breath and stops moving her hands around like she was when she was talking.
I lean forward and grab her hands.
"I don't care, I am in love with you and even if I tried I couldn't stay away from you. Why would I do better then you? Who's better then you Echo? I haven't ever met someone like you and I love you and everything, and I mean everything about you. I'm not letting go love" I know I sound stubborn but if this is what I need to do then I will continue.
She comes and sits next to me and my heart slows down. She looks highly anxious but she's willing to sit near me, that's got to count for something?

"Harry I'm scared. I'm scared for me but more for you. I feel like I've put you in a compromising position" she blurts out and her tears begin again.
"Scared of what baby?" I lean in and wrap my hands around her waist. She buries her head into my chest and I soothe her by rubbing her back softly.

"Something happen and I wasn't completely honest with you" she begins. She hasn't been honest? My brain is going a million miles an hour thinking of all the possibilities. Please don't tell me your in a relationship, I think.
"Ok, well what is it?" I sound braver then I sound.
"That trouble with Michael, there's more that happen that night" she whispers quietly.
I tense up and she can feel it because she pulls away from me. She stands up. " See this is what I mean Harry, I tell you something and God knows what you're thinking?" She raises her voice and I start to feel hurt inside so I stand as well.
"What do you want me to think Echo? The guy hits on you and you tell me it's sorted but really nothing is done about it, what the fuck would you have me think?" My voice raises without me wanting it too.
She pulls her hands through her hair and looks at me with blazing eyes.
"It's not what you think but if you think like that, this will never work. You think I've been with him don't you? Of course you do" she answers her own question for me.
"Tell me what is really happening" I ask trying to calm down.
"Why should I bother? You already think I'm a slut!" I'm floored at that comment and now I'm the one that's pacing.
I don't care that she's being difficult I knew she would be but I need to put this Michael shit to bed.