Tell Me The Truth -H.S. AU

26

At some point during the long car ride, I must've fallen asleep. Between letting my feelings finally catch up to me and the epic karaoke battle Harry and I had during the drive, I was exhausted. The last thing I remember was Harry softly singing along to Landslide on the radio as I drifted off to sleep.

I wake up just as we pull into a dark parking lot. The car is facing a brick wall, covered in overgrown ivy. I blink a few times and lift my head off of Harry's shoulder to look at the clock on the dash. It's ten thirty p.m., I slept for nearly an hour while we drove.

"Where are we?" I yawn and rub my eyes. Harry doesn't say anything and gets out of the car, the door slamming behind him. "Rude."

I open my door and I'm immediately hit with the smell of saltwater and the sound of waves crashing onto sand. I scramble out of the car and stand next to Harry by the trunk. The lights of the buildings next to us illuminate the sand leading out to the ocean.

I run out to the beach, leaving Harry behind me, but I hear his footsteps start my way shortly after. I take off my shoes and socks, leaving them at the edge of the pavement and roll my pants up a few inches. The sand squishes between my toes when I run out to the edge of the tide that's rolled in.

I inhale the salty ocean breeze and close my eyes. The cold water at my feet leaves goosebumps on my skin, but right now, I couldn't care less. I forgot how free the ocean can make you feel.

"Why did you bring me here?" I ask Harry when I feel him walk up behind me, still a foot or so back from the edge of the water.

"To see you like this." His voice is so low, the rumbling of the water almost drowns him out, but I can still hear the smile in his words.

I slowly open my eyes and turn around to face him. He's still in his boots, which are probably full of sand now, and his arms are crossed over his chest as he watches me. He has this magical way of making me forget that there was ever even anything wrong in the first place.

I take a few quick steps towards him and jump up last second to wrap my legs around his hips. He hooks his hands under my thighs to support me, and stumbles back a step in surprise. I lean forward to plant a kiss on his lips, a hum emanating from his chest while he slides one hand over my ass.

"You're freezing, baby." Harry mumbles against my lips before he gently sets me back down into the sand. He slides his arms out of his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. "Let's go."

He takes my hand and leads us back to the car, bending down to pick up my boots on our way. He pops the trunk open and pulls a duffel bag out to sling over his shoulder. He pulls out a pair of purple flip-flops, ripping the tag off and drops them on the ground at my bare feet.

"I see you came prepared." I mutter and slip my feet into the sandals.

"I was being optimistic that you'd say yes to coming with me." Harry chuckles and shuts the trunk again. He takes my hand in his to lead us through a gate at the back of this tall building that we parked behind.

"Is this a hotel?"

"Yes." Harry responds, not giving me any more information to go off of. I don't even know what town we are in.

"A pool!" I squeal and halt in my tracks. I don't let go of Harry's hand, which jerks him back a little when he continues to walk forward, causing the duffel bag to fall off his shoulder.

"Vi, don't-" he tries to warn me, but I'm already running to leap off the edge of the concrete and into the pool, fully clothed.

The water is cold, but not as cold as the ocean was. It rushes around me as I sink to the bottom. The quiet underwater calms me for a moment, before I push off the pool floor to surface again.