new york, baby [h.s.]

chapter seven

(I've Had) The Time of My Life-  Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes

Relax- Vacations

Telephones- Vacations

Cherry-coloured Funk- Cocteau Twins 

When I opened my eyes this morning, I truly had no idea where I was. I blinked away the sleep from my eyes, squinting as the morning light poured through my blinds and into my room. My head fucking hurt. The light was so bright. I was warm, though, warmer than I think I've ever been. I was laying on something hard and I froze when I realized that something- or someone, rather- was covered in tattoos. I lifted my head up, realizing I was laying on someone's chest, my arm fully draped over their abdomen.

Anxiety immediately shot through me, threatening to paralyze me. I sat up in bed, rubbing my blurry eyes roughly. My heart rammed against my ribs and my breathing was shallow, unable to fill my lungs completely. I pulled myself out of bed quickly, stumbling a little bit, dizzy with panic. I felt around my bedside table for my glasses, pushing them onto my face. I blinked a few times, adjusting my vision, only to find Harry still fast asleep in my bed. He stirred a little bit, rolling over so his back was to me.

Jesus Christ, Willow. It's just Harry.

Harry was shirtless, but I glanced down at my body to find I was still fully clothed. I tore my eyes away from him, padding into my bathroom as quietly as I could, shutting the door and leaning my back against it, trying to catch my breath.

Breathe Willow. Start at the top of your head. How does your head feel?

My head hurts. It was throbbing.

Now your face. How does your face feel?

I pressed my hands to my cheeks, rubbing them gently. My face felt hot to the touch, but it was clean. I had remembered to take my makeup off before bed.

Unclench your jaw. Roll your neck. Take another deep breath.

I did each step slowly, carefully, breathing deeply each time.

Drop your shoulders. Another deep breath. How does your chest feel?

My chest didn't hurt, but my heart rate was still hard and fast, which was a little uncomfortable.

How does your stomach feel? Are you going to be sick?

My stomach, surprisingly, was not upset. It kind of felt like there was a knot sitting in my abdomen, but I wasn't nauseous. I wasn't going to puke. The left side of my ribcage was throbbing slightly, a sharp pain shooting through me each time I breathed. I hadn't noticed it before. I lifted up my sweatshirt to find a deep purple bruise there. What the fuck?

Keep going. Worry about that later. Focus on your legs. How do they feel?

My legs felt stiff, sore, shaky. Those stupid heels fucked me up. I had no bruises or cuts on my legs though, which meant I hadn't fallen over. That's a good sign.

Now your feet. Are your feet sore too?

My feet ached worse than any other part of my body, again, thanks to those ridiculous shoes. The skin around my ankles and my pinky toes was raw and red from the material rubbing against it.

Is there any other part of you that hurts?

I assessed the entirety of my body, breathing deeply through the whole process. Nothing else hurt. I was okay. I turned to face myself in the mirror. I didn't look great. My hair was a wild mess, having not washed the hairspray out of my hair last night. My face was clean, but I had some mascara residue left under my eyes, which made the blue, puffy bags that hung there too look even worse. My face was pale, but I didn't look completely zombie-like. I turned on the sink, splashing the cold water onto my face, cooling down the white-hot burn on my skin. I patted my skin dry before finding a washcloth and makeup remover, gently wiping the mascara away from my under eyes. I pulled my hair into a sloppy, disheveled bun, suddenly noticing how sweaty the back of my neck was now that it was unobstructed by my hair. I brushed my teeth, cringing a little at the thought of not doing that last night. I put my glasses back on, staring at myself in the mirror for a moment. I hesitated to go back out into my room. I didn't really want to get back in bed with Harry, but I couldn't just hide in here forever. I just wasn't ready for the awkward conversation that would inevitably occur when he woke up.