Enemies with Benefits (Harry Styles)

Chapter Twenty-Eight (Pt. 1)

*a year earlier*

Athena's POV

Me: Harry, when are you coming back?

I text him. He has been so busy lately that our conversations have been almost exclusively through texts.

I wait for a while, but he does not reply. About the time I am a little concerned about what he is so busy with, I hear the door open. "Welcome home, Harry!" I run to him, wanting to hug him so much. "Wanna go out for dinner?"

He doesn't even look at me, and he seems he's in a hurry. "I have to go back to my office. I still have a lot to do."

"Oh, okay," I mumble. "But when are you coming back?"

"I don't know. I'm really busy now and I'll come home late, babe. Sorry."

I look down to hide my disappointed face. "But you've been working late these past few months. I miss you."

"I know, baby, and I miss you too but I have to go," he says, not even looking at me.

I almost want to cry, but I hold up my tears. I want him to know how I really feel.

"We're living together but barely even see each other. You are barely home. And when you are, I'm already asleep. I need some attention, too, Harry."

"I have work, Athena. Please understand it." He prepares his things and tries to leave.

He's so cold to me. I've missed him so much and I can't believe my boyfriend is treating me this way.

"Oh okay. I'm sorry that I wanted some attention from my boyfriend." I look at him with a sorrowful expression.

He sighs. Seems like he doesn't want to talk anymore. "I told you. I'm busy."

He walks to the door, but I run to it and block the door with my body. "Whatever. I'm going to make dinner and wait until you're home."

Now he seems to be pissed off because I hear him clicking his tongue.

"Just stop! I told you I have to do my fucking work! You're the one who's doing nothing all day. And because what? Because your mother kicked you out, and you need me to survive! So stop being selfish. You're nothing without me!" He pushes me away and opens the door.

I stay silent. I don't say anything.

"I'll be home when I'm finished. Eat alone." He leaves.

He probably won't be back for hours.

I'm depressed with tears. The words he said cut deeper than a knife. He said I was the one who hadn't done anything all day. He said I was selfish. He said I was nothing without him.

I know he's busy with work and tired, but he always directs his anger caused by that tiredness at me, and I get stressed and angry. And we fight. It's a negative loop.

Perhaps we are too close because we started living together. And then there's conflict and squabbling.

I know I am in this situation now because my mother kicked me out, but I really didn't want to listen to her. I originally knew that she was hard-headed, and the fact is that I really wanted to be with Harry. And yet we are not getting along now.

My head hurts when I think about things like this, and I get very tired. I don't know if it's because of this, but my physical condition has been very unstable lately, and my body is becoming more fragile.

I'm not feeling so well, to be honest. And I have been breathing more and more heavily since earlier and am beginning to suffer. I wonder if I have developed asthma symptoms. I run to the medicine drawer. I open the drawer, but there is nothing in it. Worst. I must have run out of medicine. Of all the times to run out at a time of need like this...