ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 | H.S |

forty four - golden

AN: AOTY 🥹💕

Harry's POV

We had made our way over to my house that afternoon. I watched as Townes packed up the little stuff she had kept here. Everything inside me ached. She walked over to where I sat on the couch, my hands covering my face as she approached.

She sat next to me, and I heard her take a deep breath, "Well, that's everything."

I nodded, running my hands down my face and uncovering it, "Okay. So....I guess. Goodbye, for now." I swallowed unable to look at her. She reached over and turned my face softly towards her, my eyes instantly closing, not being able to think about looking at those hazel eyes.

"Harry. Please." She said, her voice cracking. I took a deep breath, opening my eyes and meeting her gaze. Her eyes were soft, the amber flecks making them look like honey.

"I love you. I do. Please remember that." She whispered and I nodded.

"I love you too." I whispered and I did. I just hated that everything I loved always walked out on me.

But you made her walk out.

She nodded and leaned forward, kissing me softly before getting up and making her way over to the door. She turned and looked at me once more before heading out.

—

It was late now, and I hadn't moved from my spot on the couch. I had been somehow trying to process everything, but I couldn't fully grasp on to it no matter how much I tried. I took a deep breath, moving to my bedroom, realizing I just really needed sleep.

As I entered, I noticed a small journal on the bed, soon I recognized it as Townes. There was no note attached to it, so whether it was left intentionally was unclear. I ran my fingers on the cover and realized it was the same one she had been writing music in. I picked it up and opened it, only the first couple pages were filled with different words and arrangements of that same song from before.

I looked over her scribbles, her words, the music and decided I could sleep later, I wanted to finish this song. I made my way back out to the piano in the living room, and got lost in writing.

—

Townes' POV

"Did you at least get some rest?" Sarah asked as we sat at the restaurant, Mitch had decided to stay home.

"Kinda. I just had too much on my mind to really get sleepy. Even with how exhausted I felt." I said sipping my orange juice and she nodded.

"I mean, it's fair. Harry seemed to...really be a rock for you though. If he wasn't by you, he was helping with everything." She said softly, looking over the menu and I nodded, swallowing.

"Yeah. He really was, since my grandfather passed. He hasn't moved in anyway other than to be there for me." I smiled small and she nodded.

"And what does that mean for the two of you?" she said, looking at me as she placed the menu down.

"Well, I um, actually have something to tell you. I...I won't be joining you all for the Latin American Tour." I said softly.

"Wait...what?" Sarah said, leaning forward on the table a bit, her eyebrows furrowed.

"I need a break to be with my grams, S. I need a break from Harry. I can't process everything with him around. I'll be back for the next LA shows...I just don't know about the rest of tour. Jeff says I would be crazy—if you don't come back? And he's right. Townes, you have the ability to grow so much. I get life happens, but you can't give this up." She said interrupting me and I took a deep breath, shaking my head a bit and looking down.

"I just, don't know right now. And I need everyone to be okay with that." I said, pressing my lips together. I just needed everyone to let me make this one choice for myself without lecturing me on it.

Sarah searched my face, finally nodding, "Okay."

I nodded and looked back down at the menu, "Thank you."

The rest of brunch was quiet, small talk made every now and then. We talked wedding planning and Sarah's face was so happy and glowy as we did. I promised to look up things for her while they were touring, planning out her entire wedding with her.

"You know, I'm going to miss you, Townes. How am I supposed to be without my wife, girlfriend, best friend for that long?"

I shrugged, "Finally give Mitch all you attention?" I said and we both chuckled.

"Darn, I guess." She joked.

"I'm going to miss it. Touring, the fans, but it's just three months. It'll go by quickly." I smiled.

"It will. And, I'll keep an eye on Harry. I'm going to talk to him soon. I just, I needed to calm down a bit." She smiled small and I nodded.

"I mean, he messed up your big day. I get it." I shrugged.

"I think Mitch is obviously more hurt than me. They have such a strong relationship, I can't imagine how he felt." She said, taking her last bite and I let me hair out of the clip, rubbing my fingers softly on my scalp.

"I know. I think that's what's eating away at Harry the most too. Hopefully, they can fix it."

"They will. Mitch can't hold grudges, but he never forgets either." Sarah smiled small and I nodded.

—

Harry's POV

"Golden, golden, golden, as I open my eyes. Hold it, focus, hoping, take me back to the light. I know you were too bright for me. I'm hopeless, broken. So you wait for me in the sky, brown my skin just right, you're so golden." I sang as a knock came from my front door. I got up from the piano, still in my dress shirt and dress pants from the day before. I opened the door and there stood Mitch.

I had called him earlier, leaving a voicemail if he could come over. I needed to apologize to him more than anything. He was my best friend. He really stuck with me, helped me create some of my best work. I needed him to know how deeply sorry I was.

"Hey." He said and I nodded a bit.

"Hey. Come in." I said stepping to the side. He walked in, sitting on the couch, giving me a once over.

"You haven't changed?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know if you've heard, Townes is going to take a leave for the three months of Latin America. I guess we are on a break even though we never were even together. I found her song book, and well, I've been working on finishing a song she wrote. Haven't slept." I shrugged, sitting on the couch across from him.

He nodded, looking down at his legs, "You really screwed up, Haz."

"I know. I keep replaying everything in my head. It's like a bloody horror film. The worst part is, the moment I did that first line I fucking knew. I just fucking knew that I was going to lose her. And I still did another after another." I shook my head and leaned my elbows on my legs, my face in my hands.

"Look, I know seeing Camille engaged....I know that must have felt so fucked up. I can't even imagine that feeling, especially...just two years after everything. But Haz, Townes would of listened. She would of held you. That girl would go to the ends of the world to make sure you're okay." He said and I looked up at him nodding, holding my face up in my hand.

"I know. And that's why these three months I need to prove to her I have changed. That I really want it to work." I said biting my lip and he nodded.

"Alright. We'll see." He said, looking up at me.

"I'm sorry to you too Mitch. I hate that when you think of that day, you'll remember that. I'm sorry." I said softly.

"You'll find a way to make it up to me. Now let's hear this song." He smiled small, and I nodded, making my way over to the piano.

I sang the song to him and he helped me finish it out. We made changes, and when it was done, we moved on to the song about Townes.

Carolina. That's what it would be called.