One Plus One

Chapter Forty-Nine

I woke up cold. I lifted my head from the pillow to see that Harry wasn't there. I sat up confused, looking around for the curly haired boy but the house was silent. I warily made my way downstairs, hoping to find him in the living room but he wasn't there. I was on my own.

I looked around for my phone to see if he'd texted me, but there was no message. Upon hearing keys in the door, I rushed back downstairs thinking perhaps Harry had used the spare key again. I breathed a sigh of relief when he appeared in the doorway.

"You had me worried for a second. I thought you'd just left."

"I wouldn't do that to you."

Harry pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head before letting me go again.

"Where did you go?"

"Just for a walk. Clear my head a bit."

Harry broke me a smile before brushing past me into the kitchen. He took out cups from the cupboard and put the kettle on and leant against the worktop whilst it boiled. He was deep in thought. The blank stare that his eyes held told me that. It could only be from yesterday, my question that had so quickly slipped out without me really thinking about it. Something pained him about the answer.

HARRY'S POV

It was silly really. It was an innocent question which didn't have much meaning when Marlie asked it but it brought back so many memories, so many feelings. I could see I was worrying her. She stood in the doorway to the kitchen fiddling with the bottom of my t-shirt, unsure of what to say.

I hadn't really thought about the answer to her question much. Not since everything had happened. The more I thought about it, the more I realised I was now in the same position Marlie had been when we first met. I had forced her to open up to me and all she was trying to do was get me to do the same. Trust was something that worked both ways. I knew she was instilling her trust in me, but I hadn't shown her that I trusted her.

Marlie took some wary paces towards me, breaking me out of my blank stare. She leaned on the worktop next to me and reached for my hand. I gave it to her met her silver gaze which I found to be full of apology. She knew exactly what was playing on my mind, something that astounded me about her. She could read me like a book.

"What time are we going to your sisters?" she spoke quietly, breaking the silence.

"We'll get there about 6."

I realised how void of emotion my voice was. I screwed my eyes shut knowing I was making Marlie feel uncomfortable.

"Marlie I'm-"

My words were interrupted by a loud banging on the front door. Marlie almost sprinted towards the noise as if she was trying to get away from the cold atmosphere I had created in the kitchen. I then heard a jogging up the stairs and Brody entered into the kitchen.

"Do you wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked sternly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Harry, don't chat shit. You know exactly what I'm on about."

He stared me dead in the eyes. His eyebrows raised at me, waiting for me to explain what had happened that morning.

"Why were you at her house this morning, Harry? You haven't spoken to her in almost two years."

"I was there because Marlie asked why I left Cheshire. It all came back, Brody."

"Mate, I thought you'd let go of all that."

"Me too."

"Have you told Marlie?"