Love Save the Empty

Twenty

The small bell hanging on the door rang as Harry and Bella stepped through the entrance. Harry had been so caught up about this morning’s events that he forgot about Bella not eating. So, being the overbearing, controlling man that he is, he insisted on stopping at a café in town to get some food for her, even though they were on their way to a barbecue.

Usually, Bella would have fought with Harry, telling him that they didn’t need to stop, that she wasn’t hungry, that she was fine. But before she did, she saw the look in his eyes; a look of anger, hurt and resentment all mashed into the tiny little pools of green. He was really beating himself up about it. About forgetting to feed Bella, even though she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. She sometimes forgets how much Harry actually cares for her, as if she were a small child. And she will be forever grateful for that.

So instead of fighting, she planted a caste kiss on his pink lips and sat back and enjoyed the soft music that flowed through the speakers of the car.

Not even thirty seconds after they entered the café, an ear piercing sound that could break glass disrupted the calm and quiet atmosphere inside the building. Without even turning around, Bella already knew who it was.

“Harry!”

Dana pushed and shoved her way through the crowd of people waiting for their orders, making sure to push her breasts out a little bit more now that Harry was here. Her little wannabees surprisingly didn’t follow her through the crowd and just remained at their seats, watching the scene in front of them.

Dana wasted no time in engulfing Harry in a bone crushing, or for a better word, boob-crushing hug, nearly knocking down Bella in the process all while Harry’s hand tightly gripped onto Bella’s.

“Harry!” Dana screamed again, “It’s been so long! What have you been up to?”

“It’s been three days since holiday has started, Dana,” he responded blankly.

Dana responded with a fake, high pitched chuckle and placed her hand on Harry’s chest, as if she was trying to keep her balance. Harry’s hold tightened on Bella’s.

“No, silly. I meant since… you know….” She trailed off at the end, sliding her fingers down his long torso.

Bella couldn’t take it. Her usual rational state of mind was overtaken by jealousy and hurt. As much as she just wanted to blame Dana, she couldn’t help but blame Harry too. He made no move to stop her flirtatious actions, not even the slightest of movements.

All she wanted to do was get away from the scene that was unraveling in front of her. However, when she tried to release her grip and back away, Harry pulled her right back into his side. Trapping her into watching Dana put her hands all over her man. And him not doing anything about it.

Bella never understood jealousy. Never really got the concept of it. But now, it was all the flooded through her mind at the moment.

Her eyes searched through the café for something, anything that might distract her from what was going on. Her eyes locked on another girl who looked about Bella’s age that was observing Bella’s predicament from afar. She shot Bella a sympathetic look before returning to her laptop set on the table.

It was then when Bella realized that there were many other roaming eyes on her. They were all watching what was happening as if it were a scene in a movie. Some sort of entertainment.

Bella couldn’t have been more embarrassed.

Catching Harry off guard, Bella ripped her hand away from his violently, and made her way out of the café, feeling Dana’s glare burning into her back.

Moments later, she heard the ringing of the bell and her name being called.

“Bella!”

Bella’s wrist was caught in Harry’s hold, and she was whipped around almost violently, almost painfully.

“What the hell was that about?!”

Bella felt as if he didn’t deserve an explanation. How ignorant an oblivious could he possibly be?

“God dammit, Isabella, talk to me!”

Again, silence.

“Fuck!”

Harry’s fist collided with the icy telephone pole to the right of him. As much as it looked like it hurt, as much blood the flowed from Harry’s hand, he didn’t budge.

If Bella had just met Harry, she would have panicked. She would have rushed around for some help to stop the blood from flowing out of his hand, get him some water, or take care of him. But instead, she just sighed in exasperation, adding another dash in her mental list of how many times Harry’s anger has got the best of him.

Bella removed the hat from her head and made her way over to Harry. Taking his injured hand, she placed the soft hate over his bloodstained knuckles in hopes of stopping the bleeding. She stared down at the hat while she felt Harry’s gaze on her. When she couldn’t take it any longer, she looked up into his deep green eyes.

“I’m really trying, Bella,” Harry murmured, “I really am.”

Bella really didn’t want to let this one slide. She wanted to yell at him, maybe even throw a few punches in at his chest. Never in her life has anyone made her so angry and irritated. She wanted to tell him how much of an idiot he was, how much she couldn’t take his mood swings, how much she hated that he knew so much of her life, but she knew almost nothing about his.

But even before she looked up into his pained face, she knew she would forgive him.

“I know.” she said, reaching up on her tippy toes to kiss his temple, “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

They made their way into the small market next to the café, oblivious to the fact that Dana was watching through the window the whole time.

-----

“You’re staring, Isabella.”

Harry and Bella had been in the car for about ten minutes before he broke the silence. They had managed to obtain a first aid kit and bandage up Harry’s hand, which Bella has become almost an expert at. And when they got in the car, Harry made no move to talk or even touch Bella. He knew she was mad at him, and that she wanted to be left alone. He couldn’t have been more right.

As Harry stared blankly at the road, Bella took this as an opportunity to drink in his features. She watched as his jaw clenched and unclenched at unexpected times, almost as if his mood swings were occurring silently. His curls were slightly crazier, due to the fact that he was constantly running his uninjured hand through it. And his face, well, his face couldn’t have been more perfect.

It had been a while since Bella has seen his face fully recovered from bruises and scratches. He was really God’s gift to women. And she had him. This beautiful man on the outside, but a confused, angry, and frightened boy on the inside. Her poor Harry. All everyone saw was his striking face and not the permanent scars that lie beneath them, because he is so good at hiding them.

“How can you see me when you’re staring at the road?” Bella asked.

“Baby,” he started, taking her hand in his injured one, “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, all I’ve been able to see is you.”