Never Give Up: Harry Styles/One Direction Fan Fiction

21

Chapter 21

 

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My eyelids were growing heavy as I drove the car along the ocean on the highway. The sweet silence was soothing. Once or twice, I almost nodded off to sleep at the wheel. The loud blare of a horn every now and again was the only thing keeping me awake. Rae had been right, it was getting late. I wasn’t too sure that I was going the right way. I pulled off the highway and into a large parking lot. After I stopped, I pulled out my phone, wriggling my fingers from Rae’s small hand, and got directions. I had accidentally driven quite a way outside of the city because I’d taken a wrong exit.

I glanced at the clock. It was already after 1:30 in the morning. If I drove back, and was able to get all the way back to Rae’s house, it would probably be almost 2:30 am. I slapped my cheeks trying to stay awake. Rae’s mother was going to be worried if I didn’t get her home soon. I put the car back in gear and stopped by a nearby Starbucks to grab a coffee and set out on the road again. Most other traffic on the road was few and far between. I blasted cold air on my face and drank more of my coffee. I glanced over at Rae, her light breathing slow and relaxed. I wondered what she was dreaming about. Was it about me? I hoped so as a smirk crept up on my face. I turned back to the road to focus on driving again.

It was a longer drive than I thought, and by the time I finally pulled up to the curb outside Rae’s house, I thought I was going to pass out. I opened the door of the car after shutting off the engine and got out. The night was cool, and a soft breeze blew sending shivers down my spine. After I opened Rae’s door, I reached over her small frame, to unclick the seatbelt and lift her from the seat before kicking the car door closed. I carried her up the front walk of the house as she snuggled closer to my chest still sound asleep. Her long legs dangled out of my arms as I supported her weight against my torso. The porch lights illuminated as I walked up the steps, her mother holding open the door for me to come inside.

“I’m sorry we’re getting back so late,” I whispered to Mrs. Dawson, a stern look on her face. “We lost track of time talking, and on the way home I took a wrong exit.”

“That’s quite alright,” she answered quietly, seeming to accept my answer. “If you want to take Rae up, her room is the first door on the left.” Mrs. Dawson gestured up the stairs. I nodded, understanding, and I walked over to the small set of stairs. I stepped up them carefully, and walked through the open doorway into her bedroom. I almost couldn’t help but gasp to see all the posters that nearly covered up the bubblegum pink colored walls. I paused for a moment, just standing in the threshold of the room staring and smiling like an idiot before I finally walked over to the bed. I set Rae down gently, and covered her shoulders up with her white sheets. I bent over and kissed her lightly before whispering, “Goodnight, love.”

“Thank you, Harry.” Turning around, I jumped to see Mrs. Dawson standing in the doorway watching me. She smiled warmly at me, and I didn’t feel quite so awkward. I smiled back, and I tried hard to suppress the yawn that was coming on. “You look absolutely exhausted,” Mrs. Dawson commented and she stood up off of the doorframe. “I don’t think you should drive like that. The guest room is yours if you want it.”

“I don’t want to impose,” I said sleepily. I could feel my eyelids already beginning to droop, and I realized that if I tried to drive back to the hotel, I was going to fall asleep at the wheel.

“Don’t be silly,” she said, beginning to lead me to the guest room down the hall. “Just get some rest.” I thanked her, opening the white door and walking into the large room. I felt like I had walked into an issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. There was a queen bed along the far wall, covered in sea foam colored sheets. The walls were a deep teal, and white trim lined the dark wooden floors. Other than the bed, there wasn’t much furniture in the room aside from a small wooden desk that sat in a corner opposite the bed. I didn’t waste much time looking around. I was so exhausted that I walked over to the bed, scarcely remembering to take off my shoes, and flopped down. I rolled toward the wall, and finally found a position where I was comfortable. I closed my eyes, and I was almost asleep when I heard the door creak open and shut again. I thought at first that it was Mrs. Dawson coming to check on me until I felt a small frame press up against my body.

Turning over in the bed, I greeted the welcome sight of Rae’s slender face sticking out from the cover of her long, brown hair. I tried to make more room for her in the small bed, but my back was already against the wall. All I could do was pull her closer to me, her head automatically moving from the small pillow to the top of my chest as she rolled over. Our legs intertwined, and I could feel her toes brushing against my calves. I tried to keep myself from laughing, but it tickled and I let out a little snort. As I calmed down again, I took a deep breath inhaling her scent: the sweet smell of raspberries. I smiled to myself and pulled her even closer, finally falling asleep as she fisted my shirt in her hand, snoring softly.  

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The chill of the outside air had nipped at my skin and woken me up. I knew Harry was carrying me, so I pretended to still be asleep. I wasn’t going to walk if I could get out of it. I could feel my legs dangling as he carried me bridal style through the threshold of the house. I almost did fall back asleep, resting my head against his warm chest until I heard whispering as my mother offered Harry the guest room. She said something about him being too tired to drive, and I subconsciously wondered what time it was. How long had it taken us to get home? I heard them leave, the lights clicking off as they wandered down the dark hallway. I could hear the door open and close from my room, and I waited until I heard my mother’s soft footsteps shuffle into her room before I opened my eyes fully for the first time. I slowly sat up in bed, trying to avoid making the bed creak as my weight shifted. Standing up carefully, I let my eyes adjust to the dark room before tiptoeing over to the door. I cracked it open, scanning the hallway for any sign of my mother before I slipped out of my room, still in my day clothes, and ran lightly down the hall toward Harry’s door.

I heard some shuffling around in my mother’s room, and I was afraid she was going to come back out for a moment, so I quickly got into Harry’s room and closed the wooden door again. For a moment, I just stood in front of the door listening for the sounds of my mother’s approaching footsteps, but I heard nothing. Finally satisfied that I was in the clear, I walked over to the bed. I watched as Harry’s chest rose and fell with his slow breathing, and his big brown curls flopped all over the pillows. Sliding up against him, I realized how cold I was compared to how warm he felt. He must’ve heard me come in, and he immediately turned over in the bed trying to make more room. I didn’t want more space between us; all I wanted was to be closer to him, for now and always. I wound my leg around his, and he wrapped a long arm around my waist, pulling me over nearly on top of him. I rested my head on him, finally beginning to get sleepy as I counted his breaths, my head rising and falling with each one. I gripped at his shirt, the soft fabric balling up in my hand. I could feel myself beginning to succumb to sleepiness, and I let it take me, as I fell asleep with a smile on my face.