Not The First Love : Re-Imagined

13. Harry : Everything

Mike comes upstairs and says, "Dude, let's go. Her mom said her father's about to get home. We gotta leave."

"Go downstairs, I'm coming," I reply, giving Taylor one last glance. As I start to get up, she grabs my hand, her grip surprisingly strong.

"Don't," she says, her eyes weak and pleading.

I stop and turn back to her, my heart pounding. "Don't go," she repeats, her voice barely above a whisper. I sit back down beside her, my hand still in hers. "Taylor, I can't stay. Your dad will be here any minute," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I don't care," she insists, tightening her hold on my hand. "Just stay with me for a little longer." I look into her eyes, seeing the vulnerability and fear there. My resolve weakens. I can't deny her. Not when she needs me like this. I sigh and nod, sitting back down fully. "Alright, I'll stay for a little longer," I say softly. She moves her hand around her head, "My..he-," she tries to say. "Aiden, is he okay?" My Aiden?

"Yeah, he's okay." I say. Nothing just, he experienced a near death situation.

"And you?" she asks. "Me too." I say, nodding. She smiles weakly, relief washing over her face. "Thank you," she whispers, her eyes closing as she relaxes back into the pillows. I call Mike. "Mike, park the bike at a distance and wait there for me."

"You ain't coming, bro?" he asks.

"She's not letting me leave. Let her sleep, then I'll be back," I say.

"But her father's coming," he says.

I glance at the window. "Do one thing. When her father comes, just call me. I'll be there." I hang up the call once he agrees.

I turn back to Taylor, Who's now sleeping peacefully. I wonder if she sleeps like this every time. I wish that when she wakes up, she forgets everything that happened tonight, with her, between us. She grins slightly in her sleep, and it seems like a stray hair is disturbing her. I gently tuck the hair behind her ear. "It seems like I was born to do this my whole life," I say softly. For a moment, I just watch her, feeling a pang of sadness. I brush my fingers lightly across her cheek, my heart aching with the knowledge that I can't stay. She's so vulnerable, and serene.

After a while, I hear tires screeching outside. I go to the window and pull the curtains a little. It might be her father. My phone vibrates, and it's Mike calling,

"Guess her father arrived." He says.

"Let him knock at the door," I say. He walks and disappears from my sight, which means he's at the door. I go to the room's door and hear the door opening. I run to the window and open it.

Looking at Taylor, I say, "I wish I could say you're mine. But you're someone else's, and I can't change that." Somehow, I manage to get through the pipes to the ground. I run to Mike, and he starts the engine. We leave the area and head to the party.

I've never felt so weak. How I ran away, leaving her. But this is it. I couldn't get the first love of my life, and now Taylor. I guess love is not for me. No matter how hard I try, I'm going to fail at that. I've never felt something like this with anyone, not even Hazel. I can't cry. I'm a man. I have a personality. I can't cry. But I have tears in my eyes. I don't know whether it's tears or water coming out because of the speed we're going. I beat up Aiden. He's her boyfriend. But he can do whatever he wants, except hurt her. She's half mine too. But Taylor, why didn't you tell me about him? I told you my past. And you did too. But why didn't you tell me your present? Why didn't you stop me from doing those things with you? Why did you laugh with me? Why did you let me touch your lips? Why did you let me hold you so close? Just, why? And why did I do that with her even after knowing she's someone else's? I want to kiss you. I want to do everything with you. I want to love you. I wanted. He hurt you, and I fought for that. But it won't make any difference. I made it worse. Somebody teach me how to love. Moving on from Hazel was easy because maybe it wasn't love. It was just my mind, not my heart. My heart's with you. With you, Taylor. And I'm not sure if I can take it back from you. I don't want to do so. Love it. Hurt it. Break it. Torture it. Play with it. Do whatever you want. Just keep it with you. I'm not asking for yours. Just keep mine. I won't ask for your love. Just accept mine.

"Stop," I say to Mike. He nods, slows the bike, and eventually stops at the corner. I get off the bike and just stand still. I feel the weight of everything that's happened pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe.

"Something's off?" he asks.

"Everything."

"Aiden is Taylor's boyfriend," I say.

"What? Since when?" he asks.

"Don't know," I say.

"So you beat the shit out of her boyfriend, and took her away in front of him, in front of everyone like that. And moreover, you tried to kiss her," he says.

"I- I don't know. I couldn't see Taylor with someone else like that," I say.

"Didn't she tell you this before?" he asks.

"No, she didn't," I say.

He comes to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Look, man, I've also heard about Taylor and Aiden's thing. They're family friends, and her father's gonna marry her to him."

"Fuck that bitch, man," he adds, going to his bike.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me," he says.

"Was that for Taylor?" I ask. "Yeah, I mean," he starts.

Before he completes it doesn't take me a second to punch him in the face.

"Bro, are you for real?" he screams, "Falling in love with someone else's girl. Get your mind and heart checked." He says, "If you have one." I can see blood coming out of his nose, but still, I punch him again, and he growls covering his face.

"Don't ever show me your face," I say and walk away. He screams my name, but I don't care to hear it. After walking for a while, I pull out my phone and try calling Claire, but she won't answer. I walk back to the party, feeling more broken than ever.

I can hear the music thumping as I approach. There are tire marks on the road, starting from the same spot where the car was parked. I walk to the door and knock. Elena opens it, her face lighting up when she sees me. "I was waiting for you," she says.

"Where's Aiden?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.

"He left," she replies, her expression turning serious.

"Okay, so maybe I should go home," I say, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me.

"C'mon. The party's gonna be over soon. Wait till then." She grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

"Was he okay?" I ask as she leads me to the bar area.

"Maybe not," she says. "You did wrong, Harry. Get used to seeing her with Aiden," she adds, her words hitting me like a punch to the gut.

"I loved her," slips from my mouth before I can stop it.

"C'mon. Let's start a new life." She takes my hand and drags me to the main area.

"Ladies and their shit men," she says aloud, standing beside me. Everyone forms a semi-circle, including Hazel and Jason. I can feel their eyes on me, judging, pitying.

Elena kneels down in front of me. "Harry," she says, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "will you be mine?"

The end. This is the end of Taylor and Harry's story. The end we didn't deserve. Why couldn't I love you a little while longer? Why? Maybe I don't deserve your love, but you deserved mine. Ain't nobody gonna love you like I did. Why can't I just kill your lover? I could have killed him twice, thrice, and more times. But I'm weak. You made me weak, Taylor. You. You were my strength because I had your heart inside me. It was beating for me. And mine is inside you, and it is beating for you.

I stand there, looking at Elena, my heart shattering into a million pieces. I feel nothing. My heart is numb. I want to be with Taylor. I want to hold her, to kiss her, to tell her that everything will be okay. But I can't. I'm handing over your heart to Aiden, and if he, if he breaks it, I would be the one to kill him and his family. Until then, it was a beautiful dream.

"Yes," I say.