Darkness and What Came After

The Bed Came After

"Shhh, she's waking up," I heard a girl whisper. 

My eyes blinked rapidly until the light that surrounded me didn't bother me anymore. I took a deep breath through my nose, attacked by the strong smell of citrus and spices. It took a little bit to get used the smell, it felt as if it was clogging my nose and getting stuck in my throat. I have to admit, it smelled nice, really nice. 

"Huh? This... this isn't the hospital," I stated as I turned my eyes to see the room. 

A dark night sky colored wall with photos frames in a white border of Harry with what I'm guessing are family and friends. The bed my body was tucked into was huge, bigger than a king sized, four times the size of my bed at home. The comforter on top of me was a light-to-medium shade of grey. 

"Rose, hello? Earth to Rose," Paige giggled at the end of the bed, " you're in Harry's room. You were moved from the hospital after you 'fulfilled the healthy expectation' or something like that, and they kicked you out." 

I stared at her blankly. Then moved my eyes to the figure entering the room, when his whole body entered I decided it was Harry, who was carrying a steamy white bowl. I could smell something, I could smell heat, if that's even possible, a bit of cooked chicken, and other foods I don't know how to describe. It smelled good, I hope it's for me. Unless it's just boiling water with random spices... 

"It's soup," Harry said as if reading my mind, "chicken noodle soup." 

After Harry spoke his last syllable, Liam entered the room with a glass of water. I hate water. I could just ask for milk. No, manners. Gotta be nice.

The three of them helped me up, making sure to not push too hard on my ribs and support my head. Harry bit his lip and wore a stern face, concentrating like he was taking an exam. Paige made somewhat of a duck face, scrunching her nose. While Liam lifted his eyebrows, causing wrinkles on his forehead to form. The all made every movement warily. 

Finally, I had been positioned with a pillow behind my back as I lay on the backboard, shoulders back, head up, back comfortable. Harry sat down on the bed to my right with the soup back in his hands. I reached my arms as far as I could and gripped the tall glass of water from Liam, bringing it close to my chest. 

"Beware of the soup, Harry made it, Liam scrunched his face and shook his head side to side, then laughed at his own joke. 

"Like you could do any better," Harry replied after a short pause to come up with the worst comeback. He then turned to me, "I'll have you know that I am an excellent chef." 

"I'll take Liam's word," A sarcastic remark left my mouth. 

"You should, believe me. I've been eating here for a couple of days and I already know all about Harry's 'special skills.' " Paige joined in, making the bunny ears with her fingers and bending the pointer and middle finger. 

"Oh sure. Make fun of my cooking. You're just lucky Liam isn't the one who makes the food. We would be dead from food poisoning. I saved all your lives," Harry stuck up for himself with dignity of having a better comeback than before." 

"Yeah okay, food poisoning from my gourmet meals. GOURMET!" Liam yelled while exiting the room with his hand in a fist, pumping in the air as he screamed his last words. 

Paige chuckled and walked out of the room shaking from laughter. I let out a small laugh, too, until my rib began to throb. The pain was worse than at the concert. 

"Oh god!" I shrieked louder than I had hoped. I probably woke up anyone who might have been sleeping around the block. 

Harry's eyes stared at me, wider than the Pacific Ocean, his voice shook with panic as he asked me questions, " What hurts? You're head? Ribs? Back? Feet?-" 

"Ribs," I replied quickly, cutting him off, "like hell." 

My eyes shut and my body tensed while the pain kept shocking me when it got worse and worse. I heard a shaking noise that sounded identical to a maraca, then it stopped. 

"Here. This should help," I opened my eyes to see two pills in Harry's hand that was reached out in front of my face. 

Placing both pills on the back of my tongue sent a bleak gagging feeling throughout my body, causing me to half-cough. I looked around with my tongue out coughing, looking for the glass of water. Harry realized what I needed and handed it over to me. I put as much water in my mouth that could fit and swallowed. I let out a sigh and swished my tongue around in my mouth. The taste of the pill remained in my mouth, I kept gulping down gallons of water hoping the taste would diminish to no avail. Soon enough, I gave up and rested my head on the wall behind me, glass in hand. 

"Taste bad?" Harry asked as if it wasn't obvious. 

"Absolutely horrible. I bet your soup tastes like heaven compared to that crap," I replied in agony. 

Harry grabbed the glass out of my hand and set it down on the nightstand to the left of me. Then he crawled across the bed and sat down next to me. After a moment of silence, he wrapped his arms around me and gently moved me older to him until I rested on his lap. 

"My soup doesn't sound so bad now does it?" Harry joked, I could feel a smile on his face. 

"Not at all, can I have some?" I asked when a sudden wave of hunger came over me. 

Harry leaned towards the night stand and grabbed the bowl of soup, reached his arm around me, and let me take the bowl that had a silver spoon already in it, "Anything for you, love," he said so sweetly. 

"How cute. Oh! I never finished!" I said as I turned me head to him. 

"Finished what?" Harry slowly spoke, eyeing me suspiciously. 

"What I was trying to tell you in the hospital!" 

"Oh right! Okay I'm ready," Harry childishly expressed whilst putting his head on my shoulder allowing me to lean onto him facing forward. 

"I was saying I loved you ever since I first saw your face on TV, and fell for you when I heard your voice. But I'm sure a lot of girls say that to you," I mumbled the last bit under my breath. 

"Aww. Don't worry, you're the only girl that has my heart." 

Wait. What? Watching me from the crowd is one thing... why am I in the same bed as you? Do you really like me? Who am I kidding, you're Harry Styles, you like every girl.

"Rose? Did you hear me?" 

"Huh, no. What?" I absentmindedly blabbered. 

"I said I love you." 

I scooted off of his lap into my own private bubble as rapidly as I could, What's this all about? He likes other girls, he hasn't even spent an hour with me awake in his life, and he says that!? I even told him I loved him... Oh no. I bet he likes Paige more than me, he dated Carolyn Flack for crying out loud! That boy is trouble. I love him, but he's trouble, maybe I love him because he's trouble. He still isn't going to get me until he proves it. That's right, he won't get me until I know he'll stay true. This is going to be hard, but I promise myself to stay away from his love. That is, until he proves it...