Offbeat || Harry Styles

Chapter 18

Tim.

"Harry!" I called, running after him when he got up and started to walk away when he heard me call his name the first two times. "Stop, Harry!"

"What?" He turned, hissing at me. His eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks wet and pink from the cold. He looked vulnerable for a second before his features hardened, his eyes masking his emotions.

My chest rose and fell as I loudly exhaled, all the running I'd done finally backfiring. "I'm sorry." I pathetically proclaim. "I shouldn't have l-let-"

"Would you just stop apologizing!" He screamed at me. "Every time, it's the same old cycle! Every time, I have to go through it and all you have to do is say sorry! I've had enough, Tim."

I felt like I had just been slapped, the air knocked out of my lungs. I gulped, looking away from his hard eyes that were making me quiver. "I-I don't know what to say besides sorry. You know why I'm doing it. It's for the both of us, Harry. You know I like you."

"That's not enough for me. I can't even believe you right now. I feel like I don't trust you or myself anymore."

"Harry, please-"

"No." He snapped. "You don't get to apologize this time, Tim." He said as he shook his head at me. He started to walk away from me.

I watched him leave. My heart was violently knocking against my chest. My eyes watered. My head spinned.

"Wait!" My feet carried me towards his moving body. "Just hear me out, will you!" I screamed, but he didn't stop. I exhaled, trying to ignore the rejection that seeped through my veins. He didn't stop walking.

***

"What's wrong with you?" Linda asked as I shut the front door. My eyes flickered at her before returning to the floor. I didn't reply, starting to undo the laces of my boots.

"Timmy?" She timidly walked towards me, her eyes filled with worry as she examined my face. I shrugged and shook my head.

"Nothing's wrong, mum."

"Oh darling, we both know I'm not stupid. Do you want some tea?"

I sighed and nodded my head.

"Now, would you like to tell me what's wrong?" Linda questioned, her eyebrows pulled together lightly in concern.

"Mum, please. I don't want to talk about it." I said, my eyes watering again as my lips quivered. She wrapped her arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

"Shh, it's okay, baby. Don't cry." She whispered, pulling my wet hair away from my face.

"I messed up, mum. I don't know what to do." I confessed as I cried. "Everything is wrong. I don't know how to fix it."

"What did you do?"

"Mum." I groaned.

"Right. Sorry." she giggled, wiping my tears away. "How about we watch a movie together? I'll make us snacks."

Harry.

I wiped away my tears when I reached my neighborhood. I wasn't in the mood to deal with our nosy neighbors who will definitely question my appearance if they saw me. I stuffed my hands inside my pockets, protecting them from the cold air that sent violent chills down my back.

"Harry?" I shut my eyes and mentally groaned when I heard the familiar sound of Cameron's voice. I pretended not to hear him, taking no notice of his presence behind me which I could now feel due to his proximity. I shut my eyes and exhaled before turning to face him.

"Yes, Cameron?"

"Hi."

"Hi."

"You haven't been returning my calls."

"Maybe because I don't want to talk to you?"

"You've changed, Harry. You're so rude now." Cameron said, crossing his arms against his chest, hurt etched on his face. I almost felt bad for him.

I sighed, running my hand through my wet hair, slightly tugging at the ends. "Look, Cameron. I appreciate everything you do for me, okay? But we're just not meant to be. Stop wasting your time on me. I'm not trying to sound mean, but it's the truth. I don't like you. All you are to me is a friend. Or less."

"That's bullshit."

"Call it whatever you want," I shrugged my shoulders, turning to start walking again.

"No!"

He yanked me backwards, sending me to the ground as my foot slipped into a puddle of dirt. My head hit the concrete, sending a throbbing pain down my entire body.

Tim.

"Hello?" I nervously said, surprised and confused that Harry has called me.

"No, it's Cameron. H-help me, Tim. You're the last one he called and I-I don't know what to do right now," he cried into the speaker as I stood to my feet, my mind racing with thoughts.

"What happened? Where's Harry?"

"Just come. Please. I'll text you the adress."

The second I hung up, I sprinted towards the door, ignoring my confused mother and grabbing the car keys. I felt like I was about to cry, knowing that Harry wasn't alright scaring the living shit out of me.

I got the text and drove like a mad woman to get there. My heartbeat increased as I neared the two bodies resting on the concrete.

"What happened to him?" I cried, getting out of the car and crouching next to Harry, who was staring at nothing, a line of blood trickling down the side of his face.

"Harry," I gasped, ignoring Cameron, who was practically shaking with fear. "Harry? Harry, babe, look at me, please." I begged, my hands touching his face, slowly turning it so that we were face to face. Emotionless eyes stared into mine.

"Are you okay?" I worriedly questioned. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I ignored it.

When he didn't reply, I stroked the side of his face, wiping away the blood. He stared at me with no emotion in his eyes. I was scared.

I gulped and turned to talk to Cameron, but he was no where to be found. I looked around for any trace of him, but I found none. I sighed before turning to Harry again.

"Let's get out of here, yeah? It's cold." I said, still stroking his face with my hand.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."

I raised my eyebrows at him, slightly annoyed that he was still acting like this. "You're obviously not okay right now. I'll take you home, come on. Don't be like this."

"I'll walk home."

"It's going to rain."

"I like to walk under the rain."

"Get in the car before I drag you."

***

"You don't have to walk me." Harry said as I walked him to his front door. It was raining, the sound of the drops hitting the ground making it hard to hear Harry's words.

"Can I come in?" I asked.

He looked at me with a frown on his face before nodding his head. "Okay."

I watched him as he dug out his keys from his pocket before thrusting it into the keyhole.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, dad. I'm home. I have someone with me." Harry called, looking at me in the eye. My breath hitched in my throat.

I was going to meet his dad.

author's note: hope you like this chapter! what do you think will happen next? leave a comment and don't forget to vote lovelies!
lots of love and a yara hug! X