Receiving Her (h.s. au)

XXIV

My fingertips run over my eye, my heart dropping. The tears have stopped and the pain settles in, the wicked slap my sister had placed on my face making the left side to bruise and burn.

"Emma," Leah knocks on the door. "You alright? You've been in there for hours."

I bring in a shaky breath and walk to the door, opening it. As soon as she looks at me, her lips part and eyes widen.

"She found me," I cry, her arms wrapping around me.

"Oh, Emma," she says, holding me tightly.

"I-I have to leave. I can't be here with her threatening me," I cry, her head lifting to look at me.

"Emma, have you thought this through?" she asks. "What about Harry?"

My heart slumps in my chest and I know I've thought about this, recently that is. Since she showed up at Harry's practice, I know I need to go. Just for a while to clear everything up.

"I'll explain. I hope he'll understand," I say, my eyes stinging with the tears.

"How long?" she asks, my shoulders shrugging.

"As long as it takes to make her go away," I say, her hand carefully running over my cheek.

"I just need to make sure this is what you want. You have to keep in touch with me because you'll be out there alone. I can't let you go and be naïve," she tells me, my head nodding.

"I have my dad's card for a hotel somewhere. I can't live with the threat of my sister."

She nods. "Just explain to Harry, please. He's your top priority right now."

I nod and walk to my room, sitting at my desk. My hand grabs a piece of paper and I start writing a letter, explaining everything to Harry. It takes up two sheets and I find my tears littering the page.

After placing it in an envelope, I grab my keys and phone and walk over to his house. It's empty and I walk up to his room, setting the envelope on his bed.

Once at my apartment, I start to pack up some of my things and Leah hugs me.

"Be safe, Em. Call me as much as you can."

I nod and let her go, walking down to the cab waiting for me. He drives for a while and I end up in Cincinnati, paying the extreme fee. After I situate myself in my room, I call Leah.

Most of the night, I stay up and transfer my classes to Ohio State. I'm nervous for what's to come and I just have to take everything slow.

Harry's POV

After coming home from practice, I walk up to my room and change. As I walk to my bag, I notice an envelope on my bed and I grab it. I frown as I recognize Emma's handwriting and I open it, pulling out the two sheets of paper that are inside.

Harry-

I write this because I got incredibly injured by my sister today. The event led me to write this to tell you I've needed to go for a while. If you try to find me in my apartment, I won't be there. Leah doesn't even know where I am. The reason I'm doing this is to make sure my sister doesn't come back for me. So if you were to 'see' me, it's not me.

I know this will break your heart and it broke mine as well. The thought that I left after everything we did together is sickening, but I'm doing this for us. It will benefit us in the end and I promise you I will come back for you. But I'm not going to make you wait. I did this...I left. You have every right to hate me but know my heart is yours. You brought me back to life after years of being broken.