Illegal Love

~ Chapter 19 ~

*bang bang bang*  

I bolt straight up in bed. What was that noise? 

Suddenly, I hear deep voices arguing outside the guest room. I push the covers off of me and slowly emerge from the bed. I open the door just a crack to make out what the voices were saying. 

"Listen asshole, I'm the one who saved her from having the worst night of her life! I deserve to have her in my flat, not you!" Harry's British accent gives him away.  

"I honestly don't give a fuck! I want her to stay with me for a little while! Don't be so selfish and just let me have her!" Was that...Mr. Tatum? And were they talking about me? 

"Gabriella probably doesn't even want to stay with you, anyway!" Harry shouts. Okay, so they were talking about me. 

My history and English teacher were arguing over who gets to have me stay in their apartment. Was this even happening? What does that mean? Do they have feelings for me? Because if Harry did... 

I decide to make an appearance in their little fight and slowly walk toward them standing in the doorway. Mr. Tatum does a double take when he sees me. 

"Looks like we've woken her..." He says and awkwardly scratches the back of his neck. Harry's head flicks my way and he bites his lip.  

"Sorry, Gabriella. Your history teacher doesn't understand the fact that you're staying the night at my place," he says, shooting Mr. Tatum a glare. 

"Why don't we let the lady decide herself?" Mr. Tatum says confidently. He strides over to me and places a hand on my waist, pulling me extra close to him. My hands smash against his chest and a gasp escapes my lips. 

"You would choose me over him any day right?" He whispers in my ear. My vision flicks to Harry, looking mad as ever. His jaw tenses and his hands are on his hips. Lips pursed, he averts his eyes from Mr. Tatum's snarky gaze. 

Mr. Tatum turns back to me and looks at me expectantly, waiting for a response. I know my answer isn't going to please him. 

"I-I-" I stutter but am cut off by Harry's sharp tone. 

"She doesn't want to stay with you, but she's too polite to admit it." 

Wow, that actually totally summed up how I felt. 

Mr. Tatum throws me out of his grip and I stumble backward from his strength. He walks up to Harry and gets up in his face. 

"Let the girl fucking answer!" He shouts and Harry pushes him away. They both glare at each other before returning to me.  

"Who's it gonna be, Gabby?" Mr. Tatum says in a fake voice. I feel nervous and the aroma around us tenses up. I clasp my hands together and shift my gaze side to side, looking at both teachers. Mr. Tatum's expression has happiness mixed with anger. Harry has a blank face. 

Silently, I walk toward Harry, giving both of them their answers. Harry looks almost relieved and Mr. Tatum looks plain angry. His nose scrunches up and he advances towards Harry and me. He balls his fists at his sides and I cower behind Harry's broad back. Still facing forward, Harry wraps his muscular arms protectively around my body. I put my cheek and hand against his back, feeling safe. 

"Oh, you're such a little prick! You know that, Harry?!" Mr. Tatum pounds his fist in his hand. Harry's arms leave my body within seconds and his fist makes contact with Mr. Tatum's face. Mr. Tatum recoils back and his fingers fly to his cheek, already forming a bruise. His face suddenly turns into extreme anger and throws a punch at Harry's nose. Blood flows from his nostrils and that's when I step between the two. 

"Stop! Please!" I cry but they ignore my pea and move around me.  

"Get behind me, Gabriella," Harry growls and Mr. Tatum throws him a punch in the stomach, leaving him bent over, clutching his gut and groaning in pain. 

"You're going to pay for that," Harry says, recollecting himself and slams Mr. Tatum's other cheek. The two men push each other and both have cuts and bruises on their faces. I try my best to stop them but they continue to ignore me. 

"If you don't stop then I'm leaving and never staying with either of you!" I shout and that gets their attention. Their heads snap to me and lose their grip on each other.  

"I'm sorry, so sorry, Gabby, but Harry here started the entire fight!" Mr. Tatum says, taking my hand gently. "I think he may have a bit of an anger problem," he adds in a mock whisper, just so Harry can here.  

That really sets Harry off. 

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE, CHANNING! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE IN HERE AND START THROWING PUNCHES AT ME IN MY OWN FLAT!" Harry shouts, his vein protruding in his neck.  

"Wow...I think it would be much safer for you to stay with me, Gabby," Mr. Tatum says, placing his hand on my lower back, backing us away from Harry.  

"Get your hands off of her," Harry says angrily through gritted teeth. To be perfectly honest, he looked like a mess. Blood is still running down his face and some is dried up. He has cuts and bruises along his jawline and chin. His cheeks are a redish purple color. His lip is bleeding too.  

Mr. Tatum is pretty banged up as well, but he didn't have blood all over his face.  

"Get out of my apartment. Now," Harry growls when Mr. Tatum holds me closer. He shoots Harry a huge smile. 

"Gladly," he starts walking towards the door but turns around at the doorway when I don't follow him. "C'mon, Gabby, we're going back to my apartment. It's actually in the same building. Number 413, to be exact," Mr. Tatum chirps. I don't say anything because my mouth is dry. I don't want to stay back at Mr. Tatum's apartment, I wanted to stay with Harry. But if I say I'm staying with Harry, I don't want another fight to break out again.  

"She doesn't want to stay with you," Harry says, lowly, walking up to him. Soon, they are both in each other's faces again and Mr. Tatum brings his arm back, ready to knock the wind out of Harry, when I rush up to him and wrap my small fingers around his arm.  

"Mr. Tatum, please just leave me alone," I whisper and that stops him. His arm freezes in my touch and his head jerks down at me. He quickly recoils his arm and I let go of him. Without a word, he storms out the door, slamming it behind him.  

I'm silent as Harry pants heavily behind me. I turn and he is slumped against the wall, head down, fingers in his hair. He looks mean and dark. I approach him, gently touching his forearm. He looks down at me with tired eyes and I gently take his hand and tug him into the kitchen.  

Harry looks peacefully at me as I wipe the blood from his face with a damp paper towel. The blood flow had stopped, and the dried blood came off his face easily. I toss the bloody paper towel in the garbage can and run a finger over the sores on his face. He winces a little, but stops my hand from recoiling.  

"Sorry," I say. He just smiles at me.  

"Thank you," Harry whispers. 

"For what?" 

"Staying with me," he whispers again, sending butterflies through my stomach. He stares into my eyes and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. I'm unsure of what to do, considering my lack of experience with boys. 

I awkwardly lift my hand up and push back some of his hair. His forehead is sweaty, along with his hairline. His brown hair is very soft and light.  

Harry closes his eyes when I touch him and a content grin appears on his face. Eyes still closed, he grabs my waist and pulls me to him, gently. I wrap my arms around his neck and he leans down and places his head on my shoulder.  

This was our first ever real hug and it was everything I ever wanted. This beautiful man in my arms was everything I ever wanted. This moment we are sharing is incredible and the feeling it gives me just makes me want to be with him more and more. I never want to pull away.