Blazed (Harry Styles) - On Hold

Chapter Two

Ivy walked home alone, clutching her book to her chest where it made a wet stain. The house was completely empty. She turned on the radio to a drown out the silence and rolled her eyes at the irritating love songs. She made enough pasta for one person, following an old recipe her mother had told her about. She ate the food in the kitchen and then scrubbed the dishes until they were so clean they hurt her eyes. Then she took her crumpled copy of Alice in Wonderland and laid it out in the sun. She turned it over a few times but no matter how much she tried, the book was completely ruined and there was nothing she could do about it. She felt her heart grow heavy. She blinked away the moisture in her eyes as a familiar voice called out her name.

"Ivy," Harry was standing there, "I got you something."

"You stalker," Ivy snapped, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not a stalker," Harry said, laughing a little, "I live at the end of this street."

Ivy sighed and let him inside

He remembered the house vaguely; he had last seen it at the day of the funeral, two years ago.

"Here," he said, handing her a brand new copy of the book.

"You didn't have to do that for me."

"I wanted to," he smiled, a dimple surfacing.

He set the book on the table next to the door and sat down on one of the sofas. The room filled a pleasant silence but broke when Harry cleared his throat.

She picked up the book and examined the cover, the illustrations had changed. The pages, too smooth. The spine, crack free, no yellowing nor did it have the scent of her old book. It was just too perfect.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she remembered the day she was gifted with it. It was one of the only things she had left in the memory of her mother. This book just wasn't the same.

"You alright?"

"Yes," she managed.

She stood up,"excuse me," she said and went to check on her book.

"Why are you drying it?"

She turned around to find Harry standing behind her.

"It was my mother's."

"I'm really sorry," he repeated.

"Doesn't change anything," she, too repeated.

She put the book down and looked at the floor, "I think you should leave," she said, " my father will be home soon."

"Uh, yeah," he said, walking towards the door.

"Ivy?"

"Yes?"

"I am sorry."

"I know."

With that he was on the street, making his way home. Ivy sighed and sat down, opening the first page of her new book to discover a note written by Harry.

'Sorry about getting you all wet,' it said with a scrawny signature at the bottom.

Ivy smiled, setting the book aside and resting her eyes until the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ivy, it's Charlie."

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to meet up," he said.

"Sure, when?" she smiled, things were getting better.

"Tonight?"

"Um, sure, tonight," she said and hung up.