losing sleep » h.s.

thirteen

When I woke up, the other side of my bed was cold. My fingers stretched out, seeking for Harry's warmth but finding only the empty spot on my mattress. Harry wasn't next to me anymore. I was alone and at home.

Waking up in my own bed felt surreal, after a week at Hellcliff. A part of me dreaded to go back to school, mostly because I had a feeling that Harry and I would slip away and we would go back to how it was before. The week at Hellcliff had been one of the most scary, weird and yet fun and interesting week I had ever experienced and I was grateful that I had spent them with him.

But then again, I was back home. Home were I had luxury I'd never thought I miss. A running toilet. A shower. An oven. A comfortable bed. An adjustable room temperature. The minute I got home Sunday late afternoon, I rewarded myself with an hour long bath.

I stood in the hallway getting ready for school. Applying a lip balm as I checked myself in the mirror, I threw my backpack on and got my crutches before heading outside to where Harry was waiting for me in his navy blue pick up truck. The second he saw me coming out of the door, he ran out of the truck and helped me.

"Let me take that," he offered and took my backpack and opened the car door for me.

"Thank you," I said.

Harry quickly went in back to his seat and started the car. He was wearing his typical attire. A dark flannel, paired with black skinny jeans and a snapback on his head, with his chocolate curls peaking out.

"Ready for school?" He asked.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for that," I sighed.

He chuckled and started to drive out of my driveway. Both of us hummed along to whatever song was playing on the radio. When we reached the school parking lot, he parked in the closest space, so I had to walk less. He grabbed my backpack and ran over to my side to open the door for me.

"Thank you," I repeated.

The moment Harry and I walked into the school corridor, I noticed a lot more eyes on me now than I had ever done before. Being the girl in the background nobody used to notice. I was slightly struggling to walk on crutches while Harry had my backpack in his hands.

"People are staring like crazy," I said through gritted teeth to Harry. Already from my side vision I could see students start whispering the moment we passed them.

"I think people know about we did during the fall break," he answered back.

"Still, there is no need to whisper behind our backs," I said slightly annoyed. "Wait, I need to get my Biology book," I said as we passed my locker.

"Don't think about the other people, Natalie," he smiled.

I put my crutches aside to open my locker, only to fail as my crutches fell and made the biggest noise. "Well, fuck my life," I groaned.

Harry just stood there and laughed at me when I tried to pick up my crutches. "I'm sorry," he laughed again. "I'll help you, what your locker combo?"

"213," I huffed out as I was finally on my crutches again.

He opened my locker and got my Biology book. "I think I need to walk you to class," he smiled playfully.

"You know, I can actually hit you with these crutches," I said, ready to swing one at him.

"Natalie, I am just trying to nice to you and this is what I get?" He asked, faking to be sad.

"Oh shut up, let's go or I'm going to be late for class."