Hidden [h.s]

TWENTY (EDITED)

After a few moments, the door opens. Harry is wearing sweatpants and the same t-shirt, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Rose?" He asks. "It's three in the morning." His voice is rougher than usual from drowsiness.

"I know," l say.

"What's wrong?"

"I..." Now that I think about it, it's stupid. Ishouldn't have woken Harry up for this. Harry, of all people, too, I guess my mind isn't working right.

Harry looks at me expectantly.

"I can't sleep," I manage to say.

Harry stares at me.

"I'm sorry, I'll go. Sorry." I start to turn when Harry grabs my wrist.
"Is everything okay?" He asks me.

"Yes," I lie. "I'm fine, I-"

"Are you sure?" He asks, cutting me off.

I look down at his fingers curling around my wrist. I shake my head slowly.

He lets go of my arm and steps to the side. "Come in," He says.

I stare at him. He tilts his head slightly.

I finally give in and step into his apartment.

Everything is perfectly in place. The decor is modern, the walls painted grey, A flat screen TV is mounted on the wall and a dark blue couch is in front of it. The place is impeccably neat.

Harry walks over to the kitchen area and pulls out two mugs. He pours water into them and puts them in the microwave. sit in a chair at the island.

Harry doesn't say anything as he puts a tea bag into each mug, stirring them with a spoon. He pours milk into each of them carefully.

He slides a mug toward me.

"No honey?" I ask.

"No. Just milk and tea. It helps you relax."

I've never heard of that before, but I drink it nonetheless. The tea is bitter but the milk makes it creamy. It actually doesn't taste too bad.

"What are you afraid of?" Harry asks me finally.

I look down into my tea. "I've never been jumped like that before, and when you said I wasn't completely safe..." The words from my mouth sound hysterical.

"Do you feel unsafe?"

I shrug.

Harry stirs his spoon in his tea. "Nothing will happen to you, Rose," He says. "I won't let anything happen, all right?"

I nod again.

This is so odd, to be having tea at three in the morning in Harry's apartment. Hours ago, we were stuck in an elevator, yelling at each other; and here Harry is telling me he's not going to let anything happen to me.