Time (A Harry Styles Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I release my hold of Harry's hand with a ping of disappointment, grabbing my small cross body purse and slinging it over my shoulder. I feel Harry's eyes burning into me as I grab the car door and slowly push it open, the warm Florida air mixing with the cool AC of Harry's car.

"Thanks for driving me." I say shyly, peering up at Harry who's gaze hasn't left me.

"Why are you saying thank you? I'm not leaving.. You need a ride to your dorm, right?" His eyes are light and he sounds so eager. This Harry was such a contrast to the Harry that I met when I was with my roommates. I silently admit, I really like this side of him.

"Yeah, I didn't think about that." A small smile plays on my lips as I get out of the vehicle that is way too tall for me. I grow confused as I shut the door and Harry doesn't follow. I grow impatient and yank the large door back open and watch Harry's face snap up to meet mine.

"You aren't coming?" I sound so desperate and mentally scold myself. Of course he didn't want to come see my sister.

"I just didn't want to intrude, love. I know that this time must be important to you, I don't want to bother." He looks concerned as he unbuckles himself and leans across the center console to grab my hand that lay on the passenger seat.

"I'll be here when you come back." He smiles lightly and I feel my cheeks burning with heat. I nod and bit my lip as I pull my hand from his and shut the car door, walking quickly up to the front of the hospital.

I'm familiar enough with the hospital from the hundreds of visits to Jade that the maze of hallways is practically mapped out in my brain. I feel so familiar yet so uncomfortable in the environment, the bright walls and sterile smell a reminder that this place is not something to be at home with.

After checking in with the receptionist and navigating the halls for what seems like hours, I finally reach Jade's room; 893.

I creak the door open and am not surprised to see her asleep, the room hauntingly dark and quiet besides the beeps of the devices attached to her.

She looks very frail, and weak. Her skin is even paler than this morning and her face looks drained of energy. My memory floods with thoughts of her before any of this occurred, and all I can wish for is to have Jade back. Not this Jade; but who Jade really is.

I decide on not trying to wake her up, considering she's been in this state for days now. I feel my eyes brim with tears and I settle on writing her a quick note so that she can wake up to know that I was here, that I care. If she wakes up.

I scribble the words down on paper and leave the short letter beside her bed, watching her chest rise and fall once again. A tear rolls down my face as I think of the possibilities. Jade could die in days, hours, minutes.

But she won't, she's too strong.

I wipe the tears on my hands and leave them on my dress, quietly exiting the room and stopping at the nearest receptionist desk to ask them for any new information regarding Jade's health. The receptionist takes ages to locate Jade's file but finally does, and tells me words that I'd like to permanently erase.

"Her condition is quickly deteriorating, the cancer as spread to numerous different places including the brain. It isn't looking up for her. I'm sorry." She keeps her voice as monotone as possible but her voice croaks at the last painful bit of the sentence, her eyes refusing to meet mine.

I'm glad they didn't because tears are falling uncontrollably down my cheeks and I feel a huge lump in the back of my throat. I feel my body growing weak and if I didn't have decency, I'd be screaming and yelling at the woman for saying those things about my baby sister, even though I knew that she was only telling me what's true.