Damaged Goods. (A Harry Styles Fanic)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Lola’s steps gradually became slower, the heel of her shoes scraping across the gravel as she came to a stop. She felt a nervous clench in her stomach and inhaled shakily. The hazy sunshine glowed across the gritty shore below, causing her to squint as a faint breath of chilled wind blew strands of blonde hair across her forehead.

Lola could feel the sting of blisters forming on the corners of her feet, from constant rubbing against her shoes as they’d walked. The soles were worn, her calve muscles ached, her stomach was grrowling and her hair was tangled. But finally, after the longest day, she thought they’d found it.

Lola heard Harry’s footsteps coming up the slope behind, catching up as he trailed behind for the last ten minutes. Both of them had started to know they were close to the right address around half an hour ago, and although they were exhausted, they were determined to perservere and keep going.

She turned her head over her shoulder to see Harry approaching, looking worn out as she felt as he climbed the last slope of path. His curls were messy around his head, sticking out in different directions. They were standing along the beach front, raised street higher than the beach. The shore was coming in gradually, drenching more sand with every wave.

Lola looked up at the white house in front of her, taking a deep breath in.

“So this is it” she breathed. She sensed Harry stand beside her, looking up at the tall beachfront house too, with a concentrated frown on his face.

“Appears so”

Lola stood there still for a moment longer, just staring blankly at the house. She thought about the possibility of her biological father being only metres away. Inside that house. Behind those walls. The person she’d longed to be reunited with since the day he left. Wanting, needing answers. Why did he leave? Did he ever think about her? Did he want to form a relationship with her? Would he be happy to see her? Did he even want her at all?

Her exhalation was slighty shuddery with nerves as she felt herself unconciously shifting her body more towards Harry instead of the house infront. Which seemed like the safest option right now, she didn’t know whether it was a risk worth taking.

Harry sensed Lola’s hesistation and turned to her. He looked down on her, focusing his attention solely on the girl before him, trying to suss out what was going through her mind.

“Go on then” he urged, hoping to provoke a reaction which would tell them both whether she actually was going to go ahead with this.

Lola cocked her head to Harry, a helpless crease formed between her brows. It told him what he suspected. The scared look clouded over her icy blue eyes and he knew; knew that she was having cold feet. Second thoughts.

“W-what if I can’t do it?” she asked, a crack in her vulnerable voice as she looked up to her past nemesis for words of encouragement. Harry gulped as he heard her voice waver, the sound going straight to his chest and causing a small pang. He took Lolas shoulders in his hands. Her eyes had were glistening slightly and he tried to look encouraging instead of falling for it and letting her walk away. No way was he letting that happen now.

“We’ve come all this way, for two things yeah?” he said, widening his marble turquoise eyes to Lola to make sure she understood. Lola nodded slowly, sniffing and struggling to keep his bold eye contact. “For me to let go of my Dad, and for you to do the opposite and find yours”

Lola remembered the bravery in Harry as he did his thing and threw the cherished stone into the sea. It took a lot for him to let go, but the stone symbolised the grief that he’d haboured for the past couple of years. Now she needed to be brave too