Hope «h.s.»

Twenty-Five.

Chapter 25:

I woke up the next morning with the most awful headache I had ever had. It was painful to try to sit up. So instead of sitting up, I continued to lay down and I rolled to my side.

As I laid, I wondered what happened yesterday? What happened last night? Where was I?

Forgetting about my painful head, I shot up out of the bed I was in. I was in a loose T-shirt and my underwear and I had no clue who's house I was in. Was I drugged? Was I stolen?

The room seemed pretty big and sunlight was just starting to peak through the not-so-opaque curtains slung around the windows.

It took me a lot of courage to walk to the door. Before I even put my hand on the knob, the door opened. My body jumped and I leaped back.

In came Harry Styles with a pair of boxers on and a T-shirt. My eyes grew wide and I could not utter a word for the life of me.

"Oh good you're up," he said. "I was about to wake you."

I took a deep breath. "What..."

"Do you not remember?" Harry frowned.

"Not a thing," I said nervously. "Did anything happen?" I shyly dropped my gaze to my bare legs and my underwear that almost showed behind the shirt.

"Between us?" Harry asked and I nodded shyly. "No."

I sighed in relief. "What did happen?"

"It's a bit of a story. Care for some tea?" Harry politely asked me.

I gratefully accepted and followed him down the stairs. Now I knew where I was. I nonchalantly drooled over the grand piano once again.

"Um, Harry, is anyone else here?" I asked referring to my clothes.

"Oh no. You're fine. My parents already left," he said.

"Did they know I'm here?" I leaned over the island in his huge kitchen.

"Nope. I snuck you in. It was not very hard but rather doable," he said and handed me a steaming mug. I thanked him.

"So tell me. What happened?" I pushed along, wanting to get to the point.

"Oh. Right. Well after you walked away from me I went back into the school because I didn't know what else to do. I wanted to give you space. I don't know where you went for the whole school day," he said.

"Oh," I nodded. I was at my mothers park. I spent the whole day there. That's all I remembered.

"And at about a couple minutes to eleven at night I get a call from you saying that you're so sorry and that you overreacted and surprisingly you said 'I love you'," he looked at me cautiously before continuing. "You were slurring every single word so I asked you where you were and you said 'the bar'. I immediately came and picked you up and you would not stop talking. And I snuck you into the guest bedroom," Harry chuckled.

"And right as we got in the room, you started taking you're clothes off." He eyed me closely as he spoke. "So I quickly took my shirt off and gave it to you and went out the door to my room."

I instantly blushed but something told me that was not the whole story. Harry looked at his twirling thumbs. "Thank you. I didn't remember any of that. I'm sorry you had to come and get me." I looked at my mug. Why was Harry always there for me? Why did I always have to fuck up so bad?

"I'm so embarrassed," I shook my head. I felt like crying. My world was falling apart. And the fact that I thought going to a bar and drinking would help, frightened me.

"Don't be," he said.

"But I should," I contradicted. "What was I doing at a bar? Why did I think drinking would answer my problems?" I thought out loud.

"I don't know," Harry murmured. Instantly, I felt bad for lashing out. Maybe it was just the headache.

"We should probably get to school," Harry said. I nodded, finishing my tea, getting changed into my old clothes and getting in his car in silence.

•••

I felt bad that nothing was said during the whole car ride. The radio calmly played in the background.

I stayed close by Harry's side when we walked through the parking lot. Even though I got a ton of weird looks yesterday for being a total mess, I tried my best to forget about it.

We were just about to enter the doors of the school before a taunting voice made Harry and I stop.

"Well look who it is. Prince Harry and his damsel in distress," Max sneered.

"Oh shut up Max," Harry said.

"Don't be this way man," Jay Hail said to Max, who was right next to him.

"Remember this: I'm so sorry I yelled at you Harry! Please  forgive me, I love you!" Max directed towards me, making horrid gesticulations alongside his mocking voice.

I had to know how Max knew about my drunk call to Harry. "What?" I looked at Harry. I was so embarrassed I felt as if my face was going to explode because it was so hot from humiliation. I could not even believe I said that in the first place.

"I swear if you say one more word Max," Harry threatened.

"Or what Harry? Don't forget who I set you up with last night. Who was it Chelsea? Isn't she great in bed!"

If I felt humiliated before, now I felt mortified. I knew it was none of my business what Harry was doing before he came to get me, but I was disappointed.

Before I could react, Harry jumped onto Max. He threw four punches: to his cheek, jaw, one eye and cheek again. I yelled and people started gathering around and into a crowd.

Jay tried his hardest to pull Harry off of Max and after two minutes of being brutal, Harry gave up. People backed up.

I could see all of Max's bruises once Harry was fully off him. They were littered across his face.

"Get you and your daughter-of-a-drug-dealer-girlfriend out of here," Max yelled.

I gulped and frantically looked around, hoping no one heard that. A small tear tried to make its way down to my cheek, but I wiped t away before anything would be noticed.

"Drug dealer?" Jay muttered and I froze.

"Don't," Harry warned.

The three of us watched in complete silence as Max walked back to his car. That day just turned ten times worse.