Side.

Side. - Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

Anxiety had taken over my body and I was completely frozen by the sudden movement. Though, I tried to scream, as loud as I could. A scream filled with anxiety and desperate. Would someone hear me? Probably not because the warm, yet wet, hand muffled my sounds. I couldn’t see straight, but I was sure I was being pulled into a porch or a hall. I felt tears burning in my eyes, was this actually really happening? 

At long last I was let go. The hand was removed from over my lips and the other hand had let go off me too, but gave me a hard shove though, causing me to stumble and almost falling onto the concrete floor, but I managed to keep myself up. 

“Are you crazy?!” Someone shouted behind me, and I immediately recognized that sound. I turned around, still being a bit afraid, and pushed my long hair behind my ears to clear my quite hazy view. Harry. I could see the anger in his eyes despite the dark hallway, or porch, wherever we could be, I couldn’t figure it out yet. “Why are you here?!” He screamed again, yet softer than his previous words, probably trying to keep his voice a bit muted. “It’s way too dangerous for a girl to walk around in this neighbourhood, especially at this time!” I knew he was right, and I immediately regretted for coming here, but on the other side I didn’t. “I’m s-s-sorry…” I stuttered softly, being afraid for his next words. Harry sighed and ran his hands through his rain wet hair. “What are you doing here?” He asked, more calming. I swallowed away my words, my reason I was here. I knew he would be furious if I’d tell him I came here to meet… see Zayn. I nervously picked at my finger nails and looked away from the green eyed boy. “Well?!” He snapped when I didn’t reply. I slowly looked up to him, not knowing what kind of face expression I should expect. “I… I c-c-an’t tell you…”

Somehow I had the courage to keep eye contact with him. Harry let his tongue slid over his bottom lip before taking it between his white teeth. His nostrils had widen a bit and his hands were formed into fists, his knuckles white. His eyes were looking straight into mine, I could read that he was mad, disappointed and confused for my appearance here. 

“Well, I guess I’m going home.” I said after a short while of silence between us. I already made my way to the door of the porch. Just when I was about to reach the door knob, Harry’s hand wrapped around my forearm, immediately pulling me away from the door and the darkness and rain outside. “No,” He said, absolutely determined, “You’re not going outside right now, it’s way too dangerous.” “I’m fine,” I said with a small smile to convince him, “Nothing will happ–” I was cut off by a loud bang outside, causing me to shriek. I immediately covered the top of my head and a part of my face to protect myself from anything, a reflex. 

Harry didn’t hesitate for a moment and pulled me inside the… house? Apartment? Whatever it may be, he took me inside. 

“You’re staying here for tonight, I’m not letting you go out there.” Harry says as we walk into a room, probably the living room since there was a couch, a TV and more ‘living room’ things. I was quite surprised by how good it actually looked like. The outside of the flat, every all the flats in this neighbourhood looked really cheap and bad quality, but his living room looked… ‘normal’. The wooden floor creaked a bit under my feet when I walked in. 

“W-w-w-hat was it?” I wondered out loud, still talking about the loud bang we’ve just heard. Harry turned on a lamp which stood next to the couch before walking back to me, since I was still standing in the doorway of the living room. “I don’t know,” He said with a shrug, “Probably a gun shot.” “G-g-unshot?” I repeated him. Harry didn’t answer, but lightly pushed me out of the door way into the cold hall. “Come,” He gestured when he was standing at the stairs while I was still standing near the living room. I nodded and followed him up the stairs. What was this actually? Flats didn’t even had stairs, right? But that was my worry where I actually should care less about. 

Harry led me to an extra room. It was a simple room; white walls, wooden floor and a bed with white duvet, nothing more. I wondered if there was even a heater in the room because when I walked, the cold air embraced me. 

“But I don’t have any stuff with me, I don’t even have my phone.” I said, now actually realizing how stupid it is to leave without phone, and I started to panic, Emily and my foster parents would see I wasn’t at home. “Tomorrow you can tell your parents you stayed at a friends’.” Harry said with a comforting smile, causing a warm feeling going through my chest. I just stood there in a bedroom, with Harry, not knowing what to do. I couldn’t just sleep in my jeans and short sleeved shirt. Of course I could take my jeans off, but that would be way too cold. 

“Here,” I heard Harry’s voice as I turned around, seeing him walking back into the bedroom. I didn’t even know he left. He walked up to me and gave me a pair of grey sweatpants and a shirt. “Thanks,” I muttered and unfolded the actually already unfolded white shirt. “Well, if you need anything, just say it.” Harry said as he had laid his hand on my shoulder. I nodded and gave him small smile before he left the room. 

No matter how much I tried to block the sounds which came from outside, and no matter how much I squeezed my eyes shut, I couldn’t sleep. The rain had gotten worse since I got here, thunder was added and occasionally I heard a scream coming from outside the building. And honestly, it all caused be to feel scared. Normally I wouldn’t be scared of rain and thunder, I’ve always liked it actually, but now it felt different. Probably because I was in an unknown area, bedroom, and because ‘weird’, ‘different’ people lived in this area, and I was sure that the screams made it even worse. 

To be honest, I didn’t even hesitate to get up and walk out of the still cold room. I walked into the hallway, which was completely dark, yet cold too. The floor creaked beneath my feet, again, as I searched for Harry’s room. There were a few doors, and I had absolutely no idea which door would lead me to Harry’s room. 

I just opened one of the doors, immediately seeing that the bed was empty. I closed the door again and simply opened another one. At the back of the room were two windows and the bed was placed against the wall, basically under the window. I could see a human’s body lying under the duvet. Somehow I instantly knew it was Harry. Just when I took one step into the room, the room was light up, causing my heart to skip a beat. The lightning was followed by a loud thunder. I slowly walked up to the bed, seeing Harry peacefully asleep despite the darkness. I tapped his shoulder. “Harry,” I whispered, actually feeling guilty for trying to wake him up. “Harry!” I whispered, now louder. His eyes slowly opened and he rolled a bit over, his eyes meeting mine. “Demi, what’s wrong?” He asked, concern in his voice. “I… I can’t sleep…” I said honestly. Harry chuckled shortly while there was a short lighting, lighting up the room. He sat up and patted the space next to him, gesturing me to come lay next to him. I hesitated for a moment, but then asked myself why I went to Harry’s room again. 

I shoved myself onto the mattress next to Harry’s warm body. Luckily, well maybe not, he wore a shirt. Initially it felt a bit awkward, to lay next to a boy. But he was my friend, well, I guess, so it shouldn’t be a big problem. I turned my back toward Harry, preventing to let myself feel more awkward than I already did. 

Harry’s breathing was deep when he suddenly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer to his own body. My back was lightly pressed against his quite muscular chest. The moment he touched me, I felt safe, and what I actually didn’t expect to happen, was that I felt an odd feeling in my stomach. Butterflies.