DRIFTED |Harry Styles|

CHAPTER 17

"Harry, I'm so sor-" I tried to say but got interrupted by him. "No, I don't need your pity or anyone's, I deserve everything that I've been through, it's all my fault."

"No, it's not." I assured him. "What?" He tilted his head, confused with my statement.

"It's not your fault, Harry, you couldn't have avoided what happened, it was just... fate." I was surprised when he told me what haunted his life, but not for a split of second I thought it was his fault. He was not the one to blame, after all, accidents happen all the time and that's why they're called accidents, because there's no one to blame.

"You actually believe in this 'fate' shit? Come on, Mel, don't be so naïve, you're better than that." He scoffed, bringing his fingers to his temples.

"Why is everyone calling me naïve? I'm not! I'm telling you that it's not your fault! I know that this is not enough for you to forgive yourself and to let go of your past, but you have to understand that accidents happen and there was nothing you could have done!" I huffed, raising my voice and getting slightly annoyed by the fact that Harry also called me naïve just after Ana did.

"Okay, okay, I get what you're saying, but it's easier said than done, Mel. In theory, that's nice and all, but the guilt that I have to live with every day is consuming me and I didn't know for how long I'd take this, until I found you, you make things... bearable." He grabbed my hand across the kitchen isle, looking deep into my eyes with a crooked smile.

"I can only imagine how you feel, Harry and if you need someone to assure you every single day that this was not your fault, I'll be this person, but you have to trust me." After his confession, I felt genuinely concerned about him. I knew that this wasn't easy on him, but I couldn't let him take the blame for something that wasn't his fault.

I was one hundred percent convinced that he wasn't the one to blame, but he was one hundred percent convinced that he was. It would be a hard task to convince him otherwise, but I was determined to do it.

This whole thing must have caused him major trust issues, but I needed him to trust me that I'd be there for him anytime he needed, I was even more inclined not to leave his side after what he told me, I was not letting him go through this alone anymore.

I got up from the stool and reached for him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he wrapped his around my waist and my fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. "You're not alone anymore, we're in this together now, I'll be by your side every step of the way to make you see that you have no reason to live with this guilt anymore." My voice was low and soft, like I was trying to calm down a baby.

His eyes widened as if he was surprise about what I said as he loosened his grip on my hips. "What is it, Harry? What's going on inside that mind of yours?" My knuckles caressed his cheekbone as my thumb traced his lower lip. He turned around, getting away from my touch.

"I just... No one has ever..." He stuttered. "I'm not used to people caring about me like this, I've always been a loner for most of my life, especially after what happened with my family and now you come around saying that you'll be here for me and that we're in this together, it just seems..." He trailed off and my heart broke at the sight of the lonely boy in front of me who forgot how it feels to be loved.

Wait.

Did I love him? No way. It was too soon.

"It seems what?" I asked hoping that he wouldn't shut me out now that he's been so opened about his past life. "It seems way too good to be true." He sighed, extending his arms in front of him, reaching for me like a kid and I giggled. "Why are you laughing?" Harry asked with a frown, but the corners of his lips raised as he enlaced his arms around me once again.