Shelter 《H.S.》

Chapter 008

Skylar shut the door behind her, pressing her back against it and inhaling a deep breath. She'd had one of the most awful days she could imagine at the clinic and she was nearly positive she'd absolutely tanked the Chemistry quiz she'd had in class. Once the relief of being home settled into her bones, she made quick work toeing off her shoes and she listened for signs of Harry. She was almost positive he was avoiding her since his outburst two weeks ago, holing up in his room when she was home and avoiding eye contact whenever they were in the same room. It'd made her heart sink initially but she just kept telling herself that it was his coping mechanism. His way of dealing with being so open and so raw in front of her that night.

She shuffled into the kitchen once she realized he was hidden away in his room, quickly pulling out what she needed to make dinner. She'd been fixing Harry a plate and leaving it on the table for him, knocking on his door on her way to her own room to let him know she was headed to bed. She was half tempted to just fry some bacon for BLTs, not really wanting to put a lot of effort into cooking after the day she'd had. She eyed her options, grumbling to herself as she pulled out what she needed to make them and setting a pan on the stove to heat up.

She jumped when she heard a groan come from the living room. She thought Harry was in his room since she didn't see him sitting on the couch when she made her initial glance of the common areas. She set a few strip of bacon into the pan before padding out of the kitchen and around the bar. Her eyes searched the living room, failing once again to spot his head of curls before he moaned. Her eyes narrowed on the back of the couch as she swiftly stepped over to it, peering over the back at her flatmate.

He looked ill. Almost as ill as he'd been when she stumbled upon him in mid April. He was clad in an oversized sweater that hung off his broad frame, exposing one of his collarbones while his lower half was clad in a pair of black sweatpants. He was curled in on himself, pale face exposed by the floral headscarf that pushed his curls out his face.

"Harry, are you okay?" She asked, leaning over the couch to brush her fingers across his arm.

He jerked up, eyes opening and settling on her for a moment. He was disoriented and couldn't focus his half lidded eyes on anything for long. She frowned, her eyebrows furrowing low over her eyes as she took him. Her hand carefully moved to his forehead as he flinched from the contact. He wasn't overly warm, just that sleepy warm people often were after napping or when they first wake up in the mornings, but her frown still deepened. She then noticed that his pupils were blown as he situated himself on his back and it made Skylar's heart sink in her chest.

"What did you take tonight, darling?" She murmured softly, pushing a few stray curls back off his forehead.

"Nothing." He grunted out, the single word barely making any sense.

"Don't lie to me, Harry. What was it tonight?" She repeated, voice a little more firm.

"Don't member. They were small and white." He slurs out, eyes falling shut again.

Skylar huffed, unable to hide the hurt that danced across her features. He was absolutely gone. She shook him again, watching as he pried his eyelids open to glance at her in disinterest.

"How many did you take?" She asked, her voice getting a little frantic at his lethargic state.

"Dunno. Took them bout ten minutes ago." He answered, head nodding to the left as he shut his eyes again.

Skylar's heart stopped in her chest before she stumbled around the couch. He was overdosing himself. She tugged him back into his side, ignoring his groan of protest before taking his jaw in one hand and prying open his mouth. She did it without even thinking, sticking two fingers of her free hand as far down his throat as she could get them. Harry gagged around her fingers before she yanked them out, quickly dodging the contents of his stomach as he heaved them all over her living room floor.