Broken Things

Chapter 6

HPOV:

Paul slid into the backseat next to me and told the driver to go. We were silent for a bit and checked my phone. I deleted all of the voice-mails and texts from Paul. There were a few from the guys asking about the events for tomorrow and what I was doing tonight. I hadn't realized that I hadn't looked at my phone the whole time I was with Stevie until now. I scrolled through my messages one more time but it wasn't there.

"Maybe she's already asleep," I thought to myself and shoved my phone back into my jacket pocket. 

"She's a pretty one," Paul said while he typed out a text. I didn't say anyting. For some reason, I didn't want to talk about Stevie with Paul or with anyone for that matter. If I talked about her, then I thought I would jinx something and make it so I would never see her again. I couldn't have that.

I didn't want to leave her tonight. The thoughts raced through my mind. What if someone followed Paul there and now people were invading her place? What if they were shoving cameras in her face, trying to get her picture and find out who she was? What if they were going through her things? Tearing her posters of the wall and smashing her vinyls? Oh God, her Beatles album...

My chest began to tighten as my pulse raced. My hands were balled up into clamy fists and my vision started to blur. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. I heard Paul's voice but it was slow and distorted.

"Harry!"

The scenarios kept running through my head. I saw Stevie; she was scared and then I saw her crying. Just like she was earlier. 

"Paul! Help me," was all I was able to get out. I felt Paul's hands grab my arms and brng them over my head.

"Harry, you have to calm yourself," he said as steadily as her could, "focus on your breathing." He was remembering what the doctor had told him to do. I screwed my eyes shut. The pain in my chest wasn't letting up. It felt as if a sack of bricks were sitting on top if it.

"Harry, relax. Find something to take your mind off of it." Paul sounded desperate and scared. He didn't like the idea of how he couldn't physically protect me from something like this. I listened to what he had said and I squeezed my shut even tighter than before.

Stevie. I thought about her when she held my face in her hands. I could feel her soft skin as I grazed my thumb along the back of her hand. When her eyes reassured me that everything was going to be alright. I could smell her perfume. It was a sweet scent. Roses. Her laugh rang through my ears. 

I could feel the muscles in my face begin to slack and I inhaled and exhaled as deeply as I could. Slowly, I let my body relax as I kept Stevie's face in my mind. I opened my eyes and my vision was regaining it's clarity. I heard Paul let out a huge sigh.

"For fuck's sake, Harry," he said as he ran his hands down his face. I didn't know the car had stopped until Paul gave him the okay to drive again.

"What was that about?" Paul asked but I didn't answer. I pulled my phone out and my fingers knew what to do. I held it to my ear and listened to the rings on the other end. There was a click and a rustling noise.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered. I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It read 4:30 in the morning.

"Are you okay?" I ask. My voice sounded hoarse from the recent events.

"Stevie, are you safe?" I bounced my leg up and down and chewed on the inside of my cheek.

"Well yeah. Of course I am, Harry. Everything is fine." I could hear her yawn and a pang of guilt hit me. I felt bad for waking her up but I needed to know.

"You have your doors locked?"

"Yeah and the guard dogs are chained up outside the forcefields, what's going on, Harry?" The sleepiness in her voice was fading into worry.

"Nothing, Stevie. I was just checking. I'm sorry for waking you up."

There was a moment of silence.

"It's okay, Harry. Are you sure you're alright?" she said through another yawn. The sound made me smile.

"Yeah, go back to sleep. I'll talk to you later."

"Goodnight, Harry."

"'Night," I said and waited for her to hang up. There was a beep and the line went dead. I set my phone beside me and let my head fall back on the headrest. I sighed as I closed my eyes.

Paul laughed, "She's done a number on you, son."

"This one is different, Paul," I said keeping my eyes closed.

"I hope so, for your sake."

A small smile crept along my mouth and I listened to the humming of the car.