Project: CA, U.S.A. | Harry Styles AU

Chapter 14

"No." A deep expressionless sound came from behind me.

As it seemed, Harry, who was frozen on the first step, realized the full impact of the situation just by hearing the clicking noise. I kept standing in front of the closed door, my hand still gripping the door handle tightly. Maybe it would open again when I'll just look at it long enough and with enough desperation. But somehow deep in the back of my mind I knew that it wouldn't, because of Harry's reaction. (And because even if I may or may not have tried that trick earlier in my life, the object from said previous situations wouldn't obey either.)

The next moment, my thoughts were racing. Is Ed ok? I'm his babysitter. I'm responsible of him. How can I help him if I can't get out? What'll Anne say if she finds her son laying unconscious and probably with a bleeding nose or broken bone on the hall floor? - Yes, I know that I tend into being slightly over-dramatic. But before I could start to really freak out, I felt someone pushing me lightly aside and banging on the door.

"Ed! Open that damn door! This is not funny." That's what made me get back into reality.

My hand flew to his still ongoing pounding fist and pulled it angrily back down. "Are you serious? He's not making a joke with us, he fell you idiot! He could be hurt!" I scowled at him just to receive the same reaction back. But I didn't care. Instead I knelt down and pushed my face directly next to the door.

"Eddie, are you ok, love? Did you hurt yourself?" For about a few seconds, there was silence. But then, to my relief, I heard some scrabbling noises outside. "Ed? You good?" I repeated my question because he still wouldn't answer.

"Awli? I..I think I hurt m-my knee. I-It's bwleeding." I heard him sniffling slightly on the other side of the wooden door.

Oh great, how could I comfort him when I was stuck in here? I looked help-seeking up at Harry but he just rubbed his eyes with his fingers and sighed slightly. So he wasn't much help at all. Ed still whimpered outside when I started to speak again. 

"Ed, d'you think you are still able to open the door though? I can't really help you from inside here." Once again after a few scratching noises he let out a loud huff. 

"No, I can't reach it." I sighed. Next to me, I heard Harry mumbling something like "Of fucking course.."

"Ali..? It's still bwleeding, a-am I going to die now?" Ed's voice was slightly high-pitched at the end. I shook my head vigorously even though he couldn't see it. "No you won't darling, I promise. Just.." I stopped, quickly deciding what I could do now to help him. He was still an infant but what else could I do? It's worth a try. "Ed, I'm sorry but I can't help you because we're stuck in here. Listen, please just go to the bathroom ok? Take a few tissues and come back again."

He did as I told him and as soon as he returned I told him to wipe the blood off of his knee and press another tissue on the wound until it stopped bleeding. As it did, I said that he should just go to his room again and take new trousers out of the bottom drawer and sleep in Harrys bed due to the fact that his one was still wet. And even though Ed seemed like he was already really good at doing and understanding things for his age, I doubted that he could manage to change the bed sheets. Harry didn't look like he was very fond of the idea but I didn't care. I was really proud of myself and Ed for handling the situation so well. It's not like Harry had had a better idea.

So after a bit of sniffling, a few goodnights and a few moments of me reassuring him that it's going to be okay, he finally got upstairs. I stood up again, now facing Harry. "Well, let's just wait until Anne returns, shouldn't we?" He just shrugged and slowly made his way downstairs with me following him. We seated ourselves against the wall next to the piano.