STRANGE // hs

17

A/N: A lot is going on in this chapter. Sorry the chapters have all been so long recently. Do you guys like them long or shorter?

I woke to a lonely room, absent of Harry and absent of warmth. My eyes scanned over his bedroom feeling lost and out of place without him in the room with me, kind of like the first night I spent over here in his apartment.

It'd only been a few months since I met Harry, and here we were, hurt and confused just like how we were when we'd first met.

I stood from his bed and slid across his hardwood floor in my socks. I turned the corner of the hallway hoping to see him in the kitchen or in the living room, but he wasn't in either.

"Harry?" I said hoping to hear him respond, but the apartment was empty. I was the only living being in there.

I realized quickly that a key and note were placed on the bar top. I walked over to it and lifted the note to read.

Office emergency — not sure when I'll be back. Let yourself out.  -H.S.

My heart clenched and I bit the inside of my cheek as my nerves and self hatred surfaced. He wanted me gone by the time he came back.

A part of me was ready to leave, but an even stranger part of me wanted to confront him and ask him what the fuck was going on with him and what the fuck was going on between us.

However, I was afraid to stay. He was right. We both needed time. Time away from one another, and time spent decompressing and registering everything that has been said and unsaid between us.

So I got my shoes on, called an Uber, and left after locking his door behind me. When the Uber dropped me off in front of my apartment complex, I walked past all the glass and shrapnel from the car accident in the parking lot. I scurried up to my apartment too afraid of confronting the truth when I heard my name yelled by my mother.

I turned as I went up the stairs. She was running to me across the sidewalk.

No fucking way... This couldn't be happening right now...

I reached inside my pocket and realized I didn't have the keys to my apartment. I left them inside when I left with Harry yesterday. I banged on the door hoping Matt was home, and after the second try, I turned to see my mother running up the steps.

"Matt! I lost my keys, open up!" I pounded on the door. Either he was still upset at me from yesterday or he wasn't home.

"Mia, baby," my mom was out of breath as she came up the steps, stopping at the top to persuade me to talk to her. "I need to have a conversation with you. You're not safe."

"Mom, I can't do this right now, ok?!" tears grew in my eyes and I shouted at her losing my cool. "I can't fucking deal with you right now. You need to fucking leave. I don't want to speak with you and I don't want to even look at you. So please, do us both a favor and go."

"Mia, you're not safe here," she walked closer to me and I backed up with each step she took.

"I'm not safe with you, mom! Last time you were here you tried to poison me! You tried to kill me!"

"I was trying to protect you, Mia!" her pretty face contorted and I felt my insides curl.

She was sick, she always had been. Ever since my dad died she had tried to "protect" me. And every single time, she took it way too far.

I took a deep breath and leaned my back against the outside wall of my apartment. I slid down to sit on my butt and I cried.

I cried about having no real friends. I cried about hurting and manipulating Matt and everyone at the office. I cried about hurting Harry. I cried about Harry hurting me. I cried about my mom never being a real mom. And I cried about hating every single part of who I was. It was the sole reason why life was so hard to live.