Speak |h.s. a.u.|

Chapter 88

Something was different. There wasn't this intense spark between them. Of course, there was comfort and love, but they both noticed this odd emptiness when they were alone, or when Harry would be home alone and wouldn't seem to miss her at much, or when Annabelle would wake up holding him out of habit and wouldn't want to pull him closer, instead getting out of bed and moving to the couch. They felt distant no matter how much love they tried to give each other, there were no kisses except on the cheeks every now and then. Only hugs when Annabelle would return home and conversations were short and restricted. Neither of the two could put a finger on why they felt this way, but they wanted it to go back to normal already.

The thought of leaving one another never crossed their minds, because the other person was all they had known for so long. Harry had been through a lot of stress with his sister being pregnant, his mother being in a new relationship for the first time since his father died, and the recent arguments with his girlfriend.

Annabelle knew and understood this, allowing him to have space when she sensed he needed it, and giving him attention and love when he seemed to feel lonely or confused. She never wanted him to feel alone in all of this mess, because she knew how that felt and it wasn't a good feeling at all. He had promised her so many times that being lonely wasn't an option as long as he was around, and she planned to promise him the same thing. Although, she had her own struggles of having no family and wondering how much longer it would be before she could visit America again, her boyfriend feeling so far away even when he was right next to her, his family going through so many changes. They both needed different things, yet only wanting each other.

Annabelle handed Harry her notebook, asking if he wanted to go on a walk with her.

"It's so cold outside, doll," Annabelle's smile faltered for a minute, until she wrote that he'd be there to keep her warm with a shy grin. He smiled, finally agreeing and handed her a hoodie that she gladly accepted. Harry grabbed a coat and watched as she brought the material of his hoodie closer to her face, feeling snug and warm. He'd never get over how adorable she could be.

"You better not find another dog while we're out, one is plenty enough." Harry joked as Annabelle slid her hand into his, making his heart skip a bit. She never made the first move, but she knew she had to or they would continue to feel this wall between them.

The sky fell dark and the air felt colder as they neared home, making Harry pull Annabelle closer with one arm around her shoulders.

"Annabelle?" Harry spoke quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace between them. She lifted her head from his shoulder, looking up at him as their pace became even slower than before. "What's wrong with us?" Annabelle's eyes shifted from concerned to confusion.

"I mean, why does this feel different? Why do we feel different? I don't know what happened." Harry closely watched her features soften and her eyes look away from his, which pulled at his heart, but not as much as it used to. "Hey," his fingers moved her chin so she was facing him again, "I love you." His words where quiet, almost whispered, and his hand was gentle as it held her cheek.

Annabelle wanted to say it back, she wanted to save their relationship with her words, but instead she stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his, seeking warmth and an old feeling that they both longed for. He kissed her back slowly, trying to prolong the spark between them and feel it for as long as possible. They both felt their hearts waking up, not as much as they wished, but enough to confirm that they could get through this together, and things would be normal again some day.