Soulmates. (Harry Styles) -completed-

♥-chapter twenty-two-♥

It was a relief to get outside. The memories were hanging over my head like a posionous cloud but the prestine white slopes blew them away - for the moment as I walked the snow with Harry, hand in hand. Everything around us sparkled. The mountains didn't daunt me today but exhilirated.

I'd borrowed a snowsuit from Anne, which made me look like a dumpling, but Harry seemed to think it was cute.

'Nursery slopes?' I asked, my breath puffing like a dragon.

'No, too many people.' Shading his eyes, he studied the mountain, giving me a chance to appreciate how long and dangerous he looked in his close-fitting navy ski suit, a shark on the slopes. 

He flashed a grin when he caught me admiring him and waggled his eyebrows teasingly. 'Like what you see?'

I elbowed him. 'Shut up! You really need to work on that humality thing.'

He laughed. 'I will - if you'll promise to teach me.'

'I think you're a lost cause.'

That provided him with even more amusement. When he finally stopped laughing, he hugged me to his side. 'So, Kenzie, are you ready? Because we're going up. There's a peaceful place. I wanted to take you that day we got shot at in the woods, but I think it's even better in winter. We'll catch the lift up and walked down to it.'

The top of the mountain was much quieter than at the weekend. Josh wasn't manning his stall so I couldn't stop for a doughnut and a chat as I usually did. Holding my hand, Harry led me away from the busy runs and into the woods.

'Is this a good idea?' I asked. 'You remember what happened last time we went into the forest.'

Arm looped over my shoulders, he rubbed my upper arm in reassurance. 'Mom and Dad are holding a barrier around the place. Jacob and Ethan are on lookout. We should be fine.'

'A mind barrier?'

'Yeah, it sends people away, makes people think they left teh headlights on or got to meet someone in town. Which reminds me: how did you get through ours last night?'

I shrugged. 'I felt it, but I was too desperate to care.'

'You shouldn't have been able to do that. It was why Jacob and Ethan were suspicious of your turning up out the blue.'

'Maybe this barrier isn't as strong as you'd like to think.'

'Or maybe you're stronger than we realise. We'll just have to find out, won't we?'

'Not now, Harry, please.' 

At that moment, I didn't want anything more to do with savants - their powers are freaky.

'No, not now,' agreed Harry. 'This is playtime.'

We broke out into the open and the ground dropped away in its wicked sweep, smoothly curved like a J. The peaks across the valley towered on the horizon like an audience of giants come to watch the show.

'Wow.'

'Great, isn't it? Not many people come here because it heads nowhere, but I like it. You can do some extreme boarding here without pesky skiers like my brother getting in the way.'

I frowned. 'Harry, I'm not ready for extreme.'

'I know. We can do slow and gentle too.' He flipped the board down on the snow. 'Been surfing before?'

I laughed. 'You don't know much about London, do you? We're not exactly beach babes in Richmond.'

He grinned. 'So what did you do all day back in England?'