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twenty two

"Wait right here", Harry said when he walked into the hospital room again. We were planning on leaving for the night. Harry needed some sleep and he knew that he wouldn't get any if he stayed, his sister on the other hand could fall asleep anytime, anywhere, and there was no way she was going to leave. Harry was going to sleep over with me and the idea of getting to cuddle with him was enough to make me happy. 

"Hi", Harry's sister came out saying extending her hand for me to shake, " I'm Gemma, sorry for how rude I was earlier.

"No it's okay, don't worry about it", I tried to ease her and she smiled.

 I couldn't be mad at her for acting cold towards me. I could just be any random girl with Harry and I didn't expect to be treated like I was special by someone who didn't know me. I also couldn't be mad because she was under a lot of stress, with a parent who is in the hospital and sick, she had a lot going on. I could relate to that and I knew if she was going to be a little rude it wasn't something to take personal. 

Harry came out of the room and to my side placing his hand on my hip.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gem, bright and early", Harry said then letting go of me and hugging his sister. She began to lightly cry in his arms and he rubbed her back in a soothing motion. She then came in to give me a hug too.

"Rest while you can. I'll keep in touch."

"Take care of him okay, he is really sensitive even if he doesn't show it", she told me and I smiled a bit.

" I will."

The siblings said their final goodbyes and we left out the door. The sun would be rising within the next hour or so, so Harry and I were eager to get home and fall asleep before the sun rose. If the sun was up, so was I and I would never be able to fall asleep. 

"I'm sorry", I told him and he looked over at me confused.

"Why?"

"Sorry our night out got ruined. We were having fun."

"We were", he began,"but I also got to see you in such a caring light. I am in awe of you, Ocean. You care so deeply for me and having someone who cares for me like you do is going to take some getting used to."

"Thank you", was all I could really see. I was happy to be the person that was going to be there for Harry, the person that cared so deeply for him and it killed me that he had never had that in a relationship before.

"We'll have that kind of fun again", he said wiggling his eyebrows. 

We pulled into the parking lot and both of us walked groggily to the apartment, both of us obviously tired. It had felt like the longest day of my life, and so full of different emotions. It had been in so many different directions since the moment I had woken up and now that I was finally arriving back at the apartment it all seemed to be slowing down. For once the day was slowing down.

All the lights were still on in the house, Pearl was sleeping on the couch. She was in the most uncomfortable position, no blanket or pillows and her phone in her hand. I decided I would wake her and put her to bed, and if she was up to talking I would tell her about the night I had with Harry.

"I'll be right in, make yourself comfortable", I whispered to Harry as he walked into my room. 

"Wake up, Pearl", I said a few times, pushing her a few times before she sprang up and looked at the time on her phone before looking at me. 

"I was waiting up for you."

"You didn't have to do that for me", I told her and she shook her head.

"No we need to talk", she said in a stern voice before standing up, "Let's go outside."

I followed her outside wondering what the sudden sternness was about. It was so unlike her to just act so cold out of no where to me, especially after just waking up. It had to be something urgent if she was going to act like this .

"What's up?"

"I am really worried about you being with Harry", she said and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at this conversation again, " I just have learned a lot about him from this girl I work with, who I deeply trust, and I just don't want you to be put in the same position that she is in. Feeling the same things that she feels because of Harry."

"What did she say? I would be more than happy to ask Harry about it, he's open about his past."

"It's just so weird. The way you see him and the person he is acting like is totally different than the person she is telling me about. She says he was super sweet at first too and I just don't want you to get to the point where he isn't like this anymore."

"People change, Pearl. I don't doubt that he and a girl had a bad experience but I am not going to judge him based on his past relationships, I wouldn't want him to do that with me. I just don't want to jump into something that is just like talk, there is a lot of talk surrounding him."

"I'm worried! Her life is ruined because of him."

"Her life", I began to get defensive but I wanted to keep my cool as much as possible, " Not mine."

"If I see the same shit happening between you and Harry that happen between them, I'm gonna have to kick you out of the apartment, just so you know. I am here, trying to help you and warning you. If you don't want to listen to anything I have to say, that is fine but I am not going to just let that shit happen under my roof."

She walked back into the house leaving me standing there feeling extremely attacked. I was hurt that she felt so lowly of Harry after barely even knowing him and going as far as wanting to kick me out. She was protective of me and I was insanely grateful to have a friend like her who wanted to look at for me in every way but it felt more possessive than protective. 

I walked back into the apartment, turning off lights as I went, and walking into the bedroom. Harry was shirtless and already under the covers peacefully asleep. I began to change into my pjs and turned on a movie as background noise. He was out like a light and for a moment I just admired him. All that had happened, all that I had heard about him, and more, I couldn't imagine not loving him.