Just keep breathing

Chapter 48

Harry's perspective

Six days.

Six days since I dropped Katie off at the airport. Six days since I wiped away the stray tears, she was desperately trying to hide as we said goodbye.

Six days since I've seen her smile. Six days since I've caught her singing and she's gone deadly silent the minute she noticed. Six days.

So why on earth does it feel like months?

Seriously Styles, six fucking days is nothing, I scold myself. In a couple of months, I'll be going on the road for eighteen weeks, and unless she agrees to come with me, which I seriously doubt, I'm going to have to get used to spending a lot more time without her.

It'll be better when I'm on the road and busy though, sitting here in this house without her after having her here non-stop for two weeks is no doubt what's making this so difficult.

I would have gone back to London with her straight away. However, I have some prep to do for the tour and promised to get involved in a special benefit concert at the end of the month for Fleetwood Mac, I'm not sure anything but the opportunity to play on stage with my idols could have kept me here, to be honest, and that thought worries me.

I've only actually known this woman a few months, it's not healthy to be so attached to her already, and I don't know how to handle the way I'm feeling. I've never fallen for anyone so hard and fast before, and it scares me a bit. A little space to gain some perspective might be good for both of us.

I drag myself up of the sofa and head to the shower. I have to meet Sarah tonight at a Sushi bar downtown for our first 'date', Urgh why did I agree to this? The last thing I want to do right now is go off and get papped.

After I got over my initial disgust at this whole plan of Jeff's, I started to think it might not be such a bad idea, take some of the pressure off. But after seeing the look in Katie's eyes when she agreed to it and her sly attempts to brush away her tears before I could see, I'm starting to wonder if I was naïve thinking she could handle this.

God knows I wouldn't want to see photos of her out with another man splashed all over the internet. As I step under the warm water, I resolve to give her one last time to change her mind before I head out.

Katie's perspective

Six days.

Six days since I climbed on to the plane and waved goodbye to Harry. Six days since he's pressed his beautiful lips to mine. Six days since I've felt his strong arms wrapping around me in his sleep.

Six days since he last sang to me after a nightmare. Six days. And already it feels like a lifetime. How on earth am I going to cope when he goes back on tour? I wonder to myself idly as I make my way out of the Doctors.

My asthma has been playing up like mad since I got home and, as much as I despise having to go to any kind of medical facility, I bit the bullet this morning and made an appointment to get checked over. A chest infection as usual. Wonderful. Armed with a prescription for antibiotics, I make my way to the pharmacy and glance at my phone for the 10th time today.

It's only ten in the morning here, which makes it three o'clock in the morning in LA. So, of course, I haven't heard anything from Harry yet. But that doesn't stop me checking my phone every chance I get to see if my usual 'Good morning' text message has arrived. Harry and I fell straight back into our routine of 'Good morning' and 'Sleep sweet' texts the minute I landed back in London, and as much as I love receiving them, they are no replacement for having him here with me.

Just another ten days to go till he comes home. Not that I am counting or anything.

When I finally arrive home, I am surprised to find Mel laying on the couch in her bright pink fluffy pj's staring at some random cartoon on the TV. Since I've been home, I've barely seen her. She's been spending most of her time with Ben, Harry's tour manager and, since our trip to Japan, Mel's boyfriend.