Terrible Things (Harry Styles Love Story)

Chapter Fifty - One

April...

Oh God. I was going to throw up. I couldn't believe that this was happening. Today was supposed to be such an amazing day. And it still is. I'm not going to let Harry's mood swings get in the way. I found Aunt Charlotte standing by herself in the same spot. I walked up to her.

"Hey, are you okay? Your face is red. What happened?"

But I shook my head. "It's nothing."

"Did you two fight?"

"It was nothing. Promise. I'd really rather not talk about it. I'd much rather catch up on these past three years." 

She smiled and we walked out, and we sat on the swingset that was on the patio. 

~~~

Harry's POV.

Shit. I've been up here, in the room, for a good five minutes now. All I've done is think about how I fucked this up. Of course she doesn't want to hear about what I think about her fucking aunt. I ran out of the room and down the stairs in search of someone that I recognized.

I saw Niall talking to Karen, and I saw Kendall and Camille talking to Aunt Katie. Despite the fact that Aunt Katie was actually laughing and smiling, I still walked up to them. 

"Have you seen Diana or that uh, Aunt Charlotte?" I asked.

Aunt Katie looked at me like she did the first time she saw me. "No, I can't say that I have," Aunt Katie said.

"Actually," Camille began, and I turned my attention to her, "I saw them both go outside a couple minutes ago."

Aunt Katie cleared her throat. "Yes, well I hope they're not gone now."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I've seen that look before," I said. Aunt Katie shifted her weight. "Yes, you gave me that look the day that you met me - when I held my hand out to shake yours. You were hesitant at first, but you did it anyways. You easily held your disgust.... no, your abhorrance in. You thought that a boy with tattoos and piercings couldn't possibly be good enough for Diana. She would never go after such a thing - so stupid or idiotic. Correct? Please, stop me if I'm wrong."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, your facade is tenuous... or as stupid people like to say... um, you're act is weak now, it's becoming pathetic. Quite frankly, I'm over it."

Diana's POV.

"Yes, I'm sure. It was just a small fight," I answered for the millionth time.

Aunt Charlotte shrugged. If you say so."

"I do! I do say so! I've been saying so for about ten minutes!" I exclaimed.

She smiled and laughed. "Well, can you blame me? I just want to make sure that you're okay. You're the only person left in this family that I care about."

"You know that I don't have to be... the only person, I mean. We all love you, you know. You're important to us."

She sighed with a small smile. Her white teeth illuminated her face. "Oh, please." She looked away from me and to the neighbor's yard. "You're the only person who knows I exist in there."

I put my hand on hers, hoping to get her attention. I did. "They know... trust me."

Her guard was down. I could sense it -- the way she was looking at me. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off by the front door opened. I didn't look, I just continued to look at her. She shifted her weight.

I continued talking. "You can't do that. You can't just put your guard back up. We were getting somewhere. You were going to open up - like you always do after claiming that there's nothing wrong. Please don't shut me out."

She nodded her head towards the door, and I turned around. "Can we talk?"

I shook my head. "Harry, can we talk later?" I asked.

"Go..." Aunt Charlotte said.

I turned back to her. "No.. no way. I was so close. We were so close. You were about to open up. I need you to talk to me," I begged.

"We'll talk later. Just go talk," she said.

But I shook my head. "No. You're going to leave. I know you."

She didn't talk anymore. She just got up and went back into the house.

I sighed as I stood up to face Harry. "Harry, I already know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear any of it. I don't think you know how much Aunt Charlotte means to me. She and I are alike in ways that no one understands. It's too different for most people to handle, but we're just the same, Harry. You and I... we were so different, but now we realize how alike we are."

"No, I was going to apologize. I was wrong to say what I said. I get it. You two are alike - the shutting down, the leaving to avoid problems, everything. I know that now, and I'm sorry."

I could feel my eyes tearing up. I shook my head, and I could feel my lips begin quiver as I tried my hardest to hold in my tears. "But you don't get it Harry! You don't!" I exclaimed and let the tears fall. I covered my mouth to attempt to muffle my sobs. 

Quickly, Harry pulled me into a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around him, and I felt his chin rest on the top of my head. 

"You don't understand. It always takes this long to get her to open up to me. Eventually, she does. And... I was just - just so close to having her open up to me. Her guard was down, and she was going to tell me everything. She was going to let me in again. Harry, you don't understand," I continued to cry against his chest. "I do everything to show her how alike we are. I do everything to let her know that I'm here for her. I just don't get it."

Harry's embrace got tighter. "Oh my god..."

But I didn't say anything. I just continued to cry. 

Harry moved so that his chin wasn't resting on my head anymore. He had mouth against the higher part of my ear as if about to whisper something to me. And he did. "She used to cut too, didn't she?"

I let out a loud sob and then nodded my head as I let more tears fall. "Yes."