Harry Styles Imagines and Preferences Book 3

Ghostin

Request- Angst please. X

Snacking on some saltine crackers and takis while listening to ghostin cus issa mood. Yes this is inspired by Ariana Grande's "ghostin" cus we all know she's my fav. Enjoy!

"We need to talk."

Always the most unsettling words to trail off Y/N's tongue.

Especially when it captivated and trapped Harry's ears.

He walked closer, unhurriedly and nervously before sitting down onto the couch across from her. By the way her eyes hallowed with fear and the way her lips didn't dare to form a smile, he knew this was it. Something he's been dreading but knew was coming soon. And oh how badly he wished the couch would swallow him into an abyss that never allowed him to escape.

Unless it meant coming back to Y/N.

His large tan hands reach out to rest on her knees. His orbs are already starting to water but he tries his best to hold it together. He saw this coming. He's rehearsed this scenario far too many times to degrade the plan of staying strong for her now. Now was not the time. So he bit back his tears. "Tell me", he urged further. "Go ahead." Though 'let's get this over with' were really the words he wanted to say.

"You know...", Y/N finally speaks softly. "The way it's been has been really hard."

"I do", was all that left Harry's lips.

"I can't keep doing this to you...or myself...or him", she sniffs. "It's not worth it. I'm hurting more than I can love and you don't deserve this. I can't keep doing this to you, H."

His eyes fall to his lap and he nods slowly, pathetic tears falling from his long lashes. "You've been crying again", he notes. "Next to me at night."

"I have", Y/N confesses. "I've been trying to hold it in, but nothing works. Nothing helps. I just...I just wish he were here instead."

That was it.

That was all she had to say. All she had to reveal to send Harry's tears over the edge and heart collapsing into a billion pieces unfixable.

Harry was broken.

And there was no repairing that.

"And I don't want you to think that I don't love you", she reminded him, hands gripping his. "Because I do. I really do. You've always been there, even when he-", she stopped herself, not wanting to say the sentence any further.

"I know, poppet", Harry promised, knowingly.

"You've been so good. So fucking good to me, Harry. Even after all of the shit that I put you through because of him. And God, I wish I could just ghost him but it hasn't been that easy. It never has. I have so much baggage with him that I can't let go of. Baggage I'm not ready to let go of just yet."

"Y/N-"

By this time, her eyes were inundating. Tears running down her adorable puffy cheeks Harry could never get enough of. "And everywhere I fucking look, it's like he's right there. It's almost as if he's visiting me. So often that even at times when I look at you...all I see is him. I don't want to. When I look at you I want to see you. Not a boy I can't get over, no matter how hard I try-"

"Baby-"

"And I was so close, Harry. I was right there. I fucking felt it. It was practically teasing my fingertips. I was so close to letting go of him. And then he...died...and his mother called and...I wasn't close anymore."

"Y/N, stop", Harry begged.

His eyes were red. But not with anger. He knew what Y/N has been feeling. He also knew he wasn't her first love. He knew he couldn't amount to what Y/N's ex was.

But he could try.

And that's exactly what he did. But his attempts weren't good enough. It never stopped Y/N from crying at night or hating herself because she knew how badly Harry was hurting, though he would never admit it. He wanted her. Nothing more but her. But she wanted someone else. And there was nothing he could do about it. He had to let go.

For her sake.

His hand reached up to wipe away the tears from Y/N's cheek. "You don't need to be sorry, nor do you need to explain yourself. I know, baby. I know how you've been feeling and I have just as much fault for trying to ignore that and trying to be something that you needed. I'm sorry I failed you. I'd like to think we'd get past this, but I know you need your time and space. I love you, Y/N. Forever and always."

He slowly leaned in, eyes locked on hers as their lips brushed against one another, merely touching. He wanted to kiss her. So badly. He wanted to love her just one more time before letting go and saying goodbye for God knows how long. He swallowed hard, another tear escaping before he moved his lips to her cheek instead. He released a small but sincere, loving kiss before getting up from the furniture and wiping a few remaining streaks from her cheek.

"I c-can um...", he sniffed. "I can come get my stuff tomorrow-"

"The house is yours Harry", Y/N protested.

"No, Y/N. The house is already paid off. What kind of man would I be if I were to make you leave? I'm gonna give you your time, alright? However long that may be, I'll always be here when you need me. I'll get my stuff tomorrow", he repeated. He blinked back a few more tears and grabbed his coat and keys, walking towards the front door.

Y/N wanted to say something. Anything to stop him from walking out the door. But nothing came out. And so she allowed the second man she's ever loved to leave without a trace just like that. And there was nothing she could do. This wasn't her way of breaking up with him. This was just her way of releasing him from all the damage that's been done.

It hurt like hell to let him go, but it hurt even more to make him stay.

So she sat there. Fingers twirling over one another as she continued to cry, feeling nothing but emptiness inside.