One way or another

Chapter 16

Harry took a deep breath and time stopped. She stared right through him, through his body, everything was on the display for her ice blue, unrelenting and merciless eyes to see. Harry wanted to be strong, unaffected, but his hands were shaking and his eyelashes were so filled with water he could barely see her standing right in front of him. But he could feel it.

"What were you even thinking?" Perrie asked.

Harry shrugged. He didn't know. He didn't know where he was, why he was crying, what she was asking, what he should answer. Harry didn't know anything.

Perrie snorted. "You weren't thinking at all, were you?"

"I -"

"Honestly, I just feel sorry for you."

Harry wiped his eyes dry, and could see Perrie just a tiny bit better. He wished he hadn't. Because she was smiling. Why was she smiling?

"It's not like you actually thought I'd like you, did you?"

Harry's words got stuck in his throat. He couldn't even deny anything.

Perrie pouted. "Poor Harry, thought someone would care for him." She laughed, a high pitched sound which cut straight through Harry's stomach. "You're deluded, I hope you realise that."

Harry nodded, and could feel the saltwater on his lips. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologising to."

"Then who?" Harry voice broke at the end, wrecked. He wanted to make this right, even though he didn't know what he'd done wrong.

Perrie stared at him for a long time before finally answering, her voice toneless. "Yourself."

Harry closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, she wasn't there. He was alone on a narrow bridge made out of bricks, and when he took a step forward, a long crack made its way through it. There was no railing, nothing to hold on to. Harry fell to his knees, and looked down at the fiercely uncontrollable water underneath him, hitting vigorously at shore. Harry took a deep breath, the bridge broke and he fell.

The bright morning light took Harry by surprise. He had to blink a couple of times in order to readjust his eyes. It actually felt as if he had had just gone for a cold bath, because his whole body was numb and drenched in sweat and the feeling of being suffocated was overwhelming. When his eyes were fully opened, the first thing he noticed was the familiar set of caramel brown hair, only inches away from his face.

"What -"Harry said, his voice rough from sleep. He shuffled slightly so he could take in the scene underneath him.

Basically, Louis was lying draped on top of him, holding onto his body for dear life, using his chest as a pillow. Which, okay, that would explain the numbness. And the sweat. Uhum. However, Harry needed two things. He needed water, and he needed air. And in order to attain these two things, he needed to move.

"Hey, Lou," Harry said softly, nudging gently on his shoulder, "wakey, wakey. Time to get up."

In response, Louis only made a small, disapproving sound and held on tighter.

"As lovely as this is, Loubear," Harry said, this time massaging his hand in Louis' hair, "I need to pee and open a window. There's no air in this room."

The room was absolutely silent for a little while, before Louis spoke for the first time, his eyes still stubbornly closed, "No."

Harry chuckled. "No?"

Opening his eyes, Louis moved his head so he was facing Harry, his features sleepy "There's air in the room. I'm alive and breathing," Louis took two deep inhales of air, before looking at Harry pointedly, "See?" Closing his eyes again, he returned to his previous position. "There's no reason to move. You can stay, it's fine. We won't die."