How long will it take?

Chapter 22

2nd updateeeee.

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Lola's POV

The suitcases just fell to the ground with a thud.

I looked at him, my eyebrows furrowed and my eyes becoming more and more tearful by the second.

My heart sank when I took in his appearance, the bags under his eyes had grown darker, his hair was longer and his clothes looked dishevelled. His eyes still glistened in the dark that was surrounding them and he still looked as beautiful as ever to me. I could hear his deep breathing and I paid attention to the hitches in the back of his throat every now and then, he was waiting for my response.

A cough erupted between the two of us and Dani gave me a quizzical look before putting down the bags and walking inside, she shuffled passed me and whispered in my ear, just for me to hear.

"I'm in here if you need me, Lo. But remember what I said before." And with that she walked away, leaving me with the runaway boy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, bravely.

I smiled and congratulated myself for being so brave, underneath it all I was quivering and shaking like a leaf at the thought of him being so close to me after a month of his disappearance.

"I was lying." He stated, sharply. As he said it he took a swift step forward into our small garden and I gasped when he reached out to grab my hand, he pulled me into his grasp and held me to his chest, his breathing becoming quicker by the second. He nuzzled his head into my neck and breathed deeply, inhaling all of me into him.

"I was lying, Lo." He repeated to me never breaking the grasp around me.

I sunk into his hold and carefully wrapped my arms around his waist, never wanting to let go again. I rested my head to his chest and took note of his heart beating rapidly against my ear, my inner goddess swirled around at the thought of him back again and holding me so close to ensure I didn't break.

We stood together for a while and he hesitantly pulled away to take a look at me before reaching down and pushing my hair behind my ears. He shook his head violently before pulling away. I started to panic as I thought he was going to walk away again but he turned around and paced up and down the garden, his head in his hands. I stood and watched him, taking everything in.

"I'm so so sorry, Lola. I just thought I could run away and everything would be easy again. I thought if I left you it would all be ok. I just thought, I don't know. I just..." I listened intently to see what else he had to say but judging by his quivering lip he was about to cry.

I walked over to him and grabbed his hand, entwining our fingers together before guiding him to the bench in the garden. He sat quietly, his while body looked tense and upright, not one muscle in his body was relaxed.

We sat for a while, just wallowing in the silence before my nosiness broke it.

"Am I really your problem, Harry?" I asked so quietly that he had to sit up to listen. I looked down to the ground waiting for his reply but he didn't say anything, he just reached up to under my chin and lifted my head to gaze into my eyes.

"You could never be anyone's problem, Lola. I'm my own problem."

He took his lip between his teeth and bit down before looking back up at me.

"I'm just sorry that I've wasted so much of your time when we could have been happy together and we could've been a couple."

My heartbeat increased straight away and I let the tears fall onto my cheeks, I was confused as to why I liked this boy, he still hadn't explained himself to me and we hadn't even spoken for that long yet I'd already forgiven him for just being him. The whole time I was locked in my room, away from everyone I could've been with Harry, we could've resolved everything weeks ago and we could have been together. I thought about Dani and her outburst and I knew she was right. I thought about him caring for me in the hospital, about everything he'd done for me when. I hadn't asked him to. He helped me through a hard time, even if he did leave, he came back and I'd just wasted an important month of my life wallowing in self pity.

"I ran because I was scared. I don't like people judging me because of my own choices and that's what everyone was doing, Lo. They think I'm just a man whore with nothing better to do than have sex, but I'm not, I promise." He said to me, solemnly.

"I know, Haz. I know."

"I would never hurt you intentionally, you mean a lot to me and I don't want to hurt you again. I hope you let me explain again."

"Harry, I understand you don't want to hurt me intentionally but you did. I asked for an explanation but I never got one, Haz and that hurt." My thoughts and feelings spilled out and his face contorted in annoyance over my outburst.

"But I wanted to shield you from the truth. I'm scared that if you know everything you'll run away like I did."

"I'm old enough and wise enough to know who is a good person and who isn't, Harry. You're a good person, I know you are and I'd never run from you. Ever since Mum and Dad left me I've been a nervous wreck about everything but you, you make me forget everything bad about the world, you make me happy, Harry. All I need from you is the truth."

"What if I'm not a good person Lola? You've seen what the press have said about me, even you said that I killed Naomi." He shook his head and pinched his temples.

I gulped and took a breath before continuing.

"The press are so fucking wrong about you," his head perked up and he looked at me in shock. I grabbed at his coat and pulled him closer to me.

"You need to show them all that you're not what they think you are. You're strong, independent, beautiful and caring, Harry. There isn't another you, you're not an alcoholic, you're most definitely not a man whore and you're not running away from lies and secrets. All you are is Harry, a boy from Chesire who is lucky enough to be in One Direction, who's got a huge group of friends that all love him and a girlfriend who happens to have cancer but she couldn't give a shit because she's got Harry Styles on her arm." I stood up as I finished my speech and took a stance before Harry stood up too.

"And that is why I came back for you, Lola Jones."

He wrapped his strong arms around me again and ducked his head before pressing his lips to mine.

It was all going to be ok.

Harry's POV

Relief flooded over me as she stood in my arms, her mouth matching mine and kissing back just as aggressively. Her small arms surrounded me and she melted into my body as our kiss progressed further, I pushed her against the wall and wrapped her legs around me, biting her lip thoroughly to make her moan. Her head rolled to the side as I left sloppy kisses up her neck, gently nipping away to mark her as mine. I pulled back as I felt the first drop of rain land on my nose, she giggled cutely as she wiped it off, quickly getting back to the kissing.

"I've missed that, Lo." I whispered into her ear. She laughed again and shuddered as the wind enveloped us, the rain was getting heavier and had started to pound down on us. I was well aware of the goosebumps that had risen on her arms so I pulled her into my coat and nuzzled into her neck before grabbing her and wrapping her around my back in a piggyback style.

She laughed and squealed before I started to run in the rain towards the car.

"Looks like it'll be my place tonight then. You're not going anywhere, Miss Jones!"

It was all going to be ok.