𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍! | harry styles

𝐗𝐗

BELLA bounced her leg nervously as she watched the clock. Each tick of the second hand brought her that much closer to meeting Harry for the first time.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She shifted in the uncomfortable plastic chair and stretched her neck from side to side. Although she hadn't been at the prison very long, the process to get in made it feel like an eternity. She double-checked her pocket to make sure she still had her driver's license and car key—the only two items she was allowed to carry inside. She would have liked to bring a book or her phone to pass the time, but as it was, she couldn't even wear her lightweight hooded sweatshirt. Letting out a sigh, she looked at the clock again.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

When she had arrived, Bella filled out a form stating her name, where she lived, whom she was visiting, and her relationship to the prisoner. She used her father's address, as he had insisted, and quickly scrawled the word friend in the relationship box before signing her name on the bottom of the page. After a guard had checked to make sure she was whom she claimed to be, she was sent through security.

The security check at Waterview was much the same as what she had experienced at the airport on her recent trip to Florida. The biggest difference was the lack of personal belongings. She had placed her shoes, license, car key, and visitor form into a plastic bin to be X-rayed before walking through a metal detector. A sign on the wall warned that a visitor only had two tries to pass; after that, they would not be allowed in. Bella had made it through without a problem.

Once Bella had cleared the security checkpoint, she was able to enter the prison grounds. A guard led the small group of visitors she was a part of through multiple gates and to a complex where the prisoners would be escorted, and that was where she currently waited.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Her eyes drifted to the rules sign posted on the wall. Bella had read it enough times to know it by heart, but with nothing else to do, she found herself reading it once again.

WEAPONS OF ANY KIND ARE NOT PERMITTED.

PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORS. AVOID LOUD, EXCESSIVELY EMOTIONAL, OR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.

SPEAKING TO OTHER OFFENDERS/VISITORS IS NOT PERMITTED.

A BRIEF HUG AND KISS ARE PERMITTED AT THE BEGINNING AND CONCLUSION OF VISITS.

HAND HOLDING IS PERMITTED ONLY IF HANDS REMAIN IN PLAIN VIEW.

OFFENDERS MAY HAVE CONTACT WITH HIS/HER CHILDREN.

IF YOUR VISIT BECOMES EMOTIONAL, STAFF WILL CHECK IN WITH YOU AND ASSIST AS NEEDED.

"Next," a guard called.

Bella practically jumped out of her chair. She quickly made her way to the counter and handed him the form she had filled out.

"Go through the door to your left. Make sure it closes completely behind you. When the buzzer sounds, go through the second door. Once inside, go directly to Table Seventeen. Any questions?"

"No."

"Have a nice visit. Next!"

Bella followed his instructions and quickly found the table with a large "17" stamped on the top. She sat and took a deep breath as she glanced around the room, taking in her surroundings. The room was large with round and square tables in various sizes spread evenly across the floor. She tried not to stare, but it was difficult to avoid looking at the others who occupied it.

There was a man at the table next to her holding a young child on his lap. The little girl giggled as he showered her face with kisses. At the table across from her, an older woman wept as she held hands with a man who might have been her grandson. At the far end of the room, one prisoner was surrounded by eight visitors. They seemed cheerful, everyone smiling as one of them spoke animatedly, using grand hand gestures.

A door opened on the opposite side of the room, and a man stepped inside. He was tall and slender and appeared to be in his thirties. Bella knew the moment she saw him that it was Harry. She watched him as he scanned the room. He looked guarded, uncertain, but the moment his eyes landed on her, relief spread over his face. He made his way toward her hesitantly, as if he was afraid he might scare her away.

Bella held her breath as he closed the distance between them, and she took the opportunity to study his appearance. He looked . . . normal. Other than the slightly institutional feel to his clothing, nothing about him screamed "prisoner." There were no handcuffs secured around his wrists. He didn't look rough or haggard. He was clean. His hair, although slightly messy, didn't look shabby or unkempt. What surprised Bella the most, however, was how attractive she found him. His facial features were angular and defined—high cheekbones, strong jaw, straight nose—and a small smile played at the corner of his full lips. Even with their age difference, if she saw this man on the street, she would definitely look twice.

As he got closer, Bella noticed his piercing green eyes, the dark circles underneath making them all the more intense. She wondered if his anxiety over his parole decision was still keeping him up at night. By the looks of it, it was.

When Harry reached her, he glanced down at the table number, making sure he had assumed correctly. "Bella?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah. Hey," she said as she stood up.

"Hey." An awkward pause filled the space between them before Harry continued. "You really came."

"I did."

"Thank you."

Harry took in Bella's appearance, memorizing everything about her. Average was the last word he would use to describe her. She was young and had an innocent quality about her, but she was beautiful. He wanted to run his hands over the curve of her waist and touch her skin to see if it was as soft as it looked. His gaze lingered on Bella's body a little too long, and she crossed her arms over her torso, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He noticed and quickly diverted his eyes.

"Do you want to sit?" Harry gestured to the chair she had been sitting on.

Bella sat, and Harry positioned his chair on the same side of the table, angling it so they were sitting knee-to-knee. He held out his hand, silently asking for hers. When she timidly placed her palm in his, he closed both his hands around hers and held on gently.

"Bella, I—" He squeezed his eyes closed and swallowed thickly in an attempt to keep his emotions at bay.

"It's okay," she comforted.

Harry looked at her face again, searching for any signs of discomfort, anything hinting that she didn't want to be near him, but the only thing he found there was the compassion she had always shown through her words. He leaned closer, much to Bella's surprise, and before she had time to react, rested his forehead on her shoulder.

Bella held her breath, and for a moment, they were both perfectly still. Harry moved first, caressing her hand and wrist with his thumbs. Her eyes darted around the room until they fell on the guard. She knew what they were doing wasn't allowed, and she didn't want Harry to get in trouble. The guard watched them in slight disinterest. When he looked away, she relaxed slightly.

Each breath Harry drew was heavy, and she could feel him shaking slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded against her shoulder. His hair was soft and tickled her cheek. Without thinking, she leaned her head against his. In return, he tightened his hold on her hand.

The twenty minute visit passed quickly, and before they knew it, the guard was telling them their time was up. Harry pulled away reluctantly and smiled sadly. "Thank you," he said again as they stood up.

"You're welcome."

Before Bella knew what was happening, Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. She froze in place, not knowing how to react. Once the initial shock wore off, she gingerly placed her arms around his waist, returning the hug in part. Something about being in his arms made her feel safe. With all the precautions she had taken to protect herself, she didn't quite know how to feel about that.

Harry released his hold, and then his strong hands were framing her face. She inhaled sharply as his lips met her cheek. "Thank you," he repeated in a whisper.

This time it was Bella who couldn't speak. She nodded and kept her lips closed tightly as Harry was escorted back through the door he came from. Somehow she managed to keep the tears from falling until she was safely inside her car.