Reasons

Chapter 39

Harry's POV
Stupid rocks. Stupid hot weather. Stupid cardigan that is basically giving me a heat stroke. Stupid jacket. Stupid Will and his bloody nose wooing my girlfriend.

I slumped against the rough, textured wall of the apartment. I had stood there for the past twenty minutes in hopes of Rylie coming out to speak to me. I knew she was going to. She always did. Yet, this time felt different. Or maybe I was just delusional from the suffocation I was feeling. Either way, I didn't want to wait forever for her to finally get out here. We have been here for one day and there was already conflict. Why couldn't we ever have a good time together? There always had to be an ounce of a problem seeping its devil-like head into our beautiful lives. I had one more day with her, and I probably won't be able to enjoy it because she'll be pissed at me the entire time.

I was so immersed in my own thoughts that I didn't hear Rylie come up. I only noticed when she plopped down beside me, our arms brushing. I waited, and waited a little more. When it had went five minutes without a long lecture about my behavior, I grew worried.
"Go on," I encourage, waiting for her to scream at me. It wasn't exactly Rylie like, but still.

Her eyes trailed to mine; they were still the deep chocolate brown I remember. Not like the dumb old Reese chocolate, but the yummy dove chocolate that you find at the checkout lines. Any man in the world could lose their way in her eyes, or maybe it is just me. I would rather it be just me.

"Ok. I'm sorry," she stated.

"Rylie let me expl- wait...you're sorry?" I ask, screwing my eyes together. Did I hear her right? I couldn't have heard her right. Rylie doesn't apologize for no reason, so maybe I am just hallucinating things before I pass out. Maybe Rylie isn't even truly here.
"Yeah, I didn't mean to act so...cross. I was just upset, and I hate to see you fight people. It gets nothing out of it but pain from both ends," she whispered softly.

"But I came out totally fine. He didn't even get one hit on me," I muttered defensively. Instead of replying, she took one of my hands and used the light of her phone to show the gashes on my hand, some minor, others worse. "Okay, point taken," I grumble. I know I was acting like a spoiled kid who didn't get the right toy he wanted for Christmas, but still. I didn't like being wrong just as much as any other person.

Her hand wrapped around mine, gently maneuvering their way over the aching knuckles. "We should get these cleaned up," she mumbled, standing and pulling me with her. I held her close to me as we clambered up the steps. As we entered the cool apartment, I cast my gaze around the room. Will was nowhere to be seen. Gemma, on the other hand, was curled up on the couch. Her hair covered her face, which banned me from seeing how she was doing. I was about to demand to let Rylie talk to her, but she seemed to read my expression, because she simply shook her head. Leading me into the kitchen, she pointed to the counter. I hopped up onto the counter, crossing my ankles patiently. "Will is packing his belongings up," she murmured quietly, not looking my way. She pulled out a box of supplies, how she knew they were there is beyond me. As she mended my wounds, I tried not to cringe. She stayed silent for a while longer. I was growing worried once more. "Don't mention anything to Gemma. She took it pretty hard back there," she added on, patting my hand once it was all done. I handed off my other hand so she could do her magic to it as well.

Her hands were so nimble, so quick. She was precise with her work as well. I was sure she learned a lot in hopes of having her mother come home one day so that she could mend her wounds instead. I knew Rylie, and that had to be her motive. As she finished, she pulled me close to her and pressed her lips to mine. It was a gentle kiss, a loving one too. Pulling away, I stared into her eyes, as if I could memorize everything about them.
"Go get some sleep," she requested, walking away before I had time to object. And as she had asked, I went to lie down.