Gardens Of Eden (A Harry Styles Story)

52. Everlee Jade Ashbury

"I wanted to talk about it. Damn it, I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout, I wanted to yell about it. But all I could do was say, I'm fine." -Unknown

**Harry's POV**

I still had one eye closed as I snoozed my alarm the next morning. I was exhausted, in every way except one, which was currently making a tent out of my comforter. I rolled over, reaching out to feel long dark hair on the pillow next to mine, but it wasn't there.

Confused, I opened both eyes.

Eve had never been out of bed before me. A long groan left my lips as I forced my body out of bed.

There was no sound in the house around me, and I started to feel a bit nervous. Downstairs, Eve's shoes were gone, and I went into the kitchen to see the back door was unlocked. For a couple seconds I stood there, fighting between reason and reaction in my mind, then I realized.

Racing upstairs, I went to the bedroom in the furthest corner of the house and stepped out the patio door, straining to see if she was there. I still couldn't see over the tree tops, but as I stood silently, I began to hear noises. Something squeaky, maybe the wheelbarrow? And what sounded like tools.

I went to the bedroom and grabbed my phone, dialling her number before steering back to the patio.

It took a few rings for her to pick up, but when she did, she sounded out of breathe.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked, too curious for pleasantries.

"Oh, I'm just fixing up a few things." She vaguely. "I was going to text you, sorry, I didn't want to wake you up."

"It's like five am, what are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep." She replied. I could practically see her little shrug. "Um, I think my phone is dying. I'm gonna be out here for a while. Don't worry about me, okay?"

"Okay..."

"I'll talk to you later, have a good day at work." Her detached goodbye made my chest tight, but I wished her well and hung up the phone. For a guy who prided himself on being a problem solver, I was at a loss for where to go from here.

Downstairs, I saw the note I'd made the night before, and my focus shifted. Determination set in as I grabbed the phone number, my coffee and keys and headed for the door.

Maybe I did know how to help Eve after all.

**

Danielle stared, frustrated, at her phone.

Eve hadn't picked up once, nor had she responded to any of her texts. They were supposed to clean the apartment on Sunday, but a busy weekend made the plan easy to push back. Now it was Tuesday and she hadn't heard a word out of her friend.

Changing course, she dialled Harry's number instead. Mr. Reliable picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Harry, how's it going?"

"Oh, it's going. How are you?"

"I'd be better if Eve would answer her phone. We're supposed to be cleaning the suite."

"Oh. I guess she didn't tell you..." he sighed. 

I listened as he filled me in on the situation. I'd been so wrapped up with Zayn and my new job I hadn't even thought that something might've happened... and I knew as well as anyone what the ring meant to Eve...

"Oh my God. I should go see her."

"Yeah, maybe. I want to give it another day." Harry sounded down in the dumps, he was hard not to feel bad for.