Issues // H.S. // A.U.

Chapter Twenty-one

DANI

The only time I ever dance is with Harry. He's the only one I ever wanted to, and even that time I danced with the random, it was for Harry.

He was being extra soft tonight, eyes on my body in some way at all times, his hand sneaking into my back jean pocket whenever I was tucked into his side. And when he asked me to dance with him, I couldn't say no. He brought me out to the middle of the makeshift dance floor, and turned me around so my back was to his front. He wasted no time in swaying his hips, his hands grabbing hold of mine to move them against his. The way he nuzzled his nose into my neck, breathing me in sensually.

It was like he was drunk on me, and I couldn't help but love it. Harry washed everything away, and somehow made everything from my childhood seem like it was in another life. He was this bright shining ball leading me to a happier future, one where I trusted people and let them in without wondering if they had ulterior motives.

Lately, I've been wondering why I so easily trusted Harry. I never did that. Especially with guys I was going to sleep with. I purposefully chose guys that would be easy to not like, so I wouldn't be clouded or tempted. Falling for someone was not in the cards for me. I had let my guards down once and it nearly destroyed me.

But when Harry came out of that bathroom, curly hair messed up and clothes askew, it's like my past self went numb, and a new Dani took over. She was much more forward and flirty, seemingly strong and willing to take chances.

It was his eyes, I think. They were stunning, of course, but they were also kind. I remember seeing more there than he was giving me. That he wasn't the average frat bro that plagued these parties and I had unfortunately given my body to too many times.

Now that I had been touched by Harry, I don't think there was any way of going back. I could never casually sleep around anymore, knowing what a real orgasm feels like, but more than that I could never go back to being touched like I was nothing, like I was a possession just for the night. In fact, I think if something ever happened to where Harry and I ended things, I don't think I could ever have sex again.

It was just him, and that scared me so much. The castle I had built around myself, walls after walls and gates and moats with alligators in them, was crumbling fast. I had already told him more than I had told anyone outside of my foster family. I still couldn't tell him everything, one thing in particular being too much.

That was my main fear: him finding out.

I turn around in his arm to face him, trying to get the rancid thought out of my head. My arms fling around his neck, and I force a smile onto my face. His eyebrows furrow for just a moment,  taking in my expression. He could tell something was off, but I just shook my head and moved closer to him.

Our bodies were flush together, faces close enough that our noses were nudging. He sings a little to the song, making me actually smile and laugh. It was the simplest thing and he erased it all. He was amazing, effervescent, once in a lifetime, and I was just lucky that I had him, whether that be for forever or a limited amount of time.

We danced for another thirty or so minutes, bodies becoming slightly sweaty due to the crowd surrounding us. Harry kept me tight against him, turning us anytime a guy would look at me any way he didn't like. It was weird how much possessive Harry turned me on. I liked the fact that he wanted everyone to know I was taken.

By now, our small college was well aware of our relationship status, at least by the ones that go out nearly every weekend. We both had reputations of sorts and were defying them by being together.

We were hugging and swaying now, less dancing, but more intimate. He was saying something into my ear when I opened my eyes.

Straight ahead was a person that I never thought I would have to see again in my life. My blood ran cold, and my body immediately tensed up. There was no way he could be here. He wasn't supposed to be living in this state, for christ's sake.