Two Truths & A Lie

Chapter 18

2:31am. 

2:32am. 

2:33am.

There was no point in me even trying to sleep.  My mind kept circling through the same few issues over and over again.  After shutting my mother out of my room, I heard her crying.  Never once before had I made her cry.  It had to have been from when I said something about her "making a shitty attempt at being a mother."  How could I say that to her?  The one time in my life she tries to discipline me and I could barely handle it. 

In my defense, she wouldn't listen to me about Harry...

Thanks to Miranda.  I was tired of Miranda trying to play the part of my mother.  Why would Miranda make up a lie like that about Harry?  He had never once touched me in a violent way, unless it was some kind of rough sex "violent."  I loved him for that and so many other reasons and it seemed like the people closest to me couldn't understand that.  Was Miranda jealous of Harry's and my relationship? 

...Which brought me back to Harry.  After hours of debating with myself, I admitted that I probably did love him, but why did I have to tell him now?  Why couldn't I wait a couple weeks?  The words came up like vomit earlier, which didn't make them any less meaningful, but I still felt like maybe Harry just thought I was saying it to say it.  The fact that they came up like vomit should have actually made it more credible.  I had no control around him anymore, especially when it came to telling my feelings.  I probably freaked Harry out.  I hadn't heard from him since he left me earlier, and the lack of communication was making each minute that crept by seem so much longer than just 60 seconds. 

Mind mind circled over and over through my friends and family, from Harry to my mom, from my mom to Miranda, from MIranda to Harry, occasionally to Liam, occasionally to Raven and little Damien, occasionally to Louis, and then just right back to Harry.  When I did finally convince myself to try once more to go to sleep, a knock on my window forced me to open my eyes.  It was 2:43am.  Typically, a dark shadow tapping on the window at quarter to three in the morning would scare someone shitless.  It was some kind of horror story nonsense.  However, I was so used to Louis doing it for the last two years that I was 90% sure it was him.  When I pulled back the curtain and saw that the figure was a little more curly-haired than Louis, my heart pounded harder. 

"What are you doing?" I whispered, dragging the window upward and sticking my head through the frame.  Cold night air flooded my room, sending a wave of goosebumps over my bare skin.

"Why are you awake?" He asked.

"You knocked."

"Not hard enough to wake you up."

"Maybe I'm a light sleeper," I said. "Why are you at my window?"

"Just came for a visit," Harry stated bluntly, lighting up his phone between us so I could see his face.  His cheeks were red from the cold and he was breathing hard, his breath somewhat visible between us. 

"At this time of night?" 

"You didn't pit clothes on before you came to see who it was?" Harry asked, watching as I crossed my arms over my hardening nipples and turned red with embarrassment. 

I shrugged and looked down at my body.  "I guess I hoped it was going to be you and took my chances." 

Harry grinned.  He grabbed the window frame and hoisted himself toward me, kissing me and forcing me backward into my room until he could also get his long body through the window.  He grunted and laughed as he collapsed onto the floor beside me.

"Haz, you're going to wake my mom-"

"Your mum.  Of course.  I'm sorry," he whispered, standing up and pulling me into a quick hug.  He used the light of his phone to make his way around my bed and to my closet.  His eyes searched the floor and everything hanging up until he found a pair of jeans, his blue hoodie, and one of my bras.  He tossed each article of clothing to me and watched me slip them on.  "Put some shoes on, Love."