Red String [h.s] (Completed)

Chapter 15

"All along it was a fever
A cold sweat hot-headed believer
I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something"
He said, "If you dare come a little closer""

Harry looks up at Amy and her eyes meet his. He wants to kiss her. He wants to kiss her so badly. How could he not after what she just said? He licks his lips and looks down at her mouth.

"Harry?"

He looks up at her again, concern in her eyes now. And now Harry is suddenly worried again about what she's about to say.

"I'm still with Derek."

Harry can feel his heart sink. He pulls his hand away from hers and stands up.

"Could you let me finish?" she asks gently. He looks down at her as she sits up and takes the blanket off, gesturing for him to sit on the couch with her. He reluctantly does, maintaining space between them.

"Derek and I never fight and since I met you a week ago, we have been fighting a lot," she takes a deep breath and let's it out. "He's always wanted to get married and I never have, so we didn't. And now he wants to have kids and I thought that I should do that for him since I don't want to get married. And then each month when I'd take the pregnancy test I felt both relieved that I wasn't pregnant and saddened that there must be something wrong with me because I wasn't getting pregnant. And Derek thought there was something wrong with me too. And then...uhm..." she stops because she's not ready to tell anyone that part yet. "I told Derek I didn't want to try anymore and he got angry and left. Then I contacted you and said I wanted to come because you had offered. I came here because your letters have made me rethink a lot of things in my life.  You are the only person that has ever been there for me without asking anything from me."

Harry never would have guessed everything she had been going through. She hid it all so well. Maybe she was a better liar than he thought. Maybe she was like him and good at only showing people what they expect to see.

"Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me."

"Thanks for staying to hear me out."

They sit in silence for a moment, neither one of them knowing what to say.

"I'm exhausted. I think I better go to sleep," Amy finally says.

"Oh right, of course. I'll go," he says quickly.

"Wait," and she grabs his hand. "Will you stay? At least until I fall asleep? This place is too big for one person."

"Of course," he tries to say confidently but his voice comes out in a squeak.

Harry watches her get up and walk towards the bedroom, she gets to the doorway and waits for him. Harry stands up and follows her in, when she's sure he's coming she grabs some pajamas and her toiletries bag and goes into the washroom and shuts the door.

Harry kicks his shoes off and sits on one side of the bed with his back against the headboard. Harry has no idea what he's doing and why he so willingly agreed to stay. She opened up to him and he's so glad she did, but she also repeatedly said she still has a boyfriend even if they're on rocky ground at the moment. But he can't seem to leave her alone. Being near her, even if she's upset with him feels good.

Amy comes out of the bathroom in a pair of shorts and a tank top. Her hair pulled off her face in a bun. He thinks she looks adorable and bites back a smile. She smiles when she sees him in the bed and crawls in under the covers. She turns her light off so there's just the light from the other room peeking in. They both sit in silence for a few minutes until he hears her quiet voice in the dark.