trepidation | h.s

part eight

Harry Styles

When I woke up in my own bed for the first time in two nights, the first thing I noticed was that Lydia wasn't next to me.

My first instinct would be to panic and worry about where she was, but she began doing this gesture where—if she woke up and went downstairs before me—she'd leave the small nightlight on the table on her side of the bed on. It was her way of telling me she was okay and that I wasn't waking up alone for a sinister reason. She started doing this around six months after we had Daisy.

I sit up slightly and rub my eyes, brushing my hair out of my face with my fingers. I check my phone quickly just to see the time. It was just approaching 8.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed, in nothing but my boxers. I shuffle over to the dresser, going into my side and grabbing sweats and a long sleeved black shirt. It was almost the end of March, so it was still fairly chilly.

I walk past the other bedrooms and turn down the hallway to go into the bathroom, using it to freshen up and brush my teeth before I joined Lydia downstairs.

I open the door and quietly make my way back towards the stairs.

Not paying any sort of attention, I turn the corner and suddenly bump into a smaller body. My first thought was that it was Lydia but when I actually focused in on the other individual, I thought I was seeing things.

"Eliza?" I say in confusion, seeing her messy brunette hair and small figure in front of me.

What the hell is she doing here?

"Uh—hi..." she says, seemingly embarrassed.

"Why are you-" I stop myself from speaking as I notice her wearing one of Louis shirts. I turn my head towards Louis' open bedroom door, my mind settling in realization.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh.

"Sorry." her small voice whispers.

We're all well aware that Eliza and Louis are hooking up, but I always just thought it was him at her place. For some reason I never really expected him to sleep with her here.

"Does Lydia know you're here?" I question quietly.

She shakes her head. "No, and I'd prefer it to stay that way." she says, insinuating for me not to tell Lydia about our interaction.

I blink and shake my head, walking past her as she goes back to Louis' room silently.

I guess I can't complain about their affair. It must have been the same for the guys when Lydia and I had just started dating.

Plus, I'm happy for Louis. I don't think he ever fully recovered from Tatum, but he seems to be content with whatever he and Eliza are doing, so I'm not gonna interfere and ruin whatever that is for him.

It's not like I can judge him...for fucks sake, I married the woman whose boss I shot and brother I killed.

I walk down the stairs and go down the hall, going straight into the living room because that's the first place where I expected Lydia and Daisy to be.

But they weren't there.

I knit my brows together. They had to have been in here momentarily though, because the tv was on, playing sesame street.

I don't know how that show is designed for children. That big yellow bird thing is fucking terrifying.

"Babe?" my voice carries as I walk out of the living room.