SOFT SPOT// h.s

2.3 ~ It's a trap

It turned out that Gemma's apartment was more spacious than I had thought. She still carried her cold attitude and icy persona, but I didn't take it to heart any more.

She offered to let us stay the night. Well actually, Harry implied that we were going to stay the night, but whatever.

The spare room I had been assigned was painted a baby pink colour, and it looked as if it had once been an nursery for a baby girl, despite the single bed that had been placed there. Ellie was sound asleep in the cot that was standing against the window, and I sat up staring at the wall, trying to make sense of everything as my damp hair dropped down my back.

I had rung Noah and told him that I missed him. He told me that he missed me too. I let him know that I was okay, and in safe hands. He said he was glad to hear that. I told him I loved him. He told me he loved me too. I said that I was excited for the wedding. He agreed. I said goodbye and another 'I love you,' just to have him repeat my words again.

Harry's room was just down the hallway, two rooms across from mine, and Gemma's room was directly beside it.

She had given me a pair of spare pyjamas that she must've worn when she was about fourteen. The part that annoyed me was that the only clothes of hers that I could fit into were her clothes from her teenage years, seeing as I was so god damn small.

I rubbed the crisp bedsheets between my fingers when I heard a faint knock on the door. "Can I come in?" I heard Gemma call softly.

I nodded wordlessly as she padded across the carpeted floor and say on the edge of the bed.

"Ok, so firstly, I want to apologise for my rudeness when we initially met," she started off, her expression somewhat sincere, but still holding a trace of arrogance.

"And I'm sorry for acting like a bitch, but as you can probably see, it's just a family quality," she laughed, referencing to Harry's moody attitude and her own.

"It's fine," I reassured her, giving her a small smile.

"I want to clear something up with you though," she announced, as she sprang up from the bed and began to slowly pace around the room.

"Sure," I agreed nervously, having a feeling that I knew what her question would be.

Gemma turned and stood by the window, her back to me as she gazed at the darkened streets below.

"Harry's her dad," she accused abruptly, before spinning back around to face me.

I stared a her speechless, she had robbed me of words. "I- uh.. Oh my god," I muttered, burying my face in my hands.

"Don't even bother trying to deny it. Harry may be stupid, but I'm not," she said, her face completely serious.

"I can't tell him," I said as I felt my insides crumbling. If Harry found out, it would be the death of me.

"It's not my business, but you have to tell him. It's unfair to Ellie, to him, and to you Clary," Gemma reasoned and I realised she was right as I digested her words.

"You don't have to go running to tell him now, but you would need to do it soon," she advised me, walking back over towards the bed.

She glanced at my left hand, her eyes landing on my engagement ring. "Preferably before you get married."

I nodded and gulped down my nerves. I couldn't believe that someone that I had just met a few hours ago, knew the truth to one of my deepest secrets.

"She looks like you," I told her, admitting one of the initial thoughts that stumbled through my mind when she had first opened the door earlier that day.

"I know," Gemma replied.

I had kept my eyes focused on the floor and when I looked up at Gemma, who had sat down beside me again, I couldn't do anything else but burst into tears.

Surprisingly, Gemma wrapped her arms around me comfortingly and soothingly patted me on the back. "It's ok," she whispered and it dawned on me that she was exactly like Harry; hostile on the outside, but loving deep down.

I lifted my head off Gemma's shoulder as I heard the door creep open. "Clary? Are you ok?" Harry asked as he stood in the doorway with only a towel wrapped around his waist, his shoulder length hair still damp from the shower, the droplets of water sparkling on his bare skin.

He looked surprised as glanced confusedly at Gemma, who just shrugged at him. His face was laced with a tone of concern as he saw me cry.

I hastily wiped away the tears on my face and opened my mouth to speak, but only a croak came out.

"She's fine," Gemma answered for me.

Harry glanced confusedly from each of our faces and then peered over at Ellie, who was still asleep. "Oh right, uh, Ellie ok then, yeah?" He questioned awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot. I nodded at him, embarrassed that I was such a mess in front of him.

"Oh, well ok. Um, night," he said, and disappeared back down the hall again.

Ellie snored soundly as I climbed under the sheets after Gemma had bid goodnight and left. I was eager to escape reality and take refuge in my dreams. I took one last look over at my innocent daughter before I flicked off the lamp.

Don't grow up, it's a trap..

*************

So it's a short unedited chapter but I'm kinda going through some stuff atm so sorry

But geMMA IS ALL KNOWING SHE SEES EVERYTHING OK

I might update before Monday idk but it depends if you vote and comment ;)

DONT BE A GHOST READER!!

27.02.15