Falling for Harry Styles

Day drew me out of sleep gently. I slowly peeled my eyes open to sunlight streaming in through the window. I turned my head and saw Harry sprawled out across his half of the bed, his shirt missing from his torso and his pink lips slightly open letting gentle breathes escape. I rolled onto my side and winced at the pain in my neck and around me eye. I propped my head up on my hand, my elbow digging into the pillow. My eye was throbbing, but I tried not to think about it. I saw his eyes flutter a bit so I scooted closer and laid my head on his chest with my arm across his body, hugging him close to me.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and groaned rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Morning, Love,” His voice was raspy and full of sleep.
“Morning, Haz.”
“Did you sleep alright?”
“Yes. What about you?”
“I slept great.” I could hear the smile in his voice as he kissed the top of my head. “How are you feeling?” I heard concern lace his voice.
I traced circles into his stomach with my finger, “I’m okay. A little sore is all.” I could feel his breathing change and looked up to see him staring at the ceiling, his lips pursed into a thin line. “Harry,” I paused until he looked at me, “It’s okay. I’m fine and he’s out of my life.”
“I know. I just hate the idea of him doing that to you,” he said as he traced the outline of an old, fading bruise on my arm.
“So, uh, Haz, how did your shirt wind up on the floor?” I scrunched my eyebrows together and smirked at him.
“I got warm. You’re like a heater when you sleep.” I looked up at him through my lashes. “It’s not a bad thing,” he smiled. I smiled back at him and stifled a giggle. “What?” his smile widened.
“You’re smile. It’s just so contagious.” He looked at me with those smoldering emerald eyes. I could feel a blush rising onto my cheeks. “What?” I smiled at him. “Haz, don’t look at me like that,” I half-heartedly shoved at his chest. My smile widened, “What?”
“Nothing, it’s… nothing,” he shook his head, making his curls tousle all around his face.
We just laid there for a moment as we stared into each other’s eyes in silence. My stomach grumbled and he laughed at me. “Well, someone’s hungry. What do you say I make us some breakfast, yeah?”
“Sounds good.”
I smiled as we rolled off the bed in different directions. He threw on a shirt and we made our way downstairs to the kitchen. I sat at the bar as Harry walked over to the fridge and started shuffling through it. “Let’s see we’ve got eggs, bacon, cheese, mushrooms and spinach.” He turned his head to look at me, “Omelets?”
I giggled, “Sounds good, Haz.”
He pulled out the ingredients and sauntered to the stove. He grabbed a frying pan and a knife and went to work. I watched his hands as the knife moved swiftly and precisely. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he smiled up at me.
“It’s just amazing how fast you can do that.”
He laughed, “Natalie you are strange.”
“What?”
“I’ve never been complimented on the speed with which I cut mushrooms; or anything for that matter.”
“Welp,” I smiled at him, “Now you have!”
He threw the mushrooms into the pan and sooner than I expected we had some delicious looking omelets. He carried our breakfast over to the kitchen table as I hopped off the stool I was on and followed him.
We sat across from one another eating in silence until it was broken by a question I knew was coming. “So… you’re not going back there right?”
I stared down at my half-finished plate refusing to meet his gaze, “Well, I have to get my stuff, Haz.” I pushed a mushroom around, still not looking up.
It was silent for a moment then I looked up to see his hands bawled into fists and his eyes fixed on something behind me. “My clothes, my shoes, Harry,” he looked at me “My grandmother’s pearls. I have to go back, Haz.” I pleaded with my eyes willing him to understand.
“I’m going with you.”
“Harry...” I started unsure.
“That’s the only way I’m allowing it Natalie. I’m not going to put you in a situation where he has the chance to hurt you anymore than he already has. As long as I’m there he can’t add to the collection of bruises that you already have,” his voice was stern and left no room for argument.
I smiled, loving the care and concern in his expression even through his gruff tone. I gave in nodding my head, “Okay Harry, but we should go today. You know, get it out of the way.”
“Okay, love. Then shall we go get ready.”
“Sure.”
We deposited our plates in the sink and went back into the bedroom to get dressed. I loved that Harry wanted to come to protect me, but I was still nervous about the whole thing. Chad is unpredictable and Harry already doesn’t like him. One wrong look and Chad could be laying into Harry roughly and I didn’t want Harry to be hurt on my account. ‘Here goes nothing,’ I thought as we got in the car and drove to the house of my nightmares.

Notes