*Reagan’s POV*
I felt Harry shake my shoulder gently to wake me, but I squeezed my eyes tighter in hopes that he would stop. I didn’t realize until I fell asleep how exhausted I really was. Car naps are usually not that comfortable for me, but since Harry had reclined my seat at some point in time during our drive and turned up the heat so that the London chill made me less miserable, I found myself not wanting to move.

I heard his door close and then mine open, exposing me to the outside elements. When I opened my eyes, I was face to shoulder with Harry as he reached over me and unbuckled my seatbelt. He now wore a blue zip up hoodie to cover up his bloodied t-shirt. When he pulled back he jumped a bit not expecting me to be awake. He stuck his pink tongue out to wet the corner of his mouth before he reached to lift me out of the car.

“I can walk Harry.”

“Yeah well, a minute ago when I wanted you to get out you were acting like you were too knackered so...” His tone was a bit clipped. Why is he upset with me? It was either that or a bipolar swing, sometimes it’s hard to tell. He needs his medication.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and then stood from the car and closed the door behind me. London was overcast in fog today and it was strangely appropriate. I’m sure the sun is shining in LA. Harry grabs my hand and begins to walk us to a door, but we’re not at his house. After we climb the stairs and Harry knocks, I look at him confused. H. raises his torn eyebrow, but doesn’t answer the question that he knows that I have.

A woman comes to the door with a kitchen towel in her hand, clad in an apron blue jeans and a black sweater. Something about her looks familiar though I know I’ve never met her before. Her brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail and her wide blue eyes look warm and welcoming until they’re replaced with shock at the sight of Harry.

“Ick Harold! Louis said you had a cut but this is a right nasty one. How’d you manage that love?” The woman spoke and then turned Harry’s face by his chin much like I did when I was examining the wound. She let his face go and then stepped back away from the door to let us in. As soon as I entered the house, I was hit with the aroma of food. The smell of garlic was heavy in the air along with peppers and so many other mouthwatering scents. I looked at my watch. Half the day is almost over and I haven’t eaten anything yet. My stomach certainly grumbled, I just hope no one heard it.

“Oh look at me and how rude we’re being Harry,” the woman said after she closed the door and threw the towel over her shoulder, “I’m Louis mum, Johanna. You can call me ‘Jo’.” She reached her hand out for me to shake and I did so. She smiled and when she did it reminded me of my own mother, so bright and warm.

“I’m Reagan. It’s so nice to meet you.” I found myself smiling even though I’m not in the mood to. Now I see where Louis’ friendly demeanor comes from and why he’s so outspoken and extroverted.

“Ahhh,” she turned her head and winked at Harry as she led us through the house to the living room, “I’ve heard about you, good things don’t worry. You’ve got this one wrapped around your little finger according to Lou.” Definitely Louis’ mom.

When I turned to look at Harry he was blushing which caused Johanna to laugh. She instructed him to sit down in a chair and got me a glass of water. When she left the room, Harry finally answered my unspoken question.

“Jo’s a nurse...and my godmum. I called Louis and told him what happened and he she could look at my eye. I’ll only have to go to the hospital if I need stitches. This way I don’t have to pay for shit.” My body tensed. Another person knows now? Before I could get the details of what exactly Louis knows, his mom reappeared with an extravagant first aid kit that only nurses would have.

“Tilt your head back love.” Harry did what he was told as she gave the cut a closer, more thorough look. She was now wearing latex gloves and a frown.

“How did you do this, again Harry?”

“I was in my kitchen...”

“Mhmm? This is going to sting babe.” Joanna began to put antiseptic on a cotton swab to clean the cut. Harry dropped an f-bomb when the swab dabbed at the cut and she swatted at his mouth playfully with her free hand.

“I was in my kitchen and when I went to get my med’s out of the cabinet, I hit myself in the face with the edge of it.”

I choked on my water after Harry’s elaborate lie and I could see his lips curl up slightly from where I was sitting. I hate that he’s lying to her, but at the same time, I’m happy that he didn’t tell her the truth either. Part of me knows and fears that it will surface sooner or later; he won’t be able to keep this from his mom. Johanna will surely tell her that he was here to receive medical attention.

Johanna cocked her head to the side in disbelief. She’s not buying it and I can see it in her eyes. Harry’s eyebrow is not only cut, but his eye is bruised around the edges. Why would he think that lie was a good one to use?

“You’ve got to be careful babe, and maybe not be a klutz? The cut is deep, but not deep enough for stitches, thank God. A liquid plaster should do the trick.”

She continues to work on Harry’s face and doesn’t ask about it again probably because I’m here. When she finishes, she offers for us to stay for dinner and says that Louis will be around shortly. Harry looks over to me and then respectfully declines Jo’s offer telling her that I was tired and should get some rest. I grabbed Harry’s arm to silence him and assure him that we can stay, but the way he glares at me tells me to keep my protests to myself.

Johanna nods in understanding before we leave and the drive back to Harry’s house is a silent one, both of us thinking about today. Harry grabs my hand off of my lap and holds it in his as he rubs his thumb up and down the back of my hand, resting our intertwined fingers on the middle console.

I break the silence when I begin to overthink and my mind starts to wander into dark territory.

“You missed session today.”

“I did. It’s fine though, I called her and said that I was sick. I covered all my tracks...” Harry trails off and I can’t help but to scoff thinking back to the lie he told Johanna.

“You can’t think that lie worked Harry. You cut your eye on the cabinet? Johanna didn’t believe you for one second.”

“She did,” he defends, “what makes you so sure that she didn’t?” I can hear the playful tone in his voice and feel the tension fall. He tries to keep his face serious, but I can see a dimple form.

“Oh, only that I read body language H. and she was giving you a look that said you were full of shit.” I laughed as I spoke, the first genuine one I’ve had all day.

“Why didn’t she call me out on it then smartass? Maybe you’re dyslexic and your ‘body reading skills’ are failing you?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Never Harold, my profession depends on it.”

We pull into Harry’s front driveway shortly as the sun begins to set breaking through the fog in the London skies and casting out colors of pinks and oranges, reminding me once again of home in LA. When the sun sets there it looks the same way, except the weather would be warm. The warmth of California’s weather always sooths me. London is...cold.

The mood in the car shifts again after Harry puts the car in park behind his mother’s. He lets my hand go before he looks at me and here in this moment is when I know that all jokes are put aside. His eyes seem dull, not the sparkling green that they were only this morning and I can see that he’s drained of energy just as much as I am if not more as he opens his mouth to speak to me. His gaze holds concern.

“What is my body language saying right now then?”

He whispers and tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear causing me to shiver. Even though it’s an indirect question, I know exactly what it is he’s asking me.

“I’m okay Harry. Now that you’re out of there and now that he’s going to get taken care of, I’m okay. I don’t want to talk about it anymore today though.”

“Promise me, please?”

“I promise.”

A small grin reaches Harry’s lips and his eyes brighten once more to my new favorite color. He places a hand on my cheek and kisses me on the lips quickly. When I go to get out of the car he grabs me once more and kisses me properly this time, allowing his pillow soft lips to dance intimately yet chastely with mine.

When the kiss is over, I’m left feeling breathless, tired and safe, able to smile again for the second time today. Harry pulls away with a healthy flush on his cheeks and I for the tenth time
today, check the angry cut above his eye rubbing my finger gently below it.

“It’s so red, Harry, and purple....and, blue.” Harry chuckled and removed my hand.

“And, sore as fuck. Don’t touch it!”

“Sorry.” We get out of the car and Harry opens the back seat to take out the bloodied grey sweater he was wearing earlier this morning. Its rolled up to be kept a discreet secret from his mom. He walks to the garbage and throws it away. I liked that sweater on him.

Harry takes off his black beanie and the headband that he wears in order to keep the untamed locks in place. He shakes his fingers through his hair and swipes it to the side before replacing the beanie on his head. Now, instead of his hair being pushed back away from his face, it peeks out from under the hat and helps to keep his secret. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to go before others find out what happened, but the longer it’s in the dark, the more satisfied I am.

He unlocks the door to the house and goes straight for the kitchen to get his meds. Anne gives him a kiss on the cheek and looks at him wryly while on the phone pointing to the way he’s wearing his hair out of his beanie. Harry ducks away from her quickly before she notices anything else, off, about his appearance and she waves at me before pointing to the stove.

Harry runs upstairs and she fixes two plates and sets them on the table. I tell her thank you and she smiles while she grabs utensils. I try not to listen to the bits and pieces of her conversation but my focused side gets the best of me, anything to distract me from my own thoughts.

“Are you sure there’s no other way?...Yes of course, I understand....Alright thank you for trying anyway.” She hangs up the phone and sits at the table opposite me resting her head in her hands briefly before she looks at me and forces a fake smile.

“How are you today Reagan? You’re off work quite early.” She rubs the back of her neck and the events of the day flash in front of me like a mini movie.

I shudder and shake my head before I, like Anne force a smile and answer her. “Dr. Koch let us leave early. I think he’s stressed himself out from working too much without rest.”

I’m back to lying to people and it makes me uneasy. I’ve become too good at it and I’m not so sure if it’s a skill I’m proud of. However, I would much rather keep this day to myself.

“Everything looks so good.” I say in reference to the food, changing the subject swiftly.

“I like to cook when I’m stressed. We’ve just finished remaking the seating chart for the wedding, Gemma and I. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the venue that I originally planned to have but, it seems that I won’t be able to get any others either on such short notice. Harry’s scheme definitely has put a halt on things. We’ve copied it this time in case he feels the need to destroy another one, but if I can’t find a place there won’t be a wedding until next year.”

Anne runs a hand over her face and then pulls her hair back into a ponytail. My heart aches for her. I still can’t believe that Harry would do such a thing, but I know that he was acting out of fear. I tell Anne how sorry I am for Harry and she smiles at me and waves it off.

“Something will come through. I’m an optimist. Go on enjoy your food, I’m off to the grocer.”
I nod at Anne and look down at my food again wrapping the spaghetti she made around my fork before I take a bite.

---

*Harry’s POV*
When I come back down the stairs, Reagan is sitting at the table with her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes look glossy and red before she notices me looking at her. Her chest is rising and falling quickly, but it’s not at the heightened level it is when she has an anxiety attack.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just tired. I’m not hungry anymore.” A tear rolls down her face and all I can think is how I’m tired of her crying and that I want this day to be over. It’s a douche thing to think, but I’m honestly exhausted from all of the stress we’ve been put under today.

Reagan stands from the table and walks past me quickly asking me to put her food away for her before she disappears into my room. It’s eight o’clock at night and I haven’t eaten anything all day, but food is the last thing on my mind right now. I wrap up the plates and stick them in the refrigerator before I head back upstairs to my room to find Reagan in her night shirt and shorts in bed.

I take off my close leaving only my boxer briefs on and slide into bed next to her, turning the dimmer switch down on my bedside lamp to give the room a calm glow. Reagan sits in bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her cheek rests on her knees as she chews on her bottom lip, a bad habit she’s picked up from me no doubt.

“What was that about down sta-” She unwraps herself and her lips collide with mine. I want to stop her, but they’re so damn soft.

I moan involuntarily as she breaks entry into my mouth and swirls her tongue around mine...she’s never done that before...she’s been holding back I see. She straddles my lap and begins to grind against me, not breaking her mesmerizing lips from mine.

I can barely breathe, but at a time like this, what the hell is air? I wrap my arms around her and swiftly change our positions on the bed when I realize that I haven’t closed the damn door or bothered to put the stopper under it. I try to pull away from Reagan while fuming with myself due to the stupid door being open because I failed to shut it, but when I regain conscious thought and pull my lips away from hers, she grabs the back of my neck.

“Don’t stop, H. Fuck me. Please?”

My eyes widen and I can feel my dick twitch at her choice of words that she hadn’t used in months, but when I look at her I can tell that something’s not right.

“No.”

“What? Why?”

“We don't have to."

"I want you to Harry, please?"

"We shouldn’t today. I mean I think it would be inappropriate seeing as how you were just told that you’ve been violated.”

“Fine.” Reagan huffs and lets go of my neck then turns her body so that she’s no longer facing me. I can tell that she’s angry.

Her attitude sets mine off. I’m trying to help her! I know there has to be something psychological going on with her now. She’s not okay, and the longer she keeps it from me the more I wish I could find Peyton and beat the shit out of him again.

Notes

Hi loves!! Thank you all for the subscriptions and votes!!!! Sorry I haven't updated in so long I've had a hell of a week/ weekend I had to go to the hospital yesterday :( it was all a bit much. I'll try to not ever have that happen again. So what did you think of this chapter? Sorry if it sucked and was boring, but there are some important bits in this chapter! Be sure to leave me comments and feedback on how its going so far! What do you all think is going on with Reagan ;)? We're going to get more in depth with that soon, but I would love to see what you guys think first! I LOVE YOU ALL FOR READING AND BE SURE TO LEAVE ME TONS OF COMMENTS SUBSCRIPTIONS AND VOTES IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE!!! ~Xx

P.S. a huge thank you to @directioner-for-lyf for making me some really cool edits and a new cover for my second book!!! I <3 it!!! take a look at the edits below! and A huge thank you to @rlath for translating ITP to Hungarian! How cool is that?!!!