Meet Me in the Hallway (HS AU)

twenty seven.

The black sheet on the mirror was staring me down. It was like it knew the power it held over me, one simple tug and it would have the ability to destroy me. The longer I stood and examined the fabric, the more daunting it became. I knew I had to look at myself eventually but that didn't take away from the deep reluctance I felt.

The air was cold on my warm skin, the tiles below my feet didn't help and neither did the fact I was completely naked. I needed to do this today, I needed the closure.

Breathe, Josephine.

Harry had left for work around 3 hours ago, I heard the front door click shut but couldn't bring myself to leave the warmth of the bed. It took me a while to remove my clothes as I stood in front of the covered mirror, I could have blamed the temperature but it was purely the impending agony I would feel that made me hesitate.

"Just get it over with." My voice cracked as my fingers reached for the fabric.

Although the material itself was soft and slid through my hands with ease, it felt like razor blades slicing through my skin. I choked on a sob and my hand shot up to cover my mouth the second I caught my reflection.

Darkness took over when my eyes slammed shut, not baring the sight in front of them. Breakfast began to churn in my stomach and a lump formed in my throat. Against my will, my body lurched forward and the contents of my stomach was emptied into the toilet. The smell burnt my nostrils and left my throat feeling raw.

It didn't stop after the first blow, I continued to heave and sob. After everything from my stomach, and then some, was emptied from my body, the muscles in my abdomen clenched and tightened in pain.

While I couldn't say I got an amazing or detailed view of my injuries, it was enough for me to know that my suffering was justified and not an exaggeration. My knees gave out, leading me to sit next to the toilet filled with puke. I leaned my back against the wall beside it and closed my eyes.

This was the worst I had ever looked, no wonder Harry looked at me like I was a monster. I looked like the monster that the evil scientist builds to take over the city, but worse.

A year could have passed as I sat on his bathroom floor and I wouldn't have known. My mind was everywhere but here and the concept of time was long gone. It must have been a long time because the front door opened and jolted me from my dissociated state.

It was Thursday, so there were staff meetings tonight. If Harry was home, that would mean that I was on the floor for about five hours. Naked.

Oh fuck, I am still naked.

Never in my life had I gotten dressed so quickly. The toilet was flushed and I rinsed my mouth out in the sink, avoiding looking in the mirror at all costs. The clock in the hallway said 3:42, unless it had stopped earlier, why was he home?

I followed the noise towards the lounge room and there, on the couch, sat Harry. He was on the phone with someone and had a smile on his face, one leg was up on the coffee table in front of him and the other hand was pressed gently against his temple.

"Yeah, of course I can cook that for you. We can even freeze some for you to take back with you." I couldn't hear whoever was on the other end but this wasn't a conversation I shouldn't be listening to.

I turned my head towards his little library/reading nook he had in the corner. He had quite the selection of books on the walls. Some of my favourites were amongst those, also some I had to study for school way back when. I wouldn't have thought Harry would be the kind of person to have Young Adult series like Divergent and Maze Runner books but he did and they were displayed proudly on his shelves.