Perilous (Harry Styles)

chapter 24

"The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt."

- Max Lerner

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The night after Harry's sudden departure was worse than falling from a tree house and breaking your arm in the process, then having to suffer a physical pain that couldn't be described in words.

Physical pain was bearable. If it became too much, you could take pain killers. And eventually, the pain would just go away.

Now, emotional pain was something totally different. There was no saying when, and even if, it would go away.

4 late night calls and another text later, I had given up on trying to reach Harry. He offered no explanation or whatsoever. After leaving, he hadn't bothered to contact me at all.

The worst part was the dubiety of what was wrong. What had I done? Why had he left me like that?

Were we over?

After months of being in a serious relationship, I knew I could expect more than this. He owed me an explanation, and even an apology.

I just had the nagging feeling that it wasn't stress at work that was bothering him. "There is a problem with some teachers at prep school," up my ass. I wanted the truth, and nothing but the truth.

Cursing our lack of a car, I accepted the fact that there was no way to go to his apartment. This late at night, only a few to none buses would drive.

Swirling thoughts and queasy doubts kept me up all night, not even a light slumber was able to lure me in. I watched the sunrise in the early morning hours, not moving an inch.

I was still in my clothes from last night, my cheeks were dry, but my anger had made it difficult for me to cry. Only now was the pain settling in.

At around 8 am, the door to my room opened with a quiet squeak. I sat up straight, half-expecting Harry to walk in with a bouquet of roses and the want to clear our fight before he drove to work.

Disappointment flooded me when I saw my sister's joyous face. Her smile faltered the instant her eyes landed on my face, seeing the hurt, confusion and anger mixed in my tired eyes.

"Okay, what's wrong?" She asked, her voice too loud this early in the morning, especially in my weary state of mind.

"Everything," I whispered, my voice barely carrying through the room to her.

With a few quick steps, Phoebe had closed the distance between us and plopped down on the bed next to me, throwing the cover over her body to snuggle up against my side.

"Harry?" She guessed correctly.

I nodded and bit my lip, the hurt I was feeling threatening to get the upper hand of the chaos inside of me. "Yeah." My voice broke and I cleared my throat, simply nodding again.

"What happened?" She pushed for answers, putting her head in the crook of my neck and wrapping one arm around my stomach.

I was grateful for her affection, a content sigh leaving my lips as I contemplated where to start telling her what exactly happened because I wasn't so sure myself. "Honestly? No idea."

"Did you have a fight?"

Her eyes, so freaking similar to my own, stared up at me while she was patiently waiting for my reply. "More or less."

"Was that already yesterday or just this morning?" Her hand drew small circles on top of my shirt while she was a bit lost in thought.

"He had been acting weird lately, apparently due to stress at work. Yesterday evening he just snapped and left," I explained, leaving out my failed attempt at seducing him, "without an explanation. I haven't heard from him ever since then."