Hide from 'Falling' || H.S

Chapter 90 - Harry | Flashback

"Harry?" Her soft voice, still hoarse from the early morning, echoed in my ears, I didn't respond but just continued to blink at her unintelligibly. "Are you as unable to sleep as I am?"

I didn't even manage to nod in response to her question and just continued to stare at her as if she were an alien that had just walked the Earth before my eyes. I couldn't believe that she is here.

Then I snapped out of my thoughts and found my words again. "Why are you here?" I asked without any emotion lingering in my voice, my arms crossed in front of my chest and my heart beating faster with every second I looked at her.

She's really here. I'm not imagining it.

"I'm sorry." she suddenly blurted out and I thought I wasn't hearing right. Maybe I am dreaming... What the hell?

"What did you just say?" I asked overwhelmed by all the feelings those words triggered in me and I couldn't really hide my surprise either.

"Harry, I shouldn't have just left, I'm sorry." she repeated seriously, our eye contact piercing. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

Wow, what an unexpected turn of events this morning.

"Okay." I nodded as I stepped aside to make room for her, still unsure if I felt relieved or pissed. She stepped past me and naturally led the way toward the living room, me trailing behind. There she sat down on one of the couches and I directly across from her.

I leaned back expectantly, scratching my chin with my right hand. I still couldn't believe she was really here and the whole situation just felt unreal, but I wanted to hear what she had to say.

Ashely rubbed her hands nervously up and down her thighs, biting her lower lip uncomfortably. "So..." her voice trailed off.

"So?" I replied with a raised eyebrow, leaning forward now after all and propping my arms on my thighs. "What changed your mind? Or rather, what is your opinion now to begin with?"

"I still think it sucks that you told me the truth so late, but you also had your reasons that I can understand now. After all, a lot has happened in our lives." she explained and I listened to her attentively, hearing her voice again after all this time was simply soothing to my soul.

I nodded in registration after taking in her words, but one or two questions still burned on my tongue before I can start to forget everything. "Am I still a traitor in your eyes?" I wanted to know, and Ash winced at my monotone voice.

"No, I overreacted." she shook her head determinedly after clearing her throat. "I was just so pissed off and hurt... I had already guessed that you were still carrying around something that was bothering you, even after our talk, and then when you told me, I simply snapped. I just never thought there could be anything that could come between us after all we've been through together and when that burden came I was just overwhelmed with the situation and not prepared at all. I'm really sorry."

"Where did you disappear to and why were you at the club? Did you know I waited for hours for you to return and didn't leave the couch in case you did come in the front door?" I asked her now in a slightly raised voice, my chest moving with each rapid breath.

"I suspected it... and that thought was killing me." she whispered, her eyes reflecting the pain from days gone by. "After I left your house I went to my apartment, I keep a spare key in a secret hiding place and through that I was able to enter. I sat on my couch all day thinking about everything you said and when I imagined you sitting at home alone I couldn't take it anymore and started drinking wine... a lot of wine. Suddenly Layla called me and wanted to go to some club I never heard of, she asked if I wanted to come along and when she mentioned Niall's name I was down for it. I knew you would come as soon as he saw me and in my drunken state I wanted nothing more. Arguing is still better than complete silence between us."