BLACKHOUSE [H.S.]

Twenty-Four

"Harry, scoot over, you're taking up the whole bed," Caroline giggles next to me, playfully shoving me towards my side of the bed.

I stick out my bottom lip, pouting as she gets comfortable; I just want to be close to her all the time. I want to hold her, breathe in her comforting scent.

I want her.

"Don't look at me like that," she teases, poking my cheek with her finger. "You know you're a bed-hog."

"I can't help it," I shrug with a smirk. "You're just magnetic."

Her cheeks flush to a bright shade of pink as she covers her face with her hand. I softly grab her wrist and pull it down, moving my hand back up to gently stroke her cheek.

"I love you," she whispers, a wide smile growing on her face.

"I love you, too," I repeat, leaning in to brush my nose against hers...

My eyes flutter open, and confusion clouds my mind as I adjust to the room around me.

"Caroline?" I whisper, keeping one eye shut as I glance around, my gaze landing on Katie.

It was just a dream.

I feel my chest tighten as I look at her sleeping face; her eyes are shut peacefully, her lips slightly puckered from her cheek being squished against the pillow. My arm is still wrapped around her, her face just inches from mine.

A small smile forms on my lips as my hand instinctively reaches up to brush away the strands of hair that have fallen onto her cheek, and all at once, my memories of last night come flooding back.

Charles.

Katie crying.

Fucking Katie.

Holding Katie.

My eyes widen as my body stills.

What the fuck?

I don't know what came over me. I remember feeling a sudden urge to protect her, even if it meant putting myself in danger. I wanted to comfort her, be there for her. I remember wanting to fuck her, and still keep her close to me afterwards.

Why?

It had to have been all of the coke I've done this past week; I wasn't in my right mind. I slowly sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes before glancing at the time on the stove.

9:56

Thank god we didn't sleep in; I don't remember us setting alarms last night, and we both have to be at work in an hour and a half.

I feel her stir slightly, and I look down to see her reach her arm over to where I was just laying. When all she feels is the sheet below her, her eyes slowly open to look around.