Matilda | Harry Styles

THIRTY-SEVEN

When I woke up, Harry wasn't in the bed beside me. I'd fallen asleep with ease after the events of last night, my face buried into Harry's chest - I didn't remember how long it had taken, or how long I'd slept, but the room was noticeably brighter, now. I assumed it was at least the mid-morning, for the sun to be streaming through with such force.

I looked over to the balcony doors, and saw that the curtains were drawn over them, but they shifted a little, as if carried by a breeze. I figured the doors were open, and the translucent curtains had been pulled to stop the sunlight from breaking through to wake me up too early - and thus, I figured Harry was likely on the balcony.

I sat up, slowly, blowing out an exhale. I rubbed my eyes, peering around the room, as I turned my head, stretching my neck. I'd slept so well that it was almost shocking to me - my mind felt at ease; I felt calm, and I felt good. Being here with Harry, was already one of the most blissful dynamics I'd ever experienced, even after less than a day.

My suitcase was laying on the ground, open, from where I'd selected the clothes that had remained on my body for a maximum of fifteen minutes, last night. I stood up, reaching into it to grab something to pull onto my body, still bare from the night before. I reached for one of Harry's t-shirts that I'd managed to steal - an old, baggy band t-shirt that he'd lent to me one night - and I pulled it on, along with a pair of underwear. Finally, I made my way over to the balcony doors, gently drawing back the curtain to be met with the real intensity of the sunlight that had been previously diluted by the blinds.

Sure enough, there he was. Lazily sprawled across the lounger, focused on a book grasped between his fingers, in complete silence. I bit back a smile at the sight of him there, his hair in loose waves due to the humidity and lack of product in it, his lack of shirt revealing the inkings upon his chest and torso. He looked so peaceful; more relaxed than I'd ever seen him, his tan already beginning to deepen and his skin just glowing. Italy looked beautiful on him.

I wasn't sure I'd ever loved a sight quite like this one. I watched as his lips occasionally pursed to half-form the words he read, the sun casting a beautiful hue over him on the balcony.

He hadn't noticed me, not yet. I wished there was a way to put into words how I felt at that moment, looking at him, there. I had never had so many feelings towards one individual, so many good feelings. When I looked at him, I trusted him more than anybody in my life, and I didn't want to hold back. He made me so happy.

I moved over to where he sat, causing his head to lift from his book, at my presence. He sent me a grin.

"Hello, darling," he peered up at me through the thickness of his eyelashes, laying his book in his lap to give me his attention. My heart fluttered at his greeting. I leant forward, and he opened his arms, tugging me onto his lap without another word. My back pressed to his chest, his chin on my shoulder as I leaned into him, and he brought his arms around me. He waited, as if to see if I was going to say anything to him - and when I didn't, he didn't press me; he only raised his book back up to continue reading it.

He needn't have said any more, and neither had I. I liked that. Silence used to scare me, but this type was quickly becoming enjoyable. I simply peered out onto the skyline ahead of us, whilst he occasionally turned to the next page of his book. There were a couple of moments where his lips pressed against the back of my shoulder, or he'd take one of his hands from his book to lay it against my waist or my stomach. His shorts had hitched up to reveal the tiger tattoo he had inked on his thigh, and I mindlessly brought my fingers over it, to trace it, as I let my eyes occasionally close.

I wasn't sure I'd ever felt so at peace in my life. This place was magical, without a doubt. There was just something in the air here - with it being just us, with nowhere to be, and nothing we had to do. I turned around, after a while, still lying between his legs, but now with my stomach pressed to his. He flickered his eyes down to meet mine, and I could've melted in an instant, feeling his hand press to my back.