I'm Right Here- SWM Sequel (Harry Styles)

Chapter 18:

After the last show at the O2, we went back to the hotel. The action being gone for awhile, she joined me in my room and we laid on the bed beside each other,having one of our silent nights. But I had so much to say. Bear had her wrapped around my waist but I opted to have one hand under my head and the other run and down her back lightly. I enjoyed her company with a heavy heart, well aware of what I had to do. I had gotten too close with Bear again- it was time to push her away, the thought that we couldn't be together ruling my mind.

"Remember when you went with the other boys to the studio while I was in New York with Taylor?" I ask Bear quietly. She remains silent with her head on my chest and nods slightly. "Well I'm going to LA this weekend to catch up. I just want..." I take a deep breath and Bear lifts her head up curiously to look at me. "I wanna get away." I say as I sit up. Bear just looks at me, her expression unreadable, and she holds her knees.

"Oh, alright I have a few things to do but I'll try to do them on the plane-" Bear tells me quietly but when I shake my head, Bear's words catch in her throat.

"Bear, I wanna be alone." I say firmly, not able to bring myself to look at her. Even in the silence, I can't hear Bear's breathing but she lets out a overwhelmed puff of air as she gets off the bed.

"Fine then. See you when you get back, I guess." Bear whispers before walking off.

She slams the door behind her and I drop back onto the bed trying to convince myself that what I did was right. Bear said we should stay single and I just can't think like that if we're making out. I'll admit that most of the times it happened, I instigated the action, but Bear kissed me back. I stayed up several hours after that, convincing myself that this was the only choice and Bear would be fine by morning. Sadly, my hopes to see Bear's smile were denied. I meet her and my bandmates in the hotel lobby, joking around with their luggage surrounding them. I walked over to them and as the other boys greeted me, Bear was on her phone and didn't look at me once.

"So where you headed, Hazza?" Niall asks as I sit beside him in our little circle.

"Off to LA to catch up on recording." I say as I look out of the corner of my eye, disappointed when I see that Bear still isn't paying me any attention.

"Is Bear going with you? She helped us a lot when we went." Louis says with a questioning glance between me and Bear.

"I'm going to Kentucky but I have to do some work. I wanna get away." Bear says simply to Louis but continues to ignore me. Ouch, that hurt.

"Well, I'm off. Bye guys," I say as I stand up and pick up my suitcase. I take a few steps and stop to look at Bear who has stood up, her piercing blue eyes staring back at me. "Bye, Bear." I say quietly and I'm relieved that my bandmates are at the front desk and Paul is already in the car.

My heart almost breaks when Bear mouths the words 'Stay with me' but I shake my head slowly. She gives a short nod and walks off to the others at the front desk. With a deep breath, I continue out of the hotel and get in the car to the airport.

When I get to LA, Paul takes me to the recording studio and heads back to the hotel to get some sleep. I get to hear what my bandmates have already recorded and everything sounds amazing so far. David gives me the lyrics and I get into the booth to record. After hours of singing, listening to myself and doing it all over again, David tells me to come out and I collapse onto the couch behind him as he spins in his chair to look at me.

"Okay, tell me- What's wrong?" David questions as he roll his chair over to me and I lay on my back as I stare at the ceiling, reminding me of a therapist.

"There's this girl-" I start but David interrupts me.

"Harry, I know the girl's Bear." David smiles knowingly and I nod my head with a small smile.