THE CURB (MATURE HARRY STYLES AU) #WATTYS2016

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX.

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I feel my heart pounding in my chest, my mouth going dry and my eyes widening to an extent as I stare down at the photograph I'm holding in my quivering hands.

It's a picture of me and Josh, both of his arm wrapped around my waist while his lips are pressed to my cheek as I give the widest smile possible.

My mind immediately takes me back to the time this picture was taken. It was almost the end of summer. Josh had taken me out for lunch before we had decided to go to a local park where this picture was taken. It will be a memory, I had told him happily, little did I know it'll be my worst nightmare one day.

Quickly, I take the look at the next picture and I remember it as the one we had taken at his place when I went there for my very first sleep over. It was a selfie, with me lying on his bed in just a bra and him sitting up, both of us pouting at the camera.

"Stella." I hear Harry's voice from behind me and I feel like my heart will stop any second when the door of bathroom is clamped shut and the sound of his steps starts becoming closer and closer. "What are you doing there on the floor, babe?"

I feel his slightly wet hand on the shoulder and I cringe away from the touch before abruptly standing onto my feet, I press the picture to chest, hiding them from him and gulp in thickly, wondering what will happen if Harry saw the pictures.

"I..I umm.. nothing H-Harry. I just..I fell." I say, struggling to form a proper lie and hoping that Harry won't get suspicious of my sudden change in behaviour and stuttering.

I hear Harry sigh from behind me and I close my eyes, silently praying that he'll go to bed without another question. But as usual, my prayers go unanswered and I jump when I feel Harry's arm wrapping around me from behind, his hands resting on top of my own.

"Come to bed." Harry whispers in my ear, placing a kiss on my neck as he tries to intertwine our fingers.

I watch in horror as his fingers brush against the pictures I'm holding and I feel him going still behind me, probably wondering what it is. However, I still hold onto the tiny bit of hope that he will not get suspicious about it, which is something inevitable.

"What are you hiding there, babe?" This question causes a chill to run through my body I feel like I'll faint any second now.

I feel completely helpless when Harry forces me to turn around in his arms before he takes the pictures out of my numb hands, pressed against my body.

Harry smiles up at me before averting his eyes towards the picture in his hand and I watch him with pure horror as his smile slowly disappears and his lips part in shock before a frown finds it's way on them, his eyebrows furrow and he gulps loudly.

Harry's hands are shaking as he drops the first picture on the ground, now looking at the other one. His eyes narrowing at the sight of it, his breathing rate picking up as he continues to stare down at the disgusting picture of me and Josh in bed.

I feel the tears forming in my eyes as I watch Harry helplessly, my mouth parted as I try to come up with some sort of story to make the pictures seem unreal. I try to find words that will comfort Harry but I fail miserably, unable to think of anything at all. The only thing my mind is focusing on is what Harry will do now.

"Harry.. I-" I stop mid sentence when Harry eyes flicker up towards me, a gasp escaping my mouth at the wild look in his eyes.

I've seen him angry before but the threatening look they hold at the moment is the one I've never seen before. He holds my gaze for a few long torturous seconds before looking back at the picture in his hand.