Harry Styles, I'm Not Your Puppet (Harry Styles Fan Fiction) (On Hold for Now)

Ch. 26 "Story Lines"

―Liam―

I rub tiny circles into Aria’s hand, still grasping mine even in sleep. She fell asleep again, I didn’t expect her to stay up for my benefit, but I didn’t expect her to fall asleep in the first 10 minutes of talking with her either…

Granted, we talked little.

I didn’t think about it much and instead stared at her, rubbing those circles into her hand. I couldn’t get over how dainty she is, how beautiful she is…No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t.

I think of other boyfriends that she might have had before me…wait, no, not before me, that came out wrong...I’m not dating her…not that I don’t want to…no, I mean before…well, I’ve never met any of them...Brain, start over.

I think of her boyfriends to see why she dumped them or other way around, if any were ever stupid enough to do that…All I ever heard of boyfriends from Aria is that she has had them. Back then I wasn’t all that great friends with Aria.

Why does something bad have to happen to make good things happen? I mean really? If things happen when things are good wouldn’t they only get better? They would morph into amazing and fantastic things, bad things before them only make it harder to get there to that good part.

Looking at Aria’s relaxed face, there wasn’t any bad, but, inside, I knew there was stuff trying to change that. There were things digging in and planting themselves firmly inside of her. And to be honest with myself, I think that I could be one of the things spoiling her. But, selfish me, I didn’t care, I only want to be with her.

There was that, but I didn’t know how far I would let it go.

―Harry―

As I calmed down a tad, I started getting into more of a search for the locket with Kim.

I searched under the bed, in the drawers, and as I searched in Aria’s pillowcase, I pulled out an old photo of some kind. On it, was a photo of a man and women both smiling hugely at her pregnant belly.

I felt a pang in my throat as I thought of the nights that Aria must’ve spent staring at this photo, probably crying over all she’s lost. Her mother, her father’s love, her father…It could go on from there, but the major things were all right here in a picture that I held in my hand.

“Kim,” I say, and she zips up another of Aria’s suitcases.

“Did you find it?” She sounds hopeful, but I shake my head. “Then, what?”

I’m facing away from her and stare at the photo. I tuck it into my front pocket, and turn around to look at her. She’s sitting on the ground, her legs folded underneath her, amazing she hadn’t got a Charlie-horse yet.

I walk to her and place my hands behind her ears and grabbing her jaw, then: I pull her lips to mine. “I love you, okay?” That’s why I’m protecting you.

She looks confused for a second, and then it passes. “I love you too.” She holds my forearms. “I didn’t always know it. But, I did.” She smirks a bit, and pecks me. “I’m going to look in her purse you keep looking too.”

She stands up and walks over to it, and paws through it. I didn’t even have time to get to the bed to continue my search before Kim squeals happily.

“I found it! We found it!” Kim rushes me and kisses me, full on the lips.

I smile and feel the photograph burning in my pocket. She can’t know it’s there, not until Aria has it at least.

Kim holds it up, then her face drops, so I stare at it with her. On the locket is a piece of paper…folded perfectly and tied to the chain.