Paradise (Harry Styles Fanfic)

Chapter 22

2 weeks later

Ashley's POV

I walked inside Charlotte's hospital room after a slow day at the diner and sat next to Miss Deborah. I had been texting Harry on and off with updates on Charlotte. She's slowly making recovery, but the chances of memory loss are extremely high. I wouldn't dare tell Harry the possibility of Charlotte losing her memory because I know the thought of her ever forgetting him would absolutely crush him.

--

"Well, we really won't have an answer until Charlotte wakes up," the doctor said. "And we also won't know how much memory she'll lose until she wakes up. The more memory loss she suffers, the more likely she is to never regain her memory again. However, the less memory loss she suffers, the more like she is to eventually remember and recognize you."

--

"I'm going to the cafeteria to grab something to eat," Miss Deborah said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I nodded my head as she got up and left.

I sat there, thinking about what the doctor had said. My eyes drifted to the bed side table, admiring the lovely flowers Harry had bought for Charlotte that were somehow still alive. What if she doesn't remember him? What if she doesn't remember me? If she remembers Harry, she must remember me, considering the fact that I haven't known Charlotte as long as Harry has. But if she doesn't remember Harry, will she remember me?

My eyes trailed to the scars on Charlotte's wrists, a pang of guilt stabbing me in the stomach. How come I never noticed them before? I could have helped her. If only she would have opened up to me....

I reached in my jean pocket to pull out my phone. I dialed the familiar phone number and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" Harry said.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey Ashley, what's up? How is she?" He asked.

"She's good, I guess. She's dreaming..." I trailed off.

The other line was silent. I could almost hear his smile, if that makes any sense.

"I have a question. That's why I called." I said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Do... Do you know why Charlotte has all those scars on her wrist?" I asked.

There was hesitation on the other line.

"She's had a tough life, Ashley. No one deserves to go through what she's gone through. She's the strongest girl I've ever met. Yeah, she wanted to give up, but she's making it through. Slowly, but surely..." Harry said, trailing off.

"What happened?" I asked.

Harry let out a sigh. "When we were at the bridge... When I tried to save her... She told me everything. A couple of years ago, she was raped. They never caught the guy... But she ended up being pregnant. And right when she began to love and accept her baby, she had a miscarriage."

I let out a gasp. Oh my god.

"But people at her school thought otherwise. They didn't know she was raped, and they thought she aborted her child. So people called her things like 'baby killer'. Even her best friend at the time. But then she met me... You should have seen her, Ashley. She was messed up. I couldn't even touch her without her freaking out. She would start to cry and mumble things I couldn't understand. That bastard ruined her." He paused. "I was so determined to help her and quit cutting even though I didn't know what was going on. I really started to fall for her. There wasn't one thing I didn't love about her. Everything about her is amazing and I wish I wasn't so fucking stupid. I screwed everything up, Ashley. I had to leave to tour, so I left. We talked for a couple of months but then I kind of just stopped... I tried to get a hold of her but her phone would go straight to voicemail. I had no way to get a hold of her. I should of come back for her to tell her everything would be okay, but I was too fucking stubborn. I'm the main reason she's in that hospital bed, Ashley. Do you know how much that fucking kills me?!" He yelled into the phone.