The Boy Next Door || Harry Styles

chapter seven. {harry}

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p.s listen to A.M. while reading this chapter. :)

I didn't know how to feel. Everyone around me was celebrating and I should have been happy, but I was far from that. I was angry at Melanie for lying to me. Even if she had forgotten who I was, why did she lie about who she was? I was infuriated with myself for being so ignorant and gullible. Melanie was there in front of me for days and I couldn't even recognize her. Most of all I was confused. I was at a loss for words looking at her. I didn't know whether to yell at her for baffling me with her presence or embrace every single part of her. I decided to to do the latter.

Dropping the cup of water in my hand, I ran to Melanie and pulled her into my chest. Her body resisted at first, but slowly melted into my arms. Her hands clutched onto the fabric on my back and her face was buried in my neck. I held her tighter and breathed in her rosy scent. I felt so relieved to be with her, to be holding her. And I couldn't have been happier in that moment.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from her and the warmth that radiated from her body left. I couldn't resist grabbing her again and holding her tight against me. She fit so perfectly next to my body that I never wanted to let her go.

"I'm sorry." She whispered into my neck and I sighed.

"I'm so, so sorry, Harry." Melanie said again when I finally released her. When I looked down into her deep, hazel eyes, all I wanted to do was grab her face and kiss her. I wanted to erase the last four years of complete emptiness.

I didn't kiss her, though. I needed answers first.

Before I could say a word, a little boy ran up to Mel and hugged her legs. It was Riley.

"Happy New Year, Mel!" He laughed before running off with the other kids. Was Riley her son? I was beyond confused, but Melanie ushered me up the stairs into my bedroom.

Silently, I sat down on the edge of my bed and she took a seat on the other end. She was too far away, but I made no move to close the distance. We didn't speak for what felt like hours.

"Can you --," I began, but she spoke at the same moment.

"I'm sorry --," We both stopped and when she didn't speak up again, I asked,

"Can you answer this one question, truthfully?" I didn't want her to feel like I didn't trust her anymore, but I needed to know for sure that she wasn't going to lie to me. She nodded slowly and looked down with sad eyes.

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" My voice cracked and I failed to keep up my tough facade. Melanie glanced up at me before focusing on her intertwined hands.

"I-I left because of you." She paused, "I just had enough of everything. Our last year at Holmes Chapel High was absolute hell for me. With everything going on with you and Felicity and all that stuff with my heart murmur and then my mom and then you and Abigail, yeah definitely Abigail was the last straw. I-I guess I couldn't handle it. I just needed to start fresh and new. I needed to get away from everyone, especially you." She took a deep breath and my shoulders fell. I was heartstricken after realizing that I was the reason that Melanie left.

"Anyways, Cassidy made me apply to a music school in San Francisco and at first I wasn't going to do it, but I realized that there was nothing in Holmes Chapel for me. With Abigail and the X-Factor thing, I just felt you slipping away and frankly, I think I was slipping away, too." Her voice trailed off quietly and a deafening silence drove us even more apart.

"I wanted to tell you. I really did. I was going to tell you the day before graduation but I figured it would hurt less if I just left, without saying goodbye. I'm never good with goodbyes." She muttered and I could see her slowly unraveling. It was painful to hear her say those words, but it was even more agonizing to see her open up to me. It was my turn to speak what was on my mind.