GREEN (RL Harry Styles fanfic)

77. Stained

I woke up completely unaware if it had been minutes or hours that I was out. As I began to make sense of the voices around me I went with the former. I kept my eyes closed knowing the bright light wouldn't help the pain in my head.

"Just toss the soaked towels in the sink, I'll deal with them later," I heard Anne's voice say. "We'll get back to what you just said in a minute Harry," Anne said harshly. "Just get an ice pack from the freezer."

"Bloody idiot," I heard Gemma grumble from beside me.

I finally opened my eyes and was met with surprised expressions on Anne and Gemma's faces.

"Oh honey, you fainted and fell flat on your back. Are you alright?," Anne asked and I nodded and moved my hand to the throbbing on the back of my head.

Gemma slowly helped me up to a sitting position and I heard Harry's boots hurry across the wood floor.

"Babe, are you okay? Oh God. Do we need to go to the hospital? Are you concussed again? Um, here's an ice pack," he said frantically as he placed the cold pack on the back of my head.

"I'll be fine," I said in monotone as I took the ice pack from him. "Just got dizzy. It doesn't feel like a concussion, just a bump," I explained.

"When did you eat last dear?," Anne asked as she brushed my hair out of my face.

"She had a banana before we left my house, but that's it since we landed," Harry answered for me.

"Gemma, grab one of those chocolates from the candy dish," Anne said pointing towards the corner of her countertop. Gemma brought one over and Anne unwrapped it and handed it to me. "Eat this. Your blood sugar is probably low." I obeyed and let the milk chocolate melt on my tongue. "Gemma, help Liv up to the bedroom so she can lie down until dinner."

"No, I'll go with her," Harry chimed in.

"Harry, I think down here is the best place for you right now," Anne said in a tone I knew Harry recognized. He nodded in agreement, or fear, and stepped aside as Gemma helped me up and led me out of the kitchen. His hand brushed along my arm as I passed.

I desperately wanted to hear what was about to transpire once I left the room, but I knew I couldn't snoop outside the door like I had the last time I was here. Instead, I did as Anne said. I trusted her motherly instincts and I wondered for a moment when my own motherly instincts would kick in.

Once upstairs, Gemma helped me sit on the bed. I was fine to walk, but I understood that everyone wanted to be cautious. "Sorry my brother is an ass," she said as she took a seat next to me on the bed. "I don't know if this makes it better or worse, but I think he's clueless as to what he's said." She twisted her lips and scrunched her face. "He really does love you Liv, he's just an idiot sometimes. I'm not defending the idiot, but he's not used to this." I wasn't sure what she meant and tilted my head. "He panics when things get serious and it goes one of two ways. He wants out," that feeling in my stomach instantly returned, "or he mucks it up somehow because he thinks he's got no shot at it actually working out."

I couldn't help but suck in a breath to fight back tears. I wasn't going to cry in front of Gemma. Despite the absence of tears, she saw my lip quiver and was on to me instantly.

"Oh, Liv!," Gemma said patting my knee. "Don't cry! Really don't. I'm no good with emotions," which made me smile and laugh a little. That might have been her intention. "I mean he's mucking it up. I know you won't let him though. You'll set him straight. Let me go and bring your bags up so you can change if you'd like. You need to rest."

I nodded with a smile, realizing I still hadn't said a word since we had come upstairs. Gemma got up and disappeared through the doorway to retrieve my bags. When she came back with our luggage she piled them in the corner and quickly made her way to the door, probably not wanting to get caught up in me having more emotions in her presence.