Fat // Harry Styles

chapter thirty-five

chapter thirty-five

-HARRY STYLES-

IT WAS RAINING at the airport. It fit the sullen mood of bidding farewell to my mother. Two weeks was a gracious amount of time after not seeing her for a year, but it still hadn't been long enough. I missed waking up to her cooking an unnecessarily large amount of food for breakfast. I missed her hugs. I missed her in general, and the moment we got onto the plane, I was already missing her all over again.

I tried to balance the separation by thinking about reuniting with Delilah. I missed her a lot, too. She was the only reason I'd been motivated enough to leave. Staying was very tempting, but being with Delilah again was even more so. She would come with me next time. I think she'd enjoy herself a lot.

Desiree sat beside me on the airplane, gripping my hand tightly. She had decided she didn't like flying. The plane shook too much, she'd said. She made me sit by the window, and Gemma had done the same with Zac because she didn't like flying, either. I suppose it ran through the female genes because Mom was anxious of it as well, but it didn't bother me.

In fact, I quite liked it. Being up in the clouds with nothing but sky ahead of you. There was no end when you were so high up, and that comforted me. I didn't like thinking about endings because most endings were never satisfying.

As opposed to the rain there'd been at the airport, they sky was clear and blue and vast. Clouds here and there, but mostly just open.

I sank back into the seat, preparing for the long flight. I closed my eyes but opened them just as quickly when Des clutched my hand impossibly tight.

"You can't go to sleep," she said quietly.

I frowned. "It's a long trip, Des."

"But what if something happens? You can't go to sleep," she repeated.

"Nothing is going to happen," I assured her. "Why don't you try to take a nap? I bet it'd calm you down some."

Her eyes widened. "Are you silly, Harry? I can't take a nap. I have to be awake. I have to know what's happening. Sleeping isn't safe."

I chuckled. "I think you're being a bit dramatic."

"I don't... Harry! Don't close your eyes!" She grabbed my face with her small hands, using her forefinger and thumb on either hand to hold my eyes open.

"Des, okay... Des, stop it." I pulled her hands back, holding her wrists. "It's all right, okay? Do you think we'd let you do something we didn't think was safe?" I asked, gesturing to her parents across the aisle, who looked like they were having a similar conversation as Gem clung fearfully to Zac.

The little girl thought this over for a minute, then shook her head.

"Exactly," I said. "You're safe."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Des still seemed unconvinced. "Can I sit in your lap so I feel safer?"

"You need to stay in your seat, love. It wouldn't be so safe for you to sit with me."

She pouted, trying to scoot closer by wrapping both her arms around one of mine. I kissed the top of her head, then to lighten her spirits, I grabbed a strand of her hair and tossed it across her face.

"Hey! It took me a whole two minutes to brush that this morning," she said, but was too frightened to remove herself from me to knock the hair off her face.

I smiled, tucking it behind her ear. "Just trying to make you smile. Worrying will give you wrinkles, you know."

She gasped. "Really?"