Ashes (Sequel to Windows To The Soul)

Eleven.

Harry’s P.O.V:

I heard a couple knocks on my door; I put the can of beer back on the table and headed to open the door.

“Hello.” She mumbled, obviously insecure.

There she was, standing in front of me and I was about to faint.

“Come in…”

God, this was too familiar. I remembered the last time she visited me and it didn’t end well at all, so I’d try my best to control my emotions.

She came in, unfolded her scarf and took her coat off and left them on the couch.

I offered her a drink, and sat next to her on the couch. This was just like the last time she visited me and I didn’t like the feeling…

“How are you?” She asked.

“I’m okay.” I answered. “Y-You?”

“I’m okay…”

She didn’t sound convinced, she wasn’t okay, but I wasn’t going to overwhelm her with the ton of questions I had for her. “Are you working or…?”

“Uh, yeah…I work at a shop that sells paintings and I’m attending college.” She didn’t look at me.

“College? That’s great, I’m happy for you.” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck.

Awkward silence. I hated awkward silence.

“Do you still have that job at the restaurant?” She asked.

“Yeah, I do, surprising isn’t it?” I let out a light laugh.

She laughed and took a lock of her hair to her ear. That mesmerized me for a second.

“Have you talked to Louis since…you know?” I asked.

She looked down, damn; I shouldn’t have asked her that…

“Yeah, I have…” She mumbled.

I clenched my fists, closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

“But I told him it was the best for us to never see each other again.” She explained.

“And you came here to tell me the same?” I asked getting closer to her.

“No, I came here to see how you were doing…”

She was playing with her fingers, but she never looked up at me.

“I don’t know if I want us to see each other again or if I want us to ignore each other the next time we coincide in a place…But what I know is that I’m not going back together with you, Harry, I may forgive you or may not. But I’m not going to get back together with you.” She said.

“Just let me do one more thing…” I began.

I slightly leaned in and caressed her jaw with my fingers before crashing my lips against hers.

If she was going to leave me, if I wasn’t going to see her again I needed to have this memory, I needed to have one perfect last kiss.

Maybe she was thinking that I didn’t fight for her, but she was telling me that we were never going to get back together, why would I force her to do something she didn’t want to do? If I forced her to be with me and chased her until she had no other choice but to stay with me things would blow up and we’d end up even more damaged than we already were.

She flinched but didn’t move away from me, she wrapped her arms around my neck and I swear I heard her sob on my lips, she was crying. I tried to kiss her softly; I tried to heal her with my lips.