Toxic (Harry Styles)

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?

You have been invited to witness the wedding of Angela Cox and Robert Masterson.

It will take place at London's Botanical Gardens, at 3 o'clock pm, on the 12th of December.

Please contact Angela to make an RSVP and if there's any questions. The bride request for the women to wear white, and the men to wear tuxes.

They hope to see you there!

I bite my lip as I stand at the counter in my house, rereading the invitation once again with my elbows on the granite. It's handwritten like the front of it was, and though it was addressed to Harry, I couldn't wait until he finally arrived back to read it. I had already put Angela's number in my contacts, but I'll only call her when I've spoken and explained everything to Harry in person.

I folded the paper back to the way I found it, and slipped it inside of the envelope, placing it delicately on the countertop. With one tap of my index finger to the rough paper, I turn back to the mess in the kitchen. It's honestly amazing how much of a clutter can collect by two people who are hardly ever home. An assortment of dishes have piled in heaps in the sink and the already clean plates and bowls that were left in the dish rack that sits next to the two compartment sink have collected a thin layer of dust.

I find a clean dish towel and begin to wipe them off one by one, inside and out, and then find the appropriate cabinet to stack them in. I repeated this process several times in the dim lighting of the kitchen, listening to the soothing rain of the afternoon against the house. It's a good day to sit down and read a book, I think to myself. Luckily I have one that I've neglected to read for about a month now. I found it at Harry's flat, stuffed away in his closet. He said I could keep it if I liked, he doesn't read much nowadays. Give me a review when you're done with it, he said with a dimpled grin.

When I'm finished with the one task, I move on to cleaning the other dirty dishes.

It's when I'm placing a glass into the rack to dry that the doorbell rings. And then again, swiftly following the last. Almost...almost urgently. I wipe my watery hands off, and begin towards the door. I'm officially worried when it rings two more times in the timing of five seconds.

Unlocking the deadbolt, I find Regina in a denim jacket and an umbrella held in her hand.

And Lucas is beside her.

My eyes widen at the sight of him. He's bruised and his arm is in a sling, but otherwise he looks better than I would expect.

But if he's here... then where's Harry?

With that thought, my heart deflates. He should be here to see me. He's back, I think, but where is he?

"H-hi," I finally stutter. Looking back and forth between the two, I see that their eyes are both red, but I can't figure out why. "You're back. When?" This probably isn't a conversation to have in a doorway, but I can't find it in myself to move and let them come in. I just let the random raindrops hit my skin.

Lucas answers with no emotion. "About an hour ago."

He had plenty enough time to come see me.

Why isn't he here?

"May we come in?" This time Regina speaks with a scratchy voice.

I compose myself with a deep, much needed breath, and move aside. We all go to the living room, and I notice the limp in Lucas' walk. What the hell happened in the past two days?