Blowing Smoke (Harry Styles)

Chapter 30

The blood. I stared blankly at the blood that oozed from the bite wound on my side. It mixed with the ocean water, swirling like pomegranate tea in boiling water. It swirled around me in clouds, nipping at my skin and searing the pores. Red. Blood. Red. My blood. Swirling. In the ocean. Blood. Blood. My blood. Red. Blood.

I woke up, panting yet again, from the nightmare that had haunted my subconscious for nights, for years.

I ran my hands through my hair, wiping the sweat that was dripping along my hairline. I was sweating deeply from the nightmare, and twitching. My muscles twitched with the anxiety that coursed through my veins.

I sat upright, wincing slightly from the weight on my hips and from the pain in my ankle that I got from jolting up so quickly.

It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. A dream from something that really happened. But just a dream.

I shivered from the sweat that gleamed on my flesh. I tied back my hair in a loose ponytail, sighing and running my hands over my face.

My heart was beating so quickly against my chest that I swore that it would give out in any moment. I relaxed my breathing, calming my racing heart.

My hands touched against my left side, my fingers trembling and twitching as they ran over the newly formed flesh overtop of where I had been bitten. The flesh was as soft as that of a baby, since it was new flesh.

When my breathing was calmed, and my heart wasn’t racing, and the deep red wasn’t flashing in my mind, I got off the sofa. I grabbed the crutches that I had refused to use when people were around since I didn’t want any attention towards me.

I hobbled my way to the kitchen, grunting from how uncomfortable the crutches were. Whenever I couldn’t get to bed as a kid, my dad would get me a big glass of milk and I would be able to fall asleep quite easily afterwards.

I pulled opened the fridge door and poured out the jug of white milk into my Guest mug. I twisted the cap back on the jug, setting it back on its shelf in the fridge before gulping down half of the milk in my mug.

I was still slightly shook up from my nightmare, but it was something that I would have to get used to, and I hoped that I would. The nightmare still brought a shiver down my spine since it mentally scarred me.

I was sipping my milk when I heard the door opened. I turned around with a gasp, choking on my milk in my mouth. Harry stood in the doorway, clad in a pair of black boxers. His hair was messy, and with his fingers sleepily tugging at it, it didn’t help much.

When we spotted each other, we both jumped, me of course choking on my milk.

Harry immediately came to my side and pushed the mug closer to my chest. I touched the mug back to my lips and chugged the rest to try and soothe the scratching in my throat.

When the scratch was gone after my gasping, I set the emptyGuest mug down and nodded my head at Harry to tell him that I was alright.

"Sorry for scaring you." Harry whispered, trying not to wake anyone near enough. His voice was deeper and raspier than usual since he just woke up.

"N-no. It’s f-fine. What are you d-doing up?" I asked him and set the mug in the sink.

"I came for some water." Harry stated with a shrug. "I usually come every night. What are you doing in the kitchen?"

"I c-came for a g-glass of m-milk." I replied simply with a shrug to mock Harry’s previous shrug.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "You look like you’ve seen a ghost."