masochist // h.s

04; STOIC MINDS AND LOUD LAUGHS

:: 04

how many galaxies will it take

for you to realise the universe is

falling madly in love with you

-

/ florence /

I gasped at the breathtaking sight in front of me, my eyes now widely open as I admired the sheer beauty surrounding me.

I could feel Harry's lingering gaze on me as I basked in the iridescence of it all. After taking a detour to one of Castle Rock's inhabited areas, Harry led me here.

We stood in a grassy meadow dotted by petite, fragrant daisies rustling gently in the breeze. From our altitude, I spotted an oak tree in the far end of the meadow. The sky was a deep blue and an occasional cloud would bounce across the horizon like a dancing sheep. With a sigh, I wistfully stared upwards as the sun basked my face in its yellow rays of glory. I smiled, instantly glad I proposed the idea we ditch classes in the first place.

"You okay?" Harry asks after a minute, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Harry," I breathed. "This is... amazing."

"You should see it at night, under all the nights and stars. It's even more breathtaking." He whispered, his lips tugging up into a grin, a dimple taking residence on his cheek.

"Thank you for taking me here," I glanced at him as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

He shrugged, looking up at the sky. "I've never showed it to anyone. I always come here when I need to clear my head and think about things. It's like - my getaway."

I nodded thoughtfully. Although I felt a blush creeping on my cheeks at the thought of me being the first person Harry's ever brought here. It made me happy that he was opening up a little. I cracked a smile at the effort.

"Did you know that there are two to four hundred billion stars in just our galaxy?" He asked, gesturing his finger to the sky.

"No," I shook my head slightly.

"Did you know that all of the potential human waste is transported to random stars in the middle of space which is why there are supernovas?"

"No." I looked up at Harry whilst feverishly straightening my hair out.

"I've always liked the stars," he spoke softly. "Do you know what my favourite thing about them is?"

"No." I answered again. I could only manage single-syllable words for now.

"Decades can pass, you can move countries, wars can be fought, people can die, things can change, but the stars will always remain the same. They always stay. They're the only constant thing in life."

I cracked a smile, craning my neck up to look at him. My insides fluttered as I caught him already staring down at me. "You know ... I think that under some circumstances someone can get murdered in a secluded meadow."

"Flor!" Harry threw his head back and groaned. He was smiling though. Just a little, barely noticeable but it was enough to fill my stomach with butterflies.

I unfolded my arms and stuffed them back into my coat pockets. He didn't have a big coat on like me. He was just wearing a clad leather jacket. "Don't you feel a little bit cold?"

"No, I don't feel anything." He deadpanned.

He took out his pack of cigarettes again, and offered me one. I took it. I put it in between my lips as Harry searched his pockets for his lighter and when he found it, he grabbed my waist and pulled me forward, putting his cigarette in his mouth as well and lighting them at the same time.

"Thanks." I mumbled quietly.

"No problem," Harry responded just as softly as I did.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked. We still had an hour left before classes end.

"We could just walk back to the station. It'll be an hour before we get there." Harry shrugged. "Unless you have any other ideas."

"You like walks, don't you?" I questioned.

"I guess. Sometimes I just need to get out for a little bit, clear my head and all." Harry said, and his lips formed into a smile as he blew out some smoke in my direction.

"Hey, stop it." I laughed, pushing Harry away from me.

"What, this?" Harry asked as he stepped forward and grabbed me by my waist to keep me steady, taking another drag of his cigarette before finally blowing the smoke in my face once again.

"Back off!" I laughed, harder than before.

"Maybe you were right, Flor." Harry sighed, stepping away from me.

"What does that mean?" I tilted my head to the side.

Harry shook his head and laughed, the cigarette dangling between his pink lips. He glanced up at me, and finally spoke. "Never mind."

He continually ran his fingers through his hair but the only thing it did was mess it up even more. "Why did you want me to open up to you?"

I stood there in silence, contemplating how to answer his question. I put my cigarette between my lips and took a short drag before answering him. "I was just curious. Honestly, you're kind of intriguing."

"I intrigue you?" Harry snorted disbelievingly, dropping his cigarette on the ground before crushing it with the tip of his shoe.

"Yes, that's what I just said, didn't I?" I rolled my eyes at him, getting frustrated.

"You're not making this easy, Flor." He spoke, as he leaned in closer, dipping his head down so he was eye-level with me.

"I never make it easy." I swallowed hard, casually shrugging my shoulders whilst staring at the wide expanse of the meadow trying not to look too flustered and fidgety.

"You can say that again." Harry muttered under his breath, as he kicked at the freshly cut grass.

"I never-"

"Flor." Harry interrupted, laughing softly. "I didn't mean for you to answer that."

"I know." I rolled my eyes, finishing off my cigarette.

-

"What are you doing?" I asked, noticing that Harry was still walking next to me. Since we didn't take the train today, we walked back together to get home. Last time we got off the train together, which was the first time I met Harry, he went in the completely opposite direction from our houses. I didn't know where he went, but I never bothered questioning it.

"Walking." Harry answered simply. He licked his lips as he brought a cigarette between them again, taking a long drag of smoke.

"You don't normally come this way," I muttered under my breath, casting my gaze on the ground as we walked down the street.

Harry shrugged, going through his phone which was all he seemed to be doing. Maybe that was a sign he didn't want to talk to me. I shook my head, discarding any negative thoughts. Maybe I was overanalyzing the whole situation.

"So you're walking me home now?" I let out a dry laugh.

"Who said I was walking you home?" Harry raised an eyebrow at me, a smile resurfacing on his lips, dimples on full display. He tapped his cigarette with his pointer finger, causing its remaining ashes to fall onto the ground.

I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks. "I don't understand. Your house is around the block." I glanced up at him, perplexed.

Harry looked down at his feet, nodding, before turning to meet my gaze; a smirk growing on his face. "I know."