10 HOURS AWAY | Harry Styles AU

chapter 21 - tell me everything

10 HOURS AWAY | Harry Styles AU

chapter 21 - tell me everything

I dropped my suitcase at my apartment and joined Mia in hers. She had started unpacking as I leaned against the doorframe. I watched her move around nervously as she was throwing all of her clothes onto different piles.

"Do you want to sit down?" I asked. "Talk about it?"

She let her brown sweater fall onto the ground hopelessly. "Yeah, that's a good idea." she agreed.

Mia sat down in her chair and wrapped the pink fluffy blanket around her. When I observed her, I saw how she stared ahead of herself - she was thoroughly lost in her thoughts. Rick's messages must've made a bigger impact on her than I had imagined.

I placed a cup of Camille tea in front of her and she thanked me quietly.

"I can't seem to shut my mind off, Liz." she told me, but it sounded like a small cry for help.

"I know that feeling."

"I hate how much control he has over me. Even after months of living without Rick, he still manages to turn my world upside down."

I sat down on the couch. "Maybe you weren't over him?"

"I'm afraid I am not." she sighed. "You know, I hate it when feelings get the best of me. Especially, when I try to make others feel strong but can't be it myself."

"We all break once in a while." I assured her.

Mia reached out for her mug. She cursed under her breath when the ceramic was too hot to hold in her hands. "I should've blocked his number when I left for New York City."

"That's just an afterthought, Mia. Back then, when you left, there was nothing to worry about." I explained. "Rick's messages came out of the blue. There's no way you could've been prepared for this."

"You're right." Mia admitted. "No matter when or where he would try to get in touch, it was going to affect me."

"Because you still care about him, Mia. You were once in love with him."

Once she looked at me, I saw the tears brimming in her eyes. However, she wasn't going to let them roll down her cheeks. Mia was, just like me, unwilling to cry at times.

"And maybe I still am in love. I just haven't figured it out yet."

"Which is okay. He texted you last night. You aren't obliged to have all the answers the next morning." I said. "You've got plenty of time to find out, Mia."

She wrapped her blanket tighter around her body. Despite it not being anything but cold inside, I figured she used it as a way to protect herself from what was going on.

"Are you going to talk to Harry?" she asked me.

"I think I am." I let her know. "Carter and I talked about it on the plane."

"It's a good thing you've been talking about it."

"I know." I mouthed. "I'm starting to get better at it. Even though, it isn't easy."

"Do you think you'll be able to tell him how you feel?"

"I'm not sure, but I might try." I said.

"You are going to tell me how it went, right?"

"You know you'll be the first one to know." I assured her kindly. Perhaps the 'drama' in my life, made it possible to forget hers for a second.

After a while, I headed back to my place. I had to unpack my suitcase, do my laundry, and clean up the living room. I hadn't had a chance to get properly settled, so I had to do that first. Maybe I was using all of my chores as an excuse to put Harry's and I conversation on hold. Still, I knew we were going to talk today and figure all of it out. What were we doing? Were there any feelings involved? Who was going to be let down? Or were we going to give it a shot?