10 HOURS AWAY | Harry Styles AU

chapter 41 - fly away

A/N: hi friends! sorry for the long wait. I moved into my first apartment so I was busy packing and unpacking stuff. anyways, enjoy the chapter ☺️❤️

10 Hours Away | Harry Styles AU

chapter 41 - fly away

Harry didn't go home that night, thankfully. He stayed at my apartment, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Having Harry open up towards me was everything I wanted. I hadn't predicted him to show up and speak without restraint, but to finally know what had caused his sleepless nights was what I needed. He knew how much it would mean to me if he'd talk about it – just like I had been doing lately. That combined with him showing up at my doorstep, gave me the confirmation he needed me in his life. He came around because he was afraid to lose me, too.

"It makes me happy that you're here with me." I spoke up as I was laying in his arms.

"I'm going to miss being with you." Harry said; reminding both of us of his short trip back to his family.

"Me too, Harry." I gently affirmed. "About you going back to California.." I locked eyes with Harry as I rested my chin on his exposed chest. "I don't think you should go next week. You should go back sooner. What about the day after tomorrow?"

"That's rather quick, Liz." he sounded astonished as a chuckle fell from his lips.

"Yeah, it is." I let him know. "But knowing your grandfather has one month left, I don't want you to waste another minute without him."

Harry stared at the blank ceiling. His silence filled the room. In the meantime, I traced circles and squares on his torso with my fingertips.

"You're right." Harry stated silently. "I must go as soon as I can."

"Perhaps it makes you feel less guilty for not spending as much time with him as you'd have liked?" I managed to say.

"I hope so." Harry sighed. "Have you... Have you ever regretted not spending enough time with someone?" he turned to me, and I always loved to see his face up close. His continuous beauty was captivating.

"I have." I spoke and shot him a weak smile. "After my grandmother got ill, she wasn't herself anymore. She had always been full of life, but once she was obliged to permanently stay at a nursing home, she changed.." I moved around, laid on my back, and let the memory of her pass in front of my eyes. "Because of her freedom being taken away from her, she lost herself. I didn't recognize her anymore; she complained a lot and acted mean towards every one of us."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Harry whispered when I felt him grabbing my hand in his.

"It's okay." I breathed out, and I squeezed his hand softly. "She's in a better place now." I muttered. "I just don't want you to go through the same thing as I did, Harry. When I realized I should've visited her more often, it was already too late. You still have time left." 

A warm feeling rushed through my body when Harry pulled me in his arms.

"Will you be here when I come back?" Harry spoke against my lips.

I could feel his heartbeat since our bodies touched. His voice was so fragile; as if he was begging me to stay in place – to never disappear.

"I'm not going anywhere." I promised him whole-heartedly.

The next day, I woke up to a beautiful man and I observantly studied him. I didn't know for how long he would stay in California, but I knew I'd miss him more and more each day. Never before had I grown so attached to someone that I had already started missing them without them being gone. But I guess Harry had this unusual power over me.