Us - Regina Spektor 

ISABELLA

"I think I'm falling in love with you." The words ring loud in my head. A sentence that is written by words of pure simplicity, yet immensely heavy in meaning. He was falling in love with me. An emotion that was the pinnacle of vulnerability and trust. My heart was beating quick. Each heartbeat hitting my chest in a rapid pace. I was almost positive that Harry could it.  

He watches me intently. His eyes not once faltering. Harry's stare is intense. I can feel the loose curls that have fallen on my face. Tickling my forehead. His breath is hot on my lips. In habit, I bite down on my lip. Harry's stare on my eyes move down to my lips. The confidence that I usually held high began to dwindle down. Self-consciously I turn my head to the side. My eyes breaking contact with Harry's. 

"Isabella," his raspy voice breaks me from my self-conscious thoughts. Slowly, I turn my head. My eyes making contact with his. "You don't have to say anything back."

His body remains above mine. My heart still beating erratically in my chest. Words seem to be at a lost within me. Nothing coming to mind to break the awkward tension that is slowly seeping into the confines of Harry's bedroom. I look up at Harry and back down. 

"I think I'm falling in love with you, too." I admit to him. I can feel Harry's body physically relax. His eyes drooping slightly in relief. 

"Yeah?" He asks me. The same panty-dropping smirk that has left me at a lost for him from the first moment I met him reappearing. 

"Yeah," I reply breathlessly. I am using all of my strength to not pounce on him right here and now. 

Harry slowly moves his body to his side. His arms no longer keeping my head captive. He wraps his arm around my body, bringing me closer to his side. I turn so that I am now facing him. Our foreheads merely inches away. I wrap my hand around his side, my cold fingers slipping up his bare torso. 

"I'm scared," I admit to him. Harry's once lazy demeanor changes to one of worry.

"Why?" 

"I'm scared that I'll wake up and this will all be some dream. That I'll actually still be in New York, working for my father's business." I pause. "Worst of all, I will wake up and I wont be laying here with you." 

Harry pulls me closer. He runs his hand down the side of my head and towards my lips. His thumb tracing the edges gently. His gaze transfixed on his slow motions. "I don't know what I'd do if this was all a dream," he tells me. His thumb still tracing my lips gently. "I'm fucking terrified if that helps," he smiles at me. I chuckle back, my heart still racing. 

"When I first met you, I thought you were the most gorgeous man that I'd ever met." I'm not sure why I'm admitting this. But something tells me that I should keep going. I needed Harry to know how I felt about him; about us. Especially why I've been so scared since the beginning (and why I stooped so low and dated Chase). "You were intimidating. Everything about you was the epitome of what I wanted to be. You were the exact opposite of my parents. You're smart, funny, sexy-" I cover my face embarrassed by my slip. 

"You think I'm sexy?" Harry asks me, a smirk on his lips. Typical. 

"No need to flatter yourself." I swat his arm playfully, my eyes rolling. 

"If it helps," he begins to say, his hands wrapping around the arm that slapped him, "I thought you were sexy too. Way too fucking sexy." He leans over, brushing his lips over my neck. I inhale sharply. His words and actions so quick and unexpected. 

"Uh-" I mentally shake my head, clearing the fog away from my thoughts. "You- I  thought I was out of your league," I stutter. 

"What?" 

"I didn't think you'd want to be with someone like me. Women fall at your feet. I didn't think you'd want to be with a boring American girl." I look down, away from his stare. This was embarrassing. Why was I telling him all of this? 

"You're all I want," Harry mutters. "God. I couldn't get you out of my head. Even when I was with other girls all I could think about was you. Why else do you think I was always at the bookstore?" 

"I thought you just really, really liked reading." 

Harry laughs, "Well that too." 

I groan, my hands running over my face. "I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I sound like a crazy school girl." Harry laughs once again. His fingers grasping my wrists lightly, pulling my hands down from my face. "I'm glad you're telling me," he mutters under his breath. His eyes searching mine. He leans down and kisses my lips. His kiss is gentle and sweet. He doesn't rush his actions. He pulls away only to leave a few more short, soft kisses. 

"I need you to tell me something. But, 'm be honest, yeah?" 

I look at him skeptically. My mind, once again, racing with potential questions that he could ask. "Anything." 

He doesn't say anything at first. His eyes shutting slowly before reopening. He takes a deep breath. "Did you date Chase because you liked him or because you wanted to make me jealous?" 

I can feel my eyes widen in shock. That was not what I had expected him to ask me. 

"I liked him." 

He scoffs while rolling his eyes, muttering a slow, "Right." 

"I don't know why you don't believe me."

"You used him," Harry accuses. "You used him to cover your real feelings for me. You knew that he was safe so you went for it. Even though I practically flirted with you every fucking day, you dated that prick."

I sit up quickly. "Excuse me? What the hell are you saying?" 

"I'm saying is that, it's pretty pathetic that you used a guy for sex and a relationship when you didn't even like him." 

"You have got to be kidding me right now. This coming from the guy that made me cheat on him. That steals every girl that Chase ever dates." I yell at him. My body shaking in rage. How dare he call me pathetic. How dare he say these things to me when he was no better. If anything worse.

That was it. How did we go from professing that we were falling for one another to this. To him practically accusing me of being a slut. I jump out of bed, pulling on my coat and slipping on my shoes. 

"Izzy," Harry calls out of me. "Where are you going?" 

I don't stop. Instead, I continue my way towards his door. Making sure I have my purse, I open the door. "Stop," he calls once more before grabbing my arm and pulling him towards him. "Why are you leaving?" 

I don't look at him. My eyes trained on my shoes. "I'm not going to stand here and have you say these things to me." I tell him. My voice shaking in anger.

"I don't want to fight," He tells me. "I'm sorry."  

Words continue to fail me. 

I rest my forehead on his chest. His bare skin is warm against my skin. I can hear his heartbeat slowly; a drastic contrast to my rapid beats. Even in situations like this, Harry managed to remains calm. "I told you. I was scared. That's why I was with him. I'm still scared." 

"Please don't be," he tells me quietly. His hands slipping under my coat and holding onto the fabric of my shirt. "I'm not going to hurt you." 

"I know," I tell him quickly. I knew deep down that Harry would never hurt me. I still couldn't help the fear that brewed inside of me. What I had with Harry was different than what I had with Ty and with Chase. Our relationship was beyond physical. We had an emotional connection that I couldn't explain. Even though the sexual chemistry between us was almost unbearable, it was the emotional connection that I had with Harry that won over all. I knew that we were still learning to trust one another with our hearts. That Harry was learning what it meant to be vulnerable again. "I'm sorry, too." I tell him. Harry doesn't say anything. Instead, he pulls me closer to him. 

Our relationship was a process. A process that I was willing to go through if it meant being with Harry. 

My purse drops to the floor. My hands reaching up to cup Harry's face. I lean up, my lips crashing onto his. He responds to the kiss seconds later. His grip on my waist tightening. He shuts the door with his foot. Only to push my body up and against the wood. 

Moments later, Harry pulls away. "I don't know what I'm doing."

I don't respond. 

"Fuck. It's been too long since I've felt this way about a someone else. I don't know what to do."

Gently, I hold his head in my hands. My lips touch his softly, leaving a kiss. "It's okay," I tell him quietly. "Just be. Be with me and we'll figure this out together." 

- 

"Do we really have to go?" Harry whines from my bed. He runs a hand over his jaw. 

"Yes. Jaz has been planning this party since... forever. It'd be good to go." I laugh lightly. Grinning, I walk over to where Harry sits. His plump lips pouting. He takes the opportunity to pull me towards him, my body falling on to his lap in a straddling position. 

His intoxicating scent takes over as I bury my head in the fabric of his plain t-shirt. I shut my eyes, enjoying this moment. The low hum of his chest brings me out of my almost-slumber. Harry continues to chuckle lightly, causing me to look up at him. "What?" 

"Mm, nothin' love." 

My eyes break from it's contact with his vibrant green ones. His hand reaches out for mine, captivating it in his own. "What about we leave, yeah?" 

Nodding, I sit up from his lap. Careful to not press down onto him. "Baby," he calls to me. I turn around only to be met with his lips. He kisses me hard only to pull away quickly. 

"What was that?" I ask him breathlessly. 

"Just wanted to." He gives me a knowing smile before slipping his hand in mine once again and pulling me towards the door of my bedroom. 

Outside, the rooftop was busy with people I had seen before at one of Jaz's other parties. Harry's grasp on my hand is firm. We walk towards the section of the rooftop where the drinks sat. Harry let's go of my hand only to make us something to drink. "Here," he later hands me a red cup full of some dark liquid. 

"What is it?" I take a sniff, only to be hit with the strong aroma of alcohol. 

"A drink, babe." He laughs, taking a long swig of his own drink. 

Following suit, I take my own sip only to cough afterwards. "Fuck that's strong." 

"Ah, only the best for my lady." He takes another sip from his cup. His hand finding my waist, pulling me towards his side. We walk towards the edge of the roof. Our bodies leaning against the concrete edge, our cups sitting on top. 

"I feel like we always end up here." 

"That's because we do," Harry says to me smugly. His teeth biting down on the edge of his plastic cup. 

"There you guys are!" The loud pitch of Jaz's overexcited voice yells. Her body appearing in front of us- a red cup in one hand and Ben's hand in the other. "We've been looking for you for ages." 

I smile at my roommate. Her blonde hair is curled into messy waves. Her body dressed in a small pink dress, cut outs on the side showing a bit of skin. Ben waves at us. Laughing lightly, I wave back. Harry grunting a quick hello too. 

"Found us." I take another sip from my cup. My eyes scanning the people behind Jaz. My eyes soon catch a familiar head of blonde hair. 

Chase looks up from the brunette on his arm. His eyes meeting mine. His lips turn up into a smirk, his arm tightening around the petite girl. The couple make their way over to us. I can feel Harry stiffen beside me. I wrap my arm around him, squeezing his side in reassurance. His hand falls to my hipbone. His fingers digging into the exposed skin below my shirt. 

"Hello everyone," Chase greets us. His eyes focusing on Harry's hand on my waist. "Didn't realize this was the hang out spot."

Harry scoffs quietly beside me. I pinch his side but do not earn an response from him. His body still stiff beside me. 

The brunette on Chase's arm smiles at all of us. Her tight red dress accentuates her curves. Her exposed cleavage a bit too much. "Oh, before I forget. This is Sonja." 

Sonja flips her hair to the side. Her dark eyes giving me a once over, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Hello," she greets us. Her voice is a sultry French accent. Typical, my subconscious scoffed. 

"Oh!" Jaz smiles brightly. "You're French!" She claps her hands together giddy. "That's so cool!" 

I roll my eyes. This was all too much. 

"Nice to see you here Harry." Chase greets Harry. From the tone of his voice, I could hear his mocking tone. The strong scent of alcohol lingers from his breath. Harry doesn't say anything back. Instead of responding, he takes another long drink. "What? You steal my girlfriend and have nothing to say?" 

Quickly, I grab Harry's hand, giving Chase a pointed look. This was not going to happen. Harry and Chase were not going to fight. There was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. Harry and I were in a good place. But after our small argument about Chase this morning, I wasn't in the mood to break up a fight. Not tonight. 

"Chase. Not tonight, mate." Ben warns his friend. Chase smirks. He takes a long sip from his cup before wrapping his arm around Sonja. She is clueless to the situation, her long fingernails scratching Chase's chest. 

"Let's go," I say to Harry quietly. We had to get away from Chase and quick. I could feel Harry's body grow rigid with every moment wasted standing here. 

We begin to walk away. Only to be stopped by Chase. "Come on mate. Where you going? 'Mm? Haz?" 

Harry stops abruptly. He lets go of my hand and turns around. His actions are quick, taking me off guard. "Shut the fuck up, mate." 

I reach out for Harry. My fingers grasping onto his thin shirt. I pull him closer to me but he doesn't budge from his spot. "What the fuck did I say to you about calling me that?"

"Oh, is it still a sore topic for you?" Chase mocks. 

"That's enough, Chase." I say this time. He doesn't even acknowledge me. 

"Tell me Harry. Does Isabella know why you don't like being called Haz? Does she know the reason why you are incapable of loving her? Why you go and sleep with sluts and steal other guys' girlfriends? Does she know that you're a pathetic little loser who's little girlfriend killed herself? That you couldn't do anything to stop her from downing mommy's pills-"

His words are suddenly stopped by the sound of Harry's fist hitting Chase's jaw.