Chapter 38:
Stay

Again, Harry was in a very unlikely place. This time, he saw himself, Jacob and Taylor who were together in a cafe. Harry walked over, close enough to hear their conversation. One thing Harry knows, he can't be seen by anyone. Harry could see himself looking very bored, hearing the conversation between Jacob and Taylor. The two of them talked — more precisely, quarreling, as if Harry wasn't sitting in front of them.

"Didn't I told you? I don't like smokers, Jacob! Smoking is bad for your health!" Cigarettes? They're both arguing about smoking.

Jacob rolled his eyes at what his girlfriend said. "T, I just promised not to smoke when I'm around you. That means, when I'm not with you, I'm free to smoke. After all, what if you were in my position? You'll realize how hard it would be to quit smoking."

Taylor widened her eyes at Jacob's words, but a moment later, her expression turned defiant. "Okay, fine, you don't need to worry. I. . . I'll. . ." Taylor glanced at Harry who was sitting nearby, who seemed indifferent," I'll give it a try, if that's what you want."

Taylor takes a stick from Jacob's cigarette box and Jacob smiles with delight. Harry who stood behind the girl panicked and he knows it's stupid but, Harry yelled at himself who could not hear him scream.

"You idiot! Do something, you dimwit! Stop her! Don't let her smoke! Come on, Styles! You're better than that. Argh, why are you so. . ." Harry was furious with himself. The young man turned to Taylor, who began to turn pale when Jacob lit a match and was about to light a cigarette that was between Taylor's fingers.

"No, Taylor. You're not going to smoke—" Harry said, cutting them off and suddenly grabbed the lighter in Jacob's hand and stuck it into his jeans pocket.

Jacob stared at Harry with a look of protest while Taylor heaved a sigh of relief and placed cigarette stick on the table. The girl smiled broadly, triumphantly.

"Styles, why are you—" Before Jacob had time to continue, Harry answered very clearly.

"You're using my lighter and cigarettes, Jack. If you want to teach your girl how to smoke, make a little effort and buy your own, will you?" Jacob looked angry at Harry's answer.

The man tried to suppress his anger by regulating breathing. Jacob suddenly rose to his feet and reasoned that he wanted to go to the restroom, even though Harry knew that the man's real reason was to find an outlet for his anger.

Jacob left Harry and Taylor alone, in the cafe, feeling awkward. Taylor can only keep her head down, trying to hide her reddened cheeks.

"If you don't want to, then say you don't want to. Don't force yourself just to prove to him that you can."

Harry, who cannot be seen, could only be amazed to hear himself who was there saying that. In fact, Harry thought of the other Harry as a complete bastard.

Taylor looked up and smiled faintly. The girl bit her lower lip. "You. . . you didn't finish your cigarette? All this time, only Jacob was smoking. You didn't touch your cigarette at all."

Harry raised an eyebrow at himself there, looking very proud. Not even looking at Taylor. Really, if Harry had been Harry over there, he wouldn't have stopped staring at her.

“I appreciate and respect women. I don't smoke in front of women." The words made Taylor's cheeks blush immediately. Harry smiled faintly and stared at his cold self with pride. At least, you're not as bastard as I thought.

Then, suddenly Harry's vision broke and by the time his vision returned to class, Harry had found himself in another place. In a campus, more precisely in the locker hall. Harry saw Taylor and immediately approached the girl, who was carefully opening her locker. Harry stood behind her, curious about the contents of the girl's locker. Harry's eyes widened when he found that the girl had a collection of candid photographs tucked into each of her college books. Harry was taken aback. The girl reached into her  pocket and pulled out a polaroid camera and a polaroid photo which is also a candid of Harry who was smiling broadly, not staring or even not aware of the camera's existence.

Taylor takes out a marker and writes at the bottom of the photo: I see sparks fly whenever you smile.

Taylor smiled broadly before tucking the photo in one of her textbooks. Before long, she locked her locker tightly and walked away from the lockers. Harry stared at the girl's back as it slowly moved away and disappeared behind the door, leaving Harry standing alone there.

Not long after, someone was walking toward the lockers again, and Harry found his other self.
Harry found himself walking toward the lockers. For some reason, Harry doesn't like this version of himself. Very arrogant and cold, different from the real Harry. Who is friendly and ready to charm anywhere.

Harry walked over to himself and began to wonder what was in his own locker. Harry held his breath as he found so many letters there. Maybe fifty, or even more.

The cold Harry sighed before reaching for the top letter and opening it. Harry looked up, trying to see the contents of the letter and his eyes widened, realizing who the sender of the letter was.

"It's been a long time." Harry put the letter back into the locker before sighing.

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Not interested in sending me love letters anymore, are you. . . Tay? It's been three months since your last letter. I'm obsessed with your writing." The cold Harry said as he leaned his back against the locker door. Harry closed his eyes. “It doesn't feel right to see you with Jack, but I swear, I don't like you. I just. . . I don't know, I just miss your letters."

A faint smile appeared on the real Harry's lips. "You miss her, don't you, Harry?"

He asked himself before letting his body be drawn back to another world, this time the real world. Harry was not surprised anymore when he found himself in the room, his breath was no longer panting. His eyes were hollow, staring straight ahead. A cell phone vibration made Harry completely snapped out of his reverie. An incoming message, from Jason Swift.

Today is the last day. Tomorrow, her medical equipment will be removed from her. And Dad has prepared everything, including a funeral for T. I hope God will give us a miracle.

Harry looked down at the message. Can't they wait longer, just for a moment?

Really, Harry had high confidence that his Babe would wake up and. . . they could finally start everything for real. Harry's hand grabbed his hair. The young man's eyes closed. There is nothing on his mind but hope. Hope that Taylor could really come to his senses, and make things real.

“Stay, please. I want you to stay. "