Chapter 28 - Lake Girl

“Uh…” Harry mutters, looking away and blushing furiously. “So… am I gonna live?” he asks next and the confusion from his question helps me to overcome the shock.

It takes me a few seconds to understand what he means and when I get it I open my mouth in a big O before chuckling. That makes him meet my eyes again, an embarrassed smile playing on his lips. I take a step back, leaving the space between his long legs and putting a reasonable distance between us. My heart is still beating like crazy but I’m focusing on this other issue.

“Well, the injury was more severe than what expected, but it seems like you’ll survive. Congratulations, you’re a lucky lad,” I tell him smiling and completely ignoring what just happened.

His smile widens and he chuckles, as well. “I’m lucky indeed. This is the second time I almost die at the lake. Maybe I should keep my distance, you know?”

My eyes widen when he mentions the first time he fell and hit his head. I was thinking the same thing and for a moment I had forgotten that he was the one and he would also remember that time. Very different from this one but still, it’s in his memory.

Harry takes my expression as an invitation to explain further, so whilst he stands up and walks to the heating he tells me, “When we got here I brought Niall to see this place. It was the new attraction for the centre and I wanted to see it. And well, pretty much like today, I thought I could see around without almost killing myself,” Harry laughs but I remain serious, just watching his back. “Long story short, I slipped and fell to the lake. Niall wasn’t around anymore ‘cos he got mad and left. When I fell I hit my head so I was kinda knocked out. I don’t know whom, but a girl saved me. Pretty much like you did but not the same.” This time he turns around and smiles widely at me. “She saved me, yeah, but she left as soon as I was out of the water. I think she sang to me or something, I don’t know, I was barely awake and I didn’t really see her. I just know that she took me out of the water and then ran when Niall came back and helped me. I can tell you, my injury was much worse back then. She wasn’t like you, making sure I was okay or something.” I notice how his expression darkens as he keeps telling me the story from his point of view. “I came back the next day, looking for her, to thank her, of course. I mean, she fled after she saved me but she still saved me. However, she didn’t want to be found. I came many times I even found her one night and she literally hid from me. I don’t know why, I wasn’t going to hurt her, just wanted to thank her. Anyway, I left her a note because I wasn’t going to force her, right? She replied and said she had her reason but still, I was hurt, I guess, because she ran from me.”

I take a deep breath. I never imagined that hiding from him could hurt his feelings. I never thought of that. I was just… scared? I don’t know. I was just a coward, maybe. But this time I stuck around, this time I made sure he was all right.

“I-I’m sorry,” I say and he shakes his head.

“It’s not your fault. I think who she is, though. Your friend, Mare. I mean, I saw your video,” he smiles and I can’t breathe. “And her voice sounds awfully familiar. Which pisses me off because why can’t she just accept my gratitude? Why did she run from me? And when you introduced us… she acted like she didn’t know me. I didn’t even know her name, I called her Lake Girl all this time.”

I can see he’s really pissed about the situation and I feel terrible. Maybe I should tell him right now it was me and that I’m sorry but I can’t utter a word. I don’t want him to be mad at me like that, but it’s unfair that he stays mad at Mare when she didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who made this mess and it’s my responsibility to clean it up. I just don’t dare to speak up.

“Anyways, I… I don’t even care about this anymore. I mean, yeah it makes me angry, but it’s history already. I closed this the moment I received her note. It’s just that what happened today reminded me of that and well… I feel so much better now. I prefer how this time ended,” he says softly this time a sweet smile on his lips as he locks eyes with me.

I feel terrible but I can’t say anything, I can’t even smile and when he takes a step closer.

“Thank you, Ariel. For saving me today,” he says reaching out for my hand. I let him do that. To be honest, even if I wanted to pull back, I wouldn’t be able to. I’m frozen on my spot. I think even my heart has stopped beating.

But then he takes my hand to his lips and kisses it softly, his eyes locked with mine. Pretty much like what he did when he said happy birthday to me this morning.

“Y-y-you’re welcome, Harry,” I finally said. Like I never did the first time. I finally accept his gratitude.

Isn’t this the reason why I decided to work on my SAD? To be able to say ‘you’re welcome’ to someone if I saved them?

“I wish it would’ve been you the first time, too,” he whispers next still holding my hand, looking at it, mesmerised with my fingers. “It would’ve been better.

It was me… I was just different, I say in my head because I can’t make the words come out.

I may have said you’re welcome this time but I’m still a coward. I don’t want him to be disappointed in me. I don’t want him to be mad at me.

I don’t know what to say now or what to do, plus, Harry keeps playing with my fingers and making my heart race even more.

Being around Harry is not healthy.

“So… I got you to fall into the lake, run in the middle of the rain, made you heard my rant and probably get a cold. Don’t tell me this birthday hasn’t been special,” he jokes and I laugh this time, relaxing a bit.

“It’s been one of a kind,” I find my voice again and I can tell him that.

“No one can say I’m not good at leaving a print,” carries on Harry with an amused expression.

I don’t even notice what I do, it’s just that the look in his eyes, the smile on his lips warms my heart and helps me to push the shame and guilt behind. I squeeze his hand, the one that’s still holding mine and he looks down just before he moves his fingers, lacing them with mine, making my heart stop.

“So, Ariel…” he speaks with his eyes still locked on our hands. It’s the same I’m doing. “Did you know that the centre has a ball every year? Last year was pretty great. Niall and Ella met there… kind of. At least their story began there. Anyways, this year there’ll also be one in five days and I was wondering… well, if maybe you’re going.”

I blink in surprise and look up to his face. He doesn’t meet my eyes at the beginning but after a few seconds he looks up and I see the uncertainty and hope in his eyes.

A party… a big party, filled with celebrities. I-I don’t think I’m ready for that, yet. I’m learning to interact with people but one at the time. I mean, I couldn’t even accept Carl’s hug today. How am I supposed to cope with that? I probably would choke and have a panic attack. It would be like going to school all over again and that idea terrifies me.

“I… I don’t think so. Parties, of any kind, are not my thing. I-I can’t do it,” I tell him and I can see the disappointment in his green eyes and I don’t like that look. I want to say yes, that I’ll go, just for him. “I’m sorry I just… I still struggle with my SAD and…”

“It’s okay, I get it,” he says and I feel his thumb rubbing the back of my hand softly. “I… I just thought it would be cool if we went together. But I get it, don’t worry. I wouldn’t want you to have a bad time.”

“I’m sorry,” I repeat but he shakes his head and takes my hand to his lips again, giving it another kiss.

“Don’t be, okay? Who knows? Maybe in the future you’ll feel comfortable and go with me to a party,” he muses and I press my lips together.

In the future… when? When he’s somewhere else and I’m still here? I don’t think he’ll come back every year the same date just to have a chance to see me or something. This is probably all I’ll ever get with Harry. And that is like a stab in my chest. I actually feel pain when I think that once he leaves I won’t see him again. And because that hurts so much I think that my feelings for him are stronger than I thought. I remember a few moments ago, when he… when I thought he was going to kiss me.

Even if he also has feelings for me what future could we have? I practically live in a different world. A world that he comes to escape because here he isn’t just a celebrity, he’s a guest. I don’t want to believe he also fancies me even if it looked like he was going to kiss me, because if he indeed has feelings, then this will hurt even more.

Driven by the pain in my heart, I step forward, letting go of his hand just to wrap my arms around his neck. I hug Harry and clearly that surprises him but he recovers soon and hugs me back, his arms tightly around my neck and his nose in the crock of my neck. I hold on to him, hoping the warm of his body will soothe the pain in my heart. But it still hurts, no matter how tightly I hug him.

“Hey, it’s okay, really,” he tells me and I feel his hand rubbing my back. “Really.”

I don’t say anything, I just hug him and close my eyes, hoping this moment could last forever. Hoping we could live in this day endlessly. But nothing lasts forever, of course. And this time Harry pulls back, breaking the embrace. He grabs my shoulders and looks me in the eyes, trying to find out what’s going on in my mind.

“Ariel, are you okay?” he asks me and I nod, my hands sliding down his shoulders and ending up grabbing the jumper I lent him.

“Yeah, I just… it’s nothing,” I say but he doesn’t believe me and I know he’s going to say something else when the door opens.

“Ariel, princess, are you inside?” I hear my dad’s voice and only then I remember that Harry and I are not alone in this world.

I step back immediately, breaking all contact with Harry just the moment my dad comes into sight, finding us both there. I can see the confusion in his expression and the disapproval that a boy is in the house. A boy wearing his clothes.

Oh God, that must not look good in his eyes.

“Ariel… what’s going on here?”

“Dad!” I exclaim, surprised. “Uh, this is Harry, my friend. We… uh, we fell into the lake before the rain and… well, I lent him some of your clothes. I hope you don’t mind.” I look at him with my best puppy eyes but he’s still frowning. “Are you okay?”

“I was dropping Timmy when it started raining.” Dad approaches, still looking severe. “Hello, I’m Richard Hamilton, Ariel’s father,” he introduces himself and offers his hand to Harry.

“Hello, Mr Hamilton, I’m Harry. It’s nice to meet you,” Harry shakes his hand firmly, a polite smile on his lips. “We were celebrating Ariel’s birthday before we, uh, fell.”

Dad looks at me and I just smile, begging him to behave. “I hope you were taking care of her.”

“The best I could,” Harry replies and looks at me with an amused smile.

“Well… it’s still raining so a cup of tea, maybe?” Dad asks with a nicer expression.

“I’d love that, sir,” is Harry’s response and I sigh. At least the worst passed. I think.

-:-:-

Remember when you thought Harry was gonna fall in love with Mare after seeing the video? hahahaha hahahaha HAHAHAHA I told ya to trust me ¬¬'

Dedication to @AshThatsMe because yes, I do enjoy torturing you with the almost kisses and all those scenes that leave you filled with Harry feels :3

Bel, xx

NU: Friday (4K votes for early update)