"I can hear it in your voice while you're speaking... you can't be treated."

Song: Wires

Artist: The Neighbourhood

Sleep evaded me all night, despite how comfortably I was wrapped up in Harry's arms. My heart was too full and the buzzing through my veins had yet to diminish, the constant elation keeping me wide awake. I couldn't remember ever feeling so perfectly happy as I had when Harry had told me he loved me. It was, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard, even when he'd gotten adorably exasperated with my disbelief.

Harry loved me, and I loved him.

I was certain I had never felt more fulfilled in my entire life.

I was partially on my side, my cheek resting on Harry's chest with my arm slung across it. My stomach pressed against his side while his chest rose and fell slowly while he slept. I glanced at the clock and noticed it was nearly 3 am even though I wasn't tired. My chin rested lightly on my forearm as it covered Harry's chest. It wasn't often that I caught him sleeping, so I wanted to take advantage it.

He looked so beautifully peaceful with his eyes closed lightly and his lips parted. Soft breath blew between his perfectly full lips, matching the rhythm of his chest beneath my arms. His heart beat steadily beneath his ribs, the soft thudding of it palpable against my skin. His hair was pushed haphazardly off his face, the dark strands shoved in every direction in a beautiful mess.

My eyes fell to his shoulders where black ink stained his skin more often than not. The two sparrows on caught my attention first, their placement just below his collarbones the most striking. '17BLACK' was subjected to my gaze next before I took in the details of the 'A' on his shoulder. His tattoos were so mysterious to me, each one seemingly random and unconnected to the next. What could the three nails on the top of his bicep mean? What about the ship on the outside of his arm? And what could 'Can I cry' possibly mean?

I wanted to know the story behind every single one, wanted to know what it felt like to want something permanently inked into your skin, and wanted to know if he still loved something he once had enough to tattoo it to his body. So many questions flashed through my brain that I almost woke him up to ask him about them right then and there. My lips pressed lightly to the skin over his heart, the warmth of it passing to my lips before I pulled back and laid my head down again.

A soft grin spread across my features as his heart thudded quietly in my ear. Being here with him now, safely in his bed while he allowed me to see him at his most vulnerable, was the happiest I'd ever been. He had given himself to me completely now by admitting that he loved me, something that had surely taken immense amounts of courage and bravery. Considering he had zero experience in anything relationship related, he was doing so incredibly well.

I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

Hours later, I finally managed to fall asleep. It felt like minutes later when my alarm on my phone went off, waking me in time for my class even though I would have been more than content to stay tangled up with Harry for the rest of the day.

A quite grumble of complaint came from Harry as I blindly patted around for my phone. My face stayed pressed into Harry's neck where I had ended up, his arms wound tightly around my shoulders. His leg was crooked around my own, and one of my arms wound behind his neck, hopelessly tangling us together. Finally, my free hand found my screeching phone, my thumb sliding across the screen to turn off the alarm.

"Nooo," Harry mumbled, his voice almost hard to understand it was so deep.

"I know," I said, knowing that he was upset about me having to leave. So was I.

"Skip," he muttered. I hadn't moved other than to shut my alarm off, and I could feel the warmth of his body pressing against mine all over my skin. His forearms melted into my back and the heat of his legs tangled with mine seared through my skin. My lips pressed lightly against his neck as I snuggled further into him.

"I can't," I said grudgingly. Classes were strongly interfering with what I really wanted to be doing lately. He sighed heavily and tightened his grip around me.

"Will you come back tonight?"

I nodded before realizing his eyes were still closed. Surely he could feel my action against his shoulder, but I spoke anyway. "Yes."

His lips pressed into my temple as he turned his head sleepily.

"Then you can go," he said. He sounded half asleep.

"Oh I have your permission, do I?" I teased, grinning into his neck before propping myself up. He peaked at me out of one eye, squinting the other shut as he stole a glance at me.

"Mmhmm," he muttered.

"Not that I need it, but good to know," I laughed. "Don't you ever go to class?"

The thought had never really occurred to me before, but he never seemed to have class. I was always the one who had to get up early, and he'd never really spoken about any classes besides telling me his major.

"Yeah, they're just later," he said. "And two are online, so."

His eyes drifted shut again lazily, clearly not too interested in discussing classes so early in the morning. I ducked my head to kiss his lips lightly, his puckering in response even though I could tell he was quickly falling back asleep.

"I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled, sleep dragging him back under. I smiled as I watched his features soften as he fell back asleep. I carefully untangled myself from him and climbed out of bed, quickly realizing that I hadn't brought any other clothes over than what I'd worn yesterday. With a sigh, I pulled them back on as quietly as I could before moving to his door.

"Hal?" he murmured softly. I stopped by the door and turned back to look at him. He was lying in bed, rolling onto his side and hugging a pillow to his chest while he looked at me with bleary eyes and messy hair.

"Hmm?"

"I love you," he said softly, looking up at me from under his brow. A smile split across my face automatically as his words hit me, sounding just as beautiful as the first time he'd said them.

"I love you, too."

He grinned softly, eyes lighting up before he flopped forward onto his bed again, smile still on his face as his eyes closed again.

"Bye, baby."

"Bye Harry," I said through my grin as I let myself out of his room and his house.

Nearly all of my drive to class and my time spent attempting to listen to the lecture was taken up by thoughts of Harry and anything involving him. As ecstatic as I was about us finally admitting that we loved each other, a tiny grain of salt tinged my inexplicable happiness.

The memory of Ben and Miles following me to his house still haunted me, and I was unable to reach an explanation for it. It was unnerving, the way the had glared at me, and I couldn't shake their eyes from my memory. Aside from how confusing it had been that they'd followed me, I was even more confused by how they knew each other. I didn't want to think it was because of me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it was related.

What were the odds that they would suddenly be seen together, following me, around the time Harry and I got together? I pondered over the possible explanations as I waited in line at the student union to get my lunch. Faceless students passed around me while my mind wove through all the confusion I was feeling.

I just wanted to be able to feel happy with Harry without having to worry about Ben. And now, Miles as well. I had yet to think of how to deal with Ben and his pseudo-threat, but I knew I would have to come up with something now. I was too far gone with Harry to risk losing him, and I'd do anything to stop Ben from interfering. I shook my head resolutely to tell Ben he just needed to get over it and move on, because that was exactly what I had done.

I received my sandwich I had ordered and moved to sit at a table off to the side. My mind was still buzzing distractedly as I unwrapped it and pulled my phone out of my bag, grinning as I saw a text from Harry. When a body slid into the chair across from me, the smile and momentary happiness were completely wiped from my body.

"Why hello," he said, his dark brown eyes fixing on mine as he flashed a smile.

"Miles," I said flatly, extremely unsure how to talk to him. He had been downright rude the last time I'd seen him, and it had escalated so far that Harry had punched him in the jaw. I could still see a faint bruise along his otherwise handsome face as he sneered at me.

"Where's your boyfriend?" he asked derisively. I blinked, deciding that the best way to deal with him was to be strong. I wouldn't play the victim to his bullying, and I needed to show him he didn't scare me even though that wasn't entirely true.

"He's not my boyfriend," I said coolly. Technically it was true even though he was practically my boyfriend. I didn't want to talk about Harry with him even though I knew that was the only reason he had sat down in the first place.

"Ah, still just fucking him then?" he asked sharply, a glint of dark amusement flashing through his features.

"No, not that it's any of your concern," I spit. I grew more irritated with him by the second.

"Oh, Halle. I feel sorry for you," he said condescendingly. He shook his head slowly as he leaned back in his seat. I blinked, not giving him the satisfaction of asking why.

"This won't end well, you know that, don't you?" he continued.

"How do you know Ben?" I asked, ignoring his question as I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Ben and I go way back," he answered coolly. "Longer than you do, actually."

"Oh really?" I asked skeptically. Something about the way he was looking at me made me very uneasy.

"Really. I've known him for about twelve years now," he said casually, picking at his sleeve before returning his gaze to mine.

"I don't believe you. He never said a thing about you when we were together."

"Well that's because I'm from his hometown. I knew him before he moved to yours, obviously," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His pompous tone was really grating on me.

"Must not have been that good of friends then if I never knew about you," I shot back.

"Oh, but we are now, sweetheart," he said in mock sincerity, leaning forward across the table. I tried not to flinch away as he shortened the distance between us.

"Precious," I said sarcastically. "Why now?"

"He needed a favor," he said simply.

"What kind of favor?" I asked, my heart giving a nervous thump. I really, really did not like the idea of Ben, who was already a loose cannon, being linked to Miles, who frankly scared me more and more by the second. He seemed far too sure of himself, and there was a certain darkness about him that I did not like. This was a dangerous combination, I already knew.

"That's none of your concern," he said, throwing my words from before back at me. My eyes narrowed even more.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I asked, the words falling from my mouth before I could stop them. The last thing I wanted to do was provoke him but I couldn't understand his determined dislike for me.

"Oh, it's not you, darling," he said, throwing another sarcastic pet name in. I cringed.

"Then what because I don't get it."

"Let's just say it's who you're choosing to spend your time with," he said evasively. Not so evasively that I didn't know exactly who he meant, though.

"Harry?" I said, my voice finally losing some of it's strength. I had done so well so far but the direct mention of Harry scared me. Miles didn't say anything but shrugged at me casually, leaning back once more into his seat while he stared at me with the same patronizing smirk.

"Why does it matter to you if I'm hanging out with Harry?" I pressed, desperate to understand his motives.

"Because, Halle," he snapped, leaning forward suddenly as his cool composure shattering in a second. "Harry always gets what he wants. Girls, money, whatever. He gets everything handed to him and I'm fucking sick of it. Do you know what it's like to watch him parade around like he owns the fucking town?"

He paused, seeming to realize he'd cracked as he leaned back once more, forcing a deep breath from his lungs. His eyes closed for a few seconds before the casual sneer fell back across his face. My heart pounded in my chest, his sudden outburst scaring me as my body leaned physically away from him.

"Someone needs to knock him down a few pegs," he added darkly, a hint of a threat running through his tone. My blood turned cold in my veins at his words and fear crept its way into my heart. They wouldn't actually hurt Harry, would they?

"What does that mean?" I asked shakily, abandoning my tough exterior I had managed to uphold until now. Miles studied me for a few seconds, his expression hard and cold as his eyes scanned over my face.

"Like I said, it's none of your concern," he said coolly. He paused for a second and took in my anxious expression before he spoke again. "Yet."

Before I could respond, he stood up and walked away, his abrupt exit having hardly any effect on me as I felt the waves of shock rolling through me from his words.

Yet?

What the hell did he mean, 'yet'? The thought terrified me, the combination of an unstable Ben and a mysteriously dark Miles freezing me down to my bones. Miles had basically flat out threatened Harry to me simply because he was sick of him getting everything he wanted. That didn't seem like a big enough reason to threaten him, but when you combined that with Ben's obvious hatred of him over me, it promised for a toxic mixture.

How had things escalated into this? What were they going to do? How could I stop whatever it was from happening? Should I tell Harry or would that only make it worse? I probably should tell him, considering how far this was escalating now. That, along with the fact that his former friend was now involved, pretty much decided for me that I had to tell him.

I was frozen in my seat, my eyes wide with shock and fear as my heart pounded erratically in my chest. I desperately wanted to have a simple relationship with Harry, even though it had been far from simple from the very beginning.

My phone buzzed on the table, making me jump as it shook me from my thoughts. As if summoned by my contemplations, Harry's name appeared on my phone again as he called me. My heart thudded heavily, and I debated not answering. I didn't know if I could trust myself to keep my voice even after what had just happened.

I watched the phone move slightly across the table, nearing the end of its ring before my hand snatched it and answered the call.

"Hello?" I said, my voice breathless.

"Hi," he said. I could practically hear the smile in his voice, and it helped to calm me down. The mere tone of his voice made me feel safer than I had just moments ago and he wasn't even here. "What's up?"

"I just ate lunch," I told him. I was determined to keep my voice even and casual. "You?"

"Just got home from classes," he answered easily. I could hear him shuffling around before a cupboard slammed. I grinned as I pictured him moving around his kitchen, his head crooked to the side to hold his phone while his hands busied themselves with preparing a sandwich of some kind.

"How were they?"

"Fascinating," he said sarcastically. I giggled. It was amazing how quickly he could turn my mood around, and I tried not to think about how I would tell him what was happening with Ben and Miles. I would tell him later, in person.

"Sounds like you enjoyed yourself," I teased.

"Yeah, sure. So you're still coming over later, right?" he asked.

"Definitely, when?"

"Whenever," he said casually. I pictured him shrugging his shoulders as he said it.

"Okay! I'm gonna run home and shower but then I'll be over," I told him.

"Shower with me," he suggested. "Could be fun, yeah?"

His voice dropped to a deeper tone, his words flirty and suggestive and extremely tempting.

"Fun, huh?" I asked, my voice dropping lower as I looked around, not that anyone could hear me or have any clue what we were talking about.

"Hmm, yes baby. You, me, the hot water running down your naked body..." I shivered at his words and crossed my legs tightly. "I haven't had you in the shower yet."

I sucked in a gasp, his words destroying me even though students surrounded me.

"That's true," I managed to reply.

"Yes, baby, that would be fun," he concluded. I could tell he was smirking by the tone of his voice. He knew exactly what his words would do to me.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'll be over soon, okay?"

"Hurrrrry," he whined playfully.

"Yeah, yeah, be patient, you," I teased, gathering up my garbage and wadding it into a ball.

"Hmm, just get here," he said. I grinned.

"Okay, see you soon," I told him as I stood from my seat and threw my garbage in the trash. I slung my backpack over my shoulders and started walking.

"Good, baby."

With that, he hung up the phone, leaving me grinning like a fool and buzzing with electricity. My run in with Miles was all but forgotten as I thought of the things Harry had said to me just now. The anticipation was quickly building as I climbed in my car and started to drive.

I stopped at home hastily to grab my school stuff for tomorrow and a change of clothes, knowing I probably wouldn't be back here again tonight. Maggie wasn't home, but I wrote her a quick note explaining my absence before dashing out of the apartment.

The sooner I got to him, the better.

"When he talks, I hear his ghosts, every word they say to me. I just pray the wires aren't coming here to strangle me."

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