Two POVs this chapter
^Visual cast^

Harv's POV

What the hell have I done?!

I must be the biggest idiot that has ever walked the planet.

She's got enough shit going on in her life, she doesn't need my recently discovered crush on her complicating things more.

I knew I was starting to feel for her around when that horrid party happened, the protectiveness I felt was bloody overwhelming.

She is an incredible person, but I also know that she's been hurt. Basically friendzoning myself, I've learnt that her uncle and her ex treated her like total crap. That's putting it mildly.

We've grown close enough where we see each other as best friends, yet she still doesn't give many details about either of the men that tormented her. I never push it either, my dad experienced PTSD after he came home and I know not everything can just be talked about, especially if you aren't ready.

I've been keeping my distance for a week now and don't get me wrong, it kills me. But I just don't have a damn clue what to do in this situation.

I know I like her, I like her a lot! But I also know she doesn't want to date anyone. If I tried anything I might lose this amazing woman from my life, sadly my gutless response might have done that anyway.

I just don't know how to act or what to do after us being so intimate that night. Fuck, I can still feel the soft tanned skin of her thighs under my hands and her delicate fingers combing through my hair. Not to mention that demanding urge to kiss her senseless.

I've never wanted someone so badly before Jeremy snapped us out of whatever drunken trance we were in. Not even Chloe. The fact that she was in the same state I was in, made me question if my feelings were as one sided as I thought. Of course, I totally fucked up any chance of finding out by hiding from her afterwards like a gutless coward.

I'm broken from my thoughts when a knock on my door startles me, looking over debating on who it could be until Jeremy just walks in without waiting for my answer.

I watching him as he walks over and sits on my desk chair, sitting to face me with his elbows resting on his knees. He just leans forward and stares at me for a minute before he talks and honestly, it freaks me out a bit.

I wonder if he can read my thoughts about how much I want his sister, or how guilty I feel for hiding away. Perhaps he just wants to punch me for even thinking about her...

"What happened?" He eventually asks.

"What do you mean?" I ask hoping he's just guessing about it all.

"Don't bullshit me, man. You and Crys were BFFs one day and acting like the other has the plague the next. I know it is since I walked in that night. So, I'll ask again. What happened?" He asks again with a surprisingly serious look on his normally easy going face.

"I don't know..." I sigh, frustrated with myself.

"Harv. Come on, don't give me-" he starts before I interrupt him.

"No, I mean, I don't know what happened between us. We were having a great night, laughing, drinking, playing games and then we started talking about heavier shit. Next thing I know, I have her in my arms and we're just staring at each other like we can see into each others souls. Fuck." I mutter at the end.

"So, what happened...?" He asks again curiously.

"I'm a gutless prick... I don't know what I'm meant to do, what I should do, what she even wants me to do."

"Well, a tip would be don't ignore her existence. You dumb ass. So, when did you finally realise you're crushing on my baby sister?" He asks with a smug grin.

I can't help shake my head at him, the smallest smile on my face. I shouldn't be surprised he's subtly gloating.

"The party. Watching her so carefree just hit me in the face like a friggen brick to the face. Then afterwards, the trust she put in me to watch over her. But I don't want to push her with something she's not comfortable with." I sigh at the end. Frustrated with my own ridiculous thoughts.

I know I screwed up. The moment I bolted from what I thought might be an regretful Crystal or a betrayed Jeremy, I knew it was a mistake. I just feel like it's been so long, I can't repair it.

"Well, I don't know exactly what is going on with you two but I do know you're either out of the apartment or in your room most the time to avoid it all. And I know she is closing herself off too, she looked devastated when you walked off and just said that she made a mistake before shutting herself off." He explains sadly, before continuing.

"Look, I get you and Crys have your own shit that makes you hold back, but you both were so happy before all this and nothing is getting fixed if you're going to avoid it. Show her you're trying." He sighs at me before up and leaving.

I just think about how I can fix this and what I should even say to her.

Do I want to risk the friendship on a whim?

Will she have similar feelings or is it one sided?

I spend a couple hours just lost in my own head before I decide to get up, suck it up and put it all out there.

As I walk out though, I can see her sitting on the couch just staring out the window. I debate if maybe it's a good idea to still talk this out right now, up until I notice she's shaking.

"Crys? Umm, are you okay?" I ask quietly, hoping not to startle her. It's killing me staying where I am encase she doesn't want me near by.

As soon as she turns to look at me though I don't even hesitate as she breaks down in my arms.

Crys' POV

That next day, Harv was gone before I even had a chance to talk to him. That was a week ago. When he isn't avoiding me, we just act polite to each other before leaving.

I know we should just talk about it, but I don't know what he's thinking and I was childishly hoping we could just forget and pretend it didn't happen.

I felt really weird about the whole situation. On one side, I saw a purely friendly aspect to our relationship that I'm losing now that he was avoiding me, vividly I might add.

But on the other side, I partly wanted to see if there was more between us. I had a feeling he had wanted the same, but now I was nothing but a mistake.

Jeremy had tried to talk to me about what had happened the next day, I just told him nothing but too many drinks. If Harv hadn't explained it, then I guess it was likely a drunken mistake and I shouldn't get my hopes up.

So now that a week as passed by and we clearly haven't been able to come back to at least acquaintances, I decide maybe it would be good to confront him myself. If we can't even be civil then I'll look for somewhere else to live and keep the peace between everyone.

I'm sitting on the couch in our lounge room, hoping if he leaves I'll be able to catch him before he does. Not knowing where we stand is making me get anxiety any time we are in the same room, and honestly it's exhausting.

I spot Jeremy and James stare at me as they silently talk before coming over to kiss my head and say they're going out for the night.

I start planning for the worst in my own head before I try talking to Harv later on.

Does he even want to stay friends?

Does Scarlet have a couch I could use if things don't work?

Will this affect my brothers?

I'm broken from my thoughts when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Looking down at the screen to see an private number on display.

Anxiety grows slightly and I debate not answering at all. But my brother's are out and I don't want to chance someone telling me if something happened to them.

Answering it, I slowly raise it to my ear.

"Hello?" I ask timidly.

"Hello there, sweetheart." A chilling voice greet me as my blood runs cold.

All I can do is freeze in place with my brain trying to process the person on the other end of the line.

"Now, it's rude to ignore those who call isn't it?" He chuckles like he used to and it sends a chill down my spine.

"How did you get my number?" I ask quietly, anxiety growing.

"You shouldn't be surprised. You know I get what I want, when I want." He breathes into the phone. I can vaguely feel tears silently flow down my face as I try to hold it together.

"What do you want?"

"Just to talk sweetheart. I've been trying to talk to you for a while now. I'm told you don't want to?" He sarcastically asks.

"No. I don't." I croak out before mentally berating myself for showing my fear through the phone.

"Well, that's rude. I wanted to see how you're going? I'm told you've recently left an abusive boyfriend, want to tell uncle Mike about it?" He cooes like he did when he's playing the role.

"I'm fine, Michael. Why are you calling? How are you calling me too?" Hoping I sound as as okay as I'm trying.

"Turns out not all the guards are on the straight and narrow." He chuckles.  "I just wanted to tell you that we're not finished, just because I'm in here. I wanted you that day and I'll get what I want. Even if it takes 20 years, you'll never be free of me. Bye sweetheart." He whispers before the call disconnects.

I sit there in shock as his words sink in. The longer I process it all, the higher my anxiety becomes. My breathing is so shallow I'm surprised they haven't stopped altogether, my palms are sweating, my vision is unfocused as his words repeat over in my head.

We're not finished

I wanted you that day

I feel like I'm going to pass out the longer I sit here thinking about all this.

How did he get access to a phone, let alone my new number?

"-rys are you okay?" A familiar voice breaks through the haze.

When I turn around to see the man I have craved seeing all week, my final strength almost leaves me. He must sense it because in one moment he's over by my side wrapping his warm arms around my shaking frame.

The safety he offers is my breaking point and I just lose all my self control. I cry in his arms as he simply rubs my back and holds me close.

I want him in my life and it's killing me that we're in limbo.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He offers gently, like always.

I sit up, looking at the concern in his eyes while he waits for my answer. I decide regardless of what our future is, he deserves to know.

He's had countless nights of broken sleep from my nightmares. Spent hours making me laugh if I'm having a bad day. Opened up so much to me, even if he gets nothing back.

So I take in a deep breath and begin to explain everything Michael related.

I tell him how it was only when we were alone, how he would verbally taunt me before physically attacking me. That it didn't happen all the time because he enjoyed toying with my mind.

I tell him how my dad caught him in the midst of his assault, and that's when he was charged. That he'd knocked an unsuspecting rookie cop over and stole his gun, apparently to kill me, but ended up hitting our parents in his frenzied fire.

When I finally catch him up on how he called tonight somehow, he looks absolutely livid. I suspect he's only keeping it together because I'm falling apart.

Exhausted from crying so much, I find myself falling asleep in his arms. The arms I thought I'd never feel again and I can't help savour how they feel.

I'm so tempted to just stay here.

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