Bella's pov

Still in awe by what just happened, I failed to understand the gravity of the situation and remained seated , staring at Harry.

"Bella!" Susan came from the other room .

Her voice brought me out of my enchanted arena.

"Hun?"

"Your parents. They are here."

"Hun?....yeah yeah yeah I heard them."

She kept staring at me then I realized what trouble we've all landed into.

"Oh my God Susan. What should we do now?"

"They have to leave!"

"No they can't their car is parked right in front of the house."

"They will be here any moment, Charles and Harry can't go from the main door."

Out of tension I held my forehead, trying to focus to generate any idea that could help us get out of this situation.

"We can say we are Susan's cousins and came to fetch her. " Charles spoke.

"Yeah."

"No....Charles can be but they can't see Harry, he is wasted. I can't bring him infront of my parents. You know them Susan."

"Hmm yeah." She agreed.
"I'm not.....wAsted." slurred Harry with closed eyes, making all of us roll our eyes.

"Then what should we do?" Charles asked.

"I don't know!" I sighed, I was emotionally drained and was no longer able to form any suitable solution.

"Wait...why not let Charles be here as my cousin. Till then we'll hide Harry somewhere. By the time Charles reaches near his car Harry will go join him?" Susan suggested

"Yeah...but where will we keep Harry?"

"Don't be dumb Mi. Your room has a balcony, on first floor."

"Oh." I realised

"Okay then you two stay here. I'll take Harry to my room. Till then make up something and don't let them come to my room." I said

"Okay done. "

"Com'on get up." I told Harry

"I will get up and show you I am not wasted." He slurred again .

"Okay show me. "

He got up with quite confidence that seemed to fade away as he stumbled to stand straight right when his feet touched the ground.
I held his hand to give him support.

"Very good Harry....you're totally not wasted. Now without any further ado come with me."

"You don't believe me?" He said in his sloppy voice.

I put his arm over my shoulder to keep his posture up straight then entwined his other hand with mine.

"Are you still mad at me because I didn't believe you?" He asked again, on way towards my room.

"No." I said, though I still tried to figure out did I actually mean it?

"Okay you may sit here and don't move I will be right back okay?"
I said as I made him sit on the bed.

"Don't leave me."

"I am not leaving you...I said I'll be right back. You just stay here. Don't move. Okay?"

"Okay." He said tiredly but kept staring at the ground with a pout face.

"Promise me. "
"Promise. "
I dismissed with a soft small on my face.

Entering the living room I saw my parents speaking to Charles while Susan and Granny stood there.

"Ah Bella..where were you, here have you met Susan's cousin, Charles?" my mother asked, noticing my presence there.

"Yeah I was in my room, Charles came just a few minutes before you guys." I said.

"So we shall leave now. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr and Mrs Peters." Charles spoke

"So was for us."

"Bye Bella." Susan came and hugged me
"I'll be taking an uber, Charles will wait for Harry, by the car." She wispered.

"Why don't you leave with them?" I asked her, with the same intensity.
"Don't worry I have already booked one." She replied
"Oh."

"Bye Susan."

Eventually Susan left with Charles.

"So did you guys enjoy the ceremony?"
I asked

"Yeah it was good. But your granny was missing you." Mother said

"Aww granny."

"You should've joined us they were asking for you."

"It's okay father, I enjoyed being with Susan."

"Oho leave my granddaughter alone it's okay she wanted to spend sometime with her friend as it is she only gets weekends to live her life properly. " granny said as always taking my side.

"Anyways I'm going to change. You had your dinner?" Mother asked

"Ahaan." I nodded.

"Goodnight Mirabella."
"Goodnight father."

"Tell me what you guys did?" Granny asked when my parents were far enough to hear us.

"Oh granny stop being nosy." I teased her.

She giggled, I joined her too but remained guarded, I had to return to my room right now in order to escape Harry.

"Okay...now you should go to your bed. You're probably very tired and need some good amount of sleep now, don't you?"

"Hmm you're right let me fuel my old aged body."

Finally after confirming they all were in their respective rooms, I went upstairs.

When I opened the door I witnessed something that nearly melted my heart, I found Harry , sitting on the exact spot I left him in, but the only difference was , he was hugging my pillow, close to his chest, eyes closed while he was engrossing their scent.

"Bella..." he began, putting the pillow aside, as he sensed my presence.

However I spoke, cutting him , not wanting to have any conversation about what I just witnessed. Also after the moment we shared not long before, I was not sure about my actions infront of him anymore, I no longer trusted myself to take practical decisions when Harry is concerned.

"I think we should think of how to get you down."

He just nodded in reply.
Scarcely did I proceed to check the balcony when my phone rang.

"Hello." I answered the unnamed person

"Bella?"

"Charles?"

"Yeah that's me."

"I'm just getting Harry..."

He spoke cutting me

"No, uh he can't come, there's a problem here."

"Wha...what problem?" I nearly gasped at the possibility to deal with any other headache now.

"The car is punctured. "

"How!? Who did that?"

"Probably some of your neighbors who refuse to let Harry leave you."

I groaned in frustration.

"Where is Susan?"

"She is gone. And now I can't enter your house without her."
He had a point, he can't come infront of my parents without Susan, when he was supposed to drop her back.

"Hmm. Now what?"

"Don't worry. I know a friend who can fix this..."

"How long would it take?"

"Don't know. Depends upon him."

"Hun?" I asked utterly horrified

"Hahah. Don't be tensed. I'll get him soon then it will take merely five minutes for him to mend this."

"Okay."

"Till then take care of Harry."
"Ofcourse. "

When I kept the phone aside Harry asked me
"What's wrong?"

"You're quite sober now?" I asked him rather answering. Owing to his posture I could tell the wine was deceasing.

"Umm...yeah. Maybe this room helped me sober up."

"Indeed."

"However I didn't know you sleep in an art gallery. " he remarked with comparatively less slurry voice, but one could tell he was not completely sober.

I looked around my room realising what made him say that. He was right though considering the number of paintings in my room.

"These help me relish the fact that I still have a lot to explore."
I said, sitting beside him.

I turned towards him getting a closer look at his posture. The redness in his eyes were lessened, replaced by some emptiness that I desperately wanted to fill. He looked at me, his expressions indicating he had a lot to say but he permitted only few words to escape...
"I don't know you Bella."

Maybe some other day, I would've been staring at him absent mindedly, not exactly getting what he meant but today was different. Maybe it was the moment we shared earlier or the circumstances we were in or whatever it was but at this moment I knew exactly what he meant.

We understand each other so well that we don't need words to convey what the other is feeling. We know what's the best for the other. We know each other but then again don't know enough!
It was complicated but we have to accept it.

'I don't know him too.' I thought, it was in my mind but I dared not to say that. I don't know the exact reason why but I didn't want to say anything that would fuel the increasing distance between us. Maybe I was being selfish again but I wanted to make him realise it's always about taking the first step. If we don't know each other , why not change that?

"Then change that." He embraced me with his arousing stare as I said that. I gently nodded , having no more words.

"Forgive me?" He said stroking my face.
I removed his hands not wanting to ignite any more irrelevant actions.

"I don't want apology , I want a mature conversation. Tomorrow. When you are completely aware of your actions."

He nodded followed with a question
"Where to meet?"

"Isn't that your job to decide?"
I smiled , happy to see the atmosphere lighten up.

"Com'on now let's finish your dressing."

"Now tell me how did you get this?" I asked him as I resumed my previous task.

"Umm." He was evidently finding it hard to answer truthfully.

However I waited patiently for him to reply.

"Hit the counter."

"Great." I said not so proud of his actions, that I unintentionally scratched his wound.

In response to which he hissed in pain making me regret as well as pissed off.

"Should have as well banged the other one." I spoke

"Why do you want to band aid the other one too?" He spoke, finding it the best time to act funny.

"Ofcourse why not ? What could I possibly do if you have a wish to experience being handicapped ?"
I said not finding the humour in the situation at all.

However this time he remained shut, grasping the seriousness in my tone.

"I don't know what pleasure you guys get in hurting yourselves?"

"Sometimes actions potray larger emotions than words."

"That's applicable when you have to show someone how much the person values for you but when you are going through something it's always better to......talk."

"What about when you have none?" He asked, arising in me some foreign emotions, I felt hurt when he said that he had no one to talk to.

That hurt was not feeling of pity for him rather for myself because he didn't consider me to share it with me.

However I decided to reply practically. He had a marathon of emotions going within him. His mother, Gemma then me and on top he was not completely in his senses. It wouldn't be wise to expect him to consider my emotions. I had to be the responsible one here.

Therefore I said
"You're never alone. Just look around maybe you are already surrounded by people who are willing to listen to you, help you. Maybe you're just too lost in egony to acknowledge their presence......and However I don't know if you believe it or not, the almighty is always with us. He never leaves his children alone no matter if they stay with him or not."

"Harry.....and there is always me." I found it important to add that on.

I want him to know that I am and will be with him. That I am always ready to pull him out of the deepest of the pot holes of life, and from the darkest of the times. I want him to know that I am ready to give away the light in me to bring him out of the darkness.

"You're cute." His words were very out of the blue that forced me to stare at him , awestruck.

"Yes you are." He said pinching my nose, he unknowingly was invading a very special place in my heart.

His emerald eyes were twinkling, making it hard for me to not melt for him.

"I've never told you this because I'm a coward...especially in front of you, I'm a mouse. That's why I couldn't tell you what I really want to....Really that's the reason. But I always try to ! believe me, I would always drag myself to tell you...bu..but you'd scare me of. Yes! You are like like maths exam. "

"Hun?"

"Yes. You're like maths exam. You know maths was my least favourite subject...."

"I'm your least favourite?" I found myself asking before I could stop myself but it was too late.

"No!" He quickly declined, automatically fixing my uneven breathing.

"You're....."

'Oh god! What is he going to say!?' Was all I thought.

"You're..." he wasn't able to find the perfect word , making my stomach churn in nervousness.

"You're....cute. I told you,,no?"

"Oh....yeah."
I said nodded in response. I soon inspected my cheeks those were blazing hot by now.

"What do you think of me?"
My god! It wouldn't be long before he give me a heart attack by his untimely questions .

"Umm you?"
"Yeah. Me."
"Uh you....What I think of you.."
By God's grace , I was exempted from giving this answer by the ring.

"Uh..it must be Charles."
"Urgh....his timings couldn't be worse!"

"Alright." I dismissed Charles on call then turned towards Harry.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I thought of any idea to get him out of the house.

"Thinking of how to kick me out without anyone noticing?" Harry spoke in a vague attempt to joke in the tensed situation.

"Shush." I shushed him.
"Come with me." We stepped in the balcony.

"Now tell me. Can you get down through this tree?" I asked him,

However I very well knew it would be almost impossible especially when he was drunk.

"Yes...why not." the way he said that made me drop that idea then and there.

"Just come with me. "

"Now where are we going?"

"You're going through the main door."

"Now that's challenging...rightttt."

"Yeah Ofcourse and I love challenges. Now be very quiet ,not a squeak should escape your mouth."
I instructed him earning his act of zipping his lips tight.

"Good."

"Follow me , very quietly. "

With constant increasing heart beat and obnoxious possibilities of failing we finally reached the door. I smiled in victory.

"Okay...you may.." I opened the door for him but didn't know how to approach him

"Do you really want to meet tomorrow?" He asked

"Did I wanted to meet you today?" I asked him, hoping he gets my point.

"But it was our destiny to meet , tomorrow also we'll see what it holds."

He nods then left, leaving me standing there alone.

Shutting the door behind my back, I heaved an euphoric sigh, finally he escaped unnoticed.

But leaving me with mere seconds of satisfaction , granny blocked my view, I dramatically eyed her from head to toe then repeated the process,
"Errr..." I was conflicted, how to respond to her.

"Come with me."
_________________________________________

"......Then he left" I told her what all happened today and the previous few days.

I blurted out all that I kept within myself for all these days neither did I plan on telling it.
But the way granny assured me and encouraged me I felt the need to let her know. Maybe this was what I wanted, an acceleration from someone, an encouragement that granny provided me with.

And I did feel a lot better now.

"You're scared your parents will be disappointed in you?" She asked after analysing the information I just provided her with.

"Don't know. " I mumbled

"My dear, when you don't know something then you should strive to know it and the best way is to talk. You should indeed talk to your parents. You did a good job with giving him a chance to talk to you and sort things out, then why don't you do the same with your parents?"

"They won't understand. "

"You don't know until you try to make them understand. I know my child they have implied petty obligations in your life that you don't deserve, I understand they are somewhere making a cage for you , in an attempt to keep you safe but little do they know it's suffocating you.
However you need to talk to them in order to know , 'why' . You can't blame them to not understand you when you are not trying to make them understand."

"I know it's not less than an excuse but I tried, I just couldn't get myself to. I fear I'll shatter , I'll loose all hopes if they, don't." I said.

"Always remember it's better to be hopeless than keeping false hopes."

She was right it was useless to keep any false hopes , I can't just assume stuff even before trying. Also this was what I always wanted, I always wanted to get it clear and straight. I wanted to do what makes me happy at the same time without fearing it would make my parents unhappy.

Okay, I will just talk to them, tomorrow only, no more delay.

"I'll talk to them tomorrow. " I told granny.

"But before telling them about him you need to tell yourself what you feel for him. What position he holds in your heart. You need to accept it."

The moment she said that it felt like, my eyes which were in dark for all this while were subjected with a band of light that was kind of blinding me.
I was conflicted.

"I know Bella you have something special for him. And it's absolutely alright there's nothing wrong to feel this way for someone. You know it's very normal for a girl to have a special corner for a boy, especially someone who cares for her,worries for her, makes her happy. But I also understand it is very new for you and hard to except. But in your case it's even more special, you know why?"

I shook my head to which she replied

"Because he has to be someone really special and different to capture that place in my baby's heart. Since I know your choices are unique. "

She smiled making my heart blossom, not only her smile but there were tons of butterflies fluttering in my stomach at the thought of Harry.
_________________________________________

At college

I waited for Harry in the garage as we decided , since I wanted to talk to him before anything else.

"Good morning. " he greeted me as he entered.

"Good morning. "

"Hope I didn't make you wait for long."

"No I just arrived. "

"Hmm."

"How are you feeling now?"

"Completely sobered and light headed. "

"That's a good sign."

Eventually he sat beside me on the bench.

"Bella about yesterday...." he began but I felt the need to stop him.

"You better not apologise. " I warned him because after what happened yesterday, I realised that was the main reason I decided to talk to him , if he wouldn't have barged in my house maybe I would have continued living with egony and not think of settling things for once and for all. Indeed everything happens for a reason.

"No I was not apologising, not for that atleast , I uh, I wanted say sorry again for what all I did earlier. And it's because I don't think a drunk 'sorry' was enough."

"You know no sorry is enough unless you genuinely regret what you did."

"I understand and I also understand that it's usless to give any excuse for what wrong I did. I can't change what's done but I am ready to accept all the consequences of my actions and strive to mend the future and make it better."

"So.." I began but he barged in again

" before anything we need to talk about Gemma."

"Hmm."

Taking that as a green signal I told him everything I knew about Drake, the scene with Susan, his on and off relationships and how he considered girls to be his toy.

"That party....was it that day when we met in the shopping mall?" He asked.

"Yeah that night." I confirmed

"Was it Drake, whom you spilled the drink on?"

"Ho..How do you know?"

"It was on someone's live." He said remembering the clip

"Was my face...visible?"

"Yeah you and Susan were visible, Drake was not seen."

I sighed timidly, but atleast mother didn't see the video.

I examined Harry , he seemed lost in some thoughts.

"If you are comfortable, tell me about that day." He didn't specified which day he was refering to but I grasped what he meant.

I braced up myself to let him know about that moment, it was even more difficult for me to open up about it to him when that moment was the core reason for all the clashes we had.

But we were here to talk about everything right? And also he deserved to know therefore I began.

"He...he was just threatening me that he still remembers how I insulted him that day...and..you know all that stuff. " I was not sure about how to frame the most meaningful sentence in this context but at last I managed to explain him.

Still I have not told him about Drake and my last few encounters in which he told about wanting me and stuff. But I decided to exclude it as it was not concerned with Gemma and also I don't know how Harry will react to that as far as I could guess his reaction wouldn't make the situation any easy for me.

However on hearing what I said his jaw visibly clenched, his eyes reflected rage and he was definitely not fine with the information he was filled with.

"How can I be so inconsiderate, what he has been doing is harassment and certainly not acceptable. It's all my fault..."

"It's no one's fault and even if it is, no blaming can solve the situation." I spoke

"Harry we need to talk to Gemma, you need to talk to her and explain her. I told you all I knew now you decide if he deserves Gemma or not."

"I don't know how to describe how disappointed I am in myself for not trusting you earlier things could have been different then but I choose not to trust you when there was no reason to not..."

"....I don't want you to trust me blindly."
I spoke making him look intently at me.

"Blind trust dooms people." I said remembering how vulnerable I felt when I blindly trusted Harry but he unknowingly shattered it.

"I want you to question me but also wait for the answers...and same goes for me." I added

That article of his with the model bugged me continuously, yesterday too when I was so mesmerized with Harry, it was there in the back of my mind, just not that prominent as usual but ever since I read that article it had been there in my mind and I can't let it slip even if I want to.

When I said that he frowned looking at me , probably not getting what I meant but that was something to deal with afterwards therefore I spoke.

"Harry do you remember anything about yesterday?"
I asked him as I really needed some indication that it was a decent decision to talk to him about that.

"Every moment, every word you said." He assured me.

"I want you to give me a chance Bella." He spoke in his raspy voice, as if what he said was not enough the intensity in his eyes, gripped me.

Awestruck, by his words I was not able to react simultaneously, noticing that he further said

"Bella please atleast look at me." His request was undeniable for me and I had to eye him, somewhat unwillingly.

"I know it's quite out of blue but I don't want to keep it to myself any longer I want you to know...but first tell me do you trust me?"

He asked the most ironical question that could be put forward in the situation where we stand, leaving me conflicted how to respond.

Since I know the answer was not what Harry would be glad to hear.
But I can't lie to him either therefore I decided to answer truthfully.
_________________________________________

Tda tda tda....
Sorry to end here but I didn't want to include anymore to this chapter...
Hence you'll have to wait for the next one.
Note: I would not be able to update that frequently as my nana (Grandma) is hospitalized. She was not doing well from past few weeks now. But ya always hope for the best this time will pass soon and I'll be back to my regular updates.

Happy Reading
Xoxo