Amazing Grace
Chapter 3
For the first time in a long time I cared about what I wore out of the house. After I showered at lightining speed, I put on a black long sleeve v-neck, skinny jeans, and of course my red Toms. I put on just a bit of makeup and straightened my hair. I tried to look something like the girl Harry knew. I left a note for Helene telling her I'd be back in a bit and that I had a lot to talk to her about when I returned. I paused for a minute before I left the apartment. 'Am I really doing this?' I asked myself. I didn't give myself a time to answer and set off.
I arrived at the apartment building where Zak and I had bought our apartment. Right now it was a vacant 3rd floor flat, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, a beautiful kitchen and view of London. There was nothing in the apartment and no one knew about it apart from Helene, Zak and I so I had told Harry to meet me there. When I arrived it was 12 exactly, and there was not one sound coming from the apartment, I checked around me to make sure no one saw and slipped in, locking the door behind me. I turned around to see Harry there in a plain white tshirt, gray blazer, skinny jeans, and those damn Converse. I smiled to see he hadn't changed much.
We stood there staring at eachother for a while, neither of us really sure what to say. I decided I might as well say something, but before I could Harry's arms were around me, pulling me into his chest. He smelled the same, felt the same, and it felt like home. All of the memories of home came rushing back, and I let them out, tears trickling from eyes and soaking into Harry's tshirt. We stayed that way for as long as possible. He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and I balled up his blazer in my fists, refusing to let go. Finally he pulled away, wiping the blotches of tears from the corner of my eyes with his thumb, and smiling that dazzling crooked smile at me.
"What happened Grace?" he asked softly. It was nice to be Grace again for a minute and I relaxed. I walked over to kitchen and hopped up on the island counter, crossing my legs. He followed me and sat up on the counter, his long legs dangling off the side. For it minute it felt like we were 16 again, sitting on his kitchen counter playing 20 questions at 1 in the morning. I exhaled and looked at that heartbreaking face, and knew for once, I had to tell him the truth.
"Harry, I really shouldn't be telling you any of this, but you deserve to know. You need to promise me something though" I said quietly.
"Anything for you" he said honestly.
"After today you can't come looking for me. You can't tell anyone this ever happened, that you ever saw me. You have to go on with your life and promise to forget about me" I said looking at my hands. I couldn't look at him. When he didn't answer I looked up at him to see him staring blankly at the wall ahead. When he realized I was staring he looked at me and nodded once, his expression unreadable. I took a deep breath and began.
** Flashback 2.5 years ago **
Tonight was the night, I was going to tell Aiden it was over. I was going to tell him I didn't love him, I couldn't love him. How could I love him when Harry truly had my heart? I sat in my living room in Holmes Chapel, waiting patiently to hear his pick-up truck pull up outside. Within minutes I heard the engine roar in my driveway, and cut off. I heard him walk up the front walk and knock on the door. I got up and opened it. His obnoxious muscles flexed out of his black tshirt, revealing a small purple hickey on his neck that most certainly wasn't from me.
"Hey babe," he said leaning in to kiss me, but instead I turned my head, letting him kiss my cheek instead. "What's wrong with you now?" he demanded.
"Why don't we just sit down and talk for a minute?" I said quietly, motioning to the couch. We sat down on the sofa next to eachother which made it easier so I didn't have to look at him. "Aiden, I think we should see other people" I started. My gut flipping over.
"What are you talking about Grace? You love me.." he said, his voice rising.
"Aiden, this just doesn't feel right anymore. We're two completely different people and I just.. " you can do this Grace I reminded myself. "I just don't love you." I said on an exhale. There it was out and I could breathe. But I was wrong. Aiden turned to me, his face twisted in pain and an incredible amount of anger, he took one hand and moved it up from the small to the back of my head, his fingers laced through my long jet black hair.
"Y-You don't love me?" he hissed at me. I shook my head no very slightly, afraid to move. He smirked evily and I felt sick. "Wrong answer babe". Before I knew it my face connected with the glass on the coffee table in front of us. The pain seared through my whole body, my head spinning. All I saw blood on the shards of glass before slumping to the floor. "YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN JUST LEAVE ME LIKE THAT?" his screams sounded muffled through my half-concious state. He stooped down to me on the floor, pulling on my hair so he could whisper in my ear. "I know about him, you little whore. I know about Harry. If you leave, if you tell anyone what happened, I'll kill him then I'll kill you." then his fist connected with my gut, and I cried out in pain with the little strength I had left. Fear racked my body, and I forgot about the pain. He was going to kill me.
I rolled over groaning, but opened my eyes to see his once handsome face looking down at me, "Fuck you" I muttered and raised my knee to his crotch. He dropped to the floor in pain and I took that chance to run to closet upstair and lock it. I pulled out my phone and called 999 (911 in the US), and whispered it was an emergency please help.
** End Flashback **
"After the police arrived and I was released from the hospital my mom sent me to live with Grandma until Aiden's trial was over." I continued in a shaky voice, realizing my tears were flowing freely now. I couldn't look at anything but the floor.
"Right, you went to 'summer camp' your mom told me" putting air quotes around summer camp. I nodded and continued.
"After I testified against Aiden, Helene separtated us and moved me and my parents into witness protection. I couldn't tell you Harry, but I wanted to." I continued, my voice barely a whisper now. His reaction wasn't something I'd expected.
"Damnit Grace! I could've protected you! I asked you to let me protect you!" he had gotten off the counter now, his long strong arms braced on either side of me, knuckles white. His shouts created an awful silence between us, but when I looked up from the floor, his face was inches from mine. His familiar warm breath fanning my face. I inhaled and was reminded of home again. His nose brushed mine dangerously. I wanted nothing more than to let him kiss me, let it all go, but it never happened. He stood up and stormed off toward the door.
"Harry wait" I pleaded. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned to look at me, the same pain in those beautiful eyes.
"Be here tomorrow, same time" he said shortly, and just like that he was gone. I collected myself and waited a couple minutes before I walked out of the apartment. I walked home alone, fighting the urge not to breakdown in the middle of the sidewalk.
I arrived at the apartment building where Zak and I had bought our apartment. Right now it was a vacant 3rd floor flat, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath, a beautiful kitchen and view of London. There was nothing in the apartment and no one knew about it apart from Helene, Zak and I so I had told Harry to meet me there. When I arrived it was 12 exactly, and there was not one sound coming from the apartment, I checked around me to make sure no one saw and slipped in, locking the door behind me. I turned around to see Harry there in a plain white tshirt, gray blazer, skinny jeans, and those damn Converse. I smiled to see he hadn't changed much.
We stood there staring at eachother for a while, neither of us really sure what to say. I decided I might as well say something, but before I could Harry's arms were around me, pulling me into his chest. He smelled the same, felt the same, and it felt like home. All of the memories of home came rushing back, and I let them out, tears trickling from eyes and soaking into Harry's tshirt. We stayed that way for as long as possible. He rested his cheek on the top of my head, and I balled up his blazer in my fists, refusing to let go. Finally he pulled away, wiping the blotches of tears from the corner of my eyes with his thumb, and smiling that dazzling crooked smile at me.
"What happened Grace?" he asked softly. It was nice to be Grace again for a minute and I relaxed. I walked over to kitchen and hopped up on the island counter, crossing my legs. He followed me and sat up on the counter, his long legs dangling off the side. For it minute it felt like we were 16 again, sitting on his kitchen counter playing 20 questions at 1 in the morning. I exhaled and looked at that heartbreaking face, and knew for once, I had to tell him the truth.
"Harry, I really shouldn't be telling you any of this, but you deserve to know. You need to promise me something though" I said quietly.
"Anything for you" he said honestly.
"After today you can't come looking for me. You can't tell anyone this ever happened, that you ever saw me. You have to go on with your life and promise to forget about me" I said looking at my hands. I couldn't look at him. When he didn't answer I looked up at him to see him staring blankly at the wall ahead. When he realized I was staring he looked at me and nodded once, his expression unreadable. I took a deep breath and began.
** Flashback 2.5 years ago **
Tonight was the night, I was going to tell Aiden it was over. I was going to tell him I didn't love him, I couldn't love him. How could I love him when Harry truly had my heart? I sat in my living room in Holmes Chapel, waiting patiently to hear his pick-up truck pull up outside. Within minutes I heard the engine roar in my driveway, and cut off. I heard him walk up the front walk and knock on the door. I got up and opened it. His obnoxious muscles flexed out of his black tshirt, revealing a small purple hickey on his neck that most certainly wasn't from me.
"Hey babe," he said leaning in to kiss me, but instead I turned my head, letting him kiss my cheek instead. "What's wrong with you now?" he demanded.
"Why don't we just sit down and talk for a minute?" I said quietly, motioning to the couch. We sat down on the sofa next to eachother which made it easier so I didn't have to look at him. "Aiden, I think we should see other people" I started. My gut flipping over.
"What are you talking about Grace? You love me.." he said, his voice rising.
"Aiden, this just doesn't feel right anymore. We're two completely different people and I just.. " you can do this Grace I reminded myself. "I just don't love you." I said on an exhale. There it was out and I could breathe. But I was wrong. Aiden turned to me, his face twisted in pain and an incredible amount of anger, he took one hand and moved it up from the small to the back of my head, his fingers laced through my long jet black hair.
"Y-You don't love me?" he hissed at me. I shook my head no very slightly, afraid to move. He smirked evily and I felt sick. "Wrong answer babe". Before I knew it my face connected with the glass on the coffee table in front of us. The pain seared through my whole body, my head spinning. All I saw blood on the shards of glass before slumping to the floor. "YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN JUST LEAVE ME LIKE THAT?" his screams sounded muffled through my half-concious state. He stooped down to me on the floor, pulling on my hair so he could whisper in my ear. "I know about him, you little whore. I know about Harry. If you leave, if you tell anyone what happened, I'll kill him then I'll kill you." then his fist connected with my gut, and I cried out in pain with the little strength I had left. Fear racked my body, and I forgot about the pain. He was going to kill me.
I rolled over groaning, but opened my eyes to see his once handsome face looking down at me, "Fuck you" I muttered and raised my knee to his crotch. He dropped to the floor in pain and I took that chance to run to closet upstair and lock it. I pulled out my phone and called 999 (911 in the US), and whispered it was an emergency please help.
** End Flashback **
"After the police arrived and I was released from the hospital my mom sent me to live with Grandma until Aiden's trial was over." I continued in a shaky voice, realizing my tears were flowing freely now. I couldn't look at anything but the floor.
"Right, you went to 'summer camp' your mom told me" putting air quotes around summer camp. I nodded and continued.
"After I testified against Aiden, Helene separtated us and moved me and my parents into witness protection. I couldn't tell you Harry, but I wanted to." I continued, my voice barely a whisper now. His reaction wasn't something I'd expected.
"Damnit Grace! I could've protected you! I asked you to let me protect you!" he had gotten off the counter now, his long strong arms braced on either side of me, knuckles white. His shouts created an awful silence between us, but when I looked up from the floor, his face was inches from mine. His familiar warm breath fanning my face. I inhaled and was reminded of home again. His nose brushed mine dangerously. I wanted nothing more than to let him kiss me, let it all go, but it never happened. He stood up and stormed off toward the door.
"Harry wait" I pleaded. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned to look at me, the same pain in those beautiful eyes.
"Be here tomorrow, same time" he said shortly, and just like that he was gone. I collected myself and waited a couple minutes before I walked out of the apartment. I walked home alone, fighting the urge not to breakdown in the middle of the sidewalk.
Notes
I'll probably end up posting another chapter later today!!Thanks for reading and keep rating/commenting :))
5/31/13