We know where we've been. All these miles together.

H.P.O.V

"Is Presley awake yet? I've got a busy day planned." I'm also nervous, but I'm keeping that more to myself.

"She's knocked out," Louis says, strutting inside the kitchen. "I think she's sick."
"Sick?"

Louis nods, "her face is kind of pink and she keeps frowning in her sleep."

"Do you think it's her stomach? She said she was feeling better when we watched a movie yesterday."

"You hung out?" Louis asks with a surprised face. "She agreed to?"

"I kind of forced her, but I think she enjoyed it. It was nice. She told me all about the café and some George."

Louis nods impressed and smirks. "You are so fucked." I wouldn't doubt it. "El says Ben wants to come see her. I kind of don't want him to though."

That I understand. Ben seems to force his feelings on her. Always deciding for her, and speaking over her. And while I know it's not our place to decide whether they keep their friendship afloat, I kind of want them apart for a few more days.

It's horrible and it's completely not my choice. But if I somehow forget to inform Presley... Well, then. That's life.

"So I'll tell Presley Ben wants to see her, or will you?"

"I'll let her know..." Louis looks at me skeptic and shrugs it off.

"Okay, I'm going to take El on a really long date. So you're on nurse duty." It's hard to keep my smile away, and I don't think I'm doing a very good job if Louis rolls his eyes. "You fucking owe me, and I expect total credit when you and Presley get married."

"Jasmine still exists," I remind. Louis shrugs and mumbles 'oh well' under his breath and walks to his room. I wish it were that easy for me. That I wasn't the one with the fiancé that they tend to forget exists. I wish I had the freedom.

I wish I wasn't so stupid.

"Harry," Presley's voice rings in my ears and my heart melts and my chest bursts with some warm affection. Because she looks warm and sleepy and I have a strong urge to grab her and force her into my bed so I can make the pink in her cheeks go away. "I don't feel so good." Presley says with a small pout.

As cute and infectious this is, Presley's still sick. She looks like she has a fever and she's about to hurl chunks, if her hand on her stomach means just that. "Your stomach?" She nods and wordlessly walks into my chest. She drops her head between my neck and shoulder. And I'm surprised until I remember Presley is a cuddle monster when she's sick. Absolutely loathes being alone when she doesn't feel well.

And maybe half of me is secretly excited she's sick... But only half.

"I want Ben," she whimpers, pulling back and sitting down on a nearby stool. "I'm going to call him. Maybe he doesn't hate me anymore." I frown at that and reach for her phone. "Harry?" She asks perplexed.

I flip the small phone with my hands and smile, "we don't need to bother Ben love. I'm here. I can take care of you," I step forward, Presley's eyes never leaving mine, "I can hold you," one more step, "and lay with you," I crouch down and peck her cheek. "You don't need another man for that."

Presley shrugs and drops her head on my shoulder. I used to think Presley liked being babied when she was sick. Maybe she liked the fact someone else was taking care of her instead. Now I think she doesn't even realize she's doing it. I think her brain is so fuzzy and slow that when she cuddles close it's just because. No motives behind it. Not ulterior meaning.

"What hurts?"

"My stomach is being a shit and I feel all warm. My head hurts but only a little."

I place my fingers against her face, frowning at the heated skin. "You have a fever," I mumble. "does your tummy hurt more or less than yesterday?"

"M'nineteen Harry. Not four. It's my stomach not tummy."

I raised boy eyebrows and smiled, "okay, does your stomach hurt more or less?"

"I'm in between," she shrugs nonchalantly, "where's Louis? Where's everyone?"

"Lou and El are going on a date all day. Niall is waiting with Liam for Zayn, they can't wait to see you and I don't know about your Ben." Presley looks up surprised.

"So it's just you and me?"

I nod and brush the hair from her face, "like before."

"Except you never had a fiancée." Presley mumbles with no heat. Most men would feel guilty for not telling their significant other where they are and the truth on who they're with. I'm not in that category. I'm not second guessing being with Presley.

And I probably should be.

"I don't want to talk about her," Presley frowns and looks up confused. "Let's just focus on getting you better."

Presley shrugs her answer and stands, "m'going to go lay down. You give me headaches." She mumbles walking away. "Can we push your day back for an hour?"

I shake my head and walk over to the stove, "we'll go when you feel better. Go lay down love. I'll be up shortly." She nods and continues her walk. Tea will help her stomach, tea will undoubtedly settle any problems.

Tea and Cinnamon... Or maybe that's vodka?

****

"Can you try and eat something for me?" So far Presley has refused to eat anything that's not in the form of tea. She says it won't help and that she knows more than I do. And while that may be only half true, I really do want her to eat. "Come on gorgeous," Presley huffs and shakes her head. "Just a few nibbles."
I hold the saltine up to her lips and smile as she bites it and scrunches up her face in distaste.

"No more," she pleads with a slight whimper.

"I know," I coo, rubbing her cheek with my fingers, "I know your stomach is being mean. But just finish this one. Just this one and then we can watch a film." Presley doesn't want to cooperate, and I don't want to force feed her but I feel that, that will be the only way.

"You can go you know," Presley looks up, "you don't have to stay. You have no obligation or duty where I'm concerned." She says quietly. She looks down and wiped her hand on her thigh.

"Do you want me I leave?" I ask hesitant and afraid that she will say yes. She looks up surprised and wide eyed.

"I don't want to cause problems for you," I'm a bit afraid she hasn't said no. I'm afraid and sad that she may actually want me to leave. "Jasmine doesn't like me already. I don't think she'll take us being alone very well... She doesn't seem like the 'let it go' type."

"She-- she's not," I realize. Jasmine doesn't like anything that will inconvenience her. I'm used to it. It's just who she is. "She doesn't exactly know we're alone. I told her I'd be spending the day with Niall." My heart drops and I hope Presley doesn't take offense to my lie. I hope I don't add anymore wood to the flame.

"You're incredibly smart," Presley laughs amused, "props to you for being smart." She raises her hand for a high five. Our hands connect and she smiles big a bright.

"Presley?" I'm walking a fine line. Very thin ice, in a way. Presley looks up and nods once. "What's wrong with your stomach? I know it's not because of something you ate. You never eat much. And it should have settled by now."

Presley looks down uncomfortable. She shrugs and her eyes harden, "stop asking. You now I'm not going to tell you."

"Why?"

"Because it's not your business Harry," she says slowly. I look up, my jaw tensed and my hands gripping her blanket.

"You are my business."

"No," she shakes her head and moves back. "I stopped being your business when you left. I stopped being your concern. Your anything. I'm just Presley to you now."

"You never stopped being mine," I don't know what I'm saying. The words are just coming out. "Even when I left I knew you'd be mine. You are mine Presley."

"But I'm not," she doesn't look angry. She looks sad. I don't like Presley looking like that. Never have. "Harry you're engaged. You've moved on and I don't fit into your life anymore. I'm not yours."

"You'll remember soon," I promise, scooting closer. I push her hair back and grab her hand resting in her lap. "These situations aren't permanent. Easily fixed. You'll see and you'll remember."

"You make no sense."

"I never had to before."

"Yeah," she whispers. "Yesterday when you said you didn't want to be friends?" I hum and close my eyes, "I went to my roo-- I came up here," Presley doesn't refer to this place as her home. She had to be forced to unpack and she says it's easier eating up stairs. This all concerns me and makes me feel guilty. "I got mad Harry. I got so fucking mad and confused. I didn't know why you couldn't just agree to being my friend and then leave it at that. And then you said it wasn't enough. I thought you meant I wasn't enough. And it reminded me of the week that you left."

I open my eyes and use my arms to push her down. She complies silently and lays on the bed, her body tensing when I lay halfway on top, in between her thighs. Head on her stomach, arms splayed across. Her fingers sooth through my hair as her body stills and relaxes. "What happened then?" I'm slightly concerned I'm hurting her,"this okay?" She doesn't say anything and she doesn't push me away. She merely sighs and keeps touch with me.

This is intimate and I feel content. My eyes are closed and it feels like I'm almost home.

"I lost my mind and broke a few vases." She mumbles, fingers still scratching along my scalp. "Ben played your cd for me," she whispers, breathing slowly. "I threw my speakers out of my window and cried because you lied and left. I think that's the only time I've ever hated you."

"Do you hate me now?" All I hear is the blood pumping through my veins as it feeds my heart. This conversation has taken a left turn and I don't know why. "I wouldn't blame you, you know? I hate me for it."

"I don't know," she admits quietly. "I guess it's not in my nature to hate you. Believe me I've tried. I tried so hard Harry. I still do."

"You never had to before."

"I've never felt like home wasn't home either. I've never been so lost and confused. I've never been without Caleb." She doesn't speak much when it comes to her late brother. Always manages to change the subject. Always says 'it's okay' before anyone can finish their condolences.

"Ben wants to see you," I blurt out, guilty and slow.

"I know," she mumbles. I pick my head up and stare confused. She smiles and shrugs. "Heard you and Louis talking."

"You can call him if you want?" I say, dropping my head again and resuming my previous positions. Her fingers being working again as if I said nothing even though I'm confused she hasn't already.

"You don't like him."

"I don't," I agree. "He doesn't like me either."

"Do you blame him?"

"Nope. I side with him and his anger towards me," it hurts that Ben doesn't like me. He's gotten so close to Presley and they've formed a bond that has me seeing red. It feels all so twisted. "Would you choose Ben over me? If you had to pick, I mean."

"I'll never have to," she shrugs and huffs out a breath.

"How do you know?"

"Because you'll never make me choose. Because Ben loves me too. People who love each other don't make them choose." She makes sense. I'll always pull myself away if I had to. I've done it already. To this day it's still the hardest thing I've ever done. "We can't lay like this when Jasmine gets back. This is already wrong."

My heart cracks at having to leave, "I know," I whisper. I don't want to know. I don't want to acknowledge the truth to her words. "Promise you I'll be the promise you can keep." I sing slowly, with a heavy heart and raspy voice.

"Till the end of time and on the other side." She whispers back. Things have just changed. I don't know how and I don't know how much. I just know they have and whether it's a good or bad thing has yet to be decided.

"Just you and me love. We are almost home."

Notes

I honestly don't know what's happening with me right now. It's not coming as easily as it usually does and for some bizarre reason that scares me. I don't know what's wrong. My dad says this is normal but it feels everything but normal. I don't know if I'm burned up or if I just need new inspiration.

I'm trying. Please be patient. Just for a little while. I'm not sure if it's good but it's the only thing I could think of. Have a lovely Monday and a charming week. Xx