Into Your Arms

I glanced up at Harry with watery eyes. He was pulling at his curls anxiously and staring at the floor. I didn’t know why I was telling him this, Lilia was the only other person who knew about him. Which reminded me that I needed to call her. Finally, he looked up.

“I’m gonna stay here tonight.” He announced.
“No, no,” I stuttered, shaking my head. “You don’t have to do that.”
“You’re obviously in no shape to be by yourself. And I don’t think a spatula will help you out.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

I let out a small laugh, my lips turning up slightly. Harry smiled at me, triumphant that he had made me smile. My cheeks turned pink under his gaze. Whenever he looked at me he seemed to make me feel so much more exposed than I wanted to be. It was like he could see right through me.

“You like take out?” He asked as he pulled out his phone, glancing up at me. I nodded and he walked into the kitchen to order some food.

In all honesty I wasn’t hungry at all. My stomach was still tied in knots and I was sure if I put anything in it I’d puke. I still felt Ricky’s hands and lips on me. Shuddering, I tried to push the thoughts away and sat down on the couch. Harry returned after a few minutes and sat down next to me. He looked at me with worried eyes before asking the dreaded question.

“Do you want to talk about it?”
“What is there to talk about?” I shrugged, picking at my nails. “We dated for awhile, he turned into a dick, and I broke up with him before I came here.”
“What do you mean he turned into a dick?” Harry interjected.
“He got very territorial.” My voice was tight. “Didn’t want me going out or hanging out with other guys. He made sure I didn’t want to either.”

I stopped, running a hand through my hair. My eyes stung with tears as I blinked them back. I cleared my throat a few times to find my voice before continuing.

“Everyday he would put me down so low I could barely look in the mirror. He pin pointed my every flaw and magnified them.”
“Everyone has flaws,” Harry said after a moment of silence. “It’s what makes people beautiful. Everyone would be the same if they didn’t have flaws. Like me, I have bad acne sometimes. I can’t help it but I don’t let it affect my self image.”

I glanced over at him with somewhat wide eyes. I hadn’t even noticed the small acne spots on his face. My eyes were always drawn to his eyes or smile. Either that or the mop on the top of his head.

“Most people don’t notice unless they’re looking for something to pick out.” He continued.

I let his words sink in and let my teeth sink into my bottom lip. He was right, no one was flawless. He found beauty in flaws so why couldn’t I? Why couldn’t Ricky? Because my flaws weren’t beautiful. My left canine was crooked, I had a scar on my forehead, and my fingers were to long and bony. The list could go on and on. Harry’s flaw was small, it added to who he was. The acne made him look younger and was barely noticeable.

“I have to go pick up the food.” He said as he glanced at his phone. “Will you be okay while I’m gone?”

I nodded softly and he looked at me for a moment before standing and walking out of the flat. A sigh left my lips as I scurried to the door to lock it. I shuffled into my room and slipped on a pair of leggings and a sweater. My hair was tied messily into a bun on the top of my head and I took my makeup off. As I sat down on the couch my mind wandered to the curly haired boy that would be returning soon. He seemed so adamant on me not letting my flaws bring me down. Before I could dwell on the subject further, there was a knock on the door. My heart jumped into my throat and I crept to the door. All I saw through the peephole were a pair of green eyes and a windblown head of curls.

Harry smiled as I opened the door to let him in and set the food down on the coffee table. My eyes widened and I quickly grabbed plates and napkins, placing place mats under the boxes of take out. He watched me with an amused expression.

“You don’t have to worry about keeping this place clean.” He chuckled, popping a piece of chicken in his mouth. “It’s always a mess. Niall lives here.”
“It’s not my house,” I justified, breaking my chopsticks apart. “I’m not going to leave it a mess.”

He just shrugged before sitting back into the couch and turning on the telly. When he landed on some cooking show, he stopped flipping channels and sat the remote down. I slowly nibbled on an egg roll and fried rice. As I glanced over at Harry, I suddenly felt slightly self-conscious. His slim figure slouched in his spot on the couch and even in a pair of simple jeans and grey v-neck, he looked gorgeous. Now with no makeup, my hair a mess, and in my pajamas; I felt minuscule next to him. My thighs looked chubbier than usual and my stomach not as flat. Swallowing in disgust, I sat the half eaten egg roll down and put my plate on the coffee table.

“You’re not hungry?”
His voice caused me to jump slightly and I shook my head almost robotically, “Not really. My stomach’s a little achy.”

He leaned over slowly, placing the back of his hand against my forehead. I bit back the gasp that worked its way up my throat. His hand slid down to my cheek before he pulled away.

“You don’t feel warm.” He commented and I shrugged.
“I’m just a little tired.”

I shrunk back slightly under his suspicious gaze. Shuddering, I picked up my plate and carried it to the kitchen to clean. As I passed by the living room to get to my bedroom I muttered a goodnight to Harry.

“Sleep well, Noel.” He replied with a smile. “See you in the morning.”