Chapter 17
I’m sitting on the couch, flipping through channels, when I hear the familiar sound of Harry’s footsteps echoing in the hallway. He enters the room with his usual relaxed demeanor, but i can tell something’s off. His brow is furrowed, his jaw tight, and there’s a tension in the air that’s hard to ignore.
“Hey,” I say, glancing up from the TV. “What’s up?”
He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he stops in the doorway and runs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “It’s Brandon again.”
I raise an eyebrow, my stomach sinking. “What did he do this time?”
“He showed up at my house. Again. I can’t deal with him anymore, Aria. Every damn time I think it’s over, he comes back like nothing happened. Like he can just waltz in and act like everything’s fine.”
I sigh, dropping the remote on the coffee table. “I know. He’s been relentless. But you can’t just keep letting him get to you, Harry.”
“I can’t help it!” Harry snaps, his voice rising a little. He paces across the room, his frustration palpable. “I don’t want him coming around here anymore. I’m tired of this. I’m going to get you a new apartment so he won’t have any reason to show up at mine!”
I blink, a wave of shock hitting me. “What? Harry, you don’t have to do that. I don’t need a new apartment because of Brandon.”
“No, you don’t get it.” He steps toward me, his expression intense. “I don’t want him showing up at my place anymore. I don’t want him disturbing us. And if it means getting you a new place where he won’t have access, then I’ll do it. I’m not going to let him keep walking all over us like this.”
I’m silent for a moment, letting his words sink in, but the more I think about it, the more it doesn’t sit right with me. “I don’t want you to do that,” I finally say, my voice quieter now. “I didn’t ask you to fix my problems, Harry. I don’t need a new apartment to get away from Brandon. I just need you to be… well, you. But not like this.”
Harry’s expression hardens, and I can see the frustration building again. “You’re not hearing me, Aria. I’m doing this because I care about you. You’re not just going to sit around while he keeps coming after you. I’m not going to let that happen. You deserve better than that.”
I stand up, my heart racing with a mix of confusion and anger. “I didn’t ask you to swoop in and fix everything, Harry! I’m perfectly capable of handling this on my own. I don’t need you to save me from Brandon!”
The room feels like it’s closing in on us, and I can see Harry’s face tighten, his eyes flashing with something I can’t quite read. He steps toward me, but I take a step back, holding up a hand to stop him.
“Aria, just listen—”
“No!” I interrupt, shaking my head. “I’m not some damsel in distress, okay? I don’t need you to buy me a new apartment or protect me from Brandon. I’ve got this!”
Harry looks at me for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with each breath. “I’m not trying to control you, okay? I’m just trying to help because I care about you. But if you don’t want my help, fine. I’ll back off.”
His words sting more than I expect, and I can feel the sharp edge of my emotions getting the best of me. He’s trying to help, I know that, but it feels like everything is happening so fast, and I don’t know if I’m ready for all of it.
“You’re not hearing me, Harry,” I say, my voice shaking a little. “I don’t need you to take control of my life. I don’t need you to fix everything for me.”
He opens his mouth to respond, but I hold up my hand again, cutting him off. “I don’t want your apartment. I don’t want you stepping in and doing things for me that I can do on my own.”
Harry looks at me, his eyes softening, but there’s still a frustration in his gaze that I can’t ignore. “Aria, please. I’m just trying to make things easier for you. I don’t want you to have to deal with him anymore.”
“I can handle it!” I shout, my voice cracking now. “I’m so tired of you thinking I can’t handle anything on my own! I know you care, but this is not what I need right now!” The silence between us is deafening. I can feel my heart racing in my chest as I stand there, facing him, and I know he’s struggling to understand where I’m coming from. “I’m sorry,” I finally say, my voice softer now. “I just… I need some space, okay? I need to figure things out for myself.”
Harry looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. Instead, he takes a step back, his frustration shifting into something else–something more resigned. “Alright. If that’s what you want.”
I can feel the heaviness in the air, and I know neither of us is happy with how things are right now. But I can’t keep allowing him to fix everything. I can’t keep leaning on him like this. I need to stand on my own.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “That’s what I want.”
Without another word, I turn and walk toward the door, my anger still simmering beneath the surface. I can’t deal with him right now. Not when he’s trying to control everything
I do.
Harry calls after me, his voice pleading, but I don’t stop. “Aria, wait–please.”
But I don’t turn around. I push open the door, stepping out into the hallway and leaving him behind. I need space to breathe, to think, to figure out what I really want. And I know I can’t do that if I’m constantly being swept up in other people’s plans for me.
The door slams shut behind me, and I don’t look back.
opter 18
