18 Going On 30 || h.s. au

thirty seven

TW: EMETOPHOBIA

HARRY'S POV

"Lainey- Lainey stop, where are you- hey." I catch up to her and grab a hold of her arm, pulling her to face me in the middle of the hospital hallway. "Hey, what happened? What's going on?"

I was about to go into the room. It had almost been fifteen minutes and I was antsy and worried and could only see so much through the window in the door. I heard Lainey raise her voice a couple times and my pulse picked up, but I trusted her to take care of it.

But when she came darting out of the room and booked it down the hallway, I was startled. It was almost like she was trying to get as far away from the room as she could.

"Look at me." I say, grabbing her face and cradling it between my hands. Her eyes are glazed and glossy and her skin is hot. "Talk to me."

She stares at me for a few seconds as I wait for her response and her eyes dart to something behind me, and before I can blink, she's on her feet again and running. I whip around as she escapes from my hold and see her beeline into the bathroom, almost pummeling down the door with the speed she opens it and disappears through the threshold.

I furrow my eyebrows. I immediately follow her, not caring about being in the women's restroom at the moment and immediately look around for her.

I don't see her, but I hear her. Throwing up.

"Oh my-" I choke out in concern and surprise.

What the fuck did he say to her?

I duck into the stall she's in, kneeling behind her and grabbing her hair falling over her shoulders.

"Okay, okay, you're okay. I'm here, you're okay." I try to assure her, rubbing her back to try to provide some type of familiar comfort so she knows I'm here.

A minute later she's stopped heaving and has her head propped up in her hand, sitting up a little straighter. I reach over her and push to flush the toilet with my fist, sitting back on my legs and pulling her to me.

"Baby, hey, can you look at me?" I let her hair fall softly back down as she wipes her mouth with her sleeve. "What happened?"

Her right side is to my chest, and her head falls limp onto my collarbone. She sniffles softly, tucking her arms into herself like she's recoiling to protect herself.

"I..." She starts, "I don't..." I feel her shake her head and I wrap my arms tighter around her.

"Okay, you don't have to say anything." I don't push her, just letting her sit and absorb whatever it is that affected her this much.

For the next five minutes we just sit on the bathroom floor, and luckily no one comes in. I feel her taking deep breaths and I let her squeeze my hand, waiting for her to say when she's ready to talk, stand up, or even leave. Any of them are fine with me.

When she slowly begins to sit up from her position leaning on me, I'm quick to get on my feet and help her steady herself on her feet. I follow her as she quietly goes to wash her hands and rise out her mouth.

She leans on the counter and puts her head in her hands.

"I have to call his mum." She says slowly. "And tell her what happened."

"Okay..." I nod softly. "Would you like to do that now or do you want to wait?"

"I don't want to do it at all but I need to get it over with."