You're Still The One
Chapter 19
“Liam, look after her.”
Before Charlie had the chance to make it back to the table, I disappeared from it in a panicked rush. I spotted Nikki dangerously close to our table and I needed to approach her before she got the chance to come to us. She looked just as lost and confused as always (she wasn’t the brightest girl).
“Nikki?” I said in a low tone. She quickly turned around, eyes lit up and she flung her arms around my neck, reeling me in. She tried to kiss me, but I subtly gave her my cheek instead.She hadn’t even noticed how distant I was being. Like I said before, she wasn’t the smartest girl. “What are you doing here?” I asked, trying my hardest to sound surprised to see her. In some way, I actually was surprised that she managed to get here on her own. I’ve learned the hard way that she’s very dependent and very needy. I'm surprised she didn't catch a ride with someone else.
“The boys invited me,” She said. She waved her lit phone in my face and there it was, proof. An invitation in clear text form from Louis, himself.
“It’s really late. You must be tired. You should just go home and I’ll call you some other time.”
She took a moment to process everything I just offered her.
“Okay!” she smiled brightly, flipping her long wavy hair over her shoulder and she kissed me goodbye. This time, her lips came crashing into mine unexpectedly. She turned around and I watched her leave. As soon as the door closed as she left, I wiped her sticky coconut flavored gloss from my lips with the back of my hand, in disgust. Feeling relieved that she was no longer present I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I slowly began my short walk back where I left the Charlie and the lads. When I returned, Charlie and Liam were missing from the table. Louis’ head was face-down on the table. Probably too trashed to function. Zayn and Niall were the only two somewhat sober people left.
“Where are Charlie and Liam?”
Zayn and Niall exchanged questionable looks.
“She told Liam she wanted to go home.”
Without thinking anything through, I hastily ran to the nearest exit. Not that there was anything to think through. Charlie was going to leave me and I needed to change her mind. She's my priority.
I yanked the door open and looked both ways down the dark street for any sign of Liam’s car. I began to jog the direction that Charlie and I came. I wondered if Liam would actually take her home or just to my place for the night. Just the mere thought of that pushed harder to find her. Now desperate, I ran into street intersections without looking for oncoming cars. There was no time to stop for cars. I needed all the time I could get and if that meant eliminating time to stop for cars, so be it. Liam and Charlie were travelling by car and I was forced to travel by foot. I had the disadvantage.
The only good thing about me running home was that I don’t live too far from the restaurant. The adrenaline felt and my speed soon died down as I approached the house. Liam’s car was still nowhere in sight.
I pushed my legs to jog inside in hopes of finding Charlie inside. Trembling breath was forced from my mouth in pants as I ran through the house looking for Charlie. The house was dark and quiet. Everything was in place. I must’ve been too late.
(Charlie’s POV)
( ~ a bit earlier ~ )
I exited the little girl’s room, feeling confident and ready for an amazing night with Harry and his best mates, besides myself of course, but before I could make it to the table he jumped up and ran elsewhere.
“Liam, look after her,” was all he said before he disappeared.
I sat down at the table, squeezed in between Louis and Zayn, while exchanging awkward glances with each of them.
“In case you're wondering,” Louis attempted to whisper. Niall shot Louis a dirty look but that didn't stop him from continuing his drunken rant. Louis bent over, his head leaning on my shoulder as he spoke his intoxicating words. “Harry is with Nikki, his girlfriend.”
Louis’ blunt words were a lot harder to take in than anyone could possibly imagine. I broke eye contact with everyone and got up to see for myself. Harry was standing with her. He was reconnected with his girlfriend and thought he could hide it from me. He thought I didn't know. I knew about her, I just forgot. It’s not like when Harry reappeared in my life, his girlfriend was fresh in my mind because she was the last thing on my mind. Besides, I wasn't even too fond of Harry at that time so why would I care about his girlfriend? And when Harry and I were on good terms, his girlfriend seemed to be completely irrelevant.
I returned to the table an uncomfortable silence was befallen over the table.
“Liam, can you take me home?”
He nodded sympathetically, compassion bright in his eyes. I followed him out to his car. I needed to get as far away from here as possible.
Liam. So nice and caring attempted to make light conversation about small topics however I just left those attempts to create conversation to hang dry in the air.
“I'm sorry this happened. I don't know what he was thinking...Harry's really a great guy.”
I knew Harry was a great guy. That's when I realized that maybe the guys didn't know how close Harry and I truly were. I think they assumed that I was just some random hook up, although I didn't bother to tell him otherwise.
Liam had pulled up in front of Harry's home.
“Would you be willing to really take me home tomorrow?”
He nodded, “I'm sorry, again. You seem like a really nice girl.” I opened the car door and helped myself to the sturdy concrete. “Charlie?” He paused and waited for my reaction. I stopped and turned to face him. He gave me his number and told me that if I ever needed anything that I could ring him, no matter the issue or the time of day. I found some comfort in his words but the feeling left, when Liam did.
Once inside, I confiscated a blanket from Harry's bed and completely covered myself up with it on the couch until I heard deep panting as someone ran through his house like a mad man.
“Harry?”
I peeked my head out of the warm blanket that I’ve just stripped from Harry’s bed, I lifted my head from my comfy position to see if it were really him.
“Charlie?”
He turned the light on and the look on his face was almost comical. He looked deeply worried and frantic that something happened to me. I found it ironic that he looked deeply worried about me when he couldn’t have cared that much since he didn’t bother telling me that he still obviously had feelings for his girlfriend.
“I was afraid you had left me.”
I found it extremely difficult to meet his gaze. My heart was still shattered into a million pieces based on what I saw and what Louis told me not too long ago.
“Why would I leave you?”
My question threw him. I think he was expecting my reaction to be different. I’ve even surprised myself. I thought I would at least shed billions of tears by now but I realized I’ve only done this to myself. It’s my fault, really. I should really be more guarded, when it comes to Harry.
“Charlie.”
I ground my teeth at the sound of my name. Feeling his presence, hearing his saddened voice pained me deeply. He had absolutely no right to be sad, I was the one who was hurting and what hurt most, was seeing another girl’s face light up when she saw him. She mirrored the exact way I felt when I saw him which could only mean one thing to me, she loved him. And if she felt that way about him, I only wondered what Harry thought of her.
“Goodnight, Harry.”
I lied back down, hiding my face under my blanket, trying to push thoughts of Nikki and Harry far from my mind. In an attempt to do that, I would need to be left alone however he remained, despite my not-so subtle hint that I wanted to sleep.
“Come lay with me.”
With his confident words, frustrated tears were on the verge of departure from my dreary eyes. I just shook my head, turning away for a bit. Then, when I was ready, I forced myself to sit up and look at him. Crossing my legs, I looked him in his deep green eyes. They looked back at me apologetically and it literally made me weak. Looking into his mossy eyes, all the moments we shared came flooding back to my memory that no longer held the same meaning. They’re all lies; lies that I continue to fall for.
It took a lot of courage to finally speak up for myself.
“If I…” I got choked up before I could finish. It was way harder than I imagined. Moisture blinded my vision and soon came flooding down my heated cheeks and my gaze fell on the gap between Harry and I. His finger latched onto my chin, tilting my head up to face him.
“Say it.”
He supportively placed a hand on my knee. The contact gave me enough strength to speak what was on my mind.
“If I were your girlfriend, I wouldn’t want another girl in your bed.” I spoke bitterly. “So, no Harry. I won’t come lay with you.”
My eyes fell upon my fidgeting fingers and I began to anxiously play with them.
“Liam agreed to take me home tomorrow.”
Harry’s eyes grew more intense at my words. His eyes squeezed shut as his hands covered his face. Instantly, I despised my reaction, not my words but my choice of words.My eyes were incapable of parting from him. Harry looked completely lost, shaking his head in aggravation like he understood what I was saying and then not quite.
Together, we were sat in a dry silence for minutes that felt like long exhausting hours until he finally spoke again.
“Don’t leave me.”
A hint of despair shone through his wet green eyes. My head fell into my fidgety fingers and then I felt his touch again. “Tell me you'll stay.” My hand was clasped before he pressed a kiss to it. He looked sincere, open and honest. Staying here and watching another girl have the privilege of being able to call herself Harry’s girlfriend, hug him and kiss him in public without stirring controversy would be torturing myself.
“I can’t. It’s too hard.”
His deep sigh sounded like he was hurt by my utter refusal to give him what he wanted. His eyes focused on an empty spot on the wall and they remained transfixed there for a while at the same time that one of his hands muffled through his curly hair.
“Whatever you want me to do, Charlie, I’d do it.”
His words left me breathless. He would do anything for me. I knew that statement to be true. He's proven it many times.
“If its Nikki, I’d give her up for you…I’d do anything for you.” His voice cracked and a single tear fell from his eyes.
“Shh.” I hushed, wiping the drop from his cheek. I can't remember a moment in all the time that I’ve known Harry that I’d seen him so impassioned towards me. He would never let me see him vulnerable and desperate to keep me with him.
I ran my fingers through his tuft curls. His eyes never left me, closely watching my every move. My hands found the back of his neck as I delicately planted a feathery kiss to his cheek.
I still hadn't decided on if I would stay or leave, but I knew one thing for certain and that was that there was still more ground to cover in this conversation, but we’d have to discuss it in the morning because I was too tired to continue.
Before Charlie had the chance to make it back to the table, I disappeared from it in a panicked rush. I spotted Nikki dangerously close to our table and I needed to approach her before she got the chance to come to us. She looked just as lost and confused as always (she wasn’t the brightest girl).
“Nikki?” I said in a low tone. She quickly turned around, eyes lit up and she flung her arms around my neck, reeling me in. She tried to kiss me, but I subtly gave her my cheek instead.She hadn’t even noticed how distant I was being. Like I said before, she wasn’t the smartest girl. “What are you doing here?” I asked, trying my hardest to sound surprised to see her. In some way, I actually was surprised that she managed to get here on her own. I’ve learned the hard way that she’s very dependent and very needy. I'm surprised she didn't catch a ride with someone else.
“The boys invited me,” She said. She waved her lit phone in my face and there it was, proof. An invitation in clear text form from Louis, himself.
“It’s really late. You must be tired. You should just go home and I’ll call you some other time.”
She took a moment to process everything I just offered her.
“Okay!” she smiled brightly, flipping her long wavy hair over her shoulder and she kissed me goodbye. This time, her lips came crashing into mine unexpectedly. She turned around and I watched her leave. As soon as the door closed as she left, I wiped her sticky coconut flavored gloss from my lips with the back of my hand, in disgust. Feeling relieved that she was no longer present I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I slowly began my short walk back where I left the Charlie and the lads. When I returned, Charlie and Liam were missing from the table. Louis’ head was face-down on the table. Probably too trashed to function. Zayn and Niall were the only two somewhat sober people left.
“Where are Charlie and Liam?”
Zayn and Niall exchanged questionable looks.
“She told Liam she wanted to go home.”
Without thinking anything through, I hastily ran to the nearest exit. Not that there was anything to think through. Charlie was going to leave me and I needed to change her mind. She's my priority.
I yanked the door open and looked both ways down the dark street for any sign of Liam’s car. I began to jog the direction that Charlie and I came. I wondered if Liam would actually take her home or just to my place for the night. Just the mere thought of that pushed harder to find her. Now desperate, I ran into street intersections without looking for oncoming cars. There was no time to stop for cars. I needed all the time I could get and if that meant eliminating time to stop for cars, so be it. Liam and Charlie were travelling by car and I was forced to travel by foot. I had the disadvantage.
The only good thing about me running home was that I don’t live too far from the restaurant. The adrenaline felt and my speed soon died down as I approached the house. Liam’s car was still nowhere in sight.
I pushed my legs to jog inside in hopes of finding Charlie inside. Trembling breath was forced from my mouth in pants as I ran through the house looking for Charlie. The house was dark and quiet. Everything was in place. I must’ve been too late.
(Charlie’s POV)
( ~ a bit earlier ~ )
I exited the little girl’s room, feeling confident and ready for an amazing night with Harry and his best mates, besides myself of course, but before I could make it to the table he jumped up and ran elsewhere.
“Liam, look after her,” was all he said before he disappeared.
I sat down at the table, squeezed in between Louis and Zayn, while exchanging awkward glances with each of them.
“In case you're wondering,” Louis attempted to whisper. Niall shot Louis a dirty look but that didn't stop him from continuing his drunken rant. Louis bent over, his head leaning on my shoulder as he spoke his intoxicating words. “Harry is with Nikki, his girlfriend.”
Louis’ blunt words were a lot harder to take in than anyone could possibly imagine. I broke eye contact with everyone and got up to see for myself. Harry was standing with her. He was reconnected with his girlfriend and thought he could hide it from me. He thought I didn't know. I knew about her, I just forgot. It’s not like when Harry reappeared in my life, his girlfriend was fresh in my mind because she was the last thing on my mind. Besides, I wasn't even too fond of Harry at that time so why would I care about his girlfriend? And when Harry and I were on good terms, his girlfriend seemed to be completely irrelevant.
I returned to the table an uncomfortable silence was befallen over the table.
“Liam, can you take me home?”
He nodded sympathetically, compassion bright in his eyes. I followed him out to his car. I needed to get as far away from here as possible.
Liam. So nice and caring attempted to make light conversation about small topics however I just left those attempts to create conversation to hang dry in the air.
“I'm sorry this happened. I don't know what he was thinking...Harry's really a great guy.”
I knew Harry was a great guy. That's when I realized that maybe the guys didn't know how close Harry and I truly were. I think they assumed that I was just some random hook up, although I didn't bother to tell him otherwise.
Liam had pulled up in front of Harry's home.
“Would you be willing to really take me home tomorrow?”
He nodded, “I'm sorry, again. You seem like a really nice girl.” I opened the car door and helped myself to the sturdy concrete. “Charlie?” He paused and waited for my reaction. I stopped and turned to face him. He gave me his number and told me that if I ever needed anything that I could ring him, no matter the issue or the time of day. I found some comfort in his words but the feeling left, when Liam did.
Once inside, I confiscated a blanket from Harry's bed and completely covered myself up with it on the couch until I heard deep panting as someone ran through his house like a mad man.
“Harry?”
I peeked my head out of the warm blanket that I’ve just stripped from Harry’s bed, I lifted my head from my comfy position to see if it were really him.
“Charlie?”
He turned the light on and the look on his face was almost comical. He looked deeply worried and frantic that something happened to me. I found it ironic that he looked deeply worried about me when he couldn’t have cared that much since he didn’t bother telling me that he still obviously had feelings for his girlfriend.
“I was afraid you had left me.”
I found it extremely difficult to meet his gaze. My heart was still shattered into a million pieces based on what I saw and what Louis told me not too long ago.
“Why would I leave you?”
My question threw him. I think he was expecting my reaction to be different. I’ve even surprised myself. I thought I would at least shed billions of tears by now but I realized I’ve only done this to myself. It’s my fault, really. I should really be more guarded, when it comes to Harry.
“Charlie.”
I ground my teeth at the sound of my name. Feeling his presence, hearing his saddened voice pained me deeply. He had absolutely no right to be sad, I was the one who was hurting and what hurt most, was seeing another girl’s face light up when she saw him. She mirrored the exact way I felt when I saw him which could only mean one thing to me, she loved him. And if she felt that way about him, I only wondered what Harry thought of her.
“Goodnight, Harry.”
I lied back down, hiding my face under my blanket, trying to push thoughts of Nikki and Harry far from my mind. In an attempt to do that, I would need to be left alone however he remained, despite my not-so subtle hint that I wanted to sleep.
“Come lay with me.”
With his confident words, frustrated tears were on the verge of departure from my dreary eyes. I just shook my head, turning away for a bit. Then, when I was ready, I forced myself to sit up and look at him. Crossing my legs, I looked him in his deep green eyes. They looked back at me apologetically and it literally made me weak. Looking into his mossy eyes, all the moments we shared came flooding back to my memory that no longer held the same meaning. They’re all lies; lies that I continue to fall for.
It took a lot of courage to finally speak up for myself.
“If I…” I got choked up before I could finish. It was way harder than I imagined. Moisture blinded my vision and soon came flooding down my heated cheeks and my gaze fell on the gap between Harry and I. His finger latched onto my chin, tilting my head up to face him.
“Say it.”
He supportively placed a hand on my knee. The contact gave me enough strength to speak what was on my mind.
“If I were your girlfriend, I wouldn’t want another girl in your bed.” I spoke bitterly. “So, no Harry. I won’t come lay with you.”
My eyes fell upon my fidgeting fingers and I began to anxiously play with them.
“Liam agreed to take me home tomorrow.”
Harry’s eyes grew more intense at my words. His eyes squeezed shut as his hands covered his face. Instantly, I despised my reaction, not my words but my choice of words.My eyes were incapable of parting from him. Harry looked completely lost, shaking his head in aggravation like he understood what I was saying and then not quite.
Together, we were sat in a dry silence for minutes that felt like long exhausting hours until he finally spoke again.
“Don’t leave me.”
A hint of despair shone through his wet green eyes. My head fell into my fidgety fingers and then I felt his touch again. “Tell me you'll stay.” My hand was clasped before he pressed a kiss to it. He looked sincere, open and honest. Staying here and watching another girl have the privilege of being able to call herself Harry’s girlfriend, hug him and kiss him in public without stirring controversy would be torturing myself.
“I can’t. It’s too hard.”
His deep sigh sounded like he was hurt by my utter refusal to give him what he wanted. His eyes focused on an empty spot on the wall and they remained transfixed there for a while at the same time that one of his hands muffled through his curly hair.
“Whatever you want me to do, Charlie, I’d do it.”
His words left me breathless. He would do anything for me. I knew that statement to be true. He's proven it many times.
“If its Nikki, I’d give her up for you…I’d do anything for you.” His voice cracked and a single tear fell from his eyes.
“Shh.” I hushed, wiping the drop from his cheek. I can't remember a moment in all the time that I’ve known Harry that I’d seen him so impassioned towards me. He would never let me see him vulnerable and desperate to keep me with him.
I ran my fingers through his tuft curls. His eyes never left me, closely watching my every move. My hands found the back of his neck as I delicately planted a feathery kiss to his cheek.
I still hadn't decided on if I would stay or leave, but I knew one thing for certain and that was that there was still more ground to cover in this conversation, but we’d have to discuss it in the morning because I was too tired to continue.
@LittleGreenEyes thanks for reading. I'll be working on one as soon as I get some free time
5/20/15