Approximately 15 hours before the boys leave for tour.


I squeezed Harry’s hand tightly somewhat struggling to control my spaghetti legs after we just hooked up in Zayn’s bathroom. Classy, I know. As we made our way back downstairs to be reacquainted with the rest of the party, he noticed just how hard it was for me to walk on my own so he pulled me into his side allowing me to lean into him for support.


There, where we were sat before, was someone sitting in Harry’s seat. The female turned her head as we approached the group, her smile quickly fading as she took in our identities. I guess I could say the same when I realized the female was Nikki.



Was I wrong for wanting her to leave? I didn’t understand why she would attend the party anyway. It’s bad enough that I feel guilty for being with Harry I don’t need her popping up everywhere we are…reminding me of his mistake.


“Nina, let’s go get some more drinks, yeah?” Nikki offered. Nina was too far gone to even realize that she was piss drunk and needed no more. But, it was her boyfriend’s home so who would dare to tell her to stop drinking, because one thing you don’t do is stand between a drunk and their alcohol. I know that first hand.



“You could tag along too, Charlie, if you want.”
.



(Nikki’s POV)

I loathe Charlie but to a much greater extent. The hatred that burns deep in the pit of my chest is way beyond my own comprehension. If it weren’t for her, Harry and I would still be the hottest couple we once were. We’d still be perfect.



What I wanted was simple. All that I desired was for her to feel as broken and utterly destroyed as I was and still am. She deserves nothing more than to see things from my standpoint and feel what I feel. Sure, she says she feels bad, but that isn’t enough. I don’t want her to feel guilty. I don’t want her to pity me. I just want to get even.



See, I already know all about her. She puts up an act that she’s so tough, but no. She may seem like the “I-don’t-give-a-fuck-what-you-say” type of girl, but really all she really is, is a delicate little flower. I’m going to enjoy making her miserable because after all, she did take the one thing in my life worth holding onto.



And I won’t stop until Harry and Charlie are no more.



(Charlie’s POV)

It was probably stupid as shit for me to follow Nikki and Nina to the kitchen, but really I just wanted to get rid of the tension between us.



As soon as we got into the kitchen Nikki began drinking heavily, straightaway. It didn’t bother her that people were staring at her and that some of her friends like Liam, and Zayn were watching her with disgust in their eyes.



“Like I told you before, I’m sorry that—”



“Do you drink, Charlie?” she said, obviously not wanting to hear anything I had to say.



“Uh, yeah, I guess.” Then, I shook my head trying to continue what I was saying. Instead, she poured three shots and dangled the small drink in my face. I knew Harry only asked that I stay sober however, I didn’t see any harm in one shot, until one shot turned into three.



I squinted as the liquid burned down my throat.



“I’m still in love with Harry.”



My eyes widened and my heart began to pick up the pace. I looked her in the eye nervously.



I’m sure she was still in love with Harry. It hasn’t even been a full day since she and Harry had broken up, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting her to be so blunt about it…and random.



“If you think that you’re ‘the one’ for him, I only hope to God that you’re right because I thought I was right for him and look where I am,” she said dangling her shot’s glass and a bottle of tequila in the open air. “Fuck that,” she spat, “I am right for him. He knows it too.” She tossed her head taking the shot.



My brain couldn’t register or fathom any justifiable reason why Nikki would say that to me except for the fact that she’s a narcissistic bitch. I don’t think there is another person in the world that can get under my skin the way Nikki does. And she couldn’t have been drunk yet. I made sure to mentally note how many drinks she’s obtained and it wasn’t many. So, she either can’t hold her alcohol or she was just toying with me. Either way, she was pesky.



I poured myself another shot, my eyebrows perking up in response to her witty on-coming remarks.



“Well, then, if you’re so ‘right’ for him, why aren’t you with him?” I asked in response. Her fingertips traced around the rim of the glass as she half smirked at my words.




“If you’re referring to the fact that you’re now with Harry, I know all about that. My best friend, Louis, told me,” she proclaimed as if I were trying to hide it. I could care less if she knew or not. “And let’s just see how long that lasts.” Her arms were folded across her chest and she wore her smile proudly. I sighed and she continued on in response to my sharp intake of air, “This isn’t the end of Harry and me. It’s just a hiatus…”



Harry’s footsteps could be tracked just a few feet away. He could tell by the pained look on my face I was through partying here for tonight especially with Nikki there. He walked over to me, a somber look played on his face as he asked me if I was ready to leave.



“Goodnight, everyone,” Harry announced. Nikki’s presence must have bothered him just as much as it bothered me because I noticed his hands clam up at the sight of her.



“But, I just got here,” Nikki whined, pursing her red lips and seductively placing the tequila glass between them. Harry ignored her, his hand desperately grasping mine and pulling me out to the untamed party. As we snaked our way through the crowd of people, it made me want to cry that much more. Here we are, at a party to celebrate the leaving of the band, and I see all of their close friends having a great time. They were enjoying the last of the time they would spend with the boys for three long months…and then, there was me. I should’ve been having a great time with Harry before he leaves but now I’m pounded with insecurities that I never even considered to exist.



“Can we, please, go now?”



There was suddenly a confusing circle of emotions dancing around my heart. Hatred… Guilt…Confusion…those were just some of the many emotions hitting me all at once. I was angry at Nikki and a bit angry at Harry for being, at some point, attracted to her. Though my feelings towards her were still sour, I couldn’t help but blame myself for her bitter attitude.



Biting down on my lip, I blinked a few times to rid the tears away before looking up at Harry.



Harry ushered me out of Zayn’s house urgently and to his vehicle. We sat there in a calm, comfortable silence. I was left to my own thoughts and that’s exactly where I wanted to be. I wanted to try to understand why Nikki was so hateful. Then, I understood. The idea of loving Harry with every bit of my being and him, randomly deciding that he was in love with someone else was gut-wrenching and haunted my thoughts. It’s no wonder that she hates me as much as she does.



“Whatever Nikki said to you back there isn’t true” Harry finally spoke.



My eyes narrowed into angry slits as I processed his words. He hadn’t the slightest idea of what she said to me. How could he possibly know if what she said were true or not, unless he had supernatural ability to read minds? I turned my attention to him and automatically I felt bad for being upset at him because he looked so heavenly and innocent like a lost little puppy.



“Harry.”



I was too mentally drained to even discuss what I was feeling. It wasn’t like I could even begin to put it to words anyway. Everyone knows that I’m not great with expressing my feelings and all that dogmatic bull shit.



“Charlie, you have to talk to me.”



“Do I?” I challenged.



His only reaction was a smile as if I was slightly amusing him. It was the same menacing smile that Nikki gave me when she realized how great an effect she could have on me. I hated it.



“Do you wanna know what she said to me?” Harry nodded and suddenly I felt all my emotions rushing to my head at once. Harry’s cheeky grin fell instantly as he realized just how serious and upset I was, “She doesn’t think that what we have is real because according to her, what the two of you had was even more special.”



We spent a few moments in utter silence until he found the right words to say.



Harry frowned, looking annoyed as he ran his finger through his hair. He’s the one who wanted me to talk so, bam, I’m talking! He took several moments to gather his thoughts and whatever he was feeling together and put them into words.



“C’mon! We’ve know each other our whole lives! Do you honestly think that Nikki—” He paused dramatically. I remained silent.



“I know I haven’t given you much reason to trust me, but I need you to,” he said. I resisted him by not taking heed to what he was saying, but the urge was fought when his gentle touch forced me to look and listen. “I love you Charlie,” he whispered.



His words leaving me breathless, I nodded, looking him into his intense eyes. I saw truth hidden in them. My uneasy focus wouldn’t dare to lose sight on the most amazing person in my life. As he continued to lecture me about what kind of person Nikki really was and why I shouldn’t worry myself over her.



“It’s gotta be you. Only youuu,” he sang with a huge grin, the indents in his cheeks deepening when he noticed just how hard I was laughing. He’s so cute…and silly.


I leant over the gear shift, the only thing keeping us apart, and I brushed my lips lightly against his. His hands met on either side of my face as my eyes fluttered shut.



“I love you Harry.”



I rested back in my seat as Harry started the car. As I twisted to get a good grip on the seat belt I noticed Nikki standing in front of Zayn’s house peering through the glass at Harry and I, a look of dismay prominent on her face.



I smiled to myself, not because I was the source of her pain but for once, I was delighted that I was the source of Harry’s happiness. I’ve wanted to be with him for the longest and finally he was mine…and I was his. We belonged to each other and there wasn’t anything that Nikki, or anyone else could do about it.



Does that make me a bad person? Am I completely wrong for loving Harry?



I can’t imagine my life without him in it. In fact, I don’t want to imagine life without him. I can’t even envision a day without thinking of ways I could make him smile or laugh or just genuinely happy. So if I am wrong, I would have to maintain being wrong. I don’t really care.

Notes

Hello, there! So, I've decided not to rush Harry off to tour. I want to devote the next couple of chapters to them spending the rest of their time together before he leaves. Sound good? Like, it will be just Harry and Charlie so they can learn new things about each other they never knew..... ;) x.