No Regrets

*LIZZIE’S POV*

By the time I finally got through my apartment door, I was ready to just collapse on my bed and sleep. Nicole and Emma, however, had other plans for me as I walked in on them sitting on my couch with a half-drank bottle of white wine.

“LOOK WHO’S FINALLY HOME!” Nicole slurred as she stood and raised her arms.

“Look who’s tipsy at 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon!” I laughed as they hugged me.

“Well we have reason to celebrate!” Emma said excitedly as she handed me an opened envelope. I scanned the envelope front before I realized what it was.

“IS THIS MY LETTER FROM THE SUMMER ABROAD PROGRAM?” I practically screamed at them.

“YES! YOU GOT IN!” Nicole screamed back, pulling a piece of paper from the already opened envelope and waving it in the air.

“Well thanks for opening my mail!” I joked, even though I was a little let down that I didn’t get to be the first one to read the letter.

“Aw,” Emma sighed, “we were just really excited when we came over here to gather your mail and stuff and we saw you had a letter from them..”

“Oh you know it’s fine!” I told her, “besides that’s not the point. The point is IM SPENDING MY SUMMER IN LONDON BITCHES!” I screamed as we started doing the classic hug and jump.

“Harry’s going to piss himself when he finds out, Liz.” Nicole said as she plopped back down on the couch again.

“I know! I can’t wait to tell him! But I want to tell him in like a special way, ya know? Because this is a big deal... I’m one step closer to getting a scholarship to an international school if this study abroad program goes well!” As I said that my heart literally started beating faster. It was all so exciting.

“This is reason to celebrate! Screw the wine, I’m sober enough to drive so wait here and I’ll go get a bottle of champagne and some cupcakes, so we can celebrate the proper way.” Emma said as she jingled her car keys and walked out my front door.


~~~~~~~~

The next day, I had a free period at school, so I took the time to answer a much needed facetime call from Danielle as I sat at a table outside.

“Hey you two!” I said as we finally connected and I saw that she was sitting with Eleanor.

“Liz!” Danielle squealed. “How are you?”

“Good!” I said, “but I miss all of y’all so much already. It’s been one day. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with the abandonment when the tour actually starts!” They laughed at my puppy dog face.

“We all miss you too!” Eleanor said. “And I may have imagined this, but Harry definitely looked like he had been crying when he got back here after he dropped you off at the airport.”

“Oh, he definitely was.” Danielle agreed. “What a sweet little baby!” She said as we all laughed.

“Aw, I feel bad now!” I said.

“Don’t feel bad! It’s not your fault!” Danielle said, “and if it makes you feel better, he never cried when he would have to leave Taylor when they were together!”

“But that’s all over now! Thanks to you, the Haylor Homewrecker!” Eleanor cracked the joke again- still laughing as hard as she did the first time.

“Oh my god. Y’all are such idiots…” I said as I finished laughing. “OH WAIT! I HAVE TO TELL YOU IDIOTS SOME IMPORTANT NEWS!” I cried out- remembering my London letter.

“WHAT?” They screamed back at me together, causing me to turn the volume down on my phone.

“I got accepted into this really awesome study-abroad program, so I’ll be spending July and August in London!” I announced excitedly. They screamed again.

“That’s such perfect timing! The boys finish touring at the end of June, so we can all go back to London together!” Eleanor said.

“Have you told Harry yet?” Danielle asked.

“No, not yet.. I’m still trying to think of how and when to tell him, because I want to tell him some special way.” I said, hoping they would help me think of something.

“Well, at least wait and tell him tonight so you can think of something before then.” Danielle advised me.

“Well yeah I don’t think I’ll have a choice. I haven’t heard from him all day! What’s he been up to?” I asked them, hoping they could tell me something since they’re still with him.

“Uhm…” Eleanor began.

“He’s been sleeping! He’s so worn out, poor thing.” Danielle quickly added. I was about to question them further, because I didn’t quite believe their story, but unfortunately the five minute bell rang so I had to quickly end the conversation and get to my afternoon classes.

“And remember- keep your mouth shut to ALL of the boys about the London thing! Don’t even tell your boyfriends!” I advised them before I finally hung up and ran to my English class.


~~~~~~~~

When the final bell rang, I was so ready to go home. The first day back at school after a long break is always the worst. Thankfully, Nicole and Emma both agreed to come back to my place with me after school so we could procrastinate doing our homework together as we watched old movies. I looked to find them in the halls after class so that we could ride the streetcar back to my apartment together. It was then that a sophomore named Elise came running up to me in the hallway.

“Lizzie!” She cried as she grabbed my arm and started to pull me.

“What are you doing??” I asked as I began to run with her.

“Can’t. talk. Out. of. breath.” She gasped. “Just come with me!” Forgetting Emma and Nicole, I followed her as we ran outside. When we got outside, there was a mob of screaming girls from my school at the front gate. I jumped up and down as Elise let go of my arm so I could try and see what this was all about. Getting frustrated, I simply decided I was going to push my way to the front of the mob. I politely shoved my way to the clearing in the middle of the small crowd when I finally understood what these girls were saying.

“Harry!” I cried out, as I recognized the beanie-wearing, smiling, green-eyed boy standing in front of me. He moved from the picture that he was taking when he heard me call him. As he turned and faced me he picked me up in his arms in a massive hug.

“I thought you were flying to Washington tomorrow! What are you doing here!?” I asked him, still wrapped up in his arms.

“What?” He asked, unable to hear my question over some of the screaming girls who were just realizing what was going on.

“Follow me!” I motioned as I grabbed his hand in mine and pulled him through the parting crowd back into my school. When we finally got to the first empty classroom, I gratefully locked the door behind us. I turned back to Harry and jumped into his arms again. This time, he kissed me on my lips since we were in private.

“I missed you, love.” He said as he backed up a centimeter from my lips, with his forehead still touching mine. His green eyes were so close to me, I could see every detail. I stared into them for a moment before I spoke.

“I missed you too, Harry! But that didn’t mean that you had to fly all the way back here!” I said laughing.

“What can I say? I REALLY missed you.” He emphasized before he kissed me again. “So, I flew here so I could spend one last night with you before I fly out to Washington tomorrow. The rest of the group’s going to fly in here, and we’re all going to take the connecting flight up there together.”

“Aw, Harry, that’s like the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me!” I said as I felt my cheeks blush. “Now, let’s get out of here. You didn’t fly all this way just to spend the day in an old classroom.”

“Lead the way!” He said as he gestured to the door.

“Wait, just gotta do one thing before we leave.” I said as I pulled my phone out of my bag. I typed a quick text to Emma and Nicole.

To: Emma and Nicole
Movie night’s been canceled! Sorry! I'll explain later

After I saw that it had sent, I entwined Harry’s fingers in mine again as we prepared ourselves for the girls we were about to face. They didn't upset me though, nothing could at this point. Harry flew all this way just to spend one last night with me.

Notes