No Regrets

*HARRY’S POV*

“C’mon Harry, you need to get up today.” Liam said firmly as the guys entered my room. Groaning, I rolled over in bed to face them.

“I really just don’t feel like it..” I said, hoping they would give up early and leave me alone.

“Well we’re going to Starbucks. And you’re coming with us. So get up and get dressed- we’re leaving in 15 minutes whether you like it or not.” Louis looked at me, obviously fed up as he pulled the covers off of my bed before they walked out of the room.

~~~~~~

As we walked into the coffee shop, there were no paparazzi outside, so we decided to stay for a bit after we got our coffee. Trying to be more inconspicuous, the rest of us sat down at a table in the far back while Niall- wearing a beanie and sunglasses indoors- went up to order for all of us.

I pulled out my phone, just to check to see if I got a message or call or something from Liz. She should have gotten the package already- it was dropped off last night…

“Anything yet?” Zayn asked, noticing me checking my phone.

“No,” I said with a sigh, “Have any of you gotten a message? Maybe she just doesn’t want to talk to me?”

“She’ll come around, Harry, just relax a bit.” Louis said, before we dropped the topic as Niall made his way to the table.

*LIZZIE’S POV*

“Okay, can I get you anything else?” The woman behind the counter asked me, but I was too distracted to answer. I could’ve sworn that I heard Louis… As I turned, my heart just about stopped when I saw them. My suspicions were confirmed. “Ma’am?” The woman asked again.

“Oh, no, sorry. That’s it.” I said with a smile as I handed her my credit card before I took the hot tea off the counter. Everything in me told me to just run out now, but I knew that I had to go up and say hi. Taking one last deep breath, I tugged at the ends of my short dress before I walked over.

They were too distracted to notice me. As I looked around the table, I counted all five- Louis with his back towards me. My eyes immediately found Harry- I was shocked by how sad his eyes looked as he stared down at his phone that appeared to be off.

“Well, look who I’ve found,” I said as I plastered my face with a fake smile when I approached them, placing my hands on Louis’ shoulders from behind.

*HARRY’S POV*

I looked up, and I couldn’t believe what I saw. It was Lizzie.

She looked different. She had cut and highlighted what used to be her long, dark-brown wavy hair. Her red dress hugged her body, revealing more skin than she used to. As she reached her arms around Louis, who was the first to jump up and hug her, I noticed a new tattoo on the upper inside of her left arm.

“Harry…?” She asked softly, turning to me. I hadn’t realized how long I had been staring at her. Everyone else had gotten up to say hi and was now looking at me.

“Uhm, hi Liz..” I said as I got up and stepped around the table to hug her. Unfortunately, the hug only lasted for what seemed like a split-second, before she pulled out of my arms. The lads had gone silent, watching us interact.

“So, are you going to come!?” Louis asked excitedly, obviously referring to the concert. It took her a moment to register what he was referring to.

“Oh, um, yeah!” She said, blushing, “I was actually going to call y’all when I got back to my flat. I didn’t plan on staying here…”

“Well did you walk?” Zayn asked, confusing almost all of us.

“Yes..?” she answered, unsure.

“How about we give you a ride back? So that way you can show us your new place!” Zayn said, her fake, cheery smile faltered for a second as she realized she couldn’t just run away from us.

“Oh.. sure..” she said, sounding somewhat defeated as we followed her out the door.

She didn’t say one thing to me in the car. Louis and Liam and Zayn kept her talking as they asked her about London life, and her new school program, and just about everything under the sun that had occurred in her life during the past month.

“Happy belated birthday,” I said suddenly, before I could stop myself. She turned and smiled at me before uttering a quick thanks.

“IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY, AND YOU DIDN’T TELL US!?” Louis cried out. “WE HAVE TO THROW YOU A PARTY!”

“It can be like a ‘Welcome to London/Happy Birthday’ party!” Liam said, obviously ignoring the stares I was giving them, “after our last concert! We’ll throw the party at my flat!”

“All right, it’s sorted.” Louis said, happy with the idea as we pulled up in front of her building. We all piled out and walked up in silence. As she unlocked the door, she let us look around as she quickly walked off to what I assumed was the bedroom.

“We’re going to need to talk at some point,” I said as she jumped up in surprise, not noticing that I had followed her in there.

“I know, Harry.” Liz said softly, “just not now.” She returned to picking up what I now noticed was her underwear off the floor.

“You know, you hurt me, too!” I blurted out, before I could stop myself, just like in the car. “You hurt me with Niall. You kissed him again. This isn’t all just about me.” I noticed her eyes fill with tears again before she turned away from me, speechless. Not wanting to upset her or myself further, I walked out to the living room to join everyone else.

~~~~~~

*LIZZIE’S POV*

After the guys finally left, I really just sat down and thought- for days. I called in sick for my summer study abroad program, and barely left my apartment. I hadn’t thought of what Harry said, and I felt like shit for it.

Days later and still completely unsure of really just everything at this point, I forced myself to get ready for the concert. I wore a black dress that I knew Harry would love, and I styled my hair and did my makeup to perfection. Before I knew it, it was time to go, so I grabbed my blue, platform heels and headed out.

*HARRY’S POV*

I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t let down when Lizzie didn’t come backstage before the concert. However, Danielle and Eleanor both texted me saying that she was actually here and in her seats, and that made things a tad better. I had come up with a new plan, and it involved getting all of the guys involved.

I just hoped it would work.

~~~~~~

*LIZZIE’S POV*

The concert was going fantastically- like always. Harry would look down at me constantly, but everytime he caught me looking at him, I would shift my gaze to another of the boys.

While they were off stage before they came back on for the encore, I desperately tried to think of ways to get out of the party they were throwing for me, but I couldn’t think of anything. Giving up, I just decided I would simply have to get drunk. That’d be the only way I could face Harry.

“Since this has been such an amazing tour and you guys are such an amazing crowd,” Louis shouted into the mic as he walked back on, causing screams to erupt throughout the arena, “we’re doing our final encore for you guys!”

“But this one’s a little different,” Harry said, his gaze finding mine. “This encore is the first encore that we decided to dedicate to someone in the crowd.” I felt heads turn to me as fans followed where he was looking. “This is for someone very special to all of us; you know who you are.” He finished, before the music picked up, and they launched into their first song.

First, they began Gotta Be You… I braced myself for Harry’s part. He sang directly to me, sitting on the edge of the stage right in front of me. I wanted to look away, but I simply couldn’t. His eyes were entrancing.

“Can we fall one more time?
Stop the tape and rewind
Oh, and if you walk away
I know I’ll fade
‘Cause there is nobody else…” As he trailed off before his chorus, his eyes filled with tears. By the end of the song he quickly composed himself though, because they had two more songs to go.

The next was Nobody Compares. This one actually hurt even more than the first. All of the boys sang it to me, and Harry’s part was scarily accurate to our situation… I felt the tears in my eyes as Danielle and Eleanor wrapped their hands in mine, but I couldn’t be here anymore. It was too much. I let go of their hands as I walked away- looking for the walkway that would get me out of there.

I had wandered into the backstage hallways- not exactly meaning too, but I got lost and couldn’t figure out how to get out.

“Lizzie..?” I heard the familiar voice behind me as I rounded a corner. As I turned, I didn’t have a second to think, because Harry ran to me- closing the few feet between us- and crashed his lips onto mine. I felt euphoria erupt throughout my body as our lips moved in sync. His tongue found its way into my mouth as I wrapped my fingers in his sweaty curls, and he pulled my waist into his.

“Harry-” I began to say when I pulled a centimeter away, slightly breathless.

“I’m sorry.” We said at the same time. Slightly laughing, I looked up into his eyes- they were practically glowing.

“I love you, Liz.” He whispered, as he rested his forehead against mine, still looking into my eyes.

Notes