*LIZZIE’S POV*

Harry and I rode home in his car in silence... At the studio when we were with everyone else he asked me other questions about my interview, but aside from that, nothing. Occasionally I would catch him out of the corner of my eye looking over at me, staring for a few seconds, then returning his eyes to the road. Still though, no words.

~~~~~~

The dinner was a huge success considering it was thrown together in less than a couple of hours. All eight of us were there, and Harry ordered Chinese for everyone (my favorite) which was followed nicely by the popping of a champagne bottle and the cutting of a huge cake.

“So, did they say when you’re going to head out?” Danielle asked, coming to sit next to me on the massive black leather sofa.

“Nope. I haven’t even given them a definite answer yet... my deadline is within the next 48 hours though.” I answered before taking a huge sip of my drink, which Louis had made very strong.

“Is it even still a question though? You’re definitely going right?”

“I thought so..” I said as I looked over to where Harry sat, withholding the rest of my answer.

~~~~~~

Once the eating subsided and the major drinking began, the once civil dinner party quickly turned into a massive game of Flip, Strip, or Sip- by Harry’s request and reminder of our first date together. I was doing significantly better than everyone else as I sat still clad in my underwear and loose shirt. Odd’s seemed to be in my favor tonight for some reason, but they were definitely not in the boys’ favor. Zayn, Liam and Louis were already shirtless, and Harry and Niall were down to their underwear.

As Danielle called it wrong, the coin reversed around the circle and came back to me.

“Tails!” I said, tossing the coin up as Dani tossed back her shot. The coin came to a clattering stop on the coffee table before it unfortunately landed on heads.

“Nope! The shirt comes off Lizzie!” Eleanor drunkenly exclaimed as I reached for a shot glass.

“Yep. Yoooouuuuu took a shot last time. Shirtoff!” Harry slurred as he reached for the hem of my shirt. Swatting his hand away, I peeled it over my head, revealing the black lace bra that matched my underwear… the same bra and underwear that Dani and El had given me in the hospital seemingly forever ago.

“Lucky Harry,” Zayn said partially under his breath, but definitely loud enough for the room to hear- resulting in a round of laughter and whistles.

“Okay Ichangedmymind. Shirt back on!” Harry said with a smirk as he pulled me closer to him on the sofa and attempted to cover my body with his arms.

“Calm down, you. It’s your turn.” I laughed, reaching and handing him the coin which he got wrong again- resulting in yet another massive gulp from the tequila bottle before collapsing back on the couch again.

The game went on for maybe another twenty minutes tops before Zayn was the first to just pass out, with Niall falling asleep soon after him- the two of them were practically spooning on a majority of the couch.

“Lizzzzzzzzzzziiieeeee,” Harry moaned from where he was now laying- practically on the floor yet still somehow on the couch.

“What Harry?” I asked as I helped Eleanor get Louis’ shirt from behind the tv, seemingly and miraculously the most sober person there aside from Liam.

“Nevermind,” he said quietly, covering his face with his arm.

“Alllll right, time to get up,” I said, reaching down and pulling at his wrists in an attempt to get him to sit up. “I’m going to get him to bed. Y’all know you’re all more than welcome to just crash here somewhere.” I said to a struggling Eleanor and the rest of them. Harry reluctantly rolled himself up from the ground before I helped him stagger down the hall to our bedroom before I threw back the covers, allowing him to crawl in first.

“Lizzie.. where are you going?” Harry asked as I turned to walk to the bathroom.

“I’m just going to take a shower. That’s all.”

“No.” He said firmly.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“Can youjust stay? For… once? Iloveyou.” He mumbled, somewhat incoherently.

“Harry what are you talking about?” I sat down next to him on the bed, picking up on the fact that he wasn’t just referring to my shower anymore.

“You’re just..just.. leaving me. And we’rejustgetting good at.. everything.” He whispered in a thick voice. “I don’t want you to go to Australia.” Harry said, slowly enunciating each word before taking a jagged breath and continuing as I sat there captive, “we have this together. We’re making this our own. It’s OUR home. It won’t be OUR without YOU; it’ll just be ME again. Andthat’snotOUR.” He drunkenly reasoned. “I can’t do this without you. I’m still working with management on howtotakeyou on.. on tour and everything.”

“Harry, I-” I tried to cut in, but he continued regardless.

“I don’t want you to go. I want you here. I NEED youhere. With meeeeee.” At this point it was pretty obvious that there were tears; he was no longer trying to hide it. “But youOBviously don’t need me.” He whispered.

“I do need you Harry,” I whispered, now that he was letting me talk.

“Thenjust shower in the morning.” He said, pulling me down onto the bed next to him as he wrapped his body around mine. “Unless you’re leaving beforethen.” Before I could think of a way to respond, his soft snores told me he was already asleep. I, on the other hand, stayed up for hours… completely conflicted about what to do.

Notes

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