Bored and Broken
Twenty Six
Thursday, December 31
"Where do you want to put all these boxes?"
I look up at Harry and my eyes scan the room as he brings another one down the stairs. I didn't think I would end up with so much stuff, especially only after two days of doing this.
"I have no idea. We can just leave them around here for now. I think I'l have to rent out some kind of storage unit or something. Are there any more upstairs?"
He sets the box down and shakes his head as he walks towards me. "That was the last one."
I nod and look at the massive shelving unit in front of me. There are two places that I really want to avoid when it comes to this house. The first is my mother's bedroom and the second is this place right here. This shelf is filled with photos and my mother's favourite books and old records. It's a wall of memories and it makes my heart hurt to look at it. Harry wraps his arms around me from behind and I lean back into his body.
"You sure you want to do this today?" he asks, proceeding to press his lips against my neck. "We can come back another time." He continues leaving soft kisses against the side of my neck and my eyes flutter closed involuntarily as I roll my head to the side slightly.
"It has to get done," I respond quietly.
"Not today if you don't want it to."
"It's just weird..." He stops kissing me and rests his chin on top of my head. "I'm in a lot of these pictures and it all means something to me but...I don't know, if just feels like I'm going through someone else's life."
"A lot has changed," he says, tightening his grip. I put my hands over his and a tear rolls down my cheek.
"Too much," I agree quietly. He walks around me and puts his hand against my cheek. I lean into it and close my eyes as another tear falls.
"Do you want to go home?" he asks after a while, running his hand gently along my arm. "We got a lot done today." He kisses the top of my head and I can't help but wonder what my mother would have thought about the two of us.
"Can we go somewhere first?" I ask, tilting my head up to his. He presses his lips gently against mine and I can't help but smile.
"Sure. Where to?"
"This is seriously creepy," Harry says as we get out of the car. I took him to the cemetery where my mother is buried and it's starting to get dark. I've been here in the dark, but apparently Harry is a little scared. How adorable.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," I tease, giggling and taking his hand. I start leading down the familiar paths to where my mother is buried.
"This is the part where you murder me, isn't it?" he asks. I laugh as he continues it. "I think I saw a horror movie that looked just like this."
"Don't be such a baby."
"Hey, I think you and I both know that I'm far too young and pretty to die," he says, releasing my hand and wrapping his arm around my head instead, hugging it against his body. I laugh and poke his stomach playfully.
"Sure you are." We continue walking and I can see the familiar spot I've been coming to so much the last number of weeks. I haven't come since break started and I've been feeling a little guilty. I lead Harry through the headstones and stop in front of my mother's.
"Hi mom," I say quietly. "I brought someone with me this time."
"This time?" Harry asks, peering down at me skeptically. "You've come here before?"
"Of course, Harry. My mother is buried here." I look back at the headstone and smile a little, trying to keep the tears away. "It's nice to feel like I can still talk to her." Harry rubs my back in comfort and I can imagine that he thinks this situation is a little strange. Here we are...talking to my dead mom.
"So, looks like you were right mom," I continue. "Harry and I did become friends again."
"Friends? Really? Didn't seem like we were friends yesterday," he says in a playful tone. I look up at him and smack his stomach. "What?" he laughs.
"Not in front of my mother," I scold. He smiles and looks at the headstone. I watch his face carefully as his expression gets much more serious.
"Hi Claire," he begins. "We miss you. Don't worry, I'll take care of her for you."
My eyes start watering and I lean my head against Harry's body again, staring at the words on my mother's tombstone. It feels like years ago that she died but at the same time, it feels like yesterday. And yet I still can't believe she's gone.
"You okay?" Harry asks, still rubbing my back. I nod and wipe my tears away before looking up at him. His eyes are sad as well, but probably more for me than her. He looks really worried.
"I'm fine. Can you give me a minute? I'll meet you at the car." I do my best to smile but it probably appears pained at best. My eyes close as he kisses my forehead, lips lingering long enough to make me feel a little better.
"Take your time," he says sweetly. He gives me a comforting smile before walking away back to where the car is parked. I watch him go for a moment before turning back to the headstone, kneeling down closer to it.
"Hi mom," I whisper, more tears falling. I sniffle and will myself to keep it together. "So, me and Harry are sort of...I don't really know. Sort of together I guess. But you probably already know that," I laugh a little. "I wish you were here. I could really use some advice. I don't know what I'm doing." I pause for a moment, secretly and foolishly hoping to get some sort of response. Obviously I don't. "Happy new year, mum." I blow a kiss to the headstone and look at it for another minute before standing and walking back over to the car.
Harry is leaning against the side of it, waiting for me. When I'm a bit closer I start running. He takes a few steps forward to meet me, opening his arms as I get to him. I fling my arms around his neck, hiding my face against his shoulder and letting myself cry. He holds me tight and smooths my hair, something that has proven to be very comforting for me. His warm breath against my neck sends shivers down my spine and after a few minutes my crying slows down.
"I hate it when you cry," Harry says in a strained voice. I pull back so I can look up at his face, surprised and a little heartbroken to see a tear rolling down his cheek. His eyes are glossy and he doesn't meet my eyes.
"Harry, it's okay," I console him, putting my hands on either side of his face. His eyes close at my touch and I swipe my thumb across his cheek to catch the falling droplet. "Look at me," I whisper. He slowly opens his eyes and lifts them to mine.
"You don't deserve this," he says softly. "You shouldn't be this sad. You're too good for any of this."
"This is life," I reply, shrugging. Another tear escapes my eye and I struggle to keep my voice even. "We don't always get what we deserve. Don't feel sorry for me, okay? I'll survive, I always do."
"You shouldn't have to survive. You deserve to live. There's a difference."
"Surviving is all I can manage right now," I whisper. He pulls me into his arms again and kisses the side of my head. "Let's go home."
"Alright, you two have fun at your party. I'm heading out now and I'll be back on Saturday. Happy New Year!"
Anne hugs both of us and Harry shuts her trunk after placing her bags inside. She's going to her work bash for New Year's Eve, then she's heading straight to London for a short business trip. I fee like she doesn't even live with us anymore. After she's in her car Harry and I run back inside into the warmth of the house. We wave as she leaves and Harry quickly swings the door shut. I squeal as he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder.
"Harry, what are you doing!" I laugh as he travels down the hallway to his bedroom. He throws me down roughly on his bed and I crawl backwards towards the pillows. He yanks me back down on the bed by my ankle, crawling on top of me and keeping me in place.
"We have the house all to ourselves for two days. We probably shouldn't waste any of that time." He grins playfully and I just shake my head at him, trying not to laugh. "What?"
"I don't know what that means, but it frightens me a little bit," I tease, reaching up to hold his cross necklace in my fingers. He looks down at it for a second before looking back at me.
"Well pretty much everything you do turns me on now so..." I laugh and smack his arm, face turning red. He chuckles and leans down to kiss me slowly at first. We both quickly get pulled in deeper, Harry's body pressing harder against mine and my hands behind his neck to hold him closer. I open my mouth willingly and he wastes time using his tongue to explore my mouth. The doorbell rings suddenly and I gasp, separating our mouths slightly. Harry moves down to my neck instead, focusing on one spot that makes me squirm under him.
"Just ignore that," he says when the doorbell goes again. I close my eyes and whimper slightly when get gently nips and sucks on the skin on my neck. It kind of hurts...he kisses the spot of few times and lifts his head when the doorbell rings for a third time.
"I can give you hickeys now," he says, smirking down at me.
"What?" I put my hand to my neck and the spot he just was is still wet from him. "Harry!"
"I should get the door." He kisses me once more and quickly escapes before I can try to beat him up. I better not get a hickey. I run to my bedroom and look in the mirror, horrified to see tiny red marks from his teeth and a very light purple mark starting to form.
"I'm going to kill him," I mutter to myself, examining the mark. I frown when I hear Harry's angry voice coming from the front of the house. I walk through the hallway to see what's going on. Tyler is in the doorway and he looks just as tense as Harry.
"Just tell her I'm here!" he says in a frustrated tone.
"I'd rather not," Harry replies simply.
"Tyler?"
The boys both look at me quickly, Tyler looking relieved and Harry mildly annoyed. To say he's unhappy with my friends would be a bit of an understatement. I think he's more angry at them than I am. The weird thing is it's not because of what they said about him, but what they said about me.
"Adie, can we please talk? I've been calling you since yesterday. I know you're mad at me, but we're best friends."
I look at Harry as I get closer. He takes a small step back from the door, crossing his arms and letting me stand in front of Tyler. Apparently he's not leaving us alone.
"I got your calls. I don't really feel like talking."
"We need to talk, you can't just ignore me at the party tonight. We feel bad about yesterday."
"You should," Harry huffs from behind me. Tyler looks past me to him, glaring.
"This isn't any of your business, Harry."
"Actually it is, since I was the one holding her while she cried because of you," he spits. I feel his body move closer to mine and I start feeling really anxious about this exchange.
"Look, you and I both know you're entirely wrong for her. If she can't see it then as her best friends it's our job to look out for her. When you break her heart we'll be the ones that are there for her, not you."
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Tyler. You and Caroline are both judging me on what? Some rumours you heard around school? You don't know anything about me or my relationship with Adie."
"Relationship? You've been keeping it a secret and you've barely left this house, I would hardly call that a relationship."
"You need to leave before I put your head through a wall," Harry threatens.
"I'd like to see-"
"Enough!" I shout, turning to my side and putting one hand on Harry's chest, holding to other out to motion Tyler to stop as well. I can feel Harry breathing heavy, trying to calm himself. They continue glaring at each other. "This is ridiculous!"
"Come on, Adie, you cannot be serious! He is so wrong for you!"
"Tyler, I said enough. We aren't talking about this right now, alright? You should leave."
"Adie-"
"Please," I plead. "Just go." The last thing I want is the two of them fighting. I wouldn't be able to stop them and I don't want either of them getting hurt. This is just completely unnecessary.
"Call me. Please." I just stare at him and wait for him to turn and leave. When he does I let out a deep breath and drop my hand from Harry's chest, shutting the front door and leaning my forehead against it.
"Ads-"
"Was that necessary?" I ask softly. I turn around and lean back against the door, waiting for Harry to justify what just happened.
"I'm sorry. I just got angry." An apology? Pleasantly surprising; that's not what I expected him to say. I smile and walk towards him, wrapping my arms around his middle and leaning my cheek against his chest.
"It's okay. I don't want you to fight with them, Harry. It's not your problem, it's mine."
"It is my problem because I'm the reason you're fighting with them."
"No, they're the reason I'm fighting with them. They were mean and they judged both of us way to fast. It was unfair and that's why I'm upset. They'll come around when they realize that I'm happy."
"Are you?" I frown and look up at him, worry etched into his features. He puts his hands on my arms.
"What?"
"Is this worth it for you, Ads? I feel like I'm causing so many problems for you, complicating your life way more than I should be." His expression is pained and he looks like he's bracing himself for me to agree with him. Not going to happen.
"If it was easy it wouldn't be worth it. Didn't you say something like that to me?" I smile up at him and he relaxes a little. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
"Trust me, I won't be getting rid of you." He chuckles and tilts my chin up and to the side with his hand. "Look at that. That'll be purple by the time we go to the party tonight."
I step back and punch him lightly in the stomach. "I'm still mad at you for that."
"I think this is slowly becoming an abusive relationship," he says, rubbing the spot where I just hit him.
"Yes well, apparently I'm the only one with the bruises to prove it."
He laughs and takes my hand, leading me towards the kitchen. We already ate but Anne left a pie for us and Harry has been talking about it ever since we got home and she had it sitting on the counter. We talk about random things while we eat it straight from the pan, not bothering with plates.
"So I was thinking we should probably take a cab to Louis' house. We could sleep there, but then we wouldn't be able to sleep in the same bed so I definitely want to come home." He grins cheekily and I just giggle. "When do you want to go?"
"Actually...I was kind of thinking I might stay home."
"What? Why?"
I shrug and take another bite of the pie. "I'm just not in the mood to go to a party."
"It's New Years Eve, Ads," he says, putting his hand on my leg. "I don't want to go without you."
"Well too bad, 'cuz you are," I say playfully. I really don't want to be around a lot of people. I want to be with Harry tonight, but I'm not going to ask him to skip on more time with his friends for me. That wouldn't be fair. Plus, I know he's looking forward to it. "You'll have fun without me."
"That's doubtful. I'll just stay here with you."
"Harry, you're going to the party."
"Nope."
"I'm just going to watch movies and be boring, you won't have fun with me here."
"Doesn't matter," he says shrugging. Why is he so stubborn?
"If you don't go to the party I'm going to start locking my bedroom door at night," I threaten. His eyes go wide and a smirk creeps onto his face.
"Well played, Adison."
I groan and turn the TV up louder, trying to hear it over the sound of the music coming from the house across the street. Their party is absolutely insane and it's getting louder by the minute. Cars have been pulling up all night and it seems that the house never gets full. Tyler and Caroline have been texting me all night, asking why I'm not at Louis' house and begging me to answer one of them. I don't know what to say to them at this point, so I stand my ground and continue to ignore their messages. Harry has been texting me all night as well, but the difference is that I actually want to talk to him.
I actually miss him. Is that crazy? I just saw him a few hours ago and I miss him so much that it almost makes me want to cry. How is that even possible? I almost put my self-pity aside to go to the party and surprise him, but as soon as I started trying to pick out an outfit I burst into tears at the sight of my mother's Cambridge sweater. So, that was a no-go. So here I am, sitting in my pajamas and Harry's shirt from yesterday, occasionally bringing the collar to my nose so I can inhale his scent, eating an entire tub of ice cream and watching the saddest movie I could find. Happy New Year to me.
I smile when Harry's name flashes across my screen.
"Hello Harry."
"Hi, beautiful"
I blush to myself and mute the TV so I can talk to him. "How's the party?"
"It's boring. I miss you."
"Come on, you must be having fun," I encourage. I don't want to be the reason he's not enjoying himself.
"Not really. I'd rather be all cuddled up on the couch with you. You look cozy."
My eyebrows pull together in confusion. "What?"
I hear him chuckle. "You're wearing my shirt, aren't you?"
I sit up and start looking around. "Where are you? Can you see me?"
"No, I'm just really intuitive."
I laugh and start walking around, looking around the house to see if he managed to sneak inside without me hearing somehow. "Seriously, where are you?" I roll my eyes at the loud countdown starting across the street from thirty. Must be close to midnight.
"You're getting colder..."
"Can you seriously see me?" I ask in confusion.
"Actually, I'm getting colder. Does that give you a hint?" I can hear the smile in his voice.
"You're enjoying my confusion aren't you?" I ask annoyed, walking to the front window. It's hard to see outside with the lights on.
"A little bit. Fifteen seconds, love. Better hurry up." With that he hangs up and I run to the front door to put some boots on. He's getting colder...so he must be outside. I swing the door open and the countdown across the street gets louder. I step down onto the driveway and start looking around the yard trying to find Harry. Disappointment coming over me when the countdown winds down. Those people are so loud!
"5!..4!..3!..2!.."
"One." Harry's raspy voice in my ear makes me jump. As I spin around his arms trap me, his lips suddenly and fiercely pressed against mine. My fingers tangle into his hair and I smile into the kiss. I can't remember the last time I've felt as happy as I do in this moment right now.
"Happy new year, Ads," he says quietly, smiling widely at me. I giggle and wrap my arms completely around his neck. He lifts me off the ground and spins me around a few times.
"Happy new year, Harry." He sets me back down and kisses me again, softer this time. I'm smiling like an idiot the whole time, staring up at him when he pulls back and looks over my head at the house across the street.
"They're quite loud, aren't they?"
"A little."
He laughs and takes my hand to lead me back to the house. "So, what do you say? Can I join you?"
"What happened to the party?" I ask as we get inside. He shuts the door and we remove our shoes and he hangs up his coat in the closet.
"I got bored. I wasn't kidding when I said I would rather be here with you. And you totally are wearing my shirt." He grabs the front of it playfully and tugs on it a little. "I'm going to want it back, eventually."
"I can't promise anything." I shrug and lead him to the couch, draping my blanket over both of us and snuggling up with Harry on it. "I'm really glad you're here. I missed you," I admit quietly. When Harry doesn't respond I look up at him nervouly. He's got the biggest smile on his face, teeth and dimples displayed proudly.
"Really?" he asks happily.
"Yes," I laugh. He kisses my forehead a few times and wraps his arms around me tighter. "I think we might have an unhealthy attachment."
He laughs and sinks down further on the couch. "No way."
"Wouldn't matter anyway."
"No?"
I shake my head and look up at him, resting my chin on his shoulder. "I couldn't walk away even if I wanted to," I whisper. He turns and presses his lips to mine in response. I feel like I'm addicted to Harry. Whether it's good for me or not, really doesn't matter anymore. I need him and I think he needs me as well.
"Be mine," he whispers when he breaks the kiss, breath against my lips. My heart stops beating almost and when our eyes meet I almost melt into a puddle.
"Yes."
"Where do you want to put all these boxes?"
I look up at Harry and my eyes scan the room as he brings another one down the stairs. I didn't think I would end up with so much stuff, especially only after two days of doing this.
"I have no idea. We can just leave them around here for now. I think I'l have to rent out some kind of storage unit or something. Are there any more upstairs?"
He sets the box down and shakes his head as he walks towards me. "That was the last one."
I nod and look at the massive shelving unit in front of me. There are two places that I really want to avoid when it comes to this house. The first is my mother's bedroom and the second is this place right here. This shelf is filled with photos and my mother's favourite books and old records. It's a wall of memories and it makes my heart hurt to look at it. Harry wraps his arms around me from behind and I lean back into his body.
"You sure you want to do this today?" he asks, proceeding to press his lips against my neck. "We can come back another time." He continues leaving soft kisses against the side of my neck and my eyes flutter closed involuntarily as I roll my head to the side slightly.
"It has to get done," I respond quietly.
"Not today if you don't want it to."
"It's just weird..." He stops kissing me and rests his chin on top of my head. "I'm in a lot of these pictures and it all means something to me but...I don't know, if just feels like I'm going through someone else's life."
"A lot has changed," he says, tightening his grip. I put my hands over his and a tear rolls down my cheek.
"Too much," I agree quietly. He walks around me and puts his hand against my cheek. I lean into it and close my eyes as another tear falls.
"Do you want to go home?" he asks after a while, running his hand gently along my arm. "We got a lot done today." He kisses the top of my head and I can't help but wonder what my mother would have thought about the two of us.
"Can we go somewhere first?" I ask, tilting my head up to his. He presses his lips gently against mine and I can't help but smile.
"Sure. Where to?"
"This is seriously creepy," Harry says as we get out of the car. I took him to the cemetery where my mother is buried and it's starting to get dark. I've been here in the dark, but apparently Harry is a little scared. How adorable.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," I tease, giggling and taking his hand. I start leading down the familiar paths to where my mother is buried.
"This is the part where you murder me, isn't it?" he asks. I laugh as he continues it. "I think I saw a horror movie that looked just like this."
"Don't be such a baby."
"Hey, I think you and I both know that I'm far too young and pretty to die," he says, releasing my hand and wrapping his arm around my head instead, hugging it against his body. I laugh and poke his stomach playfully.
"Sure you are." We continue walking and I can see the familiar spot I've been coming to so much the last number of weeks. I haven't come since break started and I've been feeling a little guilty. I lead Harry through the headstones and stop in front of my mother's.
"Hi mom," I say quietly. "I brought someone with me this time."
"This time?" Harry asks, peering down at me skeptically. "You've come here before?"
"Of course, Harry. My mother is buried here." I look back at the headstone and smile a little, trying to keep the tears away. "It's nice to feel like I can still talk to her." Harry rubs my back in comfort and I can imagine that he thinks this situation is a little strange. Here we are...talking to my dead mom.
"So, looks like you were right mom," I continue. "Harry and I did become friends again."
"Friends? Really? Didn't seem like we were friends yesterday," he says in a playful tone. I look up at him and smack his stomach. "What?" he laughs.
"Not in front of my mother," I scold. He smiles and looks at the headstone. I watch his face carefully as his expression gets much more serious.
"Hi Claire," he begins. "We miss you. Don't worry, I'll take care of her for you."
My eyes start watering and I lean my head against Harry's body again, staring at the words on my mother's tombstone. It feels like years ago that she died but at the same time, it feels like yesterday. And yet I still can't believe she's gone.
"You okay?" Harry asks, still rubbing my back. I nod and wipe my tears away before looking up at him. His eyes are sad as well, but probably more for me than her. He looks really worried.
"I'm fine. Can you give me a minute? I'll meet you at the car." I do my best to smile but it probably appears pained at best. My eyes close as he kisses my forehead, lips lingering long enough to make me feel a little better.
"Take your time," he says sweetly. He gives me a comforting smile before walking away back to where the car is parked. I watch him go for a moment before turning back to the headstone, kneeling down closer to it.
"Hi mom," I whisper, more tears falling. I sniffle and will myself to keep it together. "So, me and Harry are sort of...I don't really know. Sort of together I guess. But you probably already know that," I laugh a little. "I wish you were here. I could really use some advice. I don't know what I'm doing." I pause for a moment, secretly and foolishly hoping to get some sort of response. Obviously I don't. "Happy new year, mum." I blow a kiss to the headstone and look at it for another minute before standing and walking back over to the car.
Harry is leaning against the side of it, waiting for me. When I'm a bit closer I start running. He takes a few steps forward to meet me, opening his arms as I get to him. I fling my arms around his neck, hiding my face against his shoulder and letting myself cry. He holds me tight and smooths my hair, something that has proven to be very comforting for me. His warm breath against my neck sends shivers down my spine and after a few minutes my crying slows down.
"I hate it when you cry," Harry says in a strained voice. I pull back so I can look up at his face, surprised and a little heartbroken to see a tear rolling down his cheek. His eyes are glossy and he doesn't meet my eyes.
"Harry, it's okay," I console him, putting my hands on either side of his face. His eyes close at my touch and I swipe my thumb across his cheek to catch the falling droplet. "Look at me," I whisper. He slowly opens his eyes and lifts them to mine.
"You don't deserve this," he says softly. "You shouldn't be this sad. You're too good for any of this."
"This is life," I reply, shrugging. Another tear escapes my eye and I struggle to keep my voice even. "We don't always get what we deserve. Don't feel sorry for me, okay? I'll survive, I always do."
"You shouldn't have to survive. You deserve to live. There's a difference."
"Surviving is all I can manage right now," I whisper. He pulls me into his arms again and kisses the side of my head. "Let's go home."
"Alright, you two have fun at your party. I'm heading out now and I'll be back on Saturday. Happy New Year!"
Anne hugs both of us and Harry shuts her trunk after placing her bags inside. She's going to her work bash for New Year's Eve, then she's heading straight to London for a short business trip. I fee like she doesn't even live with us anymore. After she's in her car Harry and I run back inside into the warmth of the house. We wave as she leaves and Harry quickly swings the door shut. I squeal as he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder.
"Harry, what are you doing!" I laugh as he travels down the hallway to his bedroom. He throws me down roughly on his bed and I crawl backwards towards the pillows. He yanks me back down on the bed by my ankle, crawling on top of me and keeping me in place.
"We have the house all to ourselves for two days. We probably shouldn't waste any of that time." He grins playfully and I just shake my head at him, trying not to laugh. "What?"
"I don't know what that means, but it frightens me a little bit," I tease, reaching up to hold his cross necklace in my fingers. He looks down at it for a second before looking back at me.
"Well pretty much everything you do turns me on now so..." I laugh and smack his arm, face turning red. He chuckles and leans down to kiss me slowly at first. We both quickly get pulled in deeper, Harry's body pressing harder against mine and my hands behind his neck to hold him closer. I open my mouth willingly and he wastes time using his tongue to explore my mouth. The doorbell rings suddenly and I gasp, separating our mouths slightly. Harry moves down to my neck instead, focusing on one spot that makes me squirm under him.
"Just ignore that," he says when the doorbell goes again. I close my eyes and whimper slightly when get gently nips and sucks on the skin on my neck. It kind of hurts...he kisses the spot of few times and lifts his head when the doorbell rings for a third time.
"I can give you hickeys now," he says, smirking down at me.
"What?" I put my hand to my neck and the spot he just was is still wet from him. "Harry!"
"I should get the door." He kisses me once more and quickly escapes before I can try to beat him up. I better not get a hickey. I run to my bedroom and look in the mirror, horrified to see tiny red marks from his teeth and a very light purple mark starting to form.
"I'm going to kill him," I mutter to myself, examining the mark. I frown when I hear Harry's angry voice coming from the front of the house. I walk through the hallway to see what's going on. Tyler is in the doorway and he looks just as tense as Harry.
"Just tell her I'm here!" he says in a frustrated tone.
"I'd rather not," Harry replies simply.
"Tyler?"
The boys both look at me quickly, Tyler looking relieved and Harry mildly annoyed. To say he's unhappy with my friends would be a bit of an understatement. I think he's more angry at them than I am. The weird thing is it's not because of what they said about him, but what they said about me.
"Adie, can we please talk? I've been calling you since yesterday. I know you're mad at me, but we're best friends."
I look at Harry as I get closer. He takes a small step back from the door, crossing his arms and letting me stand in front of Tyler. Apparently he's not leaving us alone.
"I got your calls. I don't really feel like talking."
"We need to talk, you can't just ignore me at the party tonight. We feel bad about yesterday."
"You should," Harry huffs from behind me. Tyler looks past me to him, glaring.
"This isn't any of your business, Harry."
"Actually it is, since I was the one holding her while she cried because of you," he spits. I feel his body move closer to mine and I start feeling really anxious about this exchange.
"Look, you and I both know you're entirely wrong for her. If she can't see it then as her best friends it's our job to look out for her. When you break her heart we'll be the ones that are there for her, not you."
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Tyler. You and Caroline are both judging me on what? Some rumours you heard around school? You don't know anything about me or my relationship with Adie."
"Relationship? You've been keeping it a secret and you've barely left this house, I would hardly call that a relationship."
"You need to leave before I put your head through a wall," Harry threatens.
"I'd like to see-"
"Enough!" I shout, turning to my side and putting one hand on Harry's chest, holding to other out to motion Tyler to stop as well. I can feel Harry breathing heavy, trying to calm himself. They continue glaring at each other. "This is ridiculous!"
"Come on, Adie, you cannot be serious! He is so wrong for you!"
"Tyler, I said enough. We aren't talking about this right now, alright? You should leave."
"Adie-"
"Please," I plead. "Just go." The last thing I want is the two of them fighting. I wouldn't be able to stop them and I don't want either of them getting hurt. This is just completely unnecessary.
"Call me. Please." I just stare at him and wait for him to turn and leave. When he does I let out a deep breath and drop my hand from Harry's chest, shutting the front door and leaning my forehead against it.
"Ads-"
"Was that necessary?" I ask softly. I turn around and lean back against the door, waiting for Harry to justify what just happened.
"I'm sorry. I just got angry." An apology? Pleasantly surprising; that's not what I expected him to say. I smile and walk towards him, wrapping my arms around his middle and leaning my cheek against his chest.
"It's okay. I don't want you to fight with them, Harry. It's not your problem, it's mine."
"It is my problem because I'm the reason you're fighting with them."
"No, they're the reason I'm fighting with them. They were mean and they judged both of us way to fast. It was unfair and that's why I'm upset. They'll come around when they realize that I'm happy."
"Are you?" I frown and look up at him, worry etched into his features. He puts his hands on my arms.
"What?"
"Is this worth it for you, Ads? I feel like I'm causing so many problems for you, complicating your life way more than I should be." His expression is pained and he looks like he's bracing himself for me to agree with him. Not going to happen.
"If it was easy it wouldn't be worth it. Didn't you say something like that to me?" I smile up at him and he relaxes a little. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
"Trust me, I won't be getting rid of you." He chuckles and tilts my chin up and to the side with his hand. "Look at that. That'll be purple by the time we go to the party tonight."
I step back and punch him lightly in the stomach. "I'm still mad at you for that."
"I think this is slowly becoming an abusive relationship," he says, rubbing the spot where I just hit him.
"Yes well, apparently I'm the only one with the bruises to prove it."
He laughs and takes my hand, leading me towards the kitchen. We already ate but Anne left a pie for us and Harry has been talking about it ever since we got home and she had it sitting on the counter. We talk about random things while we eat it straight from the pan, not bothering with plates.
"So I was thinking we should probably take a cab to Louis' house. We could sleep there, but then we wouldn't be able to sleep in the same bed so I definitely want to come home." He grins cheekily and I just giggle. "When do you want to go?"
"Actually...I was kind of thinking I might stay home."
"What? Why?"
I shrug and take another bite of the pie. "I'm just not in the mood to go to a party."
"It's New Years Eve, Ads," he says, putting his hand on my leg. "I don't want to go without you."
"Well too bad, 'cuz you are," I say playfully. I really don't want to be around a lot of people. I want to be with Harry tonight, but I'm not going to ask him to skip on more time with his friends for me. That wouldn't be fair. Plus, I know he's looking forward to it. "You'll have fun without me."
"That's doubtful. I'll just stay here with you."
"Harry, you're going to the party."
"Nope."
"I'm just going to watch movies and be boring, you won't have fun with me here."
"Doesn't matter," he says shrugging. Why is he so stubborn?
"If you don't go to the party I'm going to start locking my bedroom door at night," I threaten. His eyes go wide and a smirk creeps onto his face.
"Well played, Adison."
I groan and turn the TV up louder, trying to hear it over the sound of the music coming from the house across the street. Their party is absolutely insane and it's getting louder by the minute. Cars have been pulling up all night and it seems that the house never gets full. Tyler and Caroline have been texting me all night, asking why I'm not at Louis' house and begging me to answer one of them. I don't know what to say to them at this point, so I stand my ground and continue to ignore their messages. Harry has been texting me all night as well, but the difference is that I actually want to talk to him.
I actually miss him. Is that crazy? I just saw him a few hours ago and I miss him so much that it almost makes me want to cry. How is that even possible? I almost put my self-pity aside to go to the party and surprise him, but as soon as I started trying to pick out an outfit I burst into tears at the sight of my mother's Cambridge sweater. So, that was a no-go. So here I am, sitting in my pajamas and Harry's shirt from yesterday, occasionally bringing the collar to my nose so I can inhale his scent, eating an entire tub of ice cream and watching the saddest movie I could find. Happy New Year to me.
I smile when Harry's name flashes across my screen.
"Hello Harry."
"Hi, beautiful"
I blush to myself and mute the TV so I can talk to him. "How's the party?"
"It's boring. I miss you."
"Come on, you must be having fun," I encourage. I don't want to be the reason he's not enjoying himself.
"Not really. I'd rather be all cuddled up on the couch with you. You look cozy."
My eyebrows pull together in confusion. "What?"
I hear him chuckle. "You're wearing my shirt, aren't you?"
I sit up and start looking around. "Where are you? Can you see me?"
"No, I'm just really intuitive."
I laugh and start walking around, looking around the house to see if he managed to sneak inside without me hearing somehow. "Seriously, where are you?" I roll my eyes at the loud countdown starting across the street from thirty. Must be close to midnight.
"You're getting colder..."
"Can you seriously see me?" I ask in confusion.
"Actually, I'm getting colder. Does that give you a hint?" I can hear the smile in his voice.
"You're enjoying my confusion aren't you?" I ask annoyed, walking to the front window. It's hard to see outside with the lights on.
"A little bit. Fifteen seconds, love. Better hurry up." With that he hangs up and I run to the front door to put some boots on. He's getting colder...so he must be outside. I swing the door open and the countdown across the street gets louder. I step down onto the driveway and start looking around the yard trying to find Harry. Disappointment coming over me when the countdown winds down. Those people are so loud!
"5!..4!..3!..2!.."
"One." Harry's raspy voice in my ear makes me jump. As I spin around his arms trap me, his lips suddenly and fiercely pressed against mine. My fingers tangle into his hair and I smile into the kiss. I can't remember the last time I've felt as happy as I do in this moment right now.
"Happy new year, Ads," he says quietly, smiling widely at me. I giggle and wrap my arms completely around his neck. He lifts me off the ground and spins me around a few times.
"Happy new year, Harry." He sets me back down and kisses me again, softer this time. I'm smiling like an idiot the whole time, staring up at him when he pulls back and looks over my head at the house across the street.
"They're quite loud, aren't they?"
"A little."
He laughs and takes my hand to lead me back to the house. "So, what do you say? Can I join you?"
"What happened to the party?" I ask as we get inside. He shuts the door and we remove our shoes and he hangs up his coat in the closet.
"I got bored. I wasn't kidding when I said I would rather be here with you. And you totally are wearing my shirt." He grabs the front of it playfully and tugs on it a little. "I'm going to want it back, eventually."
"I can't promise anything." I shrug and lead him to the couch, draping my blanket over both of us and snuggling up with Harry on it. "I'm really glad you're here. I missed you," I admit quietly. When Harry doesn't respond I look up at him nervouly. He's got the biggest smile on his face, teeth and dimples displayed proudly.
"Really?" he asks happily.
"Yes," I laugh. He kisses my forehead a few times and wraps his arms around me tighter. "I think we might have an unhealthy attachment."
He laughs and sinks down further on the couch. "No way."
"Wouldn't matter anyway."
"No?"
I shake my head and look up at him, resting my chin on his shoulder. "I couldn't walk away even if I wanted to," I whisper. He turns and presses his lips to mine in response. I feel like I'm addicted to Harry. Whether it's good for me or not, really doesn't matter anymore. I need him and I think he needs me as well.
"Be mine," he whispers when he breaks the kiss, breath against my lips. My heart stops beating almost and when our eyes meet I almost melt into a puddle.
"Yes."
Notes
weeeee they're finally together. tyler and caroline are ANNOYING sheesh. so mean.
what do you guys think will happen when they go back to school??
will harry and adie's relationship change?
is there anything you guys WANT to happen?? if so, tell me!!! ill see if I can work it in :)
please keep commenting! i love the feeback. if you want to see something different or you have any kind of advice for me dont hesitate! i want to keep making the story better :)
rate and subscribe!! PLEASE
thanks so much for reading :)
lovely story <3
9/22/14