Secrets / Black & White / Playing for Keeps

Harry untangled himself from Louis and turned to face Lara.

“Harry.” She said dumbly, not knowing what else to say. She turned to leave, and stumbled over her feet. Harry reached over to steady her, but she slapped his hand away and ran down the stairs.

“Just let her go.” She heard Louis say, but she didn’t stop to look back. Down the steps she went until she reached the door that led her out onto the street. Lara choked back a sob as she looked around trying to figure out what to do next. She didn’t notice Harry by her side until he spoke.

“Lara, just hold on.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.” She said turning away trying not to show how hurt she was.

“Let me explain?”

“No!” She cried loudly.

“Can you keep your voice down?” He took her by the arms. They stood staring at each other for a moment, and despite her alcoholic haze, it hit her how much she must have liked him.

“Let me take you home.” He said, aware of a group of people who were spilling out onto the pavement from a nearby restaurant.

“I said no.” She said firmly.

“We need to talk.” He persisted.

She turned to hail a taxi which miraculously stopped. He let her go and watched as she almost fell into the backseat. Lara’s tears began to flow freely as the taxi drove her home.

How could she have been so stupid? She berated herself. All this time it had been an act.

Just like they had been instructed, she realised with a groan.

She tore into the apartment and flung herself on her bed. She didn’t know how long she lay there when she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

“Lara?” Ben spoke.

“Yes?"

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She sobbed. She heard him try to open the door and she was glad she had locked it.

She lay there crying softly until sleep overtook her.

*****************************************************

The next morning Lara groggily rolled over in bed, still wearing her clothes from last night. Her head was pounding as she lifted it to check the time. She groaned to herself, as it all came flooding back. Harry and Louis.

Louis.

The puzzle pieces began to fall into place in her mind. The hostility, the phone calls, the looks… it all began to make sense to her. What didn’t make sense were the moments she and Harry shared…

Her phone beeped and she picked it up to see a message from Harry.

The very first message he had ever sent her since they were told to exchange phone numbers months ago.

“How convenient.” She muttered to herself.

I’m sorry about last night… I want to talk to you. Please don’t talk to anyone until I speak to you.

He didn’t have to worry about that Lara thought bitterly. She was too embarrassed to reveal what she knew to anyone. How stupid was she to get caught up in a lie that she didn’t even know about. And even more stupid was allowing herself to have feelings for someone who she could obviously never have. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she roughly wiped it away before she started typing.

Don’t worry about it. I don’t want to talk about it to anyone, not even you.

What was there to talk about? He was kissing another guy. What could he say? She was tempted to pull the plug on this whole charade; find Julian and just call it all off. The problem was school was starting in a week and despite her misgivings about what she was studying, she needed to go to school. Everything was being paid, not to mention her living expenses.

But on the other hand she didn’t know if she could go on. Was there a get out cause, she wondered. She couldn’t remember the details of the contract.
Lara crawled into bed again, ignoring her phone which had begun to ring. She switched it off, and rolled into a ball.

It was early evening when she awoke, and she found herself opening her laptop. She couldn’t help but google her name to see the headlines.

Harry’s Birthday Surprise for Sweetheart

Harry Styles has pulled off the ultimate surprise party for his girlfriend. We’re talking the works: flowers, jewellery, dinner and party complete with all their friends.

Harry and Lara were first spotted at a trendy London restaurant, where he presented his love with a silver bracelet. Sources say the pair were very affectionate, sharing their meal and whispering to each other, oblivious to the other diners.

Harry then whisked her away to Bar Hub where Lara was surprised to see their friends waiting to celebrate the night away.

Harry presented her with an elaborate pink cake covered with countless hearts, further proving how smitten he is with the pretty nineteen year old.

The article forgot to mention the moment when the adoring girlfriend catches Harry kissing his bandmate Louis behind closed doors, Lara thought angrily.

Lara shook her head as she scrolled further down to see the photos of Harry kissing her on the cheek, and whispering in her ear as she cut the cake. Despite feeling hung-over, she didn’t miss the fact that the article mentioned her receiving flowers. Modest must have planted this story, because nobody else knew about the flowers. The more she thought about it, the more she realised that maybe Harry didn’t even know the flowers had been delivered. It was probably all of Modest’s doing.

She trudged out of her room to find Ben reading the newspaper in the living room.

“Oh you’re awake.” He said. “Must have been a big night.”

Before she could decipher whether he was being serious or not, he went on,

“I heard you crying last night. I er tried to come in to see if you were okay but the door was locked.” He cleared his throat, “Everything okay?”

Lara nodded quickly. She leant casually against the table, and looked down at her bracelet.

“Yeah everything is fine.” She said. “Last night was pretty overwhelming though… I wasn’t expecting everyone to be there.”

“Julian thought it would be nice if we surprised you.” Ben told her.

“Well it was… a surprise I mean. It must have cost Modest a bit of money.” She said carefully.

“Um, I don’t think it would have affected their bank balance that much.” Ben said with a laugh as he turned his attention back to the newspaper. “Flowers, dinner, gift… the open bar would have done some damage… but it’s all a drop in the ocean for Modest.”

“You mean Harry didn’t send the flowers?” She asked.

“No, why would he?” He looked up at her.

Lara nodded absentmindedly. Why would he? She thought. He was right. What made her think that he would send flowers? And thinking back, he did look a bit confused when she mentioned receiving flowers. He did give her a single rose; but everything else was a pre-planned PR exercise care of Modest. How could she be so stupid?

“By the way, remind me to never drink whiskey shots again.” Ben’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“What did you do now?” She asked as she began to brew some coffee.

“Er, almost got into a fight with the barman who wouldn’t serve me any more drinks, but ended up knocking over all the glasses on the bar,”

“You have to stop drinking, you know that?”

“That’s what Julian said. And God knows I can’t afford to lose this job- again. Bloody whiskey shots…”

Lara rolled her eyes and poured her coffee, when the phone rang. Ben promptly picked it up.

“It’s Harry.” He held out the phone to her, still absorbed in his newspaper.

“Tell him, I’m not here.” She said automatically.

“Harry, she’s not here.” He nodded for a moment before hanging up. “He knows you’re here.”

“Thanks for making it so obvious.” Lara said sounding annoyed.

“He said he would call back later.”

“Well I won’t be here.” She flounced off taking her coffee with her.

“Lara, get your act together. The year isn’t over yet… You have university to think about remember? Which come to think about it, starts in a week.”

Lara nodded slowly. She would have to see Harry eventually; but for now she wanted to be alone.

It was much easier…

Notes