Carmen's POV

"It has to be big."

"My house is going to be destroyed," Liam groans. He's helping me to plan a party for Harry. His birthday was a few weeks ago, but with all the drama lately it kind of got lost and we didn't do a whole lot. We all got him gifts and we got Chinese food and he didn't seem to mind at the time. I still feel bad that because of all of our drama- mostly my drama- it wasn't that special. And a person doesn't turn twenty-one every day.

"You guys used to have parties all the time," I remind him. "It'll be fine."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find a good theme that won't make us all look like losers."

He laughs. "Themes are lame. Good luck."

"What about a beach thing? We could get some tiki lights and those flower necklaces. Maybe have like a blow up pool for drinks?"

"That's alright," he says. "Low key enough."

"Is there a party store around here?"

"Carmen, he's not going to care. He'll be too drunk to remember what you're doing for him anyway."

"What?" I ask, letting out a weird choking kind of laugh. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"Okay, are you two fighting or something?"

"No."

"Liam, every time I mention Harry you say something snippy like that. What's going on?" I ask, turning in my seat. He shrugs on my bed and picks at his nails. "Liam."

"It's nothing."

"It's something."

"I don't want you to yell at me," he admits.

"Only if you deserve it," I joke, smiling as sweetly as possible. He laughs and pulls himself up to sit on the edge of my bed.

"I still don't get you two."

"Me either, I have no idea what we are right now."

"No," he says. "I mean I don't get why you're even still spending time with him. How are you not over it yet?"

"What?"

"You guys are so different, Carmen. You're too good for him. He forces you into shit you don't want to do and look how well it's worked out! You guys just don't work. He practically forced you to be his girlfriend and you guys crashed and burned faster than even I thought you would," he says frustratedly.

"What are you talking about?" I spit. "Liam, Harry is so good to me. Plus, we're not even together. We're just friends."

"Yeah. Now. I don't get why you're still spending so much time with him. You could be going out and meeting people and going-"

"Why the hell would I want to do that? I didn't do that before Harry, why would I want to do it now?"

"Because you're not dating him, Carmen. And you shouldn't be either, so why not?"

"Why not?" I shut my laptop and stand from my chair. "Because I don't want to. Harry is so good to me, Liam. He's nice and supportive and yeah, maybe he pushes me a bit. But the way I see it that's good for me. I feel more like myself since I met him than I ever have and if you have a problem with that-"

"I don't have a problem with that," he interrupts, standing as well. "I just think when it comes to Harry you're a little naive."

"Naive." He nods and I scoff, shaking my head. "Good to know."

"Carmen-"

"I need to study," I tell him, walking to my door and holding it open. "I'll see you later."

"Fine." He walks past me and I slam the door shut behind him. That's not okay.

Liam and I don't fight like this. We don't disagree on much and never in our almost three years of being friends have we ever had a fight. Then I met Harry and that all changed and it seems like I can't do anything right anymore. Liam is always judging me and trying to change my mind and when I finally get to a place where I feel good he's there to plant seeds of doubt again. And I really don't get it. Harry and Liam have been friends their entire lives, they trust each other. Why is my being involved with Harry causing such huge problems with them? From what I've heard they barely hang out anymore and Liam is always snapping at Harry for nothing. Harry and I are happy with the way things are, why isn't Liam happy for us? I don't get it.

And what does he mean that I'm being naive? How could I be naive about Harry? Harry's been pretty open with me over the last few months and I don't think there's a whole lot that we hide from each other at this point. There's no way that I'm being naive.

Liam's comments always seem to shake my confidence, though. It'd be nice to be able to say it doesn't matter to me, that I don't care what he thinks. But he's my best friend and I can't just ignore him. But instead of talking to him my reassurance comes from another phone call.

"Miss me already?"

"Hi Harry," I laugh.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Just umm...I don't know."

"Everything okay?" he asks, his concern evident in his tone. "Wait, weren't you supposed to hang out with Liam today?"

"He just left," I tell him quietly. There's a short pause before he sighs.

"I'll be there in ten. Want pizza?"

"Always."

"See you soon."

As promised, Harry waltzes through my bedroom door ten minutes later with a pizza box in his hands. He flops down on my bed and opens the box without a word and it crosses my mind that we're way more comfortable with each other than we ever have been. It's crazy to think about because I don't even know when that happened.

"Well?" he asks. I stand and slouch on the other side of the pizza box so I can eat with him.

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Oh." I take a bite and shrug my shoulders. "I don't think you'll want to know."

"I always want to know."

"I know. You're too curious for your own good."

"Carmen," he says in a more serious tone. "Come on."

I let out a sigh and slouch more against my pillows. "Liam still doesn't like that we're together all the time."

"We're not together all the time," he says. "Like this morning or when you were with Liam. I was no where to be found."

"He said I'm being naive," I admit, pondering the words as I say them. When I look at Harry he seems a little angry. "Why do you think he said that?"

"He's a jealous prick," Harry says simple.

"Harry."

"I'm serious, Carmen. Why does he always have to try to wreck this? He's jealous because we're actually happy and he isn't." He takes another bit of pizza and I have to try not to smile because he's so cute when he's mad. "Or he has feelings for you."

Those words my me choke on the food I was in the middle of swallowing, sending me into a coughing frenzy with tears coming out of my eyes by the time I'm done. Harry just pats my back a little until it's over.

"What?" I choke out.

"Think about it. He's always discouraged you from spending time with me and it's because he knows that I-" He stops short and pushes his fingers through his long hair. "The point is, he's acting like a jealous boyfriend."

"I've never had one of those."

"Me neither."

I laugh and shake my head at him, the grin that creeps onto his lips sending little butterflies through my stomach.

"Liam can't like me," I continue. "It's just not possible."

"Yes it is. Either way, he needs to back off."

"Now who's acting like a jealous boyfriend?"

He laughs and shakes his head at me, sitting back again and picking up another slice of pizza. Being around Harry is so easy, like breathing. Even though my heart flutters nervously almost the entire time, I still can't imagine feeling any more peaceful.

"You will never believe what happened to me today," I say suddenly, remembering a funny instance from earlier. "I was at Walmart getting some tampons and-"

"Woah, woah." He holds his hand up and wags it a little. "Too many details."

"It's important for the story you freak. Anyway, there were these two guys and they were so confused. The one guy's girlfriend asked him to get stuff for her and he had no idea what any of it was so they ended up asking me to help them."

"What?" he laughs. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, they were so uncomfortable. The other one recognized me, though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah from volleyball. I guess he's on the basketball team or something."

"You're like a celebrity. What was his name?" Harry asks. There's a little something behind the lack of eye contact I'm getting and it's adorable that he's a little bit jealous.

"Travis something? He was tall, blonde-"

"Yeah, I know him," Harry says. "He's an ass."

"What?" I laugh.

"The whole basketball team is. He's not the kind of person you want to be friends with."

I invited him to Harry's party but it's not like we're best friends. It's not that big of a deal. "Good to know, I guess."

---

"Niall, don't!" I shout, laughing and taking one of the twenty leis he has around his neck. "You're supposed to be giving them out not wearing all of them."

"Same thing." He takes them and starts running around the house giving them out. A lot of people are actually wearing them, which is kind of nice. Maybe alcohol is the key to having a themed party.

Louis and Niall helped me today since Liam and I are still fighting. He's here somewhere, but we haven't spoken. There's at least fifty people here already and Harry already texted me to tell me he's on his way here with the movie he thinks we're going to be watching together.

"He's almost here!" I shout, turning off the music. "Everyone crouch down or something and I'll turn out the lights!"

Harry must have a zillion friends, because everyone is actually going along with my sillyness. I don't know most of them, but they seem excited enough for Harry to get here. When his car pulls up I step onto the porch, waiting for him to look up from his damn phone while he climbs the stairs.

"Fuck, you scared me!" he says when he finally sees me. He looks at my outfit and raises his eyebrows. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"You don't like it?"

"No, I do. It's hot, but why are you wearing it?"

"Remember when I told you I wanted you to celebrate your birthday?"

He smiles. "Are you going to strip tease for me?"

"Harry!" I squeal. He laughs and steps closer as I reach for the door. "No, you idiot. Wait, do I look like a stripper? Nevermind, that's not what we're doing."

"Fine." He sighs dramatically. "What are you talking about then?"

"Let's talk inside."

Harry shrugs and steps inside the house, which is currently pitch black with the exception of the minimal lighting coming from the tiki lamps. When I flick the lights on everyone shouts 'surprise!' and Harry almost pees himself he's so scared. After a few seconds of looking around with wide eyes he laughs, fingers running through his hair while everyone yells their happy birthdays.

"You're something else," he says to me, laughing and wrapping hims arms tight around my waist. I laugh and he lifts me so I have to stand on my tip-toes to keep my arms around him. "Thank you."

"Let's get you a drink, birthday boy."

Notes

parties. gotta love him
except on this website. parties never end up well, do they? wonder what will happen at this one.

this is kind of a filler i guess. new place for carmen and harry kind of.

anywaaay let me know what you think