Two Birds of a Feather

I was lying down staring at the ceiling when my phone began to vibrate on the bed next to me. I thought seriously about sending it straight to the answer phone, but I rolled over anyways. Flashing on the screen was a number that I didn’t recognize. Instead of sliding my thumb across the screen, I left it alone until it stopped ringing. If it were important, they would either leave a message or call back, but I wasn’t willing to sit around and wait for either to happen. Instead, I made my way to the kitchen to grab some crisps and a bottle of water. As I closed the door to the refrigerator, the doorbell rang twice. I wasn’t expecting any company so I wasn’t sure who to expect standing on my doorstep, but it definitely wasn’t the figure that stood before me as soon as I opened the door.

There he stood, hands in his front pockets, sunglasses perched on his nose, and curls tucked neatly in an olive coloured beanie. “How many times do I have to call before you pick up” he teased. I was in such shock that he was here that I didn’t know what to say. The only words that seemed to come to mind came out harsher than I intended, but somewhere inside of me I didn’t care.

“What do you want” I barked out after a few moments of silence.

“I was hoping you’d be up for a drive. Our last encounter was a bit awkward and I figured we could catch up”

At those words I rolled my eyes. “Yeah? Well we wouldn’t need to catch up if you never lost contact” I scoffed as I tried to close the door in his face.

He was quick to react, wedging his foot in between the door and its frame. He pushed the door open wide enough for him to slip inside before I registered anything.

“Come on Abby, I know you don’t have anything planned and I know that you don’t want to be holed up in this muggy house all day” he joked.

“You don’t know what I want Harry. Things have changed since we last spoke”

“Oh really? I think I know you pretty well and I’ll prove it if you just let me” he replied as a smile played along his lips.. the smile that I couldn’t ever say no to.

I rolled my eyes before turning around and stomping up the stairs. I quickly changed into some shorts and trainers before doing a once over in the mirror. Even though I didn’t want to leave the house today, I wanted to make sure I was presentable to the public eye. I threw my hair up in a messy bun before grabbing my phone and keys and hopping down the stairs. We walked to his car that was parked in my driveway and I hoped in, turning on the radio in the process.

The whole car ride, Harry was strangely silent. He had offered little information on where we were going or what we were doing. I didn’t care to ask questions because that meant that we would have to talk.. That was the last thing I wanted to do. I know I told my dad that I would cut Harry some slack and I intended to. But whenever I was around him, my blood began to boil again and seeing his face just reminded me that I was angry with him.

We were stopped at a red light when I realized that Ed Sheeran was echoing throughout the car. I’d seen him a few times playing at the local coffee shops and small pubs before he was famous and I instantly fell in love with him. He was cool on guitar and soft on the voice and he had a certain something that was able to draw you in and keep you there. I sat there staring out the passenger window as I aimlessly hummed along to Lego House. It was one of my favorites off his record.

“This was playing in your room the night you came back. You’ve always had good taste in music” he said softly, staring up at the red light. I knew that thinking about that night left him feeling melancholy and it was evident in his face. That’s why I turned to look out the passenger side window, not really focusing on anything in particular.

“Are we going to talk about this” he asked suddenly when I didn’t respond, clearly feeling the tension in the car. I knew he was staring at me waiting for a response. I could feel his eyes burning into my skin just like they were that night at the dinner table. “Abby, you ca—” he started before I quickly snapped my head around.

“What is there to talk about Harry? I said everything that I needed to say.” After a few seconds of a stared down, Harry’s eyes filled with shock while mine burned holes in him.

“Well, I didn’t say what I needed to” he said softly, barely loud enough for me to catch what he said.

I really didn’t want to entertain him or the situation at the moment. I was bloody aggravated and I didn’t want to hear what he thought would make a difference.

“Oh yeah? And what did you need to say Harry? That you’re sorry? That you’ve been a shit friend perhaps? Or maybe you’re going to finally admit that you’re a right twat? In all honesty, I don’t want to hear the load of crap that you have to say Harry”

“Well you’re going to whether you like it or not. I’m tired of this Abby. I’m tired of this bitter and sour attitude that you have towards me. I realize that I haven’t been there for you and I realize that I’ve been a shit friend and a twat, a wanker, a bell end, a knob and whatever other insult you want to hurl at me. But I’m trying Abby. I’m trying to be the friend that you can count on for anything again. The friend that you need and deserve. I really am try Abby and it’s killing me that we’re like this”

Luckily this conversation was interrupted by the sound of cars honking their horns and just like it was when he first started driving, the rest of the car ride was just as silent. Harry swiveled and swerved passed cars on the highway, seemingly in a rush to get to wherever it was he was taking me as I sat there looking out the window at my blurred surroundings. After pulling off the highway, he turned left and right down narrow streets, stopping for crossing pedestrians and changing traffic lights.

Five minutes later, Harry pulled his black Range Rover in the back of what looked like an abandoned building in the heart of London. I was very weary to open the passenger door and step out into the grimy alleyway. If it weren’t for the encouraging smile that Harry wore on his face, I would’ve locked myself in and hid beneath my hoodie. Pulling the door open, Harry ushered me out of the vehicle and through the alley towards a door that I didn’t notice was there. I cautiously inspected my surroundings, still not sure what we were doing in such a place like this. It was creepy and grimy and the building looked like nobody had set foot in it for over a decade. The sound of Harry’s knuckles knocking on the heavy metal door caused me to jump a bit, but I soon settled down.

I doubted anyone would hear his knocks not because they were soft and lasted only a few seconds, but because the door looked heavy and thick. To my surprise, after standing by Harry’s side for only a few short seconds, the door slowly creaked open revealing a large man who intimidated me with the mean expression on his face. The fact that he towered over me didn’t help much either.

Harry took a step forward, greeting Paul with a smile and a pat on the back. I wasn’t sure if I were meant to follow behind, but Paul’s presence frightened me to the point where I didn’t know how to function anymore. The scowl that he held on his face only made me sink lower in my shoes than I already felt standing in front of him.

“No worries, she’s with me mate” Harry assured, turning around to see what the holdup was. Paul side glanced over at Harry, expression unwavering as he stepped aside to let me enter.

Harry zigged and zagged down numerous halls as if he knew this place by heart. If I wanted to leave on the off-chance that Harry aggravated me I wouldn’t even know which way to go. I was already lost 15 seconds into the journey.

I followed Harry through a door a short while later and found myself in a studio. As I entered, I noticed someone in the booth holding a guitar. His face was hidden due to him looking down at his fingers moving around the fret board. His messy mop of ginger hair peaked out from under the purple hood that was placed on his head. Harry motioned for me to sit on the couch as he walked up to greet the producer. He grabbed a chair and rolled it over before pushing a button on the control panel. “Alright, let’s start from the top, yeah?” his voice sounded throughout the room and I assumed into the headphones of whoever was in the booth.

The sweet and sultry sound of the guitar soon filled my ears, grabbing my full attention. I watched as his fingers glided over the neck of the guitar and plucked at different strings. It wasn’t long after before he lifted his head and his soft voice rung through the speakers. In that moment, I realized who it was in the recording booth.

Since the first time I heard him sing, I fell in love with him. His music and his lyrics were so moving that I tried to make it to every show he was playing even if it was just in a coffee shop. Ed Sheeran had been a large factor in me coping with the death of my mother and he didn’t even know it. He probably didn’t even remember me after a year, but I didn’t even care. I was watching him record a song which I knew would impact my life like the others.

I was broken out of my trance when I saw Harry from my peripherals turn his chair around and smile at me before opening his mouth. “He’s great, isn’t he” he questioned, not necessarily asking for an answer. I turned my attention to him and smiled, not believing that he had brought me here. With an excited and approving head nod and a thumb pointing at Ed, he swiveled back around and focused on his friend once more.

The last notes rang from the guitar and faded out before Harry pushed the button once more. “I think we got it. That was absolutely brilliant,” Harry encouraged as Ed grabbed his guitar and walked out of the booth. Harry gave him a quick man hug before turning to me. The cushion under me sank even lower as Harry’s weight was added to the sofa. Ed talked to the producer for a bit about editing his recording before joining me and Harry.

“That was fantastic. Thought it’d take a bit longer, but I’m glad it only took a few takes” Ed stated as he sat down on the arm rest, placing a bottle of water to his lips.

Harry waited for him to put the bottle down before opening his mouth. “Hey mate, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Ed, this is Ab-” he started before Ed cut him off.

“Abigail, yeah I know. We met a few times when I did gigs at pubs and coffee shops. You alright love?”

I was a bit in shock that he remembered who I was. It had been almost a year since his last gig in London where nobody really knew his name. Granted, we talked after a few shows, mostly about pointless things and we always had a right laugh, but I didn’t expect him to remember my name. “I.. I’m doing alright. How has everything been for you Mr. Big Shot? I told you you’d make it big, didn’t I?” A soft giggle escaped my lips and I noticed Ed grin. “Just like I told this one here” I added, ruffling Harry’s curls.

“Yeah, you did. I’ll give you that one” he chuckled out as he swatted my hand away. “Is anyone else hungry? I haven’t eaten yet and I swear I could eat a cow right now.” Leave it to Harry to over exaggerate things, but I knew that he wasn’t joking about how hungry he was – his stomach was practically screaming for him to feed it.

&&&

The first time I tried peri peri chicken was when Harry and the lads came up before the live shows to spend time together and bond at Harry’s. His place was mine and my place was his so he wasn’t surprised when he saw me sprawled out on the couch with crisps all over my stomach and Chunky Monkey ice cream dripping down the side of my mouth. All he could do was laugh at his slob of a friend who ate everything in his home. The rest of the boys were confused at the sight, but that didn’t stop the blonde Irish lad from jumping on the couch beside me. Niall – who I’d eventually come to know him as – hopped over the top of the couch and plopped down next to me before eating the crisps off my shirt and swiping his finger across my chin, licking the ice cream off.

He raved about Nando’s and how amazing the food was, telling me that he could live off Nando’s if he had the choice. I’d never been and I didn’t plan on it, but somehow he convinced me otherwise. Niall and I instantly got on. We were both slobs when it came to eating and we could make room in our stomach for more food. It was like we were human vacuums or something.

Harry chose a booth in the back of Nando’s to nonetheless avoid unwanted attention from any adoring fans of his or Ed’s. We came to a consensus on a full platter with peri-peri chicken, mash and macho peas. I wasn’t a big fan of peas, but I figured that the boys would eat them. When the waitress came over to take our drink order, we let her know what we wanted. As she got to Harry’s order, she became a bit too friendly. Layla – according to her nametag – rubbed up against his side as he contemplated on his drink, deciding on water in the end. As she turned away, she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a sly wink before walking off with and extra swing in her hips.

Ed cleared his throat as he looked up at Harry with a smile on his face, plainly amused by the encounter. Even though I didn’t have any right to be, I was furious and a bit jealous. Harry clearly didn’t mind the attention the waitress gave him and he sure as hell didn’t try to conceal it in my presence.

A few minutes after the food came, Harry excused himself and made his way to the bathroom. For the first time in a while, I found myself alone with Ed. I don’t know why all of a sudden I was so nervous in his presence. Maybe it was because he was one of the world’s most desired musicians, but I couldn’t be sure.

“How have things been for you Abigail?” he questioned.

“I’ve been slowly getting over my mum being gone, but of course there are days where her memories come flooding back”

“That’s right. Did you get the flower arrangement Taylor and I sent? We were with Liam when he got the news. Said your mum was in an accident and I remembered you coming to every gig, even her sometimes. Lovely woman she was”

Before the ceremony began, I walked alone through the church observing everything. Not believing that I would no longer hold my mum, I walked over to the arrangements of flowers reading each note that no doubt confirmed my fears. After five or so cards, I decided that I could no longer stomach reading any more. That was until my eyes locked on an arrangement sat in the corner of the large room.

It was made of purple, white and pink lilacs, one of my mum’s favorite flowers. I hoped that it would be from Harry, seeing as he was one of few who knew this fact. Sadly, I was disappointed among other emotions when I got to the end of the card.

“When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight” – Kahlil Gibran

Best of Wishes to you and your family in such a time as this. Our sincere condolences.
-Taylor S. & Ed S.

As I reached the end of the note, only one name stood out to me. Taylor S.

When my mum past, Ed was touring the globe with Taylor. I didn’t know how he knew about my mum, but I assumed that the boys mentioned it to him in passing and seeing how much they cared about my family, made him sympathetic as well, hence the arrangement. But when I saw Taylor’s name, I was furious and confused. She didn’t know me or my family. The only connection there was – no matter how small – was the fact that she was dating my former best friend. I didn’t understand how she could take the time to send flowers for my mum’s funeral and Harry couldn’t even send a text.

I didn’t want to think about it any longer on the chance that I would become infuriated once more. I took in a few breaths before acknowledging Ed.

“Yeah I did. They were quite beautiful, thank you very much”

“It was nothing. I had to show my condolences to my biggest supporter” he smiled at me before placing his fork into his peas and plopping them in his mouth.

I smiled back at him, noticing that Harry was making his was out of the restroom. As Harry stalked back to the table, Ed’s phone began to ring. He answered his phone, talking on it for a minute before hanging up. After apologizing and explaining that he had to leave, he excused himself and walked out the door. When Harry sat back down, I repeated what Ed told me and he continued eating his food.

“Alright?” he questioned with bits of chicken flying out of his mouth just like it had the first time we met. I grabbed a napkin and picked up the debris before crumpling it into a ball.

“Yeah, I’m fine”

Harry gave me that look he always did whenever he didn’t believe me. After a few seconds of his eyes boring into me and me attempting to keep my expression steady, Harry opened his mouth to say something. “Okay, long as you don’t throw that at me like last time” he laughed out. A chuckle escaped my lips as my mind brought me back to that day in the school cafeteria.

Once my mum was gone, I fell into a place that I never wanted to be in again. There were a number of nights where I almost drank myself into oblivion, I experimented with countless drugs, started hanging out with the wrong crowd, and I had meaningless sex to try to feel something. Anything. To an extent, I was still digging my way out of the huge hole that I fell into almost a year ago. I was never one of those girls that stayed out late or went to parties or even broke into my parents liquor stash when they left me home alone. I was the girl that sat at the head of every class, got wonderful grades and stayed out of trouble. To sum it all up, I was a loser.. The girl that nobody wanted to talk to – except Harry that is.

Harry was the complete opposite of me. He was popular and had many friends, although most of them just hung by his side to gain cool points. He was funny, he was animated, he was friendly and confident, and he was bright. You can just imagine how surprised I was when he sat down in front of me in the cafeteria on a random Thursday afternoon.

“You’re Abby right” he questioned as he placed his food on the table and sat down in front of me, blocking my view of the window.

My brows knitted together as I slowly nodded my head, wondering how on earth he knew of my name, let alone knew of my existence. This must have amused him because he lowered his head, grabbing some chips as he scoffed out a soft chuckle.

“Harry…I sit behind you in maths” he breathed out. I knew exactly who he was; it was hard NOT to know him. I was just in disbelief that he sat down at my table to talk to me. “I noticed that you were humming some tunes by The Rolling Stones earlier. I must say, I’m impressed with your taste in music. I didn’t peg you for a Stones girl. Not a lot of people like them or know who they are even” he finished before dipping his chips in the ketchup I had on my plate before offering me a warm smile.

“Yeah, my dad introduced me to them at a young age. I’m actually pretty glad that I got my music taste from my dad.. My mum listens to a load of shit” I clarified. I didn’t know why, but I found his laugh comforting. A smile stretched across his face, causing his dimples to show.

“Oh I know what that’s like. I listen to my mum attempt to sing Spice Girls pretty much every morning. It’s already bad enough that she has horrid music taste, but what makes it worse is her bloody awful singing” he retorted before stealing chips off of my plate. It hadn’t been more than five minutes, but Harry had already finished his chips and got comfortable enough to steal off my plate. I wasn’t sure if that was a bad thing or a good one. As I was deciding between the two, Harry poke up again, not shy in the least.

“What song were you humming by the way? It sounded quite familiar, at least the parts I was actually able to hear. I just couldn’t put a name to it” he questioned, talking with his mouth full, bits of fish flying out onto the table.

I looked down at the spot where the half chewed food fell, laughing to myself quietly. “As Tears Go By. It’s actually one of my favorites.” I grabbed a napkin that sat by Harry before wiping up the mess he made. Adding another napkin and crumpling it into a ball, I tossed it across the table and hit him right between the eyes. I wasn’t going to laugh, but with the look on Harry’s face, I was unable to suppress it. His face was twisted in a cross between disbelief and humor. I was laughing so hard that I didn’t see him pick up his spoon and dip it in applesauce. Right as I realized what he had in mind, his finger slipped off the spoon causing the applesauce to come flying towards my face, landing on the side of my mouth.

We were both in a fit of hysterics as I licked the mess off of my face. All eyes were on us and how ridiculous we were being, but it didn’t bother us. For the first time in a while, I felt like I actually had a friend, even if we weren’t really friends. Harry had a way about him that allowed me to relax and made things seem so easy and natural like we’d known each other all our lives. I was used to eating alone every day and for the most part, I didn’t mind it. Being alone gave me time to collect my thoughts and reflect on everything. But I was thoroughly pleased that Harry sat down with me because I found solace in him and his overall presence. He was a breath of fresh air and a weight lifted off my shoulder.

Since that day, Harry has been my best friend, my confidant, my shoulder to cry on, everything you could ever want or need. That was until he became the world’s most wanted pop star overnight.

I suddenly was no longer hungry after looking back on the days when things were good between Harry and me. I wanted to get back to that place, but it was going to take more than his presence to mend the many wounds that I accumulated over the last year or so. Harry must’ve caught on to this sudden change in my mood because he quickly asked the waitress for the bill, which had the waitresses number on it, and paid.

&&&

As we pulled up to my house, Harry placed the vehicle in park before getting out and opening my door. We walked side by side to my door before either one of us spoke. Again, the car ride was so quiet that you would be able to hear a pin drop on even on his carpeted floor.

“You’re dad told me how much you love Ed Sheeran so I figured I’d take you to the studio and sit in on him recording” he explained. “He’s a great lad”

All I could do was nod as I looked down at the ground beneath my feet. I appreciated what he did for me today, I really did, but it wasn’t enough to forgive him for what he’s done.

“Thanks Harry” I mumbled out.

He gave me an affirming nod of the head before starting to turn around and walk back to his car. I called out his name to stop him in his tracks. As he turned around, I averted my eyes to make sure I wasn’t looking into his because I didn’t know what exactly I was going to say.

“Ya know” I started before shifting my weight to the other foot and lowering my head. I had been uncomfortably rolling a stone between the ground and the sole of my shoe. “This doesn’t change things Harry” I finally breathed out, hurt and disappointment evident in my voice and in my expression. Harry caught on to it, but it didn’t seem he knew quite what to say. He fumbled over the right words to say before settling on just two.

“I know.. But it’s a start”

With that, he lowered his head and turned on his heels as he walked back to his car. I knew that Harry was disappointed as well because he was trying to fix things, but he couldn’t fix them with a simple gesture. He had yet to apologize and although it may not seem like much, a simple ‘I’m sorry’ goes a long way. His actions indicated that he was indeed very sorry, but I needed to hear it. Not once in the past nine months did those words echo from his mouth. And today was the day that I thought it would come.

But then again, I’m always wrong.

Notes

So sorry for the long wait everyone. I've had loads to do these past few months. I hope you enjoy .xx