rain. |h.s|

12

We both sat there in each other's arms for another good two minutes. Then he got a phone call from Niall, telling him to do something. I had gone to Harlow's immediately after. He just said bye to me and didn't say anything after that the next morning. Weirdly. No texts, no phone calls, no unannounced visits, no voice mails, nothing. I didn't miss him of course. I still can't look at him for more than 10 seconds without wanting to punch his teeth out, but otherwise, I'm doing better.

That was definitely an eventful Friday. But my weekend however, has been the most normal it gets. Harlow and I visited Mr Jane the morning after Friday night. He was fine, but the police said this wasn't just a random attack. This was targeted. To hurt someone that Mr Jane cares about. I don't really know, I haven't given it much thought. I was mainly just consoling Harlow and hanging out with her because she was scared someone was going to target me after what happened with Alex. I have no clue what happened with him or where he went. I asked Harry what he did with him, and he just said, "He was taken care of." Whatever the hell that means. I really don't give a flying fuck what happens to him because I haven't been able to sleep at night because of him. His image sitting by my bed just reappears every time I close my eyes.

"I'm just so thankful for Niall through all this." Harlow says while we ignore the movie playing on TV. We're sitting with a bunch of candy and ice cream while we sit and talk about everything.

"He was the one who stayed with me while all of this shit was happening to you. By the way, about that. I'm sorry." She breaks a gummy worm in half, one half sitting in between her pointer finger and thumb, and the other in between her teeth.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"

"Well, because I was just sitting here while that bastard was assaulting you," I can tell she feels really bad. She partially has a reason to feel guilty, but none of it was her fault.

"Absolutely not. If fact you were the one who stayed with me through all my mom's stuff. You were just doing everyday things. You couldn't have known," I pause to gulp then resume. "Anyways Harry was there with me."

"Yeah, how's it going with him? I can tell he makes you feel... what's the word? Safe."

I snort. Harry? Make me feel safe. Quite frankly it's the opposite. He makes me feel like knives are pointing at me from every direction.

"Not sure that's the word." I smile while raising my eyebrows, looking back into my ice cream tub.

Both our heads whip behind us when her doorbell rings. I continue munching on my ice cream while Harlow gets the door. A familiar scent fills up her tiny living room as she opens the door. I turn my head to watch who comes in. My eyebrows raise again when I see.

George, Harry, and Niall stand right in front of the front door.

"Well that's an interesting group of people." I say while still processing it.

Niall snickers while giving Harlow a peck on the lips. Harry just stares at me, not breaking eye contact. And George just waits for Harry to stop whatever he's doing so he can talk to me. He looks like he has a lot on his mind. Like he's under stress.

I snap out of it and signal to Harlow with my eyes once they all get busy with their own things. Harry is retying his shoes, George is judgmentally watching him do so, and Niall is helping himself to some soda in the kitchen. 

'What are they doing here?' I mouth to her.

'I invited Niall and Harry, I don't know about George.' She uses all kinds of gestures to get her point across to me.

I form my lips into a line, accidentally matching my gaze with Harry's. I look away at the TV, pretending I'm watching. I can feel his eyes lingering on my neck. Shivers travel from my shoulders to my spine just to the thought of him staring at me. Still hate you Harry. 2 nights ago didn't change anything.