Office Hours |h.s|

thirty two

Maude

It's silent as we pull up to Harry's house. Neither one of us has said much since he picked me up so we could talk. Maybe that's for the best though, since I can't seem to shut my brain off. Everything is negative and I can't convince myself that I'm freaking out for no reason. We're quiet as we get out of the car and go inside.

He kissed her cheek. She brought him coffee. They just looked like a couple when I walked in, and it felt like he wanted me to see them together. I've told him a million times that she makes me uncomfortable, but he obviously doesn't care. He called me stupid for seeing what is so fucking obvious. She likes him, clearly, and now I'm questioning if maybe he has feelings for her too that go beyond friendship.

For some reason he seems mad at me for how I'm reacting to all of this. He's making me feel stupid, but I just have to stand my ground on this one. I won't let myself be taken advantage of by anyone.

This week has hurt more than anything, and it's only Wednesday. We started it off fighting when we should have had a nice weekend together, and I'm scared I'm going to end this week alone. All I've done is fight for this relationship, but he just doesn't seem to care. He had me wrapped around his finger in Maine, telling me all these pretty words, but it's as if the second we got back he went cold and distanced himself from me.

Standing in Harry's kitchen, I run a hand through my hair, pacing as he goes to grab himself a water bottle from the fridge. "Want one?" He asks, but I decline. I watch as he opens the cap and takes a sip, acting as if he did nothing wrong today. He looks over at me, leaning his palms on the edge of the counter. "How was your class?"

Hearing him just trying to move on makes me even more angry. "It was fine. I was having a great day until I walked in on you and Juliet laughing about me." His eyes roll at my comment and he pushes himself off the counter, walking out of the kitchen. I follow him.

"Maude, she's my friend, just like Shea is my friend, just like Niall is my friend. There is no difference between them and Juliet. So what, she brought me a fucking coffee? I've brought her coffees too. That's what friends do. And we weren't laughing about you, you were never even brought up. We were talking about your father and your brother because of the case."

I hate how he talks down to me. "But there's a difference to her. How many fucking times do I have to tell you that she's like in love with you?!"

He turns to me, stopping me in my tracks. "I get that the guys your age may have secret motives when it comes to having friends that are women, but you don't know shit about the relationship Juliet and I have. We became close friends while she was engaged and they both helped me get through my breakup with Gia. And when her fiancé cheated on her, Niall, Shea, and I all helped her get through that. Stop pretending you know everything, Maude and just drop this."

"Stop using my age against me." I retort and he rolls his eyes with a heavy sigh. "No, don't do that Harry! I'm telling you how I feel, I'm communicating, I'm being mature and you keep making me feel like an idiot little girl! I know I don't understand your relationships outside of us, and I know I never will, but all I'm asking is for you to stop shutting me down when I tell you she makes me uncomfortable! You're prioritizing some friendship over your girlfriend." Here come the angry tears.

"I'm not doing anything, Maude! I can't control all the fucking people in that university! And I'm not using your age against you, I was just saying that the experiences you have with relationships are different from the ones I've had. I'm past this petty relationship crap, Maude. My last relationship was six years long. I'm at the point in my life where if I'm with someone, I'm serious about that person. That's what I've been trying to tell you but it's like you won't stop until I cut Juliet out completely and I'm just not going to do that." He shrugs and crosses his arms, slowly starting to calm himself down the more he speaks but I'm anything but calm.