A Tale of Two (H.S)

Chapter 10

(Sorry this is super short but I haven't updated this in ages so wanted to give you something!!)

Allies POV

The sun was beginning to come up as we finally pulled into the car park outside Nora and Becks' apartment complex. Harry and I hadn't said much more to each other since we got in the car, he'd went really quiet since I confessed to him that Finn had hit me. There was an awkward atmosphere between us. I knew he was pissed. Hell, I was pissed. The sadness had subsided and it was replaced by rage. How dare he? After all I had done for him and supported him through? All the anger management therapies? All the pressure his dad puts on him? All the events he drags me to where I spend 5 hours being arm candy and only speaking when being spoken to?

"Hey, you alright there?" Harry's voice snaps me back to reality and I realise the car has actually stopped moving.

"Oh yeah, sorry. I'm just tired," I sigh. Tired? I was exhausted.

"Come on," he half smiles "I'll walk you up."

We walk in silence up the stairs to the flat. Luckily, the buzzer on the main door no longer worked and the door was almost always left open so I didn't have to worry about waking Becks or Nora. I prayed none of the neighbours on the other floors came out of their doors. I must look a right state in my worn off makeup and evening dress and not only that, I'm with Harry Styles of all people. That would bring Harry some unwanted attention from the media I'm sure. I'd rather spare him the shame of being seen with me.

Once getting to the flat, I reached down to grab the spare key from under the welcome mat where Becks said she would leave it for me before turning back to Harry. He still stood in silence with his hands in his hoodie pocket, looking at me with sad eyes. Pity eyes. He shifts back and forth on his feet, clearly unsure of what to do next.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue tonight. I'm so sorry for keeping you out so late. I really shouldn't have involved you in all this," I say quietly, slipping his parka from my shoulders to hand back to him. He takes it and hooks it under his arm before returning it back to his hoodie pocket and shaking his head.

"Al, stop. You didn't even mean to call me remember? You were calling Nora. And besides," he hesitates "I'll always come to your rescue, you know that right?"

My heart soared again for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. I smiled reassuringly back at him and nodded slightly so he understood that of course I knew that. Just like I'd always come to his.

A loud crash broke both of us from the comfortable silence we were enjoying and drew our attention to the door behind me. The crash then was followed by muffled shouting from inside the flat. I tried hurriedly turning the key in the door only to find the door was already unlocked. My mind started racing over what could be going on. What if someone had broken in because the main door was unlocked? What if someone had hurt Nora or Becks?

"Al, wait!" Harry tried pulling me to stand behind him but my main priority right now was making sure Nora and Becks were okay. I flew the door open, running to where the crashing was coming from, Harry right at my back.

Turning the corner into the kitchen, I see Nora and Becks standing looking down at the smashed plates and mugs that now littered the tiles. On the other side of the room was an angry looking Finn still dressed in a suit, gripping a side plate in his hand ready to hurl that towards the ground too.

"Finn!" I yelled. He immediately looked up and as soon as his eyes met mine, I wish I could cower away in a corner. They were bloodshot and filled with fury. He had definitely been drinking. Both his and the girls gaze darted from me to Harry standing behind me. Shit. What does this look like?

A scoff was all Finn could muster before dropping the side plate so that it smashed into pieces and then turning to lean against the kitchen sink.

"What are you doing?" I demanded an explanation, my voice coming out a lot more confident than what I felt on the inside. I didn't know where to look. The place was a mess. Finn was panting heavily from where he stood opposite the rest of us. The girls were quiet. I didn't dare turn around to see the look on Harry's face. I was embarrassed at what Finn had done. I was embarrassed he had come into Nora and Becks' home and destroyed their things. I was embarrassed that Harry had to witness this. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I felt guilt and shame. I was used to the feeling of guilt and shame but never did I think it would be Finn that would cause me to feel it.

"You didn't answer my calls," Finn spat, his back still to me. I felt everyone's eyes on me and finally I turned to look at Becks. Her expression wasn't one of shock or fear like I thought it would be.

"He turned up at the door thinking you were here and he forced his way in when I refused to tell him where you were," she explained bitterly. I knew her bitterness wasn't directed towards me but I still felt the need to fall to my knees and beg her for forgiveness for what he'd done. Finn swung around to face us again.

"Yeah but you bitches were just covering for her when she was away parading about with Mick Jagger wannabe over here," he shouted gesturing towards Harry. I couldn't see his face but I felt Harry close behind me and I could feel the anger running through him.

"Don't speak about any of them like that. Lower your voice. Now." I spoke through gritted teeth.

I had been in situations like this with Finn before, albeit not for a while now and never with an audience. I knew how to handle him but I also hated how angry and drunken him was a massive contrast from his usual self. I could feel the animosity radiating from everyone in the room. Probably all for different reasons. My issue was with what Finn had done last night and how he thought he had any right to look for me and to barge into Nora and Becks' demanding answers from them.

"Do you want to explain why you're with him?" Finn finally spoke. His voice had certainly quietened slightly but it was still laced with aggression.

"I uh...we...he." Where do I start? What explanation could I give that isn't going to anger him any further? Finn's eyes were burning a hole into my own as I rummaged through my brain for a way to word it.

"I picked her up," Harry's voice answers for me. Finn looks past me to where Harry has stood silent for this whole exchange.

"You picked her up?" Finn growled.

"Yeah. She needed picked up after you left her with no way of getting home in the middle of London," Harry's voice was calm but stern and now I feared Finn would turn his aggression towards him.

"She ran out on me," Finn's fist clenched by his sides. He didn't like beignets accused, even if he was guilty.

"Yeah well, I'd run too from someone who'd just raised their hands to me!" Harry finally snapped. And so did Finn. Finn lunged towards Harry but I was able to wedge myself between the two bodies to stop them from colliding.

"He what?!" I heard Becks yell and I knew Nora was holding her back from breaking Finns jaw. This was a mess. A big fat mess. And it was all my fault.

"Get out," I managed to speak although it felt like my lungs had collapsed.

"Come on, we're going home," Finn said whilst still staring Harry down.

"No, Finn," I spoke again. "You get out. I'm not coming home with you."