Under Pressure {H.S}

Chapter 45

Harry's POV:

"...but do you think that Megan might've set this entire thing up?"

Her eyes shoot up to meet mine. She looks terrified. Like it was in the back of her mind and she kept pushing it away. But now that someone else has brought it up, she's scared that her distanced thoughts might be right.

"Before you say anything, hear me out." She listens intently. "You guys haven't talked in months. Out of the blue, you go to dinner, and she brings a date. The entire time, she's acting weird. She tells you about my exes, why our relationships ended. She's trying to get between us. And she talks about how you and her date are 'cute'.

"After the meal, she goes to the bathroom and tells you guys to wait outside— right where the paps are across the street. Her date tries to get you to go home with him. He finds any way to look intimate with you. He stops you by grabbing your hand, he hugs you, he tries to make you laugh. He practically flirts with you." I hate the thought of it. "The next day, these photos come through, and it makes you look like you're cheating on me."

Tears are in her eyes once again.

"You don't get papped on your own, Hav. I mean, if Megan was outside with you, I'd get it. But she wasn't. Why would the paps know exactly where you were? How would they be able to send out the photos so fast?"

A tear falls out of her eye and she quickly swipes it away.

Fuck. I hate it when she cries.

I hold her hand and tug on it, signaling for her to come to me. We situate ourselves so that she's curled up in my lap. I hold her here, hearing her sniffles.

"I just— are those photos of me released? Or did you guys buy them?" she suddenly asks. "Oh god, if those are released I'm— it really does look like I'm cheating on you. I swear I wasn't, Harry," her voice cracks.

I hold her closer to me. "I know, Love. I know. I bought them. I wouldn't do that to you."

I feel her release a sigh of relief. Her head falls to my chest and she wraps her arms around her legs, pulling herself into a ball. She begins to cry softly.

"Thank you," she whispers. "How much do I owe you?"

I chuckle, but it's not really funny. "That's your first thought? You don't owe me anything, Hav. You've taken so much shit from everyone. Just relax."

After a few minutes, she quietly asks, "Do you really think she set it up? "

I hesitate, but slowly nod. "Yeah, I do."

Another tear falls from her eye. "Fuck," she curses. "Why would she do that? We've been friends for so long. Since fucking middle school," she says. "I haven't done anything to her. Why would she want me to— to cheat on you. To get me to ruin our relationship. And if she set up the paps..." her voice trails off.

I rub one of her thighs as I speak. "I'm not saying it's for sure, Hav, but it might be. She probably made money from tipping off paps. Maybe she's jealous."

Hav makes an unconvinced face. "Why would she be jealous of me? She's gorgeous. She's a model. She has tons of friends. She's always gotten what she's wanted. The only thing I have that would make people jealous, is you."

I shake my head. "You're so beautiful, Hav. You're incredibly smart. You have a thriving business. And more importantly, you have an amazing personality. There's so much to be jealous of."

She slightly shakes her head. "It just doesn't make sense."

"Unless..." I start. "Unless she saw it as an opportunity. A publicity stunt. Maybe she wanted to create drama between us, and her, with the only intent of gaining attention."