After (Larry Version)

~*Chapter 98*~

Everything is happening too fast for me to comprehend. I'm confused, and when I look around the room, I see that I'm surrounded by people who have taunted me no matter how hard I tried to fit in with them, and I know that I can't trust a single one of them.
What's going on? Why is Harry just standing there? What's happening?
"I second that," Jace chimes in and lifts his beer in salute. "Go on, Hardin, tell him."
"I... I will tell you outside," Harry says, his voice low.
I look into his brilliant eyes, which seem wild with desperation and confusion. I don't know what is going on, but I do know I don't want to go anywhere with him.
"No, you tell me here. In front of them so you can't lie." My heart is already aching and I know that I am not prepared for whatever he is getting ready to tell me.
He pauses, fidgeting with his fingers before he speaks. "I'm sorry." He holds his hands out in front of him. "Louis , you have to remember that this was way before I even knew you." His eyes are begging for mercy.
I don't "trust my voice, and I barely open my mouth when I speak. "Tell me."
"That night... that second night... the second party you came to, when we played Truth or Dare... and Melanie asked if you were a virgin..." He closes his eyes as if to gather his thoughts.
Oh no. If it was possible for my heart to sink even lower, it would have. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. Not right now. Not to me.
"Go on..." Jace says and leans forward like this is the best thing he's ever seen. Harry shoots him daggers, and I know that if Harry weren't in the middle of single-handedly destroying our relationship, he would kill that vile man on the spot.
"You said you were... and that gave someone an idea—"
"Gave who the idea?" Molly interrupts.
"Me... gave me the idea," he admits. His eyes never leave mine. Which doesn't make this any easier. "That... it could be fun to make... to make a bet." His head falls, and tears pour from my eyes.
"No," I choke and take a step backward.
Confusion rams into my already-jumbled thoughts, disrupting any attempt to make sense of them, to make sense of what I'm hearing. Confusion is quickly replaced by a burning mixture of pain and anger. All of the memories flooding through me pile and piece together...
"Stay away "from him." "Be careful." "Sometimes you think you know people, but you don't." "But Louis , I need to tell you something."
All of the small remarks that were made by Molly, Jace, and even Harry himself play over and over. There was always something in the back of my mind, a feeling that I was missing something. All of the air seems to be sucked out of the small room, and I find myself almost gasping as the reality of all this sets in. There were so many clues, I just was too blinded by Harry to see them.

Why would he take it this far? To have me live with him?
"You knew?" I turn to Nick . I can't look at Harry any longer.
"I... I was going to tell you so many times, Louis ," he says, his eyes brimming with guilty tears.
"I didn't believe it when he claimed he won, even with the condom," Jace snickers, enjoying the show.
"Right? Me, either! The sheets, though. I mean, how can you deny blood on the sheets!" Molly laughs.
The sheets. That's why they were still in his car...
I know I should be saying something, anything, but I can't find my voice. Everything is still moving around me,people in the bar are eating and drinking, not noticing the naïve girl ten feet away from them having her heart shattered. How is it possible that time still moves as I stand here watching Vanessa bow her head, watching Nick cry, and, most of all, watching Harry watch me.
"Louis , I am so sorry." He takes a step toward me, but I can't even move my feet to run away like I need to.
Molly's harpy voice breaks through the air. "You know, there is a sort drama here that everyone has to appreciate. I mean, remember last time we were all here and Nick gave Louis that ridiculous makeover, and Harry and Zayn were trying to battle over who took her back to his room?" She laughs, then continues Then Hardin showed up to your room, right? With that vodka! You thought he was drunk! Do you remember when I called him when he was there?" For a moment she looks at me like she actually expects I'll answer her. "But really he was supposed to win the bet that night. He was pretty cocky about it, but Zayn kept saying you wouldn't give it up that quick. I guess Zayn was right, but you still gave it up quicker than I thought you would, so I suppose it's a good thing I didn't bet any money..."