(ATLANTIS) - haylor au

chapter thirtyfour (2/2)

(harry)

"Was his mom or dad mad?" I hear Gigi ask again, sitting beside me. There's another sigh and another chuckle somewhere in the room. The answer's no and if they are, they sure hide it well. We've been going through the events of last night, again and again and again. I keep getting hit with the realisation of Harry's lips on mine like the first time again and again. I want to forget it. It's wrong. 

I peek from the cushion and look at Gigi. Her cheekbones look slightly swollen from Zack's slap; reminding me how scary he is. I pull over the cushion over my eyes again and go back to listening to the conversation; eyes closed.

"Guys, there's no point in us talking about this anymore." Liam interrupts the cycle of questions. He's sitting on the carpeted floor with Niall. "Zack and Harry had a fight. That's it. Harry's our friend and we're here for him. We'll visit him on the first day we can. What happened last night, it shouldn't have escalated like that." 

I lift the cushion from my face, pulling myself up to sit. Gigi's eyes meet mine for a few seconds before she looks away. I know what she's thinking. 

"This is all my fault." Gigi finally says. We're all quiet for a while, looking at him. My hands on her shoulder, pulling her close to me. 

"It's only Zack's fault. He's an asshole. We're glad you're safe and Harry's also well." I finally say, resting my head on the crane of Gigi's shoulder. There are murmurs of agreement. 

"Fuck Zack." Karlie chimes in. "I would suggest alcohol to forget him but we're all pretty fucked up from last night, let's be real." She gives a smile, attempting to cheer the rest of us. 

"I don't need to forget him. I've been over him. I just messed up so bad with Zayn." Gigi groans. She's laughing half-heartedly as she looks around the room. "He says he's fine but he's not here right now." She shrugs, rolling her eyes. 

"He'll come around, babe. Don't worry." Selena says, with her dangling from the couch. Niall and Liam give her reassuring noises as well. "Let's talk about Taylor smooching Harry." A giggle escapes her mouth before she sits up, tucking her legs underneath herself. She looks at me with her eyebrows raised looking at me expectantly. 

"Fuck." I mutter, burying my face into the cushion again. 

"Wait, wait, wait. When was this?" Liam turns to me quickly, genuinely curious. The eyes are on me and I'm shaking my head. I want to laugh and hide at the same time. After all this time of wanting my friends to be wrong, I kiss Harry in front of everyone. 

"I was drunk." I blurt out. 

"It's not your first time, Tay. How drunk were you?" Karlie spits back. 

"Drunk enough to kiss Harry."

"So you only kissed him because YOU were drunk.." Selena says slowly, almost repeating it back to me. Stroking her chin; pretending to think hard, she's looking off into a distance. 

"Yes." I nod slowly and look at Gigi. She has a sympathetic look and smile on her face. It's almost sympathetic but it's more of a I-know-you're-lying-everyone-does look. 

"That's a lot of bullshit, Swift. Even for you." Liam shakes his head and catches the cushion I violently throw at him. 

"I was drunk!" I repeat, wanting to convince myself more than everyone else. "Drunk enough to kiss Harry." I gulp and pause. I'm getting all heated up and everyone's quiet.

"Drunk enough to let myself kiss him in front of everyone else. Drunk enough to think that I was going to lose Harry." My voice cracks as I'm shouting. "God, guys, I can't imagine what I would've done if something actually happened to him." I choke again, lowering my voice. Teary-eyed, I feel the girls surround me into a hug. 

//

Monday rolls around and it's the day that everyone's decided that they ought to visit Harry. I've decided to stay back and study. It's senior year and I've barely hit the books. I should be preparing for college. I'm also still afraid to face Harry about kissing him. Texting him is different. We've texted each other. Texting as opposed to seeing him in flesh in front of me, living through the awkward silences when one of us doesn't text back as quickly; because we're out of witty things to say or don't know what to say at all.

He'd sent me a selfie of himself; cuts on his lips and his cheeks. Anne had also sent me a picture of Harry sleeping, asking me if he isn't the cutest thing ever. 

"He really is." I reply to her. "Don't tell him I said that though!" I send in another reply.