Friends.

Chapter 45

I hear Harry's footsteps close behind me as I walk silently out of the arcade, grabbing my heels on the way. I feel Harry's fingers clasp around my wrist, pulling me back. "Char, hold on." His voice is deep but oddly sweet as my name leaves his lips.

"Harry, don't." I say quietly, pulling it away and walking faster. The skin on my wrist is burning from the contact and it's taking everything I have not to crumble onto the floor right now.

The car ride back to the party is silent, but its a loud silence that's causing a ringing in my ears. This time it's my knee bobbing up and down nervously as I stare out the window, not making eye contact with him.

When we arrive back at the party, it feels like we've struck an unfortunate time. The party goers have all disappeared, probably taking their dancing and drinking elsewhere as the night progressed, but as far as I can tell no one else has returned from their dates. A lump in my throat is growing as Harry and I stand alone in the middle of the now empty function room, deflated balloons scatter the floor, broken streamers hang messily from the ceiling and there's the soft sound of music playing in the back ground.

"I...I'm sorry if I...I'm sorry, what did I do?" He asks, scrunching his face up and pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger.

"Nothing...I just...I needed to leave. I said half an hour, that was way longer than half an hour." I say harshly, clearly my defenses have formed again.

"Back to hating me then?" He says sadly, his voice cracking if I'm not mistaken.

I just nod.

"So this is it...goodbye, I think?" He asks.

"I guess so." I say meekly, looking up at the boy who used to be my best friend, feeling an emptiness from the loss that I've already experienced, so why does it feel like I'm losing him all over again? "Bye Harry." I say, but I don't move. I just stand in front of him waiting for him to say something...I don't know what.

"Choose me. I love you. I've been in love with you for four years without even knowing it. I was scared, Fleur was safe and I was in control, I took the easy way out and I know how much I hurt you because of that. B-but, with you it's different. You're unpredictable, you're independent as hell and you're too smart for me, you're always a step ahead and I'm always struggling to keep up. So I didn't let myself realise how much I needed you, but now I do and all I can say is choose me. Not Louis, not some other guy, choose me. You don't belong with anyone else, you belong with me. Louis' your Fleur, he makes you happy now but eventually he won't be enough, what you and I have is real and it matters more than anything else in this messed up world. You don't feel that fire with him that you do with me, I know you feel it too. Choose me. Let me make you happy." He says, pressing his lips against mine before I can take a breath. His lips feel familiar and send sparks flying but I don't want this, I don't want him. His words mean nothing, they always will. I push him off with my hands against his chest.

"No!! You don't get to do that! I don't want you, I want Louis! No! All you do is fuck me over, I don't want anything to do with you Harry. You messed up too many times. I want Louis!" I yell, my voice cracking and an onset of tears streaming down my face as my hand connects to Harry's cheek forcefully. How dare he kiss me! He knows how I feel, surely he can't expect that by saying that everything will just change? Nothing will fix this, I don't want it to be fixed. I just want Louis and Harry has done a stellar job of fucking that up so far. My eyes drift over Harry's shoulder and my stomach plummets when I see Louis' standing, his face the ultimate display of betrayal, my heart breaks as he looks at me with wide, broken eyes.

"Louis! Wait!" I push past Harry and run after him. I feel like I'm back at Niall's party all over again, chasing after him begging him to forgive me. Please, please don't be done with me. I don't think I can survive much more.