Through the Dark (Sequel to Taking Chances)

Chapter Three: "Broken Realization"

I sat across from Harry, offering a very tiny smile. He knew it was fake, of course. But he didn't mention it, and for that I was grateful. I wasn't able to explain what Claire had made me realize over again after admiring to myself. And Lord knows how hard it would be when I had to explain it all to Niall.

"So how is your engagement going?" I asked, desperate to break my thoughts apart. I couldn't keep thinking about what could happen when I returned home. I needed an escape in the meantime.

Harry seemed to lighten up at the mention, and a bright smile spread across his face. It was I quick, yet so powerful. I couldn't help but to smile, too.

"Great. Amazing, actually. Claire has been nonstop talking about how excited she is for what holds us in the future. And sometimes I feel like she's always in the clouds, dreaming about what could happen when the time to tie the knot comes."

I chuckled. "I'd imagine. She was on the phone with me all night as soon as she was away from you long enough. She repeated her excitement more than twenty times, at least."

I watched him as he smiled down to the ground, and then lifted his head. His eyes were swimming with joy. It was refreshing. It was always refreshing.

"I really love her," he said. Although I felt as if he was saying it more to himself than me. "She's the one. She's the girl that I want. And I will do anything to keep it that way."

I grinned. Or more smirked. Harry never talked much about how much he cared for Claire. Claire said more than enough, believe me, but he was always the silent one. He never said much. And yet, he felt so much more than anyone. He deserved his happy ending with her. They both did.

"I'm really happy for you," I told him, extremely sincere. "Really."

"Thank you."

We sat for a moment, and then he became serious. "How are things between you and Niall?"

I swallowed, my head spinning slightly. I was foolish to think that Harry would keep away from the elephant in the room. Lately, I only visited when it was most important, and it was always because of a recent fight between Niall an I. It sounded horrible when put that way, but you had to take into account where Claire was. She was always busy, and Harry was rarely ever without her anymore. At any regular rate, I wouldn't be able to pull off a normal visit.

I wet my lips with my tongue, preparing the careful - but right - words to say.

"We're... complicated."

He nodded, as if that was all that needed to be said. And it was. Niall and I's condition wasn't all that great anymore, and thanks to Claire, I now knew why.

Painful, but the truth. It was what causes a rocky road for Claire and I, and everyone else, last year. Knowing Claire she didn't want a repeat, and in all honesty, I didn't either.

"Is that why you're here?"

I didn't answer. Only sat in silence. I didn't think I could answer.

"Brielle... life is hard. You know that," he began. "We've all been on this train for far too long, but we're still riding it out. And even if life gets harder, we will still ride it out. Because we care. And we have faith - we have hope. Maybe right now, you and Niall need to take a moment and re-evaluate everything. When you two are slipping through the cracks, and neither can fix it, you just need to stop and look everything over. Decide whether you still want to ride the train or board off at the next stop."

I bit my lip and nodded in response, unable to say anything else. And in return, Harry reached across the table and took my hand in his, squeezing reassuringly. His lips turned upward just enough to form the tiniest of smiles. And then he got up and left me.