Stripped

Chapter 16: Poor Harry

Chapter 16: Poor Harry (Louis’s P.O.V.)

                Harry was acting as if he had been the one beat up and not Taylor. I kept looking over at him as I drove. I felt sorry for him, he really did have feelings for Taylor, she just didn’t want anything to do with him.

                “Hey man,” I started, “I’m sorry.”

                He just shook his head, “It’s not your fault.”

                Then I remembered what Ann had said to me before I had walked out the door.

                “Ann told me that Taylor was only acting like that because she’s mad that she let herself get jumped like that.”

                I watched his expression, hoping that would brighten his spirits at least a little. I thought I caught a glimpse of his eyes soften before I turned back to the road again.

                “Yeah,” he said, “she’s probably right. I’m pretty sure that she didn’t want to go on a date with me, but she never snapped at me. And I can’t really blame her, I would be pissed off too if someone had decided to use me for their punching bag.”

                I knew that he was trying to cheer himself up. I also knew that it wasn’t working very well. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. My feelings of sorrow for Harry dwelled in the back of my mind as I tried to figure out how to cheer him up. I was coming up empty. Harry was usually dumped, not barred from having a chance.

                That was when my phone starting going off. I stretched and dug it out of my pocket, “Hello?”

                “Ay!” a familiar Irish accent spoke, “Where are you two? You’ve been gone all night.”

                I sighed, I should have known that this would be coming. “We had to go help some friends we met the other day. One of them got into a little trouble.”

                “Oh,” Niall replied. “Would these friends happen to be female?”

                I could hear the snicker in his voice. Behind him Zayn called out, “Wait? What?”

                “As a matter of fact, yes they are Niall,” I answered, “And that is all.”

                “Awww,” he whined, “You’re no fun.”

                I just shook my head as I slowed for a red light. I should have known that the guys would try to have a little fun with this. Why couldn’t have Liam called? At least he was more level headed than the others.

                “Well where are you?”

                I sighed again, “I am not picking you up something to eat Niall.”

                “What?” he cried into his phone, “Why not?”

                “Because Harry and I are tired and want to sleep, that’s why.”

                “Fine,” he pouted.

                I rolled my eyes as the light turned green and I eased on. “Just eat something there. Later.”

                “Bye meanie.”

                And with that, Niall hung up on me. My attention was turned back to my immediate surroundings, including Harry’s depression. I just continued to drive. I needed to get home before he completely killed any happiness in me.