Echo Of Us • Zarry

OK! 3

Harry's not the biggest fan of radio interviews. Especially when he's in the studio. Well, unless it's with Nick. There's not much room for error and sometimes, an unexpected question pops up and he can't just look at Jeff and he'll rush in like a knight in shining armour and save Harry from answering it. Technically, he could do that too but Harry doesn't want to be seen as a diva.

"So Harry, great job in Open Window," Chris says. "I've one thing to point out, maybe it's weird."

Harry chuckles politely. "Hit me." This Chris guy must be new, Harry thinks.

"You look pretty when you cry," Chris says, laughing. "No, really, that scene, I won't spoil anything but we all know that the premise of the movie is kind of based on this. That movie breakup hit me more than my last breakup, so good job, really. I'd just have snot running all over my face."

"Well, normally I'd do too but it's all movie magic, friend," Harry tries to laugh along. "Realistic breakups are not crying prettily to great music, I mean, they could be but there's usually more alcohol and sugar involved, I think."

"Definitely," Chris nods. "It kind of reminded me of the ending in Call Me By Your Name. Anyway, let me ask you something legitimate. You have enough people gushing over you at all times." He looks down at his papers and starts reading, "Considering your own recent breakup, would you change anything about your already very convincing performance? Based on your own personal experience?"

Harry freezes. His entire body stops working, he swears. He stares at Chris, his mouth slightly ajar as the radio host just waits around for an answer.

It's been more than a month since he last saw Zayn. Are they broken up? Probably. Has it been explicitly said? No. There was only radio silence and nothing more. Harry still wears his ring on his left ring finger every day, not knowing whether he has a right to do so or not.

Harry chuckles nervously, his fingers unconsciously going to his engagement ring, twisting it and turning it. "Thanks but, I've not any recent breakups. There's a bit of miscommunication in the media but I don't have anything recent in my life that would help me identify with that situation."

"Really?" Chris asks, knocking his head to the side before looking down at his papers again. "Because if my info is correct, you did have a wedding cancelled not that long ago. And you were seen with someone new too."

Harry bites the inside of his cheek, both to stop himself from crying and from yelling. "It wasn't cancelled. We were supposed to get married this summer in Napa Valley, we found this beautiful winery where we went on a trip once and fell in love with it but it was too complicated. We're both from the UK and the organising just started to get too messy and we decided to scrap the whole idea about a wedding here in the US so we can get as much family and friends for that special day as we can and my Nana appreciated not having to fly all the way to California. All just unfortunate timing. And gossip."

Harry's aware he just lied right out of his arse but at least part of it is true. They were considering moving the wedding ceremony back home because people weren't so keen on flying halfway across the globe. But they never decided on this. The wedding is cancelled because Harry's an arsehole.

"Have you settled on a new date?" Chris asks. Harry feels like he can clearly see through his lies, see him like through an x-ray machine but he tells himself not to overthink it.

Harry clears his throat. "Not yet, no. We're both really busy with work and the whole wedding planning was putting a strain on us so we decided to take a little break and leave it for later."

"So you've called off the engagement, I take?" Chris asks.

Harry cuts him with his eyes, before putting on a sweet smile and rather awkwardly showing off the engagement ring. "This is still on my finger, isn't it?"

"To our listeners, Harry just showed us his lovely engagement ring, visuals will be up later today on YouTube," Chris comments. "So, have you two-"

"Mate, I'm here to promote a film not my fiance," Harry laughs artificially.

Harry turns his head and sees Jeff glaring at him from the green room. Fuck.