Heartbeats || H.S. [ONGOING]

{seventeen}

Harry drove Niko over to Max's flat in silence. She didn't have much to say, but he knew she had a lot to think about. Seeing her so upset killed him. He just wanted to make her feel better. But he knew, no matter how much he loved her, he wouldn't be able to take her pain away.

When they were almost there, Niko received a text from Max, and she let out a sigh as she read it.

Max: I left your stuff outside my apartment door. Come get it unless you want it to go in the trash.

"Jesus, he just text me saying he left my stuff outside his door. He is so mad. God. I am such a bitch," Niko said, her gut wrenching with feelings of undeniable guilt.

"Hey, don't talk like that. You can't help your feelings for me just as much as he could help falling in love with you," Harry told her, placing his hand gently on her knee.

"Doesn't really help, Harry," she sighed, shaking her head and he sent her a sympathetic look.

Harry's heart hurt knowing that Niko felt so much guilt. When the situation was flipped two years ago and it was him cheating, he felt loads of guilt too, but he also knew that his relationship with Julia had been a dumpster fire for over a year at that point. It wasn't easy coming to terms with that, but Niko certainly helped him through it.

This time, with Niko being the one to cheat, the guilt she felt seemed unbearable to her because the relationship she had with Max didn't have any problems — not until Harry came back into her life. He felt bad for the guy because he knew how special Niko was and he knew how hard it was to let her go.

Once Harry parked the Range Rover at the curb in front of Max's apartment, Niko gave Harry a quick kiss before getting out of the car and walking into the building. She took the elevator up to his floor and as soon as she stepped out, she noticed a box sitting outside Max's door.

Niko sighed as she walked up to it, knowing it was her belongings that Max had set out for her. Just as she reached his door, it opened, revealing Max dressed in a perfectly tailored navy blue suit with his leather briefcase in his hand — no doubt heading to work.

"Max..." Niko said quietly, her wide eyes staring back at him.

"Didn't take you long to get here," he shot at her, his eyes narrowing at her.

"I was already on my way over... to talk to you."

"There's really nothing left to say. You don't love me. You never did. It's so blatantly obvious. And I can only assume you're with that other guy," Max countered, shaking his head disappointedly. She could read the hurt all over his expression.

"Max, that doesn't mean I didn't care about you," she told him honestly.

"You have a really shitty way of showing me," he shot back indignantly.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, hanging her head in shame.

"I came over to see you. To see my girlfriend and I found you naked in bed with another guy. How fucked up is that, Niko?"

"Pretty fucked up," she said quietly, unable to even look up at him.

"Yeah, it is. But you know what? Whatever. I'm done. I'm over it," he snapped before he walked past her.

"Max, I am so sorry!" She cried as the tears sprang from her eyes, turning to watch him walk away from her.

"Goodbye, Niko. Don't forget to take your shit," he said firmly, pointing back at her box of stuff.

Niko looked down at the box and then back up at him. He was already at the elevator and she watched him get in. When he turned around, she noticed how he ignored her gaze until the doors eventually closed.

She knelt down, digging around in the box, seeing all the things she brought to or left at Max's house over the past couple of months. Toothbrush, sweatshirt, some shoes, bras, panties. He also threw in some framed pictures of the two of them he had displayed in his apartment.

She took a deep breath before she got up, lifting the box with her, somberly walking to the elevator. She pressed the button to recall the lift and it took a few moments since Max just took it down. When it finally arrived she got in and took it to the lobby. She wished she was able to break things off with Max before he caught her in bed with Harry.

As Niko walked out of Max's building, she heard muffled sounds of scuffling and grunting. When she looked up, she saw Max pull back and punch Harry in the face up against the Range Rover.

"Max! Stop it!" Niko screamed as she dropped the box on the sidewalk and ran up to them just as Harry got control, returning a punch, hitting Max in the eye.

"Stop it! Goddamn it! Stop it!" Niko screamed, trying to get in the middle of them.

They both backed off once she was standing in front of them. Harry had a bloody nose and lip, and Max was left with a bloody eyebrow. They were both huffing as if they just ran ten miles and their glares were locked on one another.

"Harry, please. Just get in the car," Niko told him firmly.

"You brought him here?" Max snapped, his gaze falling on her, looking extremely upset.

"Max..." Niko sighed, shaking her head, feeling stupid and heartless. She never thought about how Max would feel if he saw Harry there. She didn't think at all... at any time, before and now.

"I can't believe you! You're just fucking rubbing this in my face now!" Max yelled at her.

"I'm not! I'm sorry!" She yelled back, feeling absolutely terrible.

"Have a nice fucking life together," Max yelled bitterly as he picked up his briefcase off the sidewalk and started walking away. Niko grabbed for his arm.

"Don't touch me, Niko!" He snapped as he ripped his arm out of her grasp and glared at her.

"I'm sorry!" She cried, but he was done hearing anything she had to say, and soon he was stalking off in the opposite direction.

Quietly, Niko walked back over to the box that was now spilled all over the sidewalk and put the stuff back in it — which was now full of broken glass due to one of the picture frames breaking. Great — just like Max's heart. After placing the box in the back of the SUV, she got in the passenger seat beside Harry.

"I'm sorry. I just... I couldn't not fight back," Harry explained, looking over at her.

"Just drive," Niko huffed, gritting her teeth together.

"I shouldn't have hit him. I'm sorry," Harry apologized as he started the engine.

"Just drive!" Niko demanded, feeling like her heart was shredding in her chest.