What Was Lost // (Harry Styles FanFic)

Chapter 3

Sutter's POV

      I remember the first time I started to realize that I liked Lilly as more than just my best friend. I always loved her of course, we played together almost every day of our lives when we were little. And when one of us was gone for a family vacation or anything else, the whole week would feel off because it was like we were missing this huge asset that we always had with us. It was strange to feel that way about someone so strongly at such a young age, but my mom said those are always the best kind of relationships, because even when we're old and gray, we can always look back on those memories and smile. Even after everything Lilly and I have been through now, I can look back at us as young kids and smile at the innocence we shared, a bond forming that would be much stronger and go deeper than either one of us could have ever imagined.

-
     I got to the birthday party a little late because my sister had decided to have a huge fit over the fact that she couldn't come too. But this was one of mine and Lilly's good friends and he was finally turning ten like the rest of us. It was the summer before 5th grade, and we had all turned ten during the school year but Jesse was just a little bit behind us with his birthday not being until the end of June. But a summer birthday party is always fun, and I knew it would be even more fun because Lilly would be here, my best friend. We were supposed to carpool together to the party but when my sister started having her meltdown, my mom called Lilly's mom and told them to go ahead without us, we were going to be running behind.
I started to scan the crowd looking for Lilly, even though it was Jesse's party, I really just wanted to hang out with her. You'd think it would get old since we played together everyday, but it seemed like we always had something to talk about or some new game to make up.
     I heard a lot of splashing and laughing coming from the pool and I saw Jesse dunking Lilly under the water and them laughing and wrestling with each other.
     But that was my Lilly. That was my friend, why was she laughing and playing with anyone else? I felt my face fall and my excitement fizzle out with it. So much for us playing together here, she was obviously already playing with someone else and didn't have time for her lousy old neighbor anymore.
    But just as I started to turn around and walk away, she turned toward me and our eyes collided. She must not have seen the sadness in mine though because she smiled the biggest smiled and started waving her hands, motioning for me to come in the pool.
     "Sutter, you're finally here! Come and play in the pool!" She screamed excitedly, and I of course start to take my shirt off and go straight into the pool. Because whatever Lilly wanted from me she would always get, even if I was mad at her for playing with Jesse and not missing me the way I missed her.
     And that big smile she aimed my way was because she saw me, not because of Jesse.
     I walked down the steps of the pool and she met me at the bottom, smiling up at me like I was the sun. And she made me feel that way on the inside too. I looked over her shoulder and noticed Jesse had swam off and was playing with other kids. I was happy that she didn't seem to care or notice.
    "What's wrong Sutter?" She asked me in the sweetest voice, obviously finally realizing that something is off with me.
     "Nothing's wrong really, I just didn't realize you and Jesse were such good friends." Even though they were obviously friends she was invited to his party. I just hoped they weren't as good as friends as me and her were.
     "We're not really. Nadine and me were playing together when he started a splash fight and then we all started playing. I kept looking for you but wasn't sure how late you were going to be."
    Nadine was Lilly's best friend who was a girl, the best friend she told me about the first day we met each other. Me and her were friends now too, but sometimes she made me mad because she always took Lilly away from me. On the days Lilly was playing with her, I went over to my friend Denny's house and played with him. It wasn't the same as spending time with Lilly, but it was enough to distract me so I wouldn't sit at home bored the whole time.
     "Yeah, Jo through a tantrum because she couldn't come too, so I had to wait until she was done with that and then my mom forgot Jesse's present so we had to turn around and go back and get it." I explain.
     "Well that's okay, you're here now so we can play together. C'mon, I bet me and you can take them all in the biggest splash contest from doing cannon balls." She starts to swim away but before she gets the chance I start talking again.
     "You sure you don't want Jesse to be your partner?" I ask, trying to hide the sadness out of my voice at how easily she traded me in.
    "Of course I don't? Why would I want anyone else to be my partner when you're here?"
     "Well it sure seemed that way when you were playing with him when I walked up."
     "Yeah because I was waiting on you to get here, not because I wanted to partner up with someone else."
     "So what would you have done if I had never shown up?" I ask her.
    She shrugs her little shoulders. "I don't know, I guess I would have just been the judge or something."
     "You wouldn't have played in the contest with someone else?"
     "No way! Everyone knows me and you are always each other's partners, if you're not here, I'll just have to play next time."
     And it's in that moment that I realize I'm not worried about Lilly playing with someone else, I'm worried that she'll want to start spending all her time with someone like she does with me, and I'll lose her. I don't ever want to lose her. I love her too much.
     Wait, I love her?
     "There's no point in me playing without you Sutter, and everyone knows I wouldn't partner up with anyone else anyway. Even Nadine knows that." She leans over and gives me the softest kiss on my cheek. The first time she's ever kissed me. "I'll always only pick you, Sutter."
     If a little ten year old heart could soar, mine definitely did. The smile on my face never fell away the whole night, and Lilly and I of course won the splash contest.
     After we dropped her off at home that night, I made a promise to myself that no matter what happened between us, I was going to make Lilly Matthews into Lilly Mayfield someday.