The Girl With The Red Lipstick

Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen ✔

Niall's P.O.V

I jumped out of the cab, grinning.

I secretly planned to come and surprise the boys for Liam’s birthday, it took everything in me to hide this from them... you see I’m not very good at keeping secrets - at all. But I was still so excited.

I hope no one was expecting me. As I strutted up to the door I wondered who I'd see first. Walking in, I heard a distinct noise in the kitchen area - or maybe I was just hungry. I could smell food.

Still smiling, I listened closely while slamming the door - loud enough, preparing them just so that I wouldn't be interrupting anything if.. Zayn or Louis … or even Liam were in the kitchen with one of their girlfriends, because that would be just ... weird.

I braced myself to yell surprise as I lunged for the kitchen doorway. I stood there- definitely surprised, but for all the wrong reasons. As usual my mouth had a mind of its own.

“Harry!” My heart sunk ... “Hailey?”

I did notice one thing while standing there awkwardly, aside from the obvious surprise of Hailey being in the country. Harry was leaning in to kiss her, and she had her eyes closed waiting.

They both looked at the sound of my voice so quickly that I’m surprised they didn't get whiplash. I didn't know what to do ... or say. How long has Hailey been here? and why didn't she tell me.

Seconds past, we stood there silently; I had a little flashback, purposely training my eyes on the fridge, so I wouldn't have to see the obvious guilt written all over his face.

Back in Ireland, I literally spent nearly every moment thinking about her, and when we'd talk my heart would race and sometimes we'd talk for so long I’d forget my first love - food.

We talked like... everyday, Skyped at least twice a week - it was incredible, but now I was curious. Had she been Skyping him too? Was it all a lie?

Anyways about three weeks in I had a … deep conversation with Greg, my brother about it, and he gave me some advice - I know he didn't mean it in the way he said but basically. Hailey was a lost cause for me, not because I couldn't get her if I tried - but Zayn was right, he did see her first.

So, I tried.. I did. I tried unsuccessfully to forget her - I even met up with a old girlfriend, it was hard for me… but hell halfway into having lunch with her, I told her I had to go... hell I’m not shallow enough to forget about a girl by hooking up with another one.

Standing there, like a deer blinded from headlights stood Hailey. I felt all the feelings I struggled to hide rise to the surface as Harry took a reluctant step away from her, so that I could see her clearly; her green eyes were trained on mine, guilt, sadness and surprise flickered across her features, but I could be wrong - seems like I always am.

“Uhh ... surprise?” I trailed, taking a step back - not wanting to be in the room a second longer.

Harry recovered before she did and he threw himself at me with so much fake enthusiasm that I felt the plane food resurfacing, I hugged back and plastered a smile to my face, as he let go I made sure he saw my smile and spoke again.

“I'm... just going to go say hello to everyone else”

I backpedaled - ignoring them both I slowly headed to the door, feeling their eyes on my back as I went. Cringing, I pictured what I just saw, numbly I stumbled to the backyard, my heart racing - my luggage forgotten at the door, the smell of the burning BBQ filled my nostrils but even that didn't calm me down. I felt so ... cold.