Ready to Run Part 4

Chapter 1

"Harry, this isn't funny. I need to know what happened." She pleads with me.

"Well you spilled your wine so I gave you a shirt to change into. Then somehow, I don't even know how, you realized Olivia was about you." I tell her calmly. Part of me thinks about lying. Maybe she would think that part was a dream or something. But now that it's out there, I don't want to take it back.

"It was the shirt. It reminded me of the night in London when we were talking about Grant. That's what that first verse is about right?" She interrupts me.

"That's right. So anyways, you put it together, I admitted it. And that's about it."

"That's it? So nothing else happened after that? Between us?"

"Like what?"

"Did we kiss?" She asks cautiously.

"No." I assure her and I can see her visibly relax. "I think I was going to try. But then Liam knocked on the door. But that doesn't matter right? You would've stopped me?"

"Yeah. I would've." She assures me but I'm not convinced.

"Liv what did you think happened?" I ask curiously.

"I didn't know." She says innocently.

"But clearly you thought something happened. You practically collapsed with relief when I told you it didn't."

"Like I said, I was fuzzy. I didn't know what was real and not real."

"What not real things were in your head? Did you dream something? About me?" I ask, unable to hide the smirk that spreads across my face at the realization. I know it's bad but I can't help but feel a little joy at the thought that she might be thinking about me in that way too.

"Harry, let's not go there." She says but by the blush spreading across her cheeks I know I was right.

"So you did. Was it good? Was I any good?" I ask curiously.

"Harry!" She scolds.

"You can tell me. I just want to know if dream me measures up to real life." I continue taunting her. I know it's ridiculous and I shouldn't. But I can't stop.

"It doesn't matter." She says with a shake of her head. "I'm with Liam. I'm moving in with him when we get back to London." She explains calmly.

"What? Since when?" I ask, a little taken back. I had no idea this was going on.

"Since Seattle. We've been looking at houses and everything. We just didn't want to hear opinions from the peanut gallery so we decided to keep it a secret until everything was set." She explains.

"Because you knew we would all try to talk you out of it! No. This is not happening. This is not you. I told you I saw a change in you but this is on such another level. The Liv I know would never drop everything to move in with her boyfriend! You've got your whole life in front of you! You've got to slow down for a minute!"

"And who says you know me so well? Who made you the expert on things I would and wouldn't do?"

"You know what Olivia? You do what you want. Move in with Liam. Marry him for all I care. Pop out a few kids while you're at it. I hope you two will be very happy together."

"I don't get why you're so pissed anyways. You knew I was with him. You had to know that nothing could come out of this."

"This? What is this Olivia? Because I'm a little confused. And I think you are too." I tell her, unable to hide my anger.

"Really? Why am I confused Harry? I mean you're the expert now so you must know, right?" She spits back.

"I think you love Liam but you still feel things for me. I saw it last night. You wanted me to kiss you. I thought maybe I had imagined it but now I know it was real. You throwing out your special news just proved that."

"How does my moving in with Liam prove anything?" She argues, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly.

"It doesn't. But your timing was just perfect wasn't it?"

"I have no clue what's gotten into you but I don't like it. I do not have feelings for you like that. I didn't want you to kiss me last night."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Because you're a stubborn ass! And furthermore, I don't think you love me like you claim. I don't think you know what love is. You can't just throw that shit around Harry. For some of us, those words mean something."

"You think they don't mean something to me too? You are one of very few girls I've said I love you to. I don't take it lightly and you know that."

"I don't even know what to believe anymore Harry! You lied to me about the song. I have no clue what you've lied to me about in the past. I feel like I don't even know you anymore. And I don't believe you. Sorry."

"Fine. Don't believe me. Continue to lie to yourself. But tell me just one last thing. Why can't you stop staring at me?" I ask, finally pointing out the way her eyes keep lingering on my body. Tracing my tattoos with her eyes. I noticed it as soon as she walked in but I didn't want to embarrass her. Now I want nothing more than for her to feel as bad as I do right now.

"Because you're huge and half naked and where else am I supposed to look? Don't flatter yourself." She spits angrily.

"And you're still wearing my shirt." I point out.

"I fell asleep as soon as we got back to our room last night. You want it back so badly? Take it!" She says, moving her hands to the hem.

"Oh so now you're going to get naked in front of me? That's totally going to convince me you don't like me." I tell her with a humorless smirk.

"Fine, give me my shirt then."

"Already sent down with the laundry." I inform her dryly.

"Ok. I'll give it back later then. But my wearing it doesn't mean anything. It's just a shirt." She continues to argue.

"Whatever Liv. Why don't you just go back to Liam? Look at houses or something. I've got to go meet Mark." I tell her, leading her to the door. If I wasn't ready for my work out before, I definitely am now.

"No. I'm not done talking about this." She says defiantly, turning to face me in the door way.

"What else do you need to talk about? What do you want from me?" I ask. Instead of giving me an answer she just stares up at me with that strange expression on her face again. I'm just about to ask her what she's thinking when I hear Niall's voice coming from around the corner. We immediately break eye contact and she makes her way down the hall way, towards her room without another word.

"Hey Harry! What are you doin just standing out here?" Niall asks when he reaches me.

"Thought I heard a knock. I guess I was just hearing things." I lie. I know Niall would not approve of last night or this conversation this morning. It's best to keep it from him.

"Well are you ready to go workout? Mark has a death wish for us today."

"Yeah just let me throw on a shirt. I could use an ass kicking." I tell him, going back inside to change. He follows me, chattering the whole time but I have a hard time focusing. If I didn't know for sure before, I definitely do now. Liv likes me. As more than just a friend. Now the only question is, do I continue to keep my distance and let it fade out? Or do I do something about it? I know the first option is what I have to do. I can't go there. I can't betray Liam. So why is the devil on my shoulder calling so loudly?