Backfire | Harry Styles AU COMPLETED

Chapter Thirty Six

The rest of Thanksgiving break went by painfully slow, with my parents talking in low whispers whenever I'd leave the room or me having to do everything with them, in fear I'd drink at home when they were out. The worst part of it all was the afternoon I spent fixing the fence I knocked down. I had to buy a new piece, and repaint the wood to match the rest. It was awful.

Yet, as strange as it is to say this, I'm glad my time in Lebanon is over with. Both my mom and dad were wary about me coming back to London but I couldn't be more excited to step back onto the Birkbeck campus and see the few familiar faces, but I'm sure most of them will be studying hard considering finals for the first semester are already next week. English and Psychology are my easiest classes so I won't have to study as much for them, but math and history will be tough. (Mostly because I never pay attention in history).

The driver stops just outside the main entrance and I thank him before grabbing my bags. The late November air is crisp and I wrap my jacket tighter around my body as I walk toward my dorm. I spoke to Charlotte and she is excited to see me, and she said she has a lot of news to tell me, which I can't decide if I'm nervous or excited for. But the person I am most ready to see is Louis. He has been out of school for the last three weeks in a treatment facility overcoming his addiction to alcohol. I am hoping he will give me more information on how long this has been going on and why. It saddens me that he abused the substance and I remember the time at the Frat house when he was already wasted by the time I got there. Little did I know...

Many students hurry by me in a rush to get to their next class, yet I emailed my professors and let them know I wasn't going to be there. You know, jet lag and all, which isn't a total lie; I just have to finish some of the work they gave me. I trudge my bags across campus, similar to the way I did when I first arrived here three short months ago. Oh how things have changed. Shaking my head, ridding my mind of the thoughts that were next to come, I make my way up the stairs toward my dorm. The door is cracked and I push it open with my shoulder, immediately being met with a grinning Charlotte.

"Addie, good Lord I've been so bored, hey that rhymed." The two of us fall into a fit of laughter before she wraps me in a hug. I sigh into the embrace, feeling welcomed back to London.

"I've missed it here! Even though having my own bathroom was nice." I reply, sitting down on my bed. The blonde eyes me from the other side of the room and I push my eyebrows together and her quizzical expression.

I open my mouth to speak but she is too quick to the punch. "Something happened there didn't it." My heart sinks at the fact that she's already seen past my false upbeat behavior. As I run a hand through my hair I think of where to start the soap opera of a story.

"Harry and I both did things we regret deeply but the consequences of our actions came down to this, I guess." I shrug my shoulders, trying to mask the crack in my voice.

Charlotte sighs and joins me on my bed, grabbing her hand in mine. "You two aren't together anymore?" She asks slowly and I shake my head, looking down at my comforter.

"I want to show you these and you need to tell me why he is doing this." I cock my head at her and before I can say no, she pulls her laptop over and sticks the screen in my face.

The first thing I notice is the girl on Harry's arm, and the way his eyes are almost closed, resulting in drinking or smoking. Yet, I don't think he's ever smoked weed before. Not that I know of. Charlotte then clicks forward to him leaving an apartment and I read the caption of the photo, which says it was taken at six in the morning. I want to believe it is a family friend but from the looks of it, he's doing exactly what he did when he and Kinsley broke up. Harry is forgetting what happened by making himself feel good with other women. It breaks my heart.

"I can't look at that." I croak, looking out the window at the clouded sky.

Charlotte closes the screen and looks at me again, waiting for an answer.

"He's doing that because he's hurting, I guess. Or he just likes to spite me and make me feel like an idiot." My eyes roll and I want to change the topic immediately. "When does Louis come home?" I ask, hoping she'd know, and by the way her eyes light up, I have my answer.

"He got back last night." The blonde tells me, making me shoot up off the bed and toward the door. "Wait Addie!" She calls and I look back at her, "Before you go, I want to apologize for everything, with Mackenzie and stuff. I was an idiot for being awful to you just to be her friend." Wait what?

My mind is spinning with all of this new information and the pictures of Harry. I really just want to see Louis. I turn to her fully, urging her to go on.

"Mackenzie and I became friends at orientation and when she told me she dated Harry Styles, I was ecstatic considering I was a huge fan of Infinity. She showed me things and took me places a small girl from Doncaster couldn't even imagine. I began to look up to her in a twisted way and didn't want to do anything to get on her bad side. Yet when you came she became threatened by your friendship with Harry and she made me say things that were awful and that I regret, and I wish I could take them back now. I'm sorry Addie, and I now realize what type of person she is. Her contract ended three days ago and that was the last I heard from her. It sucks putting your trust into someone and then they just leave, you know?"

I lean against the door frame, taking in Charlotte's words and I feel bad for her because she and I have both been manipulated and played by someone who we thought was our friend.

I nod repetitively, "I completely understand where you're coming from and I too have been in that position, I'm really sorry that happened to you Char and I accept your apology." I smile and watch her noticeably relax. "Alright go and have fun, let me know how he's doing." My roommate replies and I wave goodbye, excited to see my closest friend.

Hellllooooo! That was a filler kinda, idk. But I'm glad that Charlotte was honest with Addie awh :') Keep commenting and voting xx