Cute As A Button (h.s)

Chapter Nine - And I love you, but...

Emily-Elizabeth's POV

"So, how long have you lived here?" I ask Marcel as I stab my plastic folk into a chip and chew slowly, watching him as he thinks about his answer. His eyes are so green, so familiar. I just wish I had a memory so that I can remember where I've seen them before.

"Uh, a f-few years," he stumbles out taking a chip from the carton in front of us. I rung Marcel this morning to see if he wanted to hang out. I just need someone to help take my mind off things and Marcel is the only one that seems to be helping me. I recall giving my number to Tate at Ashlee's party two nights ago and he's sent me a few texts now and again, hinting to going out one night which I'm deeply looking forward to. It'll be nice to finally go on a proper date where I'm attracted to the guy. Marcel's cute and all but he's kind of like a best friend, or maybe even a brother figure. "Two, maybe three."

"Do you like it here? I mean, have you got many friends?" I know I might be crossing the line a little bit here, but he's a nice guy and I'm only interested to find out what he gets up to when I'm not around. We saw a movie together in the cinema yesterday which was fun. We didn't really talk much because we were watching the film but it was nice being in his company.

"I have a-a few friends," he tells me with a careful smile. "I work with them, we sometimes hang out. Not a lot though, but it's nice to see them outside of work when I can." I nod again and take another chip.

I take a side glance of him and give a small smile. I trust Marcel, even if I haven't know him for long. He seems like a really nice and genuine guy that will be there to hold my hand when I need him the most, or catch me when I fall and help me pick up the pieces when something breaks. Like my heart. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to trust him with my thoughts of Harry. Who's he going to tell, right? He must of found out or realized who my ex boyfriend is by now. He's probably so sweet that he knows not to mention it.

"Can I ask you something?"

"A-Anything; you know that." He smiles kindly at me and I return it before looking down at my hands.

"Well, I have this ex boyfriend," I start and I feel him tense beside me of the park bench. I glance over at him and he's leaning forward like he's eager to here what I have to tell him. Like he's interested in every little detail that's about to come out of my mouth, and I don't know whether that's sweet or scary. "We haven't talked for a few months now, and we left each other on bad terms. Well, I did the ending," I add with a small shrug. "Do you think I should maybe phone him? See how he's doing. I mean, I have this bin bag of his things at my house, but I don't know whether to give them back or to just throw them away with the rubbish like my friends suggest."

Harry's POV

"Well, I have this ex boyfriend," she begins and I turn rigid beside her. She's going to start to talk about me. How do I act when she mentions my name? How would Marcel act to her confessions, her life story? I try to look as if I'm hardly interested, like I'm laid back and just willing her to continue her story but I know that I'm not succeeding. For some reason my brain's not communicating with my body and I've leaned forward towards her showing, maybe, a little too much interest in what she's going to say. But she continues anyway, brushing away my eager stare. "Do you think I should maybe phone him? See how he's doing. I mean, I have this bin bag of his things at my house, but I don't know whether to give them back or to just throw them away with the rubbish like my friends suggest."

I remember what Louis said. That I should just leave her be and wait for her to decide what she really wants. If she wanted me back she would have called by now, that's what he told me. But she's thinking about calling, does that make any difference? She's thinking about ringing me, but she hasn't yet weighed up the good outcomes and the bad. Influencing her decision won't harm, will it?