The King's Den ||h.s||

sixty-six

Ed gave word to us the next morning that he spoke with Julio and Julio will be arriving in Spain tomorrow.

"So, Ed you understand to keep your microphone on you the entire time," Austin holding a small black piece to Ed.

Ed takes it and looks at it, "yep, I've got it covered."

"So you will be staying with Julio?" I ask.

He nods, "he offered to let me stay with him in his vacation home he's renting."

Louis looks at me, "you guys have a vacation home here?"

I frown, "I'm not associated with Julio anymore, Louis. And no, it seems like a recent thing."

We sat in Maxwell's office, Austin, Louis, Ed and I as we just go over the basics with Ed. Maxwell and Harry are getting things ready for when we decide to go for it.

"So does anyone know who will be like, my backup?" Ed looks around at us.

I shake my head, "Harry says he figured it out. I'm just gonna guess it's Zayn."

"Zayn?" Louis asks.

I looked at him, "is it you then?"

"No," he replies.

"Then it has to be Zayn."

Ed lets out a breath, "alright, just tell Zayn to law low. Who knows what Julio can actually be planning."

"Don't worry Ed," I reassure him. "Nothing will happen."

"Alright, I guess I'll need to pack to stay with Julio tomorrow," Ed stands up and walks out of the office.

Austin glances between Louis and I, "so, anyone want a beer?"

"I'll pass," I say.

Louis shrugs, "I could go for a beer."

I scoff, "Louis..."

"I want a beer alright? Who knows if it's my last."

I don't say anything, knowing this has gotten serious. I stand up and I excuse myself, walking out.

Since my conversation with Harry yesterday, I've felt a huge guilt on my shoulders. I feel like I was at fault for Niall's death, since he died in trying to save me and Harry. I feel that if Liam's not dead, at least I made his life more in jeopardy, and it was a matter of time before we have to face this and put and end to it that could result in another life, or even lives.

I haven't spoken to Harry, but I think he knows what I feel since admitting to me about Liam. We've just slept in the same room, and then only small talk in the morning and we go about our ways to ignore each other around the house.

I was walking down the hall and I bump into Zayn and he looks down at me. "Hey Julia, all right?" He asks.

I give a small nod, "yeah, sorry."

"Harry told me he told you about Liam," he lowers his voice.

I sigh, "I've just had a lot on my mind."

He puts a hand on my shoulder, "I know you must feel guilty, but don't feel like it's your fault. It's not."

"Don't worry about me Zayn, it'll all be over soon," I give a smug smile.

He doesn't smile back, he just nods and walks off in the other direction.

I walk over to the back of the house and sit by the pool, as I've been doing the past few days.

"Can I join you?" I hear behind me.

I look over at Harry who just stood awkwardly. I nod and he strides over, rolls his pant legs up and sits next to me whole dipping his feet in the pool water.

"Warm day today," he mutters.

I look up and then back down, "yeah, rather sunny."

We don't say anything else but I can feel the atmosphere shift from being awkward, to comfortable.

We stayed like this for a while until Harry lies on his back with his feet still in the water. The sun has began to set already, and just like that, another day was wasted.

Harry, after probably staying silent for an hour speaks up, "it's getting dark."

"Yeah," was the only thing I respond with.

He sighs and moves his feet from the water and stands up, "are you mad at me?"

"That's not it," I quickly say.

He doesn't seemed convinced, "Julia, we can't always argue and them ignore each other."

"We didn't argue Harry, you told me something that has been on my mind a lot, I am not mad at you," I explain, feeling a lump in my throat.

His eyes watch me carefully and responds, "Julia, what's going on?"

"Harry..." I trail. "I can't do this anymore."

He furrows his brows, "do what anymore?"

I felt the lump grow bigger, "Harry, I love you..."

He looks away from me and turns his back to me and responds, "don't say, what I think you're going to say."

I now then, get up from and I stand facing him, his back still towards me. "Harry, I feel once this ends we should just... Go our separate ways." I felt like I was in a cheesy soap opera, but the pain in saying it was there.

He then turns back around to me, his features had grown serious and sharp, "Julia..."

"Harry, I love you," I say once more. "But I can't do this anymore."

He doesn't respond with anything, if anything his face just went blank. I don't know why it hurt more to see him not respond, and I let tears brim down my face.

"I'm going inside," I quietly say.

He doesn't say anything, just stands in the same position as I walk away. I walk into the house, tears just continuing to flow as I let out a small sob and rush towards my room upstairs. I heard Jade and Louis call my name but I felt like it was best to dodge everything and go to my room.

I quickly close the door, locking it and collapsing on the floor, crying. I heard murmuring behind the door and then it fell silent as they decided not to disturb me.

After a few minutes of sobbing, I stand up and just lay on my bed until I felt ready to sleep. Sooner or later, my eyes stinging, they gave out and I fell asleep.

*
I heard loud knocking on my door, bolting me up straight.

I quickly rush to the door and my voice cracks, "who is it?"

"Julia, you need to come out and go downstairs," Louis' voice replies.

I wipe my eyes, still stinging from crying, "why Louis?"

"Trust me, this is urgent," Louis sounding desperate.

I don't really have much of a choice, so I opened it and I see Louis who looked anxious.

"Louis what's going on?" I start to get worried.

"Just go downstairs," he quickly says.

I don't hesitate as I rush past him across the hallway leading to the stairs. I rush down and I hear voices through the first living room of the house. I quicky follow the voices and what I see my heart stops.

I look at everyone crowded around two people who were severely beaten up.

My eyes widen and everyone's heads turns towards me, "Liam?" I look at the second person, "mom?"

***

Update, yay! So things got a little more interesting. Last few chapters are in the works as of now, and I'm pretty excited to show you the way it will end.

Thanks again for reading, and please vote and comment, letting me know what you think.

Love you all,
-E.x