Pretty Please Don't Pinch Me

21. The Return

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"So how do you know Max Beaumont?" Harry questions, sounding both curious and concerned.

"The question is, how do you know Max?" I drunkenly slur, changing the subject.

Silence.

"He was my friend's date," I answer, and I see Harry's expression soften.

"He's not a good person Ava."

"Why though?" I ask. I'm constantly being told that he's a bad guy, and to keep away, but never actually being told why. I think I can make my own decisions about people.

"Why have you been ignoring my calls?" he questions. Now it's his turn at changing the subject.

"You know exactly why," I tell him, turning my body away so it's facing the window.

"I told you none of it was true. If everything that was written about me were true, than I would have died like thirty times, I'd be leaving One Direction, I'd be gay with just about all of my band mates, and that's only scratching the surface."

"How can I believe you?"

"Because I really care about you Ava. I wouldn't involve you in all of this if I didn't like you." Everything in the car just stops, and I swear I feel my heart skip a beat. I relish in his words, and they bring me a sense of comfort that I've never felt before. But is it enough?

"I just need to know one thing. Did you and Kendall ever... Were you and Kendall ever a thing?"

He hesitates almost. "Trust me. Kendall and I are just friends. We've hung out a few times. We went to the snow one time, and a concert, and the media spoke about it for a while, though we're just mates."

He seems to mean what he's saying, so I don't know what to think or feel. I look out the window and realise he's going the wrong way.

"This isn't the way home," I say, confused.

"No, I know. I can't take you home like this. You can crash at mine and I'll drive you home in the morning."

He seems adamant and there's probably no point in arguing about the matter. I absentmindedly tear off the label of the water bottle I was given earlier.

"You have a habit of doing that," he notices and smiles my way. "You know what that means don't you?"

"Um, no?"

He laughs and shakes his head, "Never mind."

We pull up to the house and I get out of the car barefoot, with my heels now in my hand. I wait for Harry to unlock the front door and I head straight for the kitchen. I hoist myself to sit up onto the kitchen counter, and take a sip of my water. Liam walks through to get to the lounge room area and looks a little surprised to see me.

"Hello again," he greets me.

"We are so not friends anymore by the way," I tell him.

I know he's the one who ratted me out to Harry, and told him that I was at the art gallery opening.

He laughs a little at my drunken behaviour as Harry enters.

"So apparently Ava and I are no longer friends," Liam tells Harry.

"Oh, so I'm not the only one? She told me the same thing earlier," and they laugh amongst themselves.

Liam goes back into the lounge room area, leaving Harry and I alone for the first time in what feels like forever.