Cause I Can Love You More Than This

Chapter 19: Nothing can come between you and I

It was like déjà vu. Harry felt his heart race.

“Shit, come in come in before you freeze.”

He moved aside after opening the door wider. He shut the door behind her, locking it again and checking that the security gate had locked before he saw Grace setting the stuff down in the kitchen. Harry rubbed his eyes and walked over, touching her shoulder gently.

“How did you—“

“Elise called me, I couldn’t sleep, I guess because I had this gnawing feeling inside my stomach that something was wrong. And then she called to tell me you were headed home after a birthday disaster…she told me everything Harry.” Grace explained softly.

Harry felt his face flush in shame and embarrassment. He couldn’t even remember everything he had said but he knew what he had done and so did Grace apparently.

“Don’t be ashamed Harry, we all do things we regret, and you know what, it’s your birthday and you’re allowed to cry if you want.”

She grabbed his hand instantly and Harry felt his eyes water out of pure embarrassment.

“I am so ashamed of myself Gracie…I didn’t mean to do all those things…I just…it was all too much and—“

She placed a finger on his lips gently, ceasing Harry’s speech immediately.

“It’s okay, it’s alright, I’m not judging you. I just wanted to know if you’re okay. Was…was Taylor upset?” He nodded.

“She took the next flight out when it happened…I fucked up then too. I…this will sound horrible, but I wasn’t ready to be with her. It was too soon after you and I, and I felt so guilty because I didn’t feel the same way as her. At first, I liked her, but then she really just became a distraction…”

Grace bit her bottom lip.

“I thought she made you happy.” He shook his head.

“I haven’t been happy for months Love.” Grace sighed.

“Me neither.” She smiled sadly.

“But you…you seemed…”

“I just put a brave face on for you.”

She shrugged in that cute way she does. Harry sighed and then next thing he knew, he was picking Grace up, setting her on his countertop as he hugged her tightly, standing between her legs as he did so. Grace sighed contently and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder and Harry smiled to himself.

“Thank you for coming for me again.”

“Nobody deserves to be alone on their birthday Harry.” She stated softly.

Harry’s birthday was an unfortunate reminder of what he no longer had with her, but a fortunate reminder of that amazing day they spent together. He kissed her cheek gently before moving back just a bit so he could look at her.

“What did you bring me?” He teased.

“Of course you want to know. Well, open up this box first.”

She pointed at a square shaped one and Harry moved out of her legs and flipped it open to reveal a very colorful birthday cake.

“Are you trying to kill me?” He joked.

“I thought it might brighten your day.”

She shrugged but looked a little worried. Harry immediately reassured her with a tender kiss to her forehead, which was bared currently as she had her bangs pushed back with a headband.

“I love it, it’s very colorful and it already makes me feel better. I’m keeping it away from Niall.” She laughed.

“I’m glad you do.”

He then flipped open another box to see she had made pizza for them too: .

“Seriously Gracie, how perfect are you? This is amazing. Thank you.” Harry breathed.

She smiled.

“You’re welcome, I figured you needed comfort food, even if it is four in the morning. Um…if you want, you can open your present.”

Harry’s grin widened as he grabbed the wrapped box and saw her nervously await him to do so. He ripped it open and removed the lid of the box before flipping open a velvet one. His heart stopped at the necklace he saw.

“Grace…”

She cleared her throat before Harry looked up at her. She was nervously twiddling her thumbs and kicking her legs as they dangled.

“Well…it’s kind of clear on the front of the coin I guess, though we’re not together anymore we’re still a very big part of one another’s lives. You’ll always be there for me and I’ll always be there for you, whether we like it or not, our hearts and souls are intertwined…forever. So um, I thought we could both wear them along with the ones we already wear. I um…I already have mine on,” She paused and pull it out from beneath her jumper and Harry saw how the chain was a little shorter than the other one and would line up nicely, “they have inscriptions on the back, only this time they match.”

Harry flipped hers over and read the word he could read forever.

Acolytes (Soulmates)

“Before you freak out, soulmates don’t have to be romantically involved to be connected. They could just be two people whose souls were always destined to intertwine, free and open to how that should be interpreted…I just…I believe you were destined to be a big part of my life Harry.”

Harry licked his lips before smiling at Grace and kissed her forehead lovingly.

“I love this Gracie, I think you’re my soulmate too.”

Harry breathed against her forehead before slipping his necklace on. It was exactly like hers in length and fell just a bit above his original necklace and Grace seemed to sigh in relief.

“I was worried again…” She laughed nervously.

“Never feel that way, I started the trend after all.”

He winked, flicking his thumb against her first necklace, the one that had started the whole thing between them. She blushed and then Harry said they should eat so he grabbed two cans of Coke since he really didn’t want more alcohol and they walked into his living room, putting Sixteen Candles on since it was about a birthday.

The pizza she had made was absolutely delicious and when he was with her, it was like everything was almost back to normal. They weren’t awkward or uncomfortable with each other, it was almost like old times.

All that was missing was Harry asking the burning question.

But he didn’t. He didn’t think it was the right time. Clearly, he and Grace still harbored feelings for each other. But those would have to be put on hold. He had to leave for tour this month and right now, he didn’t want either of them to be pressured with dealing with repairing a broken relationship when they at least had their friendship for now.

At least he had her back.