In the Open | Harry Styles | Sequel to Undercover

15.

Harry

"What do you mean?" I whisper into the dim light of my bedroom.

She said we shouldn't have done that. Did she really regret it? Had I forced her?

Fuck.

I roll over onto my side, bringing my hand up and using my fingers to tilt her chin so she is staring into my eyes.

"El, you don't think I like, forced you, or anything, right?"

"No, Harry. I was a willing participant. We just shouldn't have done that. We've fixed nothing." She sighs. "I came over here pissed, I wanted to tell you off and feel, I don't know, vindicated. Now all I feel is confused. So confused."

"What's there to be confused about El? We love each other."

"It's got nothing to do with how much I love you, Harry. It has everything do with the fact that I set clear boundaries that I asked you to respect and you still crossed the line. When you don't respect my wishes you aren't respecting me."

"You're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. It was a just a job, El." I huff.

"What about when it's not?" she yells back.

I jump slightly, not used to her raising her voice, or the harsh tone that fills her words now.

"What-what do you mean?"

"I mean if you can cross the line on something like this, even if your intentions were good, what other lines do you not think apply to you?"

"El, you're being ridiculous!" I yell, feeling my irritation grow, this is not what I'd expected from her, especially after we'd just made love.

"I think I should just go." She says, rising from the bed, dragging the comforter off of my bed with her.

"Damn it, El. Don't leave. If you leave we can't fix anything." I say, leaving the confines of the sheets and moving towards her as she gathers her various articles of clothing off of the floor and heads for the bathroom.

"Harry I don't know that this is something that can be fixed."

"You don't mean that." I say, shaking my head.

Her lip quivers slightly before she turns away from me and enters the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Suddenly, I'm left feeling like there's a lot more than a bathroom door between us.

•

Ellie

"I just don't get it, El. It's been nearly a month." Kam says to me as we sit under an umbrella at an outdoor table at our favorite brunch spot.

"You don't have to get it. Kam. I don't want to see him."

"Psh, I don't know how. Have you looked at him?"

"Stop."

"What, he's hot as hell and you know it."

"He's also egotistical and arrogant and-"

"Save it." She says, cutting me off. "I don't know why you're fighting this so hard. You know you're destined for each other. You might as well get over it, get over yourself and go to him. He looks like shit."

"You saw him." I ask, my mind suddenly filled with questions.

She doesn't reply, instead lifting her purse to the table top and rifling through it. She pulls out her phone and types on the screen for a moment before showing me a picture.