Happy Place || A Jerrie Fanfiction

XV - YOUR BURDENS ARE MINE AS WELL

The moment I stepped out of the veritable wooden box that is the store, my eyes trained their gaze on the blonde haired woman. She's sitting down by the shoreline with her chin on top of her knees that are tucked in front of her chest, her arms locked around them. Even when her back is facing me, I could tell she's cogitating about something.

With reluctance, I saunter my way towards her. Her arms tightened around her knees when she felt my presence, but I took no mind and simply sat down beside her on the soft pillows of sand.

I peered about and frowned as I looked back at her. "Where's your sister?"

"At Leigh's."

"Waiting for me, I see . . ."

She turns her head to look at me with an arched brow. "I wonder why . . ." Then peers over the ocean once again.

I follow her lead and stare out into the horizon, not bothering to quip at her somewhat sarcastic response. The sun's almost setting, painting the surroundings in mixtures of yellow, orange and red.

I inhale the briny ocean air and plant my palms on the sand behind me and simply observe everything.

Some people still occupy the beach, and I think back to when I wanted to swim, only for Perrie's volleyball to hit me square at the face.

A smile stretches my lips, and a chuckle rises from my throat. I quickly shut my lips tight when Perrie whips her head to stare at me though.

"What's funny?" she asks with a tilted head.

I refuse to look back at her. "Nothing."

Silence reigned between us, with the exception of the clamorous people swimming a few feet away from us.

"I'm sorry, by the way," Perrie speaks up after a while, and I look at her side profile.

I cock an eyebrow, confused. "For . . . ?"

She bites her lower lip, studiously avoiding my gaze as she tries to muster up the right words, before settling with, "For awhile ago."

My confusion deepens further. "Awhile ago?"

She releases a breathy laugh before finally meeting my eyes. "Only a week and my memory problems are becoming yours now?"

Her statement makes me beam. "Your burdens are mine as well."

She hums thoughtfully in response, pulling her knees closer to her chest. And I couldn't help myself from grinning wider when she rests one side of her cheeks on top of them, still peering at me through her ocean blue eyes. She honestly looked adorable. Like a kid.

"But in all seriousness though," I say, inclining my head. "What are you talking about, Perrie?"

She doesn't speak up immediately, once again considering her words.

Then, in a voice as soft as the sand we're sitting on, she answers, "I'm talking about awhile ago, Jade Thirlwall, when you told me that I sounded like a jealous girlfriend."

"What?" I promptly sit up straight in front of her. "I thought you forgot about that."

"I may have memory problems, Jade Thirlwall," she says, her intense gaze never faltering. "But when one hurts my feelings, I never forget it."

Something within my chest pinched with guilt when my eyes roam over her aberrantly rueful expression.

This is a different side of hers, I figure. Here I am, spending a whole week of getting to know the enigmatic Perrie Edwards, and thoughtlessly claiming that I 'know' her; claiming that I had known Perrie as forgetful and concluding that that was it. When in reality, I'm just merely scratching the surface that is her world. When in reality, I don't even know her at all.