I shrugged my shoulders. "What do you want to know first?" I asked, walking over to the couch. Charlie followed and we both sat down.
"Um, God, I don't even know. Its all over the tabloids. I keep reading them but I don't believe any of it."
"W-what does it all say?" I didn't want to ask but I needed to know.
"Well, just how you both were in Ireland and he cheated on you with some chick and you got mad and tried to run her over."
"What! No, I didn't! I-I drove away because I was upset. She was nowhere near me when I drove."
"Hey now, I don't believe any of it. I'm almost a lawyer. I know people lie all the time."
I laughed but it turned into a groan and me rubbing my head.
"Come on, tell me what happened, Row. Don't worry about those stupid tabloids."
"Well...ok...Harry had this friend, Meredith. Blonde, legs for days, blah, blah-"
"Yea, they had pictures of her."
"Cool. Anyways!"
"Sorry, Row. Keep going."
"Ok, so anyways, I met her and she was like this perfect, nice, caring girl...around Harry. Once Harry wasn't around, all hell broke loss. She turned into this crazed, evil, cyborg thing whose mission it was to destroy me and take Harry for her own."
"Nice analogy."
"Thanks. So, I tried to tell Harry that she was crazy and he pretty much dismissed me. I begged him not to go with her because I knew she was going to try and seduce him or something. Anyways, he doesn't listen to me and goes out with her. I wake up at like 4 AM and Harry is missing. I have no missed calls or texts so I start freaking out. I run down to the hotel lobby and the woman would just not tell me where Harry was but I knew she knew. Thank God Marsh, one of the security guys, came down and demanded she tell us. Finally, she did and I find the room and start pounding on the door and Harry answered with no shirt on and Meredith, the friend, was half naked in the background. So, I pretty much run out of there and the rest is kind of a blur. I woke up in a hospital with broken ribs, cuts, bruises, and a sprained wrist."
"Holy shit. This is insane."
"Oh, and when we landed, he tried to talk to me but Laurie punched him in the mouth."
Charlie's jaw dropped. "Damn, Laurie! Wow. The internet says you punched him."
"Of course it does," I said, shaking my head. "Yea, and we haven't spoken since. Well, we did a little because I accidently dropped my phone and it answered so I listened for like ten seconds then hung up. Oh, and Marsh was banging on my door the other night asking where Harry was but I didn't know. I guess he isn't doing well which, surprisingly, makes me feel better"
Charlie nodded.
"Wow."
"What is it, Row?"
"Hmm, it's just...well, my life has been really soap opera-y lately. I mean, that last story could be a whole season."
Charlie started laughing. "I totally agree with you on that one. So, what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, are you ever going to talk to him again?"
"No! Why would I? He cheated on me. Char, I can't forgive him. Not after that. Even if I did, I could never trust him again. Our relationship would be so-so tainted."
"Well, yea, I know that but like, you need some closure. Right?"
I leaned back on the couch. "No, not really. He should know that I am done when I don't respond to any of his messages."
We both sat in silence for a few minutes before Charlie spoke. "So, when Harry opened the door were you, like yelling? So, he knew it was you?"
I pondered her question and made myself think even though I didn't want to go back to that night. "I guess. Yea, I was banging and calling his name."
"So...he knew it was you and he still opened the door?"
I looked at her in confusion, not understanding where she was going with this.
"Ok, Row, listen," she said turning and facing me, "if Harry knew it was you and he was actually...with Meredith, why would he answer the door? Don't you think he would have just stayed...wherever he was?"
I sat and looked at her still in confusion.
"Row, why would he answer the door if he was half dressed and sleeping with another girl if he knew it was you?"
"I-I...I don't know. I mean, I never thought about that but he was really, really drunk so he probably didn't even know it was me."
"If I were you, I would want to know all the details. It just isn't adding up for me. I mean, maybe he spilled something on his shirt and Meredith made it look like they were doing more than they actually were."
"I-I don't know, Charlie. This is going to sound weird but I know how his face flushes after...ya know?"
"And alcohol doesn't do that? Come on, Row, you have got to talk to him. For all you know, Harry was so drunk that he actually has no idea what happened either. You should try to figure it out together and see what actually happened."
I sat and let it sink in further. Was Charlie right? Was there more to this story than what I saw? "Char, why do you make me think about this stuff? I mean, I was fine knowing it was over and done-"
"No, you aren't. You aren't fine. Row, I love you, but you look like shit. Your hair hasn't been washed in, I'm guessing, a week or more, your skin is usually pretty clear and its not which means you've been overeating, and I know you are sad but its ok. Look, Row, you deserve to know what actually happened. If he did, then you move on, if he didn't, then you two need to figure out what the hell Meredith was doing and punch her."
I let out a long sigh as I thought about what Charlie said. Did I deserve to know what actually happened?
"I don't think so, Char. I just want to move past this. And in my defense, I only wash my hair twice a week anyways. I just haven't washed it since I got back from Ireland..."
Charlie put her hands up and we both started laughing. "Ok, ok, I won't say another word about it. But if you find out I'm right, you owe me at least 20 bucks and a trip to Boston."
"Fine. 20 bucks and a trip to Boston."
Charlie and I spent the rest of the evening talking about law school and her plans for after graduation. After inhaling a pizza and wings, I felt like I was in comatose.
"Come on, let's take a walk."
"Uh, I can't breathe let alone walk."
"Row, let's go. Stop being a baby."
"I can't. Doctor said I should rest."
"Your dad did not say that. Walking will help. You were running like every day and now you're just like a blob becoming part of your bed."
"Why can't I just be a blob?"
"Rowan. March into your room, find your sneakers, and let's go!"
I knew she wasn't going to take no for an answer as I slid, very slowly, off the couch and sulked into my bedroom. After ten minutes of debating whether I wanted to hide my sneakers, I laced them up, put on new leggings, a white t-shirt, and my Ireland baseball hat. Charlie grabbed a pair of my shorts and a tank top before tying back her hair.
"Cute hat," Charlie said, eyeing up my white and green hat.
"Thanks. No idea who bought it."
"Wait, really?"
"Yea, I'm assuming Marsh did or Harry did at the hospital because of, well you know. My face."
Charlie shook her head as I followed her towards the front door. We were instantly hit with cameras flashing. I saw white spots as Charlie dragged me past them.
"Get out of the way! All of you! How do you deal with them like that?"
"Well, since I haven't been outside since I got home, pretty good."
"Ah yes, you and the bed are one."
"Very funny."
Charlie and I walked through downtown for about an hour before I finally convinced her that I had enough exercise.
"Char, my ribs are still healing. I think I've stretched them to their limit for today."
"Fine, fine. We can go back home but not before I get a cupcake."
"A cupcake?"
"Yea at Sprinkles. Its so good."
"Oh! So, for walking I get a cupcake!"
Charlie nodded and grabbed my arm as we walked towards the shop. As we were rounding the corner, I saw cameras and tried to turn but Charlie wouldn't let me. "Stop, Row. You can't run away from them. Besides, that hat covers most of your face anyways."
As I sulked again for that second time that night, I instantly regretted ever leaving the house when I saw a pair of long legs, paired with long, very blonde hair standing in front of the shop.
(Is it? Could it be? What will Rowan do and say?? Find out tomorrow! Comment and vote xoxo)