I stared at my phone impatiently waiting for the address to come in via text. I didn't know what time they would be available to come out tonight, but I was ready.
"Staring at it isn't going to make him text you any faster," El said coming in from the kitchen.
"I can hope," I replied.
"Hope is for suckers," she said plopping down next to me and handing me a mug with hot coffee in it.
"Way to be a downer, El," I said tearing my gaze away from my cellphone to her.
She just smiled, before she looked at me with a patient look. I sighed. I knew that look.
"We kissed, we almost had sex, my father got in contact with me, and he gave me this ring that I am still confused about," I summed.
Her eyes went wide and she looked at me for a good minute before responding.
"Your dad got in contact with you?" she asked, obviously that being the thing that shocked her the most. I simply nodded turning my attention away from her.
"What did he say? How did he even get your number?" she asked leaning forward, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.
"He told me that Bradley was out of jail, and I can guarantee you that my mother gave it to him," I explained with a sigh.
"I wouldn't put it past her," El mumbled.
I snorted. "Please. I wouldn't put it past her to set the garage on fire because it didn't meet her standards," I rolled my eyes.
It got quiet, both of us deep in thought.
"Wait. You and Harry almost had sex?" El said suddenly turning to me.
I blushed, something I did not normally do. "Yeah...that kind of happened really fast, but then his mom interrupted."
"His mom walked in!" she cried out in horror.
"No! I mean she called for us and we had to stop," I hurried to explain. "But if she hadn't been there..." I trailed off knowing that she got the rest.
"Things might be totally different right now if you had," she said quietly.
"I know. I don't know what I was thinking! No, I hadn't been thinking, that was the problem. He had just been so sweet and he'd just given me this ring and it was all so crazy," I said throwing my head into my hands.
"What ring?" she asked searching my fingers.
"Here," I said sliding it off my finger and handing it over to her.
She examined it thoroughly before questioning the engraving. "Forever?"
"Yeah, I thought the same thing," I mumbled.
"Is it like a promise ring?" she asked turning it over and over in her hands.
"It can't be a promise ring. We're not together," I said leaning back.
"But you almost had sex..." and then a look of realization crossed her features and she turns to me giving me a stern look.
"I know! That's what makes it so much worse," I tell her exasperated. "Now give me my ring back," I demand holding my hand out.
She places it in my hand and I slide it back on my finger where it will stay unless under dire circumstances.
"What are you going do?"
"I don't know, El," I sigh. A look of sympathy crosses her face, but she didn't understand. She never would. She had the love of her life, a man who would go to the ends of the Earth for her. I was envious that I couldn't have that. I don't get it. I didn't do anything. Maybe that's the problem. I've never done anything to signify my existence in this world besides maybe a few good deeds. I have never really helped anyone out. I've never specifically gone out of my way to help another individual. That has to change. I'm tired of just being a nobody. Someone who just flies through life alone and bored with everything. I needed a change. I needed to be the old me.
I needed to be the girl that still had hope and faith in the human race until it was all ripped away by an unfortunate past. How was I supposed to help Harry find himself when I didn't even know who I was. I suddenly realized I was just as lost as he was. I needed someone just as much as he did. My breath caught in my throat at the thought. This was a surreal moment. I can't believe it took me so long to realize it. Is that why this thing between us hasn't worked out?
I didn't have much time to think about it though because my phone lit up and I dove for it. I typed in my passcode as quickly as I could, getting frustrated when it locked because I got it wrong. Finally I got it open and impatiently read the texth
Hey Harps, Dani will take her time getting ready as per usual, but we should be able to leave around 7:00. Our apartment number is 576 in the E Building at the edge of campus. Hope that's not out of your way love. -Liam
I smiled at the nickname Liam had given me years ago.
"I take it that was Liam," El stated with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah," I sighed contentedly.
"You sound like you just fell in love," El snickered.
I made a face and looked over at her quickly. "That's gross. Liam and I were never like that. Ever. He's like my gay bestfriend, but without the gay part. Although, either way it goes he isn't available to me even if I wanted him."
"Oh yeah. He's got that long time girlfriend of his right? What's her name? Destiny?" she asked with a thinking face.
"Danielle," I corrected.
"Ah," El said with a nod.
"Well, I better go tell Harry," I said getting up from the couch.
"Yeah, Louis and I are going to dinner tonight, so I better go make sure he's getting ready," she said.
"Hey, how are you guys doing?" I asked before either of us walked away.
A huge smile came across her face and she looked at me excitedly. "Everything's perfect. It couldn't be better," she sighed.
"I've never been this happy before in my life Harper," she tells me.
"I'm happy for you El," I smile and give her a long hug. We finally let go and I pulled back and held her shoulders in my hands.
"Look at us. All grown up and obsessed with boys," I chuckled.
She laughed lightly as well. "I never though I would be this crazy for a boy," she said while we started going our separate ways.
"You and me both," I told her.
I knocked on Harry's door patiently waiting for him to grant me access.
"Who is it?" I heard his muffled voice call from inside the room.
"Harper."
The door swung open to reveal a shirtless Harry and I had to focus really hard on his face so I didn't start checking him out.
"You know you don't have to knock anymore?" he asked me swinging the door open to let me through.
"I just thought it would be polite," I said plopping down on the bed.
"Since when do I care about manners?" he snickered closing the door.
"Since never," I replied smiling up at him.
"I always knew you were smart," he said inching closer.
"I'm practically Einstein," I said quietly while he crawled over me causing me to lay back.
"You know," he drawled, "I'm into smart girls," he whispered. His warm breath hit my face and I felt my heart speeding up.
"Is that so?" I tried to say normally, but I was practically hyperventilating. This is not happening again. I refuse Too much back and forth. We'll get friendly, then he'll be asshole Harry, then I'll get frustrated and be done with it, then the cycle repeats. Nope, not again. I'm not going through this anymore.
His eyes were dark and concentrated as they focused on my face.
"Harry," I breathed.
"Yes?" he asked quietly.
"Liam said that Danielle will be ready at seven," I said trying to break whatever was going on here. He sighed knowing what I was doing.
"Ok," he said barely audible. He leaned down and kissed my forehead letting it linger. He rolled over to the side of me and we just lay there in silence, our breaths mixing together in the silence of the room that ran high with emotions. Harry really needs to figure out what he wants. I know what I want, he knows what I want, but I have no freakin clue what he wants. He keeps giving me all these mixed signals. I open my mouth to ask him, but he beats me to it.
"So, whats Danielle like?" Harry asks suddenly.
I sigh in frustration and lift myself off the bed.
"She's a really sweet girl. She majors in dancing," I inform him. I search through my drawers looking for something nice to wear, but nothing too fancy, and keep describing the love of Liam's life.
"She's gorgeous. I mean I can see why Liam went for her in the first place, but once you get to know her she's a lot more than a pretty face. Her and Liam started dating about 4 years ago. Liam was with me at a gymnastics competition, I was supporting an old friend," I quickly informed him when he gave me a look. "And Danielle was there with her friend, as well. I finally convinced Liam to go talk to her and everything just happened from there. They hit it off and haven't been separated since," I finished gathering my clothes in my hands and made my way over to the door so I could go take a shower.
"She sounds like a lovely lady," he stated watching me go.
"She is. Liam's lucky to have her," I stopped in the doorway and turned back to him.
"Well, whoever gets to have you will be even luckier," he said with an edge in his voice.
I stared at him with a disapproving look on my face.
"Don't say nice things like that," I mumble before walking out of the bedroom and closing the door behind me.
I finished with my shower a lot later then I usually would have. I made sure to take my sweet, precious time. I had three hours to kill and I was not about to spend it with a boy that I was dying to throw down on the bed and make love to all night long. No thank you. I left my hair natural and did a little make-up, before I threw on some clothes.
Harper's Outfit
I felt so warm and safe and secure in my big comfy sweater. It was like having my own personal Harry with me.
I slowly exited the bathroom and looked outside the doorway making sure no one was out there. The coast was all clear so I started to make a break for it watching down the side of the hallway where Harry's door was, but when I started to leave the bathroom, I ran into something hard on the other side of me. Hands reached out and grabbed the side of my waist to keep us from falling over. When I finally caught myself and everything steadied I looked up into the twinkling green eyes I knew so well.
"Whoa, what's the rush?" Harry asked with a light chuckle. I laughed nervously.
"Just want to get some laundry done before we leave," I explained falsely.
"Mhm," he said raising an eyebrow, but he was only teasing. I smiled up at him.
"Glad you understand," I leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now if you'd kindly move," I said raising my eyebrows at him.
"Yes ma'am," he saluted me and released me from his grip. I gave him a smile and dashed away into a complete other part of the apartment. I breathed out a heavy breath. Tonight is going to be a long night.