Songs:
El Malo: Jesse y Joy
Girl Crush: Little Big Town
Come Quisiera Vivir Sin Aire: Mana
Odie's POV
The days between my sister's birthday and Thanksgiving were not many. But, with everything that had happened, or what I was assuming that happened based on tabloids and my own detective skills, it was going by like years rather than days.
As each day went by, I plotted. I went through plan after plan, wondering what was the best way to get through my stubborn sister's thick skull. She was smart, always had been, but she lacked social and emotional skills. Granted, I wasn't much better, but if I could just fix her, maybe I stood a chance.
Bringing them together for a stupid business deal was one thing. It was the best thing I had at the moment, but I knew I'd have to come up with something else, just in case. Even if she did take the bait, they'd eventually have other projects to take care of and they'd simply delegate their responsibilities.
I'd have to come up with something better. Soon.
"Odette," my sister called, prompting my to shut and hide my laptop. I didn't need her to start snooping and ruin my plans. "Are you almost ready, we're going to be late."
"Um," I panicked. I had gotten so distracted that I completely forgot about getting ready. "Almost," I lied, scrambling around to get some clean clothes.
I was hoping for a repeat of last year, minus my psycho mom, but Sam and Niall were hosting. Instead of all of us getting together and cooking and having fun, Sam had hired a service to cater for the night.
"Seriously," A.J. squeaked in disbelief, her hands busy putting her earrings in. "I told you to get ready, three hours ago. We have to leave- like half an hour ago." She rushed in, carrying her heels in her hands as she stormed into my closet where I'd hung up the few things I had unpacked. There was no point in unpacking everything if I was just going to be shipped off to school again anyway.
"I was studying for finals," I lied, again. If it was one thing my sister would forgive, it was putting my education first. Not that I needed to study any more than I already had for my finals.
"Just put this on," she tossed a simple dress I was saving for another day with a pair of flats.
I refrained from making any rude comments, knowing she was stressed. She'd been worried that Niall had invited, Harry when she and Sam had invited, Michael and Dylan. Dylan, I wasn't so worried about anymore. I'd done my research and was okay with him being around A.J.. It was Michael who I didn't trust around her and wished he'd just disappear. Just by few times I'd seen him interact with my sister, I was sure I didn't like him. His behavior would almost be understandable if they were dating and Harry were always there trying to win her over. But, even then, he would seem too possessive. It just annoyed me.
Now, I'd have another night filled with his annoying ass. I wasn't too worried about it though. I didn't mind giving him a hard time. Even if she did decide to be with him, I had to put him through the vetting process.
"Come on, Odie! Just get ready at Sam's." She shouted, rushing back out the door, struggling to put her shoes on as went.
Harry's POV
After going through my closet for something to wear, only to realize, it really didn't matter, I made my way to Niall's place. Not before circling around a few times. I knew Katarina was going to be there and I wasn't sure how to proceed. I tried to decline Niall's offer, but I just couldn't help myself. And he knew it. As much as I claimed I was moving on, we all knew it wasn't as easy as saying it.
I was greeted by Samara, who didn't bother to hide the eye roll. I just smiled and handed over the flowers and wine I'd brought. This was her natural state around me. Annoyed. Not that I blamed her. Her loyalties were with, Katarina. And Samara was fiercely loyal, I couldn't hold that against her.
"I heard you were back on the sauce," she snickered, leading the way to the kitchen. Judging by the lack of people, I was early.
"I'm not drinking," I assured her, greeting Niall in the process. "First dinner party," I commented.
"We don't even celebrate Thanksgiving," he spoke over me, aiming at Samara, who had become busy with one of the caterers.
"Like you're opposed to a holiday with so much food involved," I teased.
"Just opposed to having strangers cater it," he lowered his voice, not wanting to insult the caterer. "Last year was much more fun."
I didn't comment. He was party right. The time spent with Katarina and her makeshift family was amazing. It was dealing with her family and her accident that I wished I could forget.
"Where is everyone at?"
Niall shrugged, leading the way back out of the kitchen. "They'll be here when they get here."
With that, he left me to my own devices. A bad idea if I was being honest. All I did was occupy my mind with Katarina. If she'd even show. If she did, what she was wearing. Something stunning, I assumed. She always had a thing about looking flawless with little effort. Though, since Samara wasn't going crazy, I could only assume that her look would be more natural than stunning, which in itself was stunning. She was just... stunning. There was no other word to describe her in this moment.
She wasn't even there and she was already driving me mad. She had that affect on me. Maybe on everyone who was even remotely attracted to her.
Just as my mind had slipped into a happy, Katarina endued coma, the chatter of new people filled the room, pulling my attention.
Katarina. That was my first thought. Though, in all fairness, it was pretty much my only thought. But, to my dismay, it wasn't her. Filing in one by one, Cara, Kendall and Natalie stood before me with an annoyed Niall and a confused Samara following closely behind.
"What are you doing here?" I asked to anyone who would give me an answer.
"Um, Odie invited us," Cara piped up first, her thumb secretly going from herself to Kendall.
This was going to be interesting.
Kendall's POV
I stood in the living room, awkwardly nursing the glass of wine, Harry had just passed around. I wasn't particularly in a drinking mood, but once A.J. arrived, I knew it was the only way to keep my mind occupied. Or at least that's what I had hoped.
Harry and I had made decent enough conversation. It almost resembled the type of relationship we had before she was in the picture. Before he was so wrapped around her perfect little pinky. But, as soon as she was in his sights, it was all over.
I didn't quite understand the attraction. Maybe initially, but now, after she'd left him and left him destroyed. I didn't get it. He should loathe her. Run the other way when she walked into the same room as him. But, he did the exact opposite. He lit up when she was even mentioned, beamed whenever her lips so as perked up in a corner. It was like she had her own gravitational pull on him.
She was his sun.
His moon.
Gravity.
And I was an old friend that he couldn't even bother to look at. Someone he was more than willing to use just to get her off his mind, but could never go through with it, because of the love he had for her.
I tried not to let any of it get to me, but I couldn't help it. How was I supposed to just wake up one day and get over someone I've been in love with for the past four years. I had every right to feel anger towards her. Jealousy. Hate.
She'd only met him a year ago. She had no right to treat him the way she did to only have him fall deeper in love with her. She wasn't worth it.
Yet, I understood the appeal. She was beautiful. I hated to admit it, but there was no denying the truth.
As I walked passed the huge mirror that decorated the hall on the way to the dining room, I stopped. I stared at my reflection, wondering what was wrong with me. What was so bad about me that he couldn't look at me the way he looked at her. I was a supermodel. I was a desired woman.
But, her... she was perfect. From her red, perfectly shaped lips to her golden, perfectly spaced eyes. Her flawless hair that looked good no matter how she styled it. The way her tan complexion went well with anything. Her pleasingly intoxicating scent that lingered after she greeted you. The way she was absolutely perfect in every single way I wasn't and was.
I envied her. At times, I wanted to be her. Even for just a second. Just so I'd know how it felt to be loved by him. To know for one second, he loved me back.
But, that wasn't possible. I knew, even if I were her damn twin, he'd still love her. Chose her. It was always going to be her. No matter how much she hurt him.
A.J.'s POV
I sat at the dinner table, across from Odette, who sat next to Michael Harry and Kendall next to him. Harry I understood, but Michael was an odd choice. She wasn't shy about voicing her discomfort around him.
I tried to focus on my sister and Michael, keeping a watchful eye on her so she wouldn't do or say anything rude. But, my eyes couldn't help but drift to Harry's direction. As always, my attention was his, even when I didn't want it to be. He was just there, ever present.
So was, Kendall. I didn't want to give it too much attention, but it was hard not to notice the way she looked at him. She lingered on his every move, every word. When he so as glanced at her, it was like her entire world had shifted.
In this moment, watching them interact, seeing how well my sister got along with her, I was reminded of all the tabloids I had encountered when I first came back. They were plastered everywhere. On every magazine cover at every grocery store line. Every gas station. No matter where I looked, there was something abut Harry or Harry and Kendall. Or maybe it was just me who failed to register anything other than that.
I couldn't ignore how well they looked together. He himself was a stunning man and once Kendall was put in the picture, they were a stunning couple. She was everything that he should want. Everything that was good for him and he found attractive. Taking into consideration his previous dating record, I was the odd man out in this situation where Kendall was more subtle.
She was thin. From top to bottom, a vision of perfection. Her thighs, her arms, they were straight and undefined. Her stomach was flat along with her backside and chest. Her hair was long and beautiful, probably easy to manage and never had a complaint about it. And her pale complexion was something to envy. She was everything that Harry was attracted to. Everything that looked good standing next to him. She was a model, a socialite, she was used to his lifestyle and she was used to his. Kendall could offer him a life that was normal to his standards.
I was the complete opposite of that. I had wide hips, massive thighs, a large backside and breasts that I considered to be too big. For a woman, I was too athletically defined with unnaturally muscular arms and toned stomach. My hair was a mess. No matter how I did it, I always felt the need to just chop it off and not have to deal with it at all. And I was too tan. I hated the looks people would give me when my grandfather introduced me. It was hard for people to believe I was his granddaughter.
Then there was that whole famous thing. being in the limelight was never my thing and that was literally what Harry's job consisted of... being in the public eye. He deserved someone like Kendall. Someone who was aware of everything being famous entailed and knew how to navigate it with ease. She was perfect for him and I couldn't help the jealousy I felt, knowing that simple fact.
She was perfect for him, while I was defective.
I began to wonder if he'd actually been with her when I'd gone. I mean, I left, I broke up with hims, so he had every single right to move on with whoever he wanted. But still, I couldn't help but wonder if he'd at least been happy with her. He deserved that.
"A.J.," I heard Louis call out, but couldn't take my eyes away from the pair I'd been observing all dinner. "Sloan," he harshly whispered, tugging on my arm.
I looked over at him, my vision suddenly blurry. "Lo-"
"Come on," he smiled gently, nodding behind me, where Chris was sitting as he pulled me along, almost dragging me out of the dinning room.
As soon as we were in the hallway, he was handing me my inhaler. That's when I realized, I was actually having an asthma attack and I was on the verge of crying. I took a few puffs, struggling to take even breaths.
"Yeah, you're really over him, huh," he commented sarcastically, putting the inhaler back in my purse.
"Shut up," I managed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Did he notice? Did-"
"No one noticed. Well, Chris did, but that's it."
As soon as his name was spoken, Chris appeared, chewing a piece of cheesecake. "Doesn't taste as good as the one you make, Kit," he took another bite before taking his eyes off the pie and looked over at me. "You know, he doesn't like her." He mumbled through the food in his mouth. "Harry," he clarified. "Harold. Harowitz, whatever else Odie calls him... he doesn't like, Kenny. She might, but he doesn't."
"He's better off with her," I mumbled, taking his wine glass and finishing it off.
"Such a martyr..." he sighed, shoving the cheesecake into his mouth.
"Shut up." I rolled my eyes, placing my hands on my hips, inhaling deeply.
"He's right." Louis chuckled. "He's only interested in you... and you're a martyr."
I hummed, attempting to ignore both of them as I came up with an excuse to leave without making anyone feel bad. Sam would probably kill me. Odie would definitely kill me. And there was sweet, Niall. I thought about faking an illness, but Samara would probably chew out the poor caterers.
"He's just everywhere," I let out hopelessly. "I keep trying to forget him, to move on, but he's just everywhere."
"I mean, you're really not trying that hard," Chris scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.
"Eh, she kinda is, but she's still in love." Louis shrugged. "You really think, Michael will help her get over him, please. He was- he is, the only person-"
"I'm right here!" I caught their attention. "Stop talking about me like I'm not standing right in from of you, it's getting fucking old." Memories of when I first came home months after being away and how they treated me came back to me, frustrating me.
They'd learned quickly to talk about me as if I didn't exist. I mean, it wasn't that hard when I kept checking out on them. I wasn't ready to be back, but I knew I had to stop running from my problems. It's how they got me to get an expensive ass car that I knew I didn't need and needed to trade in soon, before Odie became my responsibility.
"Everything okay?" Harry's voice echoed through the halls, an electric current running through my spine.
"Peachy," Chris answered, pushing himself off the wall, tapping Harry's shoulder as he disappeared back into the dining room.
Louis said nothing. He just gave me an odd look, slamming my clutch against his stomach before he followed Chris.
"I guess I'm the unwanted intruder," Harry chuckled, tapping the clutch on his other hand.
I hummed and raised my brows. "Maybe you'll get the hint," I mumbled, placing my hands behind my back. "Sorry," I shook my head. "That was mean... uncalled for."
"Perfectly called for," he responded with a pleasant smile.
I groaned and crossed my arms over my chest. "I can't-" I paused, smiling to myself. "You always find a way don't you."
"A way?"
"A way... a way with words. A way with your charming... ways," I rambled.
"You always found me charming," he shrugged, again with a smile.
"Infuriatingly charming," I agreed. "I gotta go," I cleared my throat, trying to snatch my clutch back from him, with some difficulty.
"Hm, I don't think you should be driving..." he tilted his head, narrowing his eyes, again, with a smile. "You've been drinking." He looked at the whine glass in my hand.
"It was half a glass."
"Half a glass, is still a glass," he sang. "I'm not letting you take Grey while you're full of alcohol. Trust me, she'll give me an earful."
"What do you m-"
"You guys disappeared." Odie was the next to walk in, wiggling her brows at us. "Did I interrupt?"
"We're going ho-"
"Home?" She questioned, slightly pouting. "It's early."
"I'm driving you guys home. Katarina has had a little bit to drink..."
"It was just-"
"Drinking and driving? That's dangerous, are you trying to kill me?" Odie scoffed dramatically.
Not like I hadn't done it before. "Fine," I threw my hands up in defeat. "We can stay longer, until I sober up. I'll eat and have coffee-"
"No, I'm tired," she yawned, wrapping her arms around Harry's arm. "Harold, take me to my chariot."
"Odette."
"A.J., don't make me tell mom. She won't let me live with you if I tell her you're a drunk."
I felt defeated. There was no point in arguing with these two. It would only give me a headache and I just wanted to be home.