"Come inside quick, Mr. Styles!" Albert waved as I ran up to the building.
The moment he had seen me coming from across the street, he immediately opened the door and tried ushering me inside. I closed the umbrella, shaking it off outside before wrapping it shut. My shoes were leaving wet foot marks everywhere, and I tried my best to wipe them off on the welcome mat.
"It's crazy out there," Albert remarked, trying to look up at the sky from the doorway. "It's only supposed to get worse from here. Although, I think the weather channel said it will be all gone by the morning."
"It's like it came from nowhere," I shivered. The air conditioning in the building mixed with partially wet clothes was not the best combination.
Albert nodded his head before grabbing a plastic bag from the side and putting my umbrella in it. He set it to the side of the wall, "Just another one of those weird weather days. Is Ms. Lutes coming down, or shall I send you up?"
Lutes. So that's what he had said that one time. Just another factor of confirmation for me to know that it isn't Addison. I really needed to ask her what was going on.
"Um, you know what, it'd be really great if you could just send me up."
He nodded his head and led me over to the elevator. When the doors opened up, he pulled out a card from the inside of his jacket pocket and swiped it before pressing the top floor button. I waved a thank you to him as the doors shut and the elevator car began to move.
It was unusually longer than I remembered it being, and I wasn't sure if it was because I was staring at the screen with the floor numbers or because I was nervous. Either one was a plausible reason. It's like those microwave minutes. Those are the longest minutes ever.
When I finally reached the penthouse, the elevator buzzed before the doors opened up. I could hear the television on and footsteps running towards where I was standing in the hallway. Summer's head peeked out from the other room and a smile graced her features.
"Hey! I didn't know you were here. I would've gone down to get you," she walked right up to me, standing on her tiptoes to give me a kiss.
"Ah yeah, well Albert offered to let me up."
"Oh, okay. Well I don't know if you're hungry or anything, but there's a pizza in the kitchen."
I followed her in to the main living space, seeing all the windows clear of any curtains. The sky outside was dark gray and ominous. I could hear the thunder rolling in the distance before it started growing louder. Every once in a while the sky would light up from a bolt of lightning, and it was one of the coolest sights I'd seen in a long time.
"It's neat from up here, isn't it?" Summer spoke, looking out the window.
I nodded my head as I kept my gaze straight ahead of me, "It really is. I've never seen anything like it."
She took my hand in hers and led me over to the couch. I sat down with her leaning into me, grabbing the blanket on the back of the couch and lying it over us. We just sat there together, watching the storm outside and enjoying each other's company. It was actually really peaceful, and I understood why she said she loved doing this. Hell, if I had a place like this, I'd never leave during a storm.
Just watching the rain fall from the sky and the lightning strike in the distance had this weird calming effect. Even when the thunder was right over us and subtly shaking the building, I felt relaxed and at ease. I really could've just fallen asleep right there.
But of course, in the back of my mind, I couldn't stop thinking about this whole Lutes thing. It was such a silly thing to be so caught up on, but I just really hated being lied to. I inhaled a deep breath and just went for it.
"Summer? Can I ask you something?"
She turned around to face me, innocence flooding her expression, "Yeah, what's up?"
"Um," my voice was already filled with nerves. "So do you, erm, your family own this hotel?"
Summer hesitated for a moment before looking out at the windows, "Yeah."
"Seriously?"
If it was so simple for her to answer, why didn't she just say something about this earlier? Like, when we were asking one another a bunch of questions that one time getting yogurt. I feel like this is something I should've known about a girl I'm dating.
"Yes. We own the hotel and a few others. It's not a big deal," she shrugged her shoulders.
I shifted myself so I was sitting upright and no longer having her lean against me, "Not a big deal? It's a huge deal to own just one hotel, but several others? Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Because I didn't think it mattered," her eyebrows creased together as she shook her head. "Besides, I didn't want to tell you anyways."
"Why not?"
"For the possibility that you'd think differently of me."
"Why would you believe I'd think differently of you? Because I'm poor as fuck and you're filthy rich? You think I'd try to mooch off you or something?" I threw the blanket off me, trying to decide whether or not I was going to stand from the couch. "And what name is Summer Addison? Since that's apparently not your real name."
"It is my name! Addison is just my middle name. I didn't lie to you."
I shook my head, staring at the floor, "But you didn't tell me about all of this." I waved my hands around the apartment and stood up. "Were you even going to tell me at all?"
"Well, yeah maybe. I kind of just assumed you'd figure it out somehow and not think anything of it."
"How can I not think anything of it? I knew you were rich, but fuck I didn't know just how much."
"Why are you so upset? I didn't know this was that big a deal to you."
I subconsciously had walked towards the elevator door before turning around and just standing there. Summer was still sitting on the couch, looking at me with the most confused expression on her face. I just didn't understand how she didn't think this was something I'd need to know. I mean, we were supposed to be dating. How can you date someone and not know one of the biggest things about them?
I should have known before. All the signs were there: the random people staring at her and sneaking pictures of her on the subway, those two guys at the pizza place that were trying to tell me, even the damn magazine photoshoot. I should have known that no one is put in a magazine without having some kind of high social status. I feel like the world's biggest idiot.
Sure, Isabella had tried to tell me, but I just didn't believe her. Summer didn't seem like the type of snobby, rich, New Yorker that is usually around this city, and that's what had fooled me. I should have just googled her name when Izzy brought it up.
"I'm upset because I feel like I've been lied to this whole time," I ran a hand through my hair as I paced the room back and forth. "This whole time I thought you were just Summer Addison, a girl who came from a wealthy family because her parents were lawyers or stock brokers or some other typical New Yorker job. Just a normal girl who happens to have friends in high places. But instead, you're Summer Lutes, a girl whose family owns several luxury hotels in other countries."
"So what? I'm the same person! The money doesn't matter," she was now standing in front of the couch, clutching onto the blanket.
"It's not about the money. It's the fact that you lied to me about who you really were."
"Harry, I didn't lie to you! I just didn't tell you about it. There's a difference between lying and leaving something out."
I shook my head, pressing the elevator button and grabbing my jacket, "To me, there's no difference at all."
"Where are you going?" Her voice was quiet and curious, and I could feel her eyes burning into me.
"I don't know. Out. Away from you. I can't be here."
She reached out and took a hold of my wrist, "Harry, please. I'm sorry. I didn't know this would upset you like this. Please, just stay here and talk with me about it."
Summer's voice sounded like it was about to crack, and I had to ignore every urge I had within me to stay here. I really did just want to stay with her and forget it all, but I just couldn't get over this whole situation. Maybe I'm being unreasonable, but at the moment I needed to leave. I had to wrap my head around this entire thing. It's one situation to have your friends tell you your girlfriend is the heiress to a hotel, but it's an entirely new ballpark when she confirms it herself.
I pulled my wrist out of Summer's grip, trying not to look at her, "I need to leave."
"Please don't do this," she spoke from beside me. "We can talk about this. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Harry, please don't leave."
The elevator sounded at the end of the hallway, giving me my cue to turn away. I stepped inside the small space, keeping my eyes trained on the floor. I knew that if I looked up at her, I'd give in right there. I'd forget all of this and act like nothing happened, and I didn't want to do that. I really just needed some time to myself to think about all of this.
"I'll ... I'll talk to you later."
Right as the doors had shut, I heard her mumble another apology, and it took everything I had to not press the 'open door' button. My heart was beating fast and my breathing had slightly increased. I almost felt as if my adrenaline was pumping throughout my body, and I had no idea why.
Once the elevator opened to the lobby floor, I ran out. I could see Albert standing off to the side with concern written all over his face. He tried to quickly grab something and get to the front to open the doors for me, but I was too fast for him.
"Mr. Styles, your umbrella!" He called after me as I pushed through the doors to the outside.
The rain poured down on me as I continued to run down the street. Leave it to me to grab the one jacket I had without a hood. My shoes were soaked, my pants were soaked, my hair was soaked. I was completely drenched from head to toe. But I didn't care.
My legs didn't slow down once. They carried me through the streets, dodging the very few people outside and leaping over massive puddles. I had no idea where all this adrenaline was coming from, but I didn't feel myself slowing down anytime soon. I was upset at myself; I was mad at Summer. So many other emotions were flowing through me at the moment, but I wasn't able to concentrate on any one thing. My hair was getting in my face, and water droplets from my eyelashes were falling into my eyes. My vision was so blurry from all the rain, making it hard to see anything, yet I couldn't stop moving my legs.
After what felt like forever, I started nearing my apartment building. I rounded the corner and finally slowed down to a brisk walk. I looked like I had been pushed into a pool, as I was trailing in water behind me. The carpeted hallways were becoming soaked with every step I took. I didn't even bother to look at the guy in the front desk, but I knew he was probably scowling at me for leaving such a mess on the floor. I reached my apartment door and rapidly opened it before pretty much slamming it behind me.
"Shit!"
"Fuck!"
"Ow!"
"What the fuck?"
As I turned around, I saw Xander and Isabella on the couch. I must have caught them mid-fuck because the two of them were stark naked and staring at me with widened eyes.
"Shit, Styles," Isabella held her hand to her chest. "You scared us. I didn't know you were coming back so soon."
"Yeah, well plans change," I monotonously stated, kicking my shoes off and dropping my jacket to the floor.
"What happened? Why are you so wet?" Xander asked, giving me a weird look.
"I forgot my umbrella."
"Did something go wrong at her place?" He continued. "What really happened?"
I pulled my shirt off and threw my hands out to the side in an irritated manner, "She is Summer Lutes. A billion dollar heiress whose family owns multiple fucking hotels. And she wasn't even planning to tell me. I was lied to this entire time I knew her. I don't even think I can say I knew her."
I tossed my shirt to the floor in annoyance before trudging over to my room and shutting the door. Quickly I stripped myself of the rest of my clothes and pulled on some clean, dry ones. My body fell onto the bed as I sighed dramatically. This was just too much for me to think about. I knew that anyone else would tell me I'm overreacting and blowing this whole thing out of proportion, but if I'm being honest, I've probably acted this way any time I've been lied to. And I'm pretty sure either my mother or Isabella or Xander could vouch for it.
There was a quick but soft knock on my door before it opened, and Isabella stepped inside. She was now wearing some panties and a shirt as she slowly walked up to the bed and laid down next to me.
"Don't ask me to talk about this because I don't want to. I just want to lay here."
She nodded her head and stared at the ceiling, "I wasn't going to ask. I know better than that."
A couple moments passed before my door opened a second time, and Xander laid down on the opposite side next to me. It was quiet between the three of us as we all just laid there together. I swear we were sometimes the oddest pairing of friends.
"I don't know how I feel about this," I finally broke the silence.
Xander shifted his arm behind his head, "Then sleep on it."
"But I think I hurt her feelings."
"Yeah well she hurt yours by not being straight up with you, so it's all justified," Izzy remarked as she turned her head to look at me.
I was quiet for a brief moment before I quietly chuckled, "Sorry for barging in on you guys when you were going at it."
Isabella shrugged and started laughing, "It's happened before, but it used to be me and you."
"I think it's safe to say we've all walked in on each other at least one time before," Xander laughed.
"That's actually very true," Izzy giggled to my side.
As I laid there staring at the ceiling, I was slowly losing any motivation to get up. I could hear my phone vibrating nonstop on the dresser. If I was correct, it was probably texts and calls from Summer, but I didn't want to answer them. Eventually Isabella stood up and shut my phone off, shaking her head and saying it was really annoying her.
"I think I'm just going to sleep," I sighed, looking at both of them.
"Okay cool, me, too," Izzy smiled, getting under my covers.
Xander nodded his head and copied her, "Well if she's staying then I'm staying as well."
"You're kidding me, right?" I laughed. "The three of us sleeping in one bed? This isn't a sleep over. You have your own room. There's not enough space on this bed."
Xander wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged me towards himself, "Well then you better scooch closer."
Isabella laughed as she cuddled in closer to us, and soon enough I was sandwiched between the two of them. This was ridiculous, but in a weirdly comforting way. I don't know where I found these two to be my friends, but I'm glad I did.
"Well, sleep tight, Styles," Izzy laughed before closing her eyes and falling asleep.