Chapter 7
I caught up with Harry, and we just kept running. His hands interlocked in mine trying to keep pace.
It was a good thing I was a runner, otherwise I would never have been able to catch up with him.
We were in the school parking lot, he opened his car, and we climbed in either side and just sat in silence. I snuggled up to his side and put my head on his shoulder. He put his head on mine with one arm around.
He was my big brother now, and other times, like earlier, he was the one I loved more than this.
Then his tears came, and mine.
"Why would she do this?" he choked. I had never seen Harry cry. Even though these were small tears, they were still tears.
"God, I don't know. What is she thinking?" I asked.
"She didn't tell either of us. Aren't we supposed to be her best friends?" he said.
"She tells you a hell of a lot more. Harry, you're her best friend. You know that." I said. The tears just kept coming.
"I know, Care. And you've probably told Liam a lot more too." he commented, his eyes still wet.
"And you too." I confessed.
Harry smiled. I lifted my head off of his shoulder.
"Why are we crying over her? Jack is going to break her heart. And she, she is going to come crying back to us. And it's her own fault." he started.
"I think we're crying, because it was her first kiss we just saw. And it was with a jackass. A sleazy, unmannered, American jackass." I managed a small smile. He laughed.
"That's exactly him. Damn it. Why do you think she went for him? Of all people. I would prefer if she went for a girl. I'd prefer if she went lesbian. That's how desperate I am Holden." he said. This got me laughing. Which got him laughing.
"I think it's the whole American/Boston accent. Which isn't even that cute." I said still laughing.
We saw Liam and Niall rounding the corner of the school still searching. Harry pulled his handkerchief out of his blazer and offered it to me to dry my eyes with. I took it.
"Don't want to look teary eyed around the blonde one." he said with a chuckle.
I looked at him confused. "What do you know?"
"Me and Liam may of gotten some info out of him. He may or may not told us a few things."
"You guys took him out already?"
"Well, we had the whole week and weekend to didn't we?"
"I guess so." I said. He smiled showing his deep dimples. I smiled. But I still didn't know what he meant completely.
I hugged Harry. He seemed to be feeling a bit better. We were both still upset. But I couldn't wait for Lainey and Jack to explain themselves. And I could tell neither could he. We were still were sitting in his car when the boys spotted us. They started walking over to his Audi and hopped into the backseat.
"Everything okay guys?" Liam asked. I could hear a little pain in his throat.
"A bit. Jack is going to hurt Lainey. We all know that. Right?" Harry questioned.
"Yes." the rest of us said in unison.
"Did any of you lads know about any of this?" Niall asked.
"I knew she liked him. She hinted it toward all of us at some points. I never thought she would actually go for it." Liam confessed.
"And I think we all knew that he wanted to get with her. But I thought she was smarter then that." I said.
"I agree." Harry answered.
"Did they have any other history?" Niall asked.
"Well, she kinda liked him when he left in Grade 8, and was in a small depression when he left. I remember he pecked her on the cheek." Harry explained.
"She was 'talking' to Louis from the spring semester of our sophomore year into the summer before junior. That is the only experience she has had with boys." Liam said.
"So we have no idea what is going through her head." I added.
"I knew some of that. But she's just being an ignorant little bitch right now." Niall stated.
"This kid knows what he's talking about." Harry said with a chuckle.
We started laughing. Harry could always lighten the mood. He was great.
"We're already well into first period guys. What should we do now?" Liam stated.
He was right, class started at 7:45, and it was 8:15. The next period was at 8:40. We couldn't just walk in could we?
"Louis just texted me, he said he's looking for us. But Lainey mand Jack are with him." Harry said. "He added that you didn't respond Care."
I checked my phone. 2 texts and 4 missed calls. Oops.
"Tell him to lose them and meet us." said Niall.
"I like your attitude Horan." said Liam. We started laughing.
"Lou answered. He said they're gone. Where should he meet us?" Harry asked.
"Tell him to start walking towards the front. We'll meet him there." Liam answered him.
"Let's get going."
We had a senior study hall the next period. So we were signed out to leave campus anyway. First period wasn't a huge deal. It was only global, and we were all working on a project together anyway and were supposed to go to the Mac lab. There was no problem in us cutting.
We reached the front and Lou came up to Harry and I and put his arms around us. "You guys alright?" he asked concerned.
"Fine." we responded.
"So where are we going?" Louis asked.
"Well, I was going to go and find Cristina. We've been getting on well lately. I think I should do something with her this period." Harry said. There was a pang of jealousy until I realized Niall was standing next to me.
"Isn't she still a junior?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, but… well there is no but. I like her." Harry answered.
"You don't want to get with her do you?" Louis asked.
"Nothing long term."
"So just a hookup?" Niall asked.
"Kind of…" he confessed.
"That's low." I said to him.
"I know. I feel bad. But I just have my sight set on someone else. She just doesn't know it yet." he answered.
This made me get thinking. It made all of us think. And we had puzzled looks on our faces.
"Well, who?" we all asked.
"Secret." he answered and left us.
We all looked at each other.
"Who on earth could it be?" Louis asked.
"No clue." I said. I truly had no idea. It was a complete mystery.
"Well, where are we headed?" he asked.
"Coffee anyone?" Liam asked.
"Absolutely." I answered eagerly.
I didn't have too much time this morning. It was a lot of scrambling to find everything. So I didn't get my coffee. And now I needed it even more. Too much emotion.
We started walking toward our local coffee shop. My arm linked through one of Niall's and One Direction of Lou's. It was a nice feeling, having my boys with me. We got to the shop and ordered. It was almost perfect.
"Brilliant." Liam said in a sarcastic tone. He motioned towards the door. There was Jack and Lainey heading our way.
"Hey, Care, can we talk to you a sec?" Jack asked.
I looked at the boys. They have me head shakes, looks, and everything in between.
"You can talk to all of us." I answered.
They gave me nods of approval.
"So here it goes…" Lainey started.
"You know that I have always liked Jack. You all have known that. Except maybe for you Niall. Wait, where's Harry? Wasn't he with you all?" Lainey said.
"Don't try and change the subject. He went off with Cristina somewhere." said Lou.
That's when we saw Harry enter the shop to come sit with us. He must have seen us from outside talking to Jack. He looked enraged. Cristina was nowhere to be found.
"Hello chaps. Mind if I join you all?" he asked giving a death stare at Jack's hand around Lainey's waist.
"Good morning Harry. How nice of you to finally join us." Jack said sarcastically.
Harry poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down on my right, while Liam was on my left, and Niall and Louis across from us. He just stared back at Jack saying nothing. Sensing the tension Lainey nudged Jack to continue, cozying up to his side.
"Okay, well, when I was in Boston for those 3 or 4 years, we always Skyped and talked on the phone." Jack began to say. His accent, that Boston/American accent was so distracting. I hated the way he said some words. "And over spring break in her sophmore year, Lainey came to visit me in Boston. I told everyone she was my best friend just coming for a visit. Which she was."
I gave him an eyeroll and so did Harry. We both knew the real answers. We were so close when we were young, he told me plenty of times that I was his best friend. Liam has always been mine.
"No. Wait. Care. You know that you were different. I loved you like I love my sister. Like a best friend. Like how my brother thinks of this other girl in his grade. He has a relationship like we did. Believe me Caroline. You were like a sister." he started.
"Well, anyway, when I went to visit that year I really started falling for him. Jack was with some other girl at that time so I had to act like I didn't give a damn about any of it. So I started visiting him as much as possible, and him to me too. And in this year, we decided we should start dating." Lainey continued.
"And I have been falling for her since she visited winter semester as a junior. I am not going to hurt her Caroline. You need to realize that. You too Harry. And Liam, Louis, and... well I'm not sure who the blonde one is, but you too--" Jack kept going.
"Niall. My name is Niall Horan. Ireland." he interrupted. Good for him, I still was shakey with this whole Lainey and Jack situation.
"Thank you for saying that, but it doesn't mean it will change our minds." Harry said as he stood up.
My hands were wrapped around my coffee cup the whole time while we were listening. Liam had a concentrated look on his face. Niall and Louis frustrated, and Harry's neck vein was surging out of his neck. He was furious at them. It seemed as though Lainey was wimpering to Jack because she was afraid. I took a sip then began to speak.
"It was very nice for you to drop by." I said as evenly as possible because on the inside, I was broken. Nobody could hear me. Not these thoughts. I had held it together so well.
"Well, Care, um... I'm glad that you forgive us." Lainey said.
"Oh there is no way in hell I forgive either of you. I would like you to know that." I stated. The lump in my throat was building.
"Well then. I'm glad you got to see Lainey's first kiss, right in front of you, and her new boyfriend giving it to her. Don't you wish it was you? Huh Caroline? Are you jealous? Are you mad that your little sister got kissed before you?" Jack said.
And the tears were aproaching my eyes.
"Weak. That's what you are. Weak. You know that Caroline? Sucks to be you right now, just remember that I'm the one---" and that was when Louis stood up, and knocked Jack out, punched him right across his face. Harry threw money for the coffee on the table. Niall grabbed my hand, and he led me out. Liam not too far behind with the other boys.
I was dumbstruck. What just happened? But the tears were falling now, and I was crying into Niall's shoulder.
End of Chapter 7.
How was this chapter? What did you think? Sorry they have been short, I'm gonna start making them longer.
What do you think of Jack and Lainey? And what about Niall? What was Harry implying?
Chapter 8 will be up within the next few days. Remember to comment and spread the word!
Tweet at me @Ellie1DHearts
I love you all. xx
~ El.