My Life Is Worse Than Yours...

Chapter Four

Three years later.

Harry Styles rejoined down at the table with the two men who were already sat talking. He was greeted by the smiling faces of Niall Horan and Liam Payne, two of his closest friends he had made at University.

"Okay, Harry," Niall said, as Harry sat down and pulled his napkin back onto his lap. "We have been thinking."

"I thought I smelled burning," Harry responded jokingly as Niall slapped his arm, a little too hard which left a sting on his skin. "Okay, okay I'm sorry. What have you been thinking?"

"We were just talking about your break up and thought perhaps you would want to try one of our suggestions." Liam answered while Niall giggled at Harry still rubbing his arm.

"That's not what I thought you would be talking about. You mean my break up that happened two weeks ago?" Harry replied as he fought hard to keep the laughter from his tone. "The four year relationship that ended two weeks ago?"

"Yeah, well everyone needs a transitional person!" Niall said as he took a swig from his water glass.

"A transitional person?"

"Yes!" Liam responded quickly before Niall could spit his food everywhere. Niall still had this terrible habit from University he had not grown out of and that was talking whenever there was a silence, or question left hanging; even if it mean spitting out his food to do so. "Someone you just mess around with between two serious relationships."

"No, no. I don't need that."

"Look," Niall said as he pulled a small notebook from his pocket and splayed it on the table, between his own and Harry's plates. "What about Rachel Ebbons?"

"Rachel Ebbons?" Harry asked, Niall looked shocked at his exclamation. "She has been married for almost seven years!"

"Married?" Niall gasped as he pulled a pen from his pocket and marked her name with a star. Liam chuckled as he looked over at Harry who rolled his eyes in response.

"Niall, can I ask you something?" Harry said, his voice low and patient as he watched Niall flip through the pages of the notebook.

"Yes, Haz." Niall looked up as he popped a tomato into his mouth using his fingers which warranted a laugh from Liam as he leant back against his chair.

"Do you have any male names in that book of yours?"

"Umm, no," Niall responded before pointing his pen at Harry accusingly. "I thought you were undecided. Are you actually gay now?"

"Actually gay?" Liam repeated, laughing hard as he wrapped his arms around his chest; Harry smirked at him as Liam looked up again and wiped tears from his eyes. "Jesus, Niall."

"What?" Niall asked, his eyes wide, afraid he offended Harry, who stretched out a hand and patted him on the shoulder.

"Nothing, Ni. Don't worry. I was just teasing you. I am still undecided, please, who else do you have in that book?"

"Ebony Marks?"

"Married."

"Fern Houghton."

"Also married."

"Jane Williamson?"

"Niall," Liam said as he buried his face in him palms and rested his elbows on the table cloth. "She died last year. You sent a present to her family."

Harry stifled a laugh as a hand flew to his mouth. Niall's face dropped; he looked as if he wanted to fade away and fall through the floor. Liam's head slipped off his palms to the table as he laughed into the table cloth as Harry had to turn his head from Niall's face to keep from audibly laughing.