Lie To Me

Lie To Me-Chapter 158

After stopping to take a quick picture with Madison as we exited the plane, much to the chagrin of her mother, I made my way through the busy airport, and gathered up my bags.

Stepping outside into the chilled London air, I motioned for a cab and crawled inside, dropping my bags onto the seat next to me. I gave my address to the driver, and pulled my phone out of my purse, turning it back on for the first time since I'd walked into LAX.

My notifications went crazy...

Twenty missed calls; ten of which were from Harry. And over a handful of text messages from everyone from my mother, to Gemma, to Niall, and finally once again, to Harry. I opted to open my mother's first.

'Hey, sweetie! Got a strange message from Bree. Are you okay? Call me! I love you!'

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. That meddling bitch... How did I know Bree was going to bring my mother into this... She just couldn't help herself, she had to do whatever it took to completely fuck with my life. I quickly texted my mom back, promising to call once I got settled in at home.

A little scared to see Gemma's, and not even close to being ready to see Harry's, I went to Niall's text next. Niall was always the happy one, the funny one, seeing the silver lining when the rest of us saw rain, so I was hoping that whatever he had to say, it would bring at least a smidgen of happiness into my life.

Until I opened it, and the tears started welling up all over again...

'Hello beautiful! I tried calling you, but apparently someone decided to shut off her phone... Look, I don't know all of what's happened between you and Harry, but I want you to know whatever it is, we are ALL here for you. Especially Harry. I know he can be an idiot at times, and his logic can be that of a twelve year old boy, just like the rest of us, but he loves you. Above all else, know that he loves you, and he would do anything to make you happy. That goes for all of us too!! Call me if you need anything, okay?'

After giving the driver a watery thanks for the handful of tissues that quietly came my way, I held my breath, opening Gemma's message. I was already falling apart. Might as well go for broke...

'Get your ass back to that house, right now, Riley!! I just got off the phone with my sad, broken, and incredibly lost little brother, who has somehow gotten the crazy idea in his head that you don't love him!! What the HELL happened?!? Call me!'

Two things went through my mind as I reread her message. First, Harry obviously didn't tell her the whole story... Knowing Gemma, she'd be on my side and ready to kick his ass if she knew what he'd done with Bree. Apparently though, he'd decided to leave that part out of their conversation.

I guess I wasn't the only one he liked to lie to...

My second thought, given that she knew I was gone, Gemma was probably already hating me for leaving Harry the way I did. Just walking out, running away, and hurting him in the process.

I was just getting ready to write her back, trying to figure the right words to say, as another text notification came in...

From Harry...

With shaky breaths, and a rapid heart, I clicked on it, taking me to his list of messages, starting with the first.

'Riley, I'm sorry. I love you so much, and I just want to talk about this. Please... Please come back.'

Then the next.

'Look, I know you don't love me. But that's okay. It is, really. I just want to talk to you. Can you call me back? Please?'

Then another...

'Okay, I get it. I mean, I guess I always got it, but I get it now. You're not coming back. So, all I ask now is, can you wait for me? I'm coming home as soon as possible. I love you. I'm sorry, Riley. I was stupid. So stupid. We can talk about this. Please, just say you'll be there.'

And then, the latest.

'Its me again. Please let me know you made it home okay. I'm worried, and no one has heard from you, and I just want to make sure you're okay. Please, Riley. Please.'

I dropped my phone into my lap. I wanted to scream, to tear my hair out. I wanted to call Harry and tell him to just leave me alone. I wanted to tell him I loved him, that we were both idiots, and that we'd somehow work it all out. I wanted to tell the driver to turn around and take me back to the airport so I could find my way back to him. I wanted to disappear from all of this, from Harry, from everyone, and just hide away for as long as it took to heal this gaping hole in my chest. I wanted to turn back the clock to before all of this happened. Before Bree, LA, my stupid birthday. I just wanted...

"Are you alright, love?"

I hadn't realized I'd been sobbing...again, until the driver spoke, his voice soft and gentle.

"No... No, I'm not alright. I just... I just want to go home."

He smiled sweetly at me as I wiped at my cheeks, once again trying to calm my raging emotions.

"Well, then... Your wish is granted." He motioned toward the building we were stopped in front of, and I instinctively looked out the window.

Home. I was home.

He came back to let me out, and assisted in removing my bags as well. I looked up at the tall building, knowing in an instant which unit was ours.

"Do you need help getting inside?" The gentleman smiled at me, pulling at my attention.

"No. No, I'll be fine, thank you." I dug into my purse for the last of my cash.

After paying him, and thanking him again for his kindness and understanding, I slowly made my way in, patiently taking the elevator ride to our floor.

Our floor. Ours...

Stepping off the elevator, pulling out my key, and unlocking the door, I remembered the first day Harry had showed me this place. He'd been so excited to see what I thought, yet so nervous that I wouldn't see this place as home. He nearly shook with anticipation, going back and forth between looking like a child at Christmas and chewing on his bottom lip.

But, as I stepped foot into the only home I'd known for the last couple of years, I felt it. It really WAS home.

All of the memories. All of the moments. Everything flooded over me in an instant. The kitchen light we used to use as a means of keeping tabs on each other, the television we'd watched hundreds of movies on while we cuddled up on the couch, the closet where we'd...

I blinked back the tears that just didn't want to stop, shaking my head at myself. "Knock it off, Riley. You can do this. No more crying. It's done."

Leaving my bags by the front door, I made my way up the stairs, formulating my plan of attack in the process.

Step One: Pack up the essentials. Clothes, my toiletries, and the things that meant the most to me. I made a mental note to remember all of my favorites for work. I'd be needing those, for sure.

Step Two: Call around to see if I could get an inexpensive hotel for the next few nights. With my savings severely depleted, thanks to the flight change, I knew I'd have to find a more permanent place to stay soon. For now though, a simple hotel would suffice.

Step three: Get the hell out.

Yes, I knew I'd have to come back here eventually. I'd have to do the official move-out, with all my furniture and other belongings. But, knowing that Harry would be coming here, looking for me, I couldn't waste any time. I couldn't run the risk of seeing him so soon. I just couldn't...

My phone rang again as I was pulling every bag I could find out of my closet, and I groaned. Dammit! I'd forgotten to call my mom when I got in! Assuming it was her, waiting to scold me for making her worry, I answered without even looking at it.

"Hey, Mom. Sorry about that... I was so caught up, I completely forgot to call."

But, the voice that answered me back, was anything but my mother...

"Riley?!? Oh, Thank God..."