Allure (ENG)

Chapter 16 - Emily

Tears stream down my face as soon as I enter the elevator. On automatic pilot I run through the streets and without realising it I run into the street the bar is in. I have no idea where else to go and I storm into the bar.

"Ah, have you come to pay your tab again?" Eduardo looks at me with a smile on his face, but his smile disappears as soon as he sees me in tears. "Harry," he calls over his shoulder while he rushes over to me. I can't get anything out of my mouth and only half register what he says. He puts his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the storage.

"Siéntate." I don't understand what he is saying, but he pushes me softly onto the couch. He crouches down in front of me with his hands softly placed on my knees. He gives me a concerned look. "Harry!" he yells over his shoulder again.

"Yeah, what Ed?!" Harry walks in with a sigh. "Hey," he says when he sees me. My eyes quickly look down. I sob and don't dare to look up at him.

"I will leave you two alone for a minute." Eduardo softly squeezes my knees and then gets up. I follow him with my eyes as far as I can see through my tears. "I will get you some water," he says from the doorway before he leaves.

My eyes find Harry's and I can see him walk towards me. I get up with a sob and put my arms tightly around him. I bury my face against him. My whole body moves with every sob that leaves it. With one arm around my shoulders he pulls me close to him. His other hand he places softly on my head. He doesn't say anything and I am glad for it. I can't put anything into words right now anyway, so it's a good thing he doesn't ask me about any of it. His hand strokes down my head along my long hair and then he repeats it. It calms me as the waves of the ocean had done earlier.

The door opens and we both look up. Eduardo shoots us a compassionate smile. He holds up a glass of water. I can feel how Harry's hand lifts from my head and probably points somewhere, because I can see Eduardo walk past us and hear him put down the glass. When Eduardo has closed the door behind him again Harry breaks the silence between us.

"Shall we sit down for a bit?" I let go of him and nod. I still don't dare look at him and walk to the couch keeping my head down. Once on the couch I look up at him. He pulls up his leg and turns sideways to look at me. I turn to him when he hands me the glass of water.

"What happened?" he asks softly. At the thought of my conversation with Niall my eyes fill themselves with tears again and I'm glad I'm holding the glass now. I take a sip and try to calm myself. "Hey, it's okay." Harry puts his hand on my thigh and the warmth of his touch spreads through me. I shake my head.

"Niall," I start. A tear escapes my eye and rolls down over my cheek, but I quickly brush it away.

"What's with Niall?"

"He is leaving." I manage to get out.

"Leaving? To go where?" Harry's voice remains calm, his eyes locked onto mine and his hand rests on my thigh. There is evident concern behind his eyes.

"Back," I say. I swallow the lump in my throat. "To The Netherlands."

"He's abandoned you?" The realisation of what Harry just said hits me hard. I hadn't thought about it that way. A new wave of tears rolls down my cheeks. Harry takes the glass out of my hands and places it somewhere before pulling me against him.

"It feels as if he has pulled the plug out of our lifelong friendship," I sob.

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he loves me," I blurt out. Harry's hands move to my shoulders and he softly pushes me off him to give me a questioning look. I brush away my tears. "I don't want him the same way he wants me. He's always held out hope, but now..." I look at him. His hand brushes my hair out of my face. "He is realising now that it will never happen, so he doesn't want to stay."