Twisted

Chapter 19: All too well

***

Harry seemed unnaturally quiet, as he hadn't spoken a word to Clara since she came outside her house. He shifted his eyes, staring into her orbs as if unable to find which one to stay focused on. He wasn't finding any right words to say to her, as nothing he said would make her pain go away.

Clara knew he was trying to tell her something, but wasn't able to put it into words. She knew he was feeling guilty and wants to apologize. But it didn't matter anymore. 

He broke her trust, and there was no better way to put it into words. She finally gave in and accepted it would never work out between them. 

"Harry, you've got to speak something." Clara finally said, breaking the pin drop silence between them as it was almost midnight and there was no one around. 

"Clara, I don't know what to say to make you feel better. All I can say is... I'm truly sorry, from the bottom of my heart. I never knew Max would drop to such lengths to go against you. It was...a new low for her" Harry spoke sincerely, like he meant it.  

"Harry, I know you feel bad, but that doesn't make up for all the hurt I'm experiencing." Clara admitted, which made Harry's heart clench.

"I know, and I understand. I cannot tell you, but you have to know that I did it for a reason, which unfortunately I cannot explain. This isn't a proper excuse, and I know you need some time and space away from me, but I hope we can go back to the way we used to be before today. Before all this shit happened. You cannot forgive me, but I hope in time you will."

"Harry...I- I cannot pretend it's okay when it's not. No amount of time will fix the way you or your girlfriend hurt me." Clara said, putting emphasis on the 'girlfriend' he supposedly said would break things off.

"Um.. Clara, you've got to trust me when I say this. Max..is not an easy person to break up with. So, I was only waiting for the right time. We've spent many years together. I was planning to break up with her today, and I did. Right after you left. Please believe me" Harry begged.

"I've trusted you more than anyone, but all you did was break it. I'll be a fool if I trust you again, giving you the opportunity to break it again." Clara replied, not giving in to believe him or forgive him.

"Clar-" he started, but got cut off in between.

"Even if you broke up with her and if we were together, do you think Max would let us be? No, she won't. She will plot different schemes to hurt. You and me. We cannot be together Harry. And I'm starting to think I'm just a casual hookup...you know, like a booty call, like we are nothing more than it."

"Clara, you know that's not true. You mean a lot to me, and I like you a lot, more than I should." Harry said because it's true. She does mean so much to him, he hadn't expressed it properly yet.

"I'm not sure. Harry, all this relati- whatever you call it, has only ever caused me pain. Maybe, we were never meant to be. I have scars that will last for a lifetime, and I don't have place for anymore. Previously marked aren't healed yet, and I don't know how long it will take. So whatever we have should end, it's what's best for you and me." 

"Please don't leave" Harry said, not wanting to let go. They still have their whole life ahead to explore and get to know each other. It shouldn't come to an end so soon.

"Harry, please don't make it harder than it already is. It was over the moment I met you. It was over the moment you chose her over me. It was over the moment you didn't have enough courage to speak up for me. It was over the moment it started." Clara said, not wanting to hurt him, but she had to talk about it and get it over with. If she delays this TALK further, it would only cause more heartbreaks.

"Please, I beg you. I will be better, I promise. I-I will never hurt you again. I will be my best self. Don't leave me alone" Harry pleaded, taking her hands in his.

"I had a wonderful time with you, the memories we had will always remain with me for ever. Best I've ever had, all because of you. Even after ll of this, in some twisted way, I like you too Harry, but I shouldn't. I have to let you go." She caught his hands too, "Maybe in another life, things might be different and you'll be mine. But for now, this is it."

"In an other life." He repeated, tears forming in his eyes, but he was way too strong to let them fall. 

Clara moved forward and had the dying urge to kiss him on the lips, but instead she kissed him on the cheeks. Harry closed his eyes at the touch of her lips, to relish the moment because it might be the last one he gets from her. 

***

Harry was outside the hotel smoking, which was the only way he could relive himself and feel a tad better. What happened was unexpected, and no one was warned about it before hand. But he never guessed he would feel this terrible when Clara let him go. The time they spent together, every moment, right from the start, was constantly replaying in his head.

The day he met her at the lake, the day he caught her from falling down during the party, the day he kissed her for the first time, the day she smiled at him during the pool party, the day he kissed her on top of the hill, and the day she hid the keys, wanting to spend some time with him. The day she was willing to lay below him and maybe-

He was pulled out of his thoughts when someone grabbed his shirt, punched on the nose, kicked him in the most painful part of his body, catching him off guard being thrown to the ground.

"You!" A voice roared, but he wasn't able to recognize it. He was so deeply in pain that he shut his eyes tight and caught his groin with his hands. 

"W-who is i-it?" he managed to choke out after a few seconds. What is happening? Whi threw him to the ground, and who had so much rage on him to kick him in the crotch? Is this happening or is he hallucinating? He pondered as he opened his eyes, but everything was blurred due to the water in his eyes.

"You don't need my name to know who I am!" The voice replied in response to his question. But who would he be? It's not anyone close to him, or he would've instantly recognized the voice. Not Niall or Louis. Who might it be? At this moment, who would have dared to hurt him physically? 

Revenge. Zayn. Ofcourse.

"Z-Zayn?" he stammered as he cried in torment, trying to get up, but constantly failing to.

"Took you long enough," Zayn avowed.

Harry didn't taunt Zayn or question because he knew exactly why Zayn was torturing him. In fact, he deserved it. 

"Zayn, I'm truly so-" 

"Save it mate. Every time I assume you've come to your senses and changed and became a better person, you always prove me wrong. You know, in this brief period, at one point, I actually considered you deserve her, but now I'm dead sure you are no where close to deserving her." Zayn hissed.

"Za-" Harry started, but got cut off in between again.

"Stay away from her. This time, it's not a warning. It's a threat." Zayn yelled and stormed off without looking back.

***

Hey luvs, 

Hope you're awesome. So this is the end of Niall's birthday. Huh. Long right? 

Like this chapter? Clara ended things with Harry. How do you feel about it? Do you think they will get back together? Or is this the start of a fresh relationship with our handsome Malik? 

Team Zayn or Team Harry?

XOXO,

1D GIRL.