CASUAL • Harry Lewis/w2s

five

The next morning, at around ten o'clock, I woke up and immediately buried my face in my pillow, thinking about Harry and me that previous night.

Fortunately, the Sidemen had the entire day off today with nothing scheduled. The very thought of having to face Harry was too much for me.

It was a mistake last night. a significant one, actually. When you hook up with a close friend, what the fuck do you do next?

Before getting up to take a shower, I looked at my phone and saw a text he'd sent two hours ago asking if we could talk.

Dreading what it would be like to see him in person, I typed out a message.

Last night was a mistake. We were drunk. Let's pretend nothing happened.
I don't want to talk about it with you.

I hit send. Moments later he replied.

Harry: We need to talk, Maisie

Did he not read what I wrote?

No, and don't push this

I'm not kidding. IT NEVER HAPPENED.

All caps. Surely he'd take me seriously now.

I climbed out of my bed to take a shower. After that, I dug through my closet for a pair of sweatpants. I put on a white V-neck T-shirt and went back into my bathroom. I put a bit of makeup on so I wouldn't feel so crusty but that didn't help.

I went to my kitchen to make some breakfast. I had a glass of orange juice and some toast with butter on it. I took a seat at my dining table and gazed blankly. All I could think about was what happened last night and what it might result in.

Although I hadn't done anything wrong, I felt as though I had broken a rule. But there were no rules on having sex or being in a relationship among the Sidemen members. Which made sense, considering that we were seven straight guys—almost all with girlfriends—and then me. That kind of rule was unnecessary. But I still felt like Harry and I had done the one thing we weren't allowed to in the Sidemen. Though we had in a way broken a rule. An unspoken rule, a rule that is not written down or spoken of but we all just know not to break it. Or so I thought.

_______

A couple of days passed and it was officially time to go shoot for a Sidemen Sunday video. Meaning I was forced to see Harry.

He had luckily taken my memo and hadn't texted me since. I know we eventually had to talk about it but I couldn't bring myself to it.

Today it was a 20 v 1 video with Deji. Which was fortunate because it meant I wouldn't have to talk to Harry. Imagine if it was a video where we were split up into teams and I ended up on the team with him.

We watched as Deji said yes or no to the 20 girls. Which was quite funny. He had no type and just straight-up told them no without giving the girls a reason.

Deji came walking into the room where we were. "Was I good?"

"You were brutal," Ethan said immediately. All of the other agreed.

Holding his hands in front of his mouth, Deji appeared shocked. He probably feels a little guilty.

"Nah, Maisie. You the only girl here, were I brutal?" Deji asked hoping I had another answer.

"Deji, you were brutal. You just went no, and the no explanation," I chuckled.

"Did you know one of them?" Harry asked.

I looked up at Harry. I hadn't even said hi to him when he got here today and I was maybe trying a little to avoid him. I know I was childish. Avoiding him wasn't acting like nothing happened and I were the one that demanded we would act like nothing happened. I was being childish, but I couldn't get myself to actually act like nothing happened even though I wished.

"Yeah, can't remember where though,"

"Did you shag her?" Ethan asked.

"No,"

"Do you want to?" I asked.

"Yeah," Deji answered like It was nothing making us burst into laughter.

Deji went back out and started the round where the women chose if they wanted to date him. Where surprisingly only one left. After that, he started dating them one by one. Deji did not think about what he said or did which made hilarious content but was a little toe-curling to watch. The shoot went by fast the second he started to date the individual.

We finished up for today and I were about to leave when Harry caught me on the way out.

"Why didn't you show up yesterday?" He asked

Today wasn't the first day I had the chance to see Harry again. That was yesterday when we had a meeting, but I couldn't get myself to show up and see him so I called in sick. And now he probably thinks I didn't show up because of him, which also was why.

"It's not what it looks like," I lied, it's exactly what it looks like. "I was not feeling well so called in sick."

He saw right through me. "Y'know avoiding me isn't acting like nothing happened. Either we talk or do as you suggested and act like you used to."

I knew he was right, but did he expect me to just talk to him like nothing happened? Even though I wanted us to act like nothing happened I still needed time to adjust to this.

"I think these are yours, by the way," He said and handed me my panties, and then turned and walked away. "I washed them."

He washed them? I wasn't sure if I should be thankful or creeped out.