Limerence • h.s.

18

Harry was gone when I woke up, the clock pushing 10:00. I hadn't heard him slip out of bed, and I was starting to wonder if he even slept here through the night. I was too afraid to reach out, to see if last night was something he was regretting. I wouldn't be surprised, really. He's spent the last few weeks keeping his distance, knowing that I drunkenly tried to confess some sort of feeling. I laid in bed for nearly an hour, scrolling my phone to try and distract myself. Not only was I expecting him to be here when I woke up, cuddled up to me like yesterday, but I was hoping to talk about what had happened the night before. All I wanted was to ensure that I hadn't overstepped, that I hadn't taken advantage of him in some way, while he was drunk.

Instead of continuing to feed into the anxiety that was swallowing me whole, I forced Megan to lounge with me before we had to pack everything up and get on the bus. I was discarding all evidence that someone else was in the room as she knocked on the door. I shoved the rest of our trash into a bag and tied it tightly before opening the door and guiding her inside. She was quick to shuffle in and plop down on the bed, still in her pajamas with her blanket from home wrapped tightly around her. I snicker at her before getting on the bed next to her, staring at her with a smile.

"You look like you had quite the night," I say, tucking her hair out of her face. She groaned before stretching her body. "Niall wouldn't let us leave until almost 4:00 in the fucking morning, he was determined to go home with someone. Fucker finally found some chick and we all walked home at the crack of dawn." She sighed, rubbing her eyes and looking at me. "Well, I'm glad none of you spent the night alone." She laughs, sitting up and wrapping the blanket around herself in her new position. She pokes my leg. "How about you? How was your night in? Do you feel refreshed?" She asked with mockery laced in her tone and I knew she had wished I was with her to help get everyone home earlier.

I nod with a tight smile. "Yep, I watched the Iron Giant and I was in bed by maybe midnight I think," I say, sitting up with her and resting my back against the headboard. I'm sat where Harry sat last night, as he was admitting his silly truth to me that started it all. I clear my throat, trying to rid myself of any thought relating to Harry, and look at Megan. "Anyway, how's Frank? Are you both hungover?" She audibly laughs and I look at her expectantly. "You wouldn't believe it, but he's dead asleep face down in bed as we speak." I laugh with her now, knowing damn well that's exactly how I pictured Frank.

"He'll be up ten minutes before we need to leave I'm sure, and I'll be stuck packing all of his shit." She said, rolling her eyes and standing to her feet to get us both some water. "Oh for sure, and you and I will have to take multiple trips to get all of our bags to the van while he pouts his way onto the bus," Is ay, taking the water from her and laughing some more. We may tease Frank but he really is the life of the party, and we're always willing to baby him through his hangover. Megan clicks through the channels on the TV, cuddled up to me with her head in my lap. I briefly consider looking at my phone but decide against it when she finds reruns of New Girl and we both watch together.

We spend a couple of hours watching TV and laughing together, talking about the most random things we can think of, and eating whatever snacks we can find. Between the snacks I had ordered myself and the snacks Harry brought, we decided against lunch and agreed to wait for a dinner stop later. The day was flying by and I was up and running around to pack my room up so that I could help Megan with her stuff and Frank's with plenty of time. I was gathering all of my things from the bathroom when my phone went off in my pocket. I took a deep breath before checking it, preparing myself for some regretful text from Harry, but exhaled a breath of both frustration and relief when I read the email notification.

I slip my phone back into my pocket before gathering my bag of bathroom stuff and walking to my bag in the other room. Megan is still bundled up in bed, watching TV, barely awake. I zip up my bag after shoving the last of my things inside. I stand to my feet, smacking my hands on my hips, and smile at Megan. She eyes me suspiciously, knowing I'm about to tell her we need to get up. She shakes her head before I can even speak and shoves her head under the blanket. "Oh my God, you are so dramatic, get up," I say with a laugh while climbing onto the bed and ripping the blanket off of her. She whines before huffing out a breath.