Trace

Chapter 15

Today is the day. The massive summer blowout party at Toby's that everyone has been talking about. Toby even let me invite Niall, who I have been texting regularly these last couple of days. When I asked Harry if he could also pick up Niall to take to the party, he reluctantly agreed. Honestly, he seemed a bit disappointed but I reassured him that Niall and I were just friends. Period.

   Anne is still sick, and Toby is worried that he did something wrong. She has only texted him three times this week and ignored all of his calls. Ayla and I attempted to ask what was the matter, but she just moaned and groaned, assuring that she was sick. That was three days ago. I have not heard from her since.

  A part of me wants to believe my best friend that she really is sick, but the other has very strong doubts that much more is going on. Sure, she was probably sick at one point, but now...it has just been too long. She's been avoiding Toby...for some reason which I plan to find out. Later. For now, I finish getting ready for the party this evening. Harry, as usual, is right on the clock. My mum had to unexpectedly leave earlier than she thought to take care of my aunt, after much apologising to me. Of course, I told her it was fine, as I'm old enough to take care of myself and that my aunt desperately needs someone to be with at this time.

   I open the front door and am greeted with a giant bear hug and a sloppy kiss.

"Wow," he breathes eyeing me up and down, "you look spectacular."

   I grin, feeling the warmth in my cheeks beginning to rise.

"I love making you blush," Harry admits cheekily, kissing me on my lips.

  I take his arm as we walk to his black Range Rover.

"You have the directions to...Niall's?" he asks me, clearly uninterested and not wanting to pick him up.

     "Yep!" I respond happily, ignoring his bad attitude.

I tell Harry his address and find that he lives no more than ten minutes away from my house. I hop excitedly out of the car and wobble to his front door, doing my best to be cautious about my fractured foot as Harry awaits in the car, his lips pursed. I knock on the big door and a large dog rushes to greet me.

   I soon see Niall's face with a large grin plastered on it. I bend down to pet the yellow dog and coo to it.

   "Her name's Molly," Niall informs me, with a laugh as the dog licks my cheek.

"Goodbye, Molly!" I say, giving her one last pat on the head.

  Niall leans to me to give me a warm hug and I can smell is cologne, which smells exceptionally nice.

  "Where are your crutches?" he frowns, looking down at my casted foot.

"Don't need them," I shrug, still smiling. "Harry tried to get me to keep using them, but they're just such a pain!"

   Niall chuckles as we proceed our slow walk to the car. Harry gets out to help me get in the passenger's side and says nothing to Niall. Niall shoots me a worried look and I glare at Harry.

    "How's it goin'?" Niall offers in his rich Irish accent.

"Pretty nice," Harry says gruffly.

   I shove Harry with my elbow as we begin to pull out of the driveway. He coughs.

"I'm Harry, by the way."

    "I've heard a lot about you."

"You have?" Harry asks, seemingly surprised.

"Oh, 'course! El's always sayin' stuff about ya."

   "All good things, I hope?" he chuckles.

"Oh, yeah! The girl's so proud of you," Niall replies.