One Plus One

Chapter Sixty-Nine

"Marlie Rhodes, you get your arse down these stairs and into that taxi so we can go out!" Lily shouted up the stairs.

"Hang on I'm just on the phone to Harry!"

"You're going to see him in twenty minutes!"

"Sorry, Harry, I have to go, taxis waiting."

"No problem, gorgeous. Can't wait to see you, this week has been too long."

"I know, see you soon."

I put the phone down, threw it into my clutch bag and ran downstairs to meet Lily. For the first time in a week my head didn't feel weighed down with thoughts and my heart had finally stopped aching. I'd had a revelation. As far as I was concerned, this mess was Brody's fault, Harry had told me the truth and we loved each other, so there was no reason for me and Harry to break up. We could move on.

Once we pulled up outside the club, Lily and I rushed inside to find the booth that the boys would be sat at. Sure enough, Harry was were he said he and Danny would be, right next to the bar.

Harry enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug.

"It's good to see you too, Harry." I choked out, giggling. 

"I'll get you a drink." he said before pecking me on the lips.

Of course Lily and I couldn't keep still for long. We were up on the dance floor, leaving the boys to their own devices. They looked as if they were heading towards being very drunk, and the thought seemed enticing to me.

"Lily, come on, lets get another drink." I said, pulling her towards the bar.

We made our way back to the table, drinks in hand and slid into the booth. The boys had taken a trip to the toilet so Lily an I thought it a good idea to leave them presents. I took Harry's phone out of his blazer, unlocked it and put on the camera. Lily and I took all sorts of shots, messing about with our drinks and Lily being her, snapped photos that made me blush, but Harry would love.

We were in fits of giggles as we scrolled through his camera roll admiring what we considered to be comedy gold. I came across a set of pictures that weren't of us, but were of Harry. He had his tongue shoved down some blonde girl's throat. I felt sick to my stomach.

I heard Danny and Harry come back. I glared at him as he stood in front of me.

"What's up?"

"When was this taken?"

I held the picture up to him and watched the colour drain from his face.

"When, Harry?"

"A couple of nights ago."

The anger bubbled inside of me. Tears stung in my eyes but I didn't let them fall, I wouldn't do that until I was in the safety of my own home.

"We're done." I blurted, much to my own surprise.

Lily and Danny sat in the booth astounded. I pushed through and made a beeline for the exit. A tall figure at the bar caught my eye. Something about him seemed familiar, but the swirling thoughts in my head didn't give me a chance to place him. I burst into the street, hugging my arms around my body as the cold air blew across my exposed shoulders. Harry soon followed, all flustered and out of breath.

"Marlie, let me explain."

"I'm all ears." I bit, not looking at him.

"I know it's a pathetic excuse, but I was drunk, I wasn't thinking. We were playing a drinking game and it just happened."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"No." 

There was something unconvincing about his answer, I narrowed my gaze at him and he ran his hand through his curls.

"I don't know, ok. I don't remember anything about that night. My friends dragged me out because I was moping about in the flat because I hadn't seen you, I hadn't heard from you, I didn't know where we stood."

"Don't you dare try and blame me for this!"

"If you would have just called instead of leaving me in the dark for a week, things might be different."

"If you really cared about me, this wouldn't have happened, no matter what."

"I do care about you."

"Bullshit. If you cared, you would have waited weeks, months to hear from me because it wouldn't matter to you how long it took. I really thought we were ok."

"We are!"

"Open your eyes, Harry! This is a mess! You and me, we're done."

Harry looked taken aback by my comment. The street fell into silence as we stopped yelling at each other. I opened the door of the taxi and without a second glance at him I climbed in. I saw his figure diminish in the mirror as we drove away.

My body felt numb. I couldn't register any other feeling except numbness. My bedroom seemed to spin around me as I sat in top of my duvet, leaning against the headboard. Harry and I were officially over. My world had imploded.

"Marl?" a small voice called.

"I'm in my room."

A patter of footsteps could be heard coming closer and then my bedroom door slowly slid open. I could feel my lip quivering as the bed dipped. Lily wrapped her arms around me, my head dropped onto her shoulder and I sobbed. Tears dripped off my face into my lap. I was hurting. I felt heavy. I just wanted to cry until the pain went away.

"He's an idiot. He'll realise what he's lost soon enough." Lily comforted.

"How will I get over him, Lily?"

"With time, honey. The first is always the worst."

"Thank you, Lils, I don't know know what I'd do without you."

"That's what best friends are for. Now come on, lets put on a movie and eat our weight in ice cream."

I giggled through the last of my tears. Lily knew exactly how to turn a situation around. 

JAMIE'S POV

I hadn't expected the night to turn out as it did. I was going for a quiet drink on my own and managed to see some very familiar faces. Marlie and Harry were still together, but much to my amusmant, they were on a rocky road. It took everything I had not to jump for joy when I heard her kick him to the curb. The dickhead finally got what he deserved, but more importantly, I now had my chance to teach Marlie that lesson.

I used the walk home in the cool night air to figure out my next move. I couldn't go to Marlie's house, she'd have me arrested before I could do anything. Then something hit me. A party was going on for one of Lily's friends and it just so happened that one of my crew was their older brother. It was perfect. I could take her and no one would know.

It was Marlie's turn to learn. I'd make sure she learnt well.