Strong (Book 2 in the No Control series)

Chapter 20

Today the guys have some work to do at the studio. I tag along with Liam. When we arrive I greet everyone. Harry seems different, sort of nervous. I don't think much of it as I watch them work.

Later in the day, Harry asks me to come with him for a moment. I look up to see Liam, Niall, and Louis working on something with Julian. I follow Harry into one of the meeting rooms at the studio. It has no windows, I hear a click as I watch Harry lock the door.

"What's up?" I ask.

"There's something I need to tell you, Lizzie."

"Go ahead. You can tell me anything, H."

"Here." Harry points to a chair. "Sit here."

There's a laptop on the desk in front of me as I sit down. I look up at Harry. "What's this?"

"Just...just click play." He says as he walks over to the door and leans against it, watching me.

I don't understand why he seems so nervous. I push the play button. A scene from a movie starts to play. Wait, I know this scene. It's from Love Actually. The one where Mark uses the cue cards to tell Juliet that he loves her, even though she is married to his best friend.

It all begins to click for me as I watch the scene unfold. The card that says 'To me, you are perfect'. The card that says basically he will love her forever. I continue to watch as Juliet runs after Mark, giving him a sweet kiss, before running back into her house. The clip stops, and I look over at Harry.

He's holding a piece of paper that says, To me, You are perfect!

I walk towards him. "Harry..." I start, but he puts up his hand to pause me.

"Please let me get this out, Lizzie. I just needed you to know so that I can have some closure. No hope, no agenda. I love you, and I love Liam. I would never do anything to hurt either of you. I know that you love Liam, and that he makes you happy. I won't ever interfere with that." He pauses. "I'm going back to LA for a couple of weeks. I need a little time away. I'll be back in time for your surgery though."

"Harry, you don't have to come back for that."

"I want to. Lizzie, I don't want any of this to upset you. I just needed to tell you so that I can try to move on. So we can remain friends."

I look into his beautiful green eyes. "I understand. Harry, you know that...another place...another time..."

He smiles. "I do."

Harry looks into my eyes, putting his hand in my hair. Leaning down he kisses me, then pulls back. "I'm hoping by doing that, then maybe I'll stop dreaming about it so much." He kisses me once more, pulling back, looking in my eyes, he says. "Enough." Then he leaves, not only the room but the studio as well. I walk to the door, watching him get in his car. He sits in it for a few moments, then I watch him pull away.