Reality

Hug it Out

Liam

"It's been two days, and she hasn't talked to me," I chuck the rock in my hand and watch as it hits a tree before landing on the trail.

I'm pissed off, I'm frustrated, I'm confused, I'm concerned, but most of all I'm scared. I have never felt so vulnerable in my entire life. I'm used to being the one with all the power, being on top of the world and not giving a damn if I break a few hearts on the way. But now I'm in a position where I think my heart is in jeopardy, and it really fucking sucks. I'm a nervous wreck.

Is this how I've made some girls feel before?

I really am a fucking dick. At least I can say that I have changed a little bit from who I was before I moved here. And I can confidently say that it's all Aubrey's doing. I don't want to imagine what I'd be doing and who I'd even have in the house to talk to if I acted the same as I did a month ago.

As I hear no response to my earlier statement, I stop in my tracks and turn around to see Harry fifteen feet behind me. He's basically dragging himself up this hike with me, and I appreciate his effort. I just needed to get out of the house for a few hours and coming to Runyon seemed like the thing to do. But for some reason I didn't want to go by myself, which is why I busted into Harry's room at six in the morning and dragged his ass out of bed. Now here we are.

I did say that I'd get him into a gym, but this will have to do for the moment.

"Can we stop for a minute?" He exhales as he reaches me. He bends over with his hands on his knees, breathing deeply. "I'm dying here."

"You're totally out of shape. How do you expect to impress Scarlett in the bed if you tire quickly?"

His eyes grow wide as he looks around, making sure no passersby are paying any attention to us. "That is not the same thing."

"It ends up being one in the same. You can't go on if your body is exhausted," I slap him on the shoulder and wink. "You've got to build your endurance and strength and agility and-"

"Okay enough!" Harry shakes his head and starts to walk ahead of me.

I chuckle to myself before I catch up with him, walking side by side. I can hear his heavy breathing and see the sweat dripping down the sides of his forehead, and it makes me laugh at how much he's out of shape. I think I could have a little fun being his trainer. I've always wanted to boss someone around at the gym like I always am.

"So what were you talking about?" Harry asks me as he stumbles over a couple larger pieces of rocks on the trail. "I couldn't quite hear you."

Shaking my head, I sigh and feel my heart begin to sink at the thought of what's happening with Aubrey. I hate this feeling.

"I was just saying that she's been avoiding me for the past two days. Each time I see her around the house, she disappears in the next second. I haven't had the chance to talk to her about what I said."

"You said you love her," Harry grins and raises his brows a few times, making me want to punch him in the face. This is no time for jokes.

"I'm about three seconds from knocking you out."

He immediately raises his hands in defeat and steps back from me. "Okay, okay. Sorry."

There are times that I can enjoy hanging out with Harry, but there are other times in which he gets on every last nerve I have. I know he finds entertainment out of bugging me, and I find it entertaining to bug him as well. But seeing as I am in no mood to mess around, I'm not willing to stand here and take his harmless jabs.

"You just need to give Aubrey some space," Harry speaks up as we get closer to the top of this trail. He inhales and exhales dramatically every four words, the exhaustion from our hike really getting to him. "Obviously no one has ever said they love her before because if they did, she wouldn't have reacted like that. She just needs time to process everything."