Bit of a shocker in this chapter.... I would think.... haha.... enjoy! :D
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How annoying is it that I refuse to listen to what my friends say, but will gladly take in what Ken says, and actually believe it?
For two weeks now I’ve slowly been shifting over to thinking that maybe Ken’s right, and Harry is having an affair with one of the models. Or maybe more? My friends were constantly telling me that there’s no way he would, so for a little less than two weeks I’ve convinced them that I believe them. What they don’t know is that inside my head I’m replaying Ken’s words over and over…
‘Guys like Harry and their model friends…shouldn’t trust that boyfriend of yours…it’ll only end in tears…’
The last one was what he said just now at lunch.
“Alright, C?” he said casually as he slid into the seat beside me.
“Don’t call me C, K,” I replied, only afterwards noticing the pun, at which Ken chuckled.
“You’re funny. Anyway, I was wondering if you’d thought any more about that offer?”
He’s referring to some stupid plan he made up as a joke last week.
Ken suggested that, to settle this once and for all, I sneak up on Harry one day in rehearsals.
“I’ll even come with you,” he added.
I had raised an eyebrow at this; curious as to why he’d help me out. “No thanks,” I had told him quickly. Though in their own conversation, I knew that my friends sharing the table with us were eavesdropping. “I trust Harry. Plus that plan’s stupid.” I stood then, and grabbed a few discarded wrappers from the tabletop, making my way once more to the bin. As I passed a now silent Ken I ‘dropped’ a scrunched up bit of paper onto his lap.
I’d quickly scribbled the words ‘I’ll think about it’ onto a scrap of paper under the table where my friends couldn’t see. I didn’t see him open it, but when I sat down he was smiling.
So, that was his plan. I was still thinking about it in lunch.
We were alone this time so I could speak freely about the matter, “I really don’t think I should,” I whispered. It’s weird how over a week my attitude towards Ken has softened slightly…perhaps it’s the fact that he’s so constantly trying to ‘expose’ Harry for the cheater he is and make sure I don’t get hurt in finding out.
“Just you wait. It’ll only end in tears,” he had said back, shaking his head and sighing.
“I just don’t think it’s right. Harry’s my boyfriend and I’m meant to trust him – I do – so if I snuck up on him to see if he’s cheating…then I’m not showing I’m trusting him, am I?” I frowned.
Ken paused, then sighed again, “So is that a definite ‘no’?”
I hesitated, “Definitely a no.” Once I said the words, it felt like a weight had been lifted. I wasn’t worrying about Harry any more because I trust him, so everything was back to normal.
“Chaz? You OK? You seem a little distant…” Elvie asks me on our way out of last lesson art.
Fine. Nothing’s normal. I’m still confused as to what I should do.
“No, no, Elvie, I’m great, honestly!” I lie.
“Stop lying, Chaz, we all know you’ve been plotting something with Ken – what is it?” she demands to know.
“Nothing! We did have some sort of plan, I guess, but I’ve told him I’m not interested any more.” That’s the truth.
Still, Elvie eyes me suspiciously.
“Look,” she says, pulling me out of the stampede of students eager to get home, “Don’t dare go believing what Ken says,” Great, I think, another lecture. “You’re my best friend and I really don’t want to see you hurt. Remember everything we went through last year? Nearly eleven months on, we’re still best friends and you’ve still got the best boyfriend ever. Do you want to throw all of that away over what that Barbie doll tells you?”
“No,” I breathe, almost speechless.
“Good,” she smiles, leading me back down the corridor and towards the path home.
“So it is nearly eleven months, now isn’t it?” Elvie questions excitedly as we push through a door. She’s talking about Harry and me.
“Yeah,” I laugh. December 12th is going to be our one-year anniversary! It’s just over two weeks until November 12th, so it’s a month and a half away!
“That’s so amazing! I can’t believe it. Wow,” she says with an air of surprise, “This time last year we’d only just become friends,” Elvie tells me, and we both stop walking.
“That is pretty wow,” I laugh. We laugh together as we continue walking.
It’s weird to think Elvie and I have been friends for a year – it seems like yesterday that I had gathered up the courage to talk to her properly in art. From then on we had become best friends, as at our table at lunch our only other friends were Lola and Gregg who were already the best of pals.
Elvie begins to retell stories from the past year that we’ve laughed over. We must look stupid, staggering down the pavement doubled over from laughing and being unable to speak properly!
Once nearly home (though not advancing much due to the laughing) I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I calm down enough so I can answer it normally.
“Hello?”
“Chazza! It’s Freya!” the voice tells me. Freya sounds worried, like she’s panicking: the kind of voice you’d hear in a film when the damsel in distress is on the run from some vicious monster and calls for help.
“Freya? What’s wrong, are you OK?” I’ve stopped giggling, and so has Elvie. Though I’m sure my expression is worried, Elvie’s is more curious.
“I’m fine, yeah, it’s just…oh Chaz, I don’t know how to tell you this!” she moans, sounding like she’s in tears. I wait for her to continue. “I…I saw Harry…an-and Ashleigh together in the locker room!” she blurts out. I hear her gulp as if she’s holding back tears.
My whole body stiffens, “What do you mean, ‘together’?”
More muffled sobs travel to my ears from the phone, “Kissing! I’m so sorry to tell you this, Chaz!” she cries, “But someone needed to make sure you knew! I couldn’t believe it when I saw it…and I thought Harry was OK…”
I let her ramble on. My whole world has just fallen apart. Ken was right?
Elvie heard the whole conversation and so grabs the phone from my frozen hand, “Are you sure?”
“Completely sure!” Freya cries again.
How could he do this? He said he loved me. I’d never known Harry to be a liar, and I’ve known him over five years! He had never cheated on his previous girlfriends – why me?
In a daze of confusion and sadness I take the phone back from Elvie and press it to my ear once more.
“Prove it.”
YOU ARE READING
After The X Factor (One Direction)
Fanfiction*Sequel to "During The X Factor"* Not much has changed for Chaz and Harry - Chaz is still at college, Harry is still a world-famous pop star. The only difference is that these two best friends are now a couple! Things are going swimmingly between th...
