The Difference

Chapter 17.

Harry's POV

"You sure you don't want some Styles?"

"Nah man. I've had enough for tonight." I told Louis.

"Suit yourself." He chuckled and took a drag of his joint.

Sitting around in the basement of Louis' house with Niall and Zayn I was planning to get drunk off my ass to forget. I wanted to forget the day I met Piper and everything that has happened since.

That was the problem, I didn't really want to forget but I knew that I had too. I won't let her become another Layla. I won't fucking let her die because of me. That's another thing; yes I was at fault for her death but Jace had a bigger part in it than I ever did. He chased her onto the road that night and I won't ever forgive him for that.

"Styles are you even listening to me?" Louis asked.

"What?" I zoned back into reality.

"I said we're going down to the beach. You coming?"

"Yeah. I'll meet you guys in the car in a second." I swallowed the last of my beer while they exited the room.

Walking out of the basement I went to the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror and I didn't like what looked back at me. My eyes were bloodshot, from the drugs or the alcohol I didn't know and I had deep rings under my eyes. I looked as though I hadn't slept in days which wasn't far from the truth. No matter how many sleeping pills I took I couldn't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time and fuck if it wasn't annoying.

I was failing most of my classes, I didn't talk to my parents and worst of all I lost my part time job. I had no fucking clue how I was going to pay for my house now. I'm so fucked.

Piper's POV

Thinking about it now, going for a walk this late at night with the weather being this cold wasn't the smartest idea I'd ever had, but I needed to clear my head.

First there was Jace. He tried to kiss me today and I can't just ignore that and than he flipped out when I told him that I had kissed Harry again. I know that I shouldn't have kissed him but I can't help myself when I'm around him. He ignites a fire inside of me that only he can fuel.

Does Jace trying to kiss me mean that he has feelings for me? If so than what should I do about that? I don't want to confront him and make things awkward between us but on the other hand I can't just forget what happened.

And then there's Harry. He hasn't shown any signs of him having feelings for me except for his lips repeatedly meeting mine. Sure we've kissed but did it mean anything? Does he have feelings for me or am I just imaging everything?

This is all too confusing for me. I need something to calm my nerves. Sarah's music was the ocean breeze, maybe that would work? The beach isn't too far from here. That's where I'll go.

Harry's POV

"Share it around guy." Zayn instructed Louis.

"Alright." He groaned. "Here ya big baby."

Zayn rolled his eyes and took a puff before passing it to me.

"I'm good."

"Come on man. It's just one drag."

"Whatever." I gave in and inhaled the smoke and attempted not to cough all over Niall who was sitting beside me.

"See? Feel better right?" Louis egged me on.

"Obviously." I lied.

Smoking weed didn't make me feel any better about myself. It only made me feel sick and forget so I guess in its own shitty way it was doing its job.

"Pass it back dude." Zayn said.

I did as he said. It's not like I wanted more anyway.

"What's with you dude? Why do you want to get so out of it?" Louis asked Zayn.

"Nothing. I always get high so what's the big deal?" Zayn barked.

"You're not usually this... eager." He replied.

"I'll smoke as much as I want."

"Whatever man." Louis gave in and took the joint from Zayn to take a puff himself.

"I think it's that Juliet girl." Niall guessed.

"Ah, it's a girl problem." Louis chuckled. "She sleep with another drunk? Or is she too busy working all the time at hooters?" The boys laughed but I stayed silent.

"Shut the fuck up, all of you." Zayn growled, obviously pissed off.

"I guess we're right." Louis said to Niall as if we all couldn't hear him.

"Fuck you." Zayn pulled another beer out of the cooler and took a swig.

This was going to be a long night, but it's not like I had anything better to do.

Piper's POV

I sat down on a park bench on the beach and inhaled a deep breath as I listened to the calming sounds of the ocean, well tried. I could hear the faint banter of teenage boys and my curiosity got the best of me.

I put my shoes into the sand and walked towards the noise. As I got closer I could clearly make out the infuriating Harry that I hadn't dreamt I would see here, or anywhere for that matter.

He was sitting in a group with three other boys with what looked to be a small cooler and a fire to keep them warm. I took a few steps closer and saw that one boy with brown, almost black hair smoking a cigarette and passing it to another brunette boy.

"Harry?"

He froze in his place when I said his name and my conscience was telling me that something wasn't right.

"Harry I know you heard me."

He slowly turned around to face me and walked towards me.

"What are you doing here?" He practically whispered.

"I went for a walk." I answered.

"At night?"

"Yes Harry. At night." I looked past him and his friends were all staring at us.

"Who are they?"

"No one."

"Well hello there Mary." The brunette called from the circle.

"Mary?" I questioned. "My name is Piper."

"Don't talk to him." Harry ordered.

"Why not?" Looking closer into his eyes they were bloodshot and that's when I realized. "Oh my god. Are you high?" I grabbed his chin and tilted his face towards me but he pulled away before I could get a good look.

"You are, aren't you?" Him not replying was the only answer I needed. "You're unbelievable."

I couldn't even look at him so I began to walk away. How could he take drugs and illegal drugs for that matter.

"I only had a couple of drags Piper."

"Oh so that makes it okay then?"

"No, but..." He trailed off.

"But what Harry? What excuse do you have this time?" He didn't didn't reply. "That's what I thought."