Limitless

Chapter 23

I drove away.  I knew that was anticlimactic but that was all I could think to do. People were showing up for the party already and I didn’t want anyone to see me leaving Harry Styles’ apartment teary-eyed. That would only lead to more drama and more rumors about him screwing me and then tossing me like a rag-doll.  I hadn’t driven five miles away when my phone began to ring. I rolled my eyes.

“I DON’T WANT TO FUCKING TALK TO Y-oh.” It was Louis.  I was tempted not to answer, but I couldn’t help it.  He was on my side after all.

“Hello?”

“Lou, please come back here Harry is about to lose his mind,” he shouted over some banging in the background. “He literally just broke his door in half.”

I widened my eyes as I listened to the yelling and slamming in the background. “Louis, just because he’s having a damn hissy-fit isn’t going to make me come back.”

“It wasn’t a dare, Lou.  He told Claire about the dares the day after Josh made him mad because he was still mad about everything and he said he immediately regretted it.  She had nothing to do with all the dating and kissing last week. He meant all of that.  Please believe me.”

I heard someone in the background shout “BEERPONG!” and the beat of the loud music flooded through the speaker of my phone.

“I just need you to come calm Harry down. Please, you’re the only one who can do it Lou.  I was going to cancel the party but it’s too late at this point. I don’t want him raging while everyone is… Wait, what? What do you mean? HE LEFT? Well where the hell did he go?”

I struggled to hear Louis over the music and commotion of the party behind him.

“Okay nevermind, he left!”

“Is he not right outside? Is he that fast?” I asked.

“Is he outside??” Louis yelled to someone.  After a few moments, I heard Louis growl. “Well get in a damn car and follow him!”

“LOUIS WHAT IS HAPPENING?”

“JESUS LOU I don’t know anymore! Please just help us find him!” Louis hung up the phone.

I exhaled hard and then just screamed. I was so confused with everything. So agitated.  So exhausted.  Why did being in love have to be so difficult?  How the hell did Louis expect me to find Harry? Just drive around until I pass his car on the road?

I pulled over at a gas station and stopped, facing the road.  I sat with my eyes fixed on the cars that passed, waiting for Harry’s big, black SUV to fly by. I was so confused with everything – and yet everything seemed to be clearing up.  If Harry really didn’t tell Claire, then he was being sincere with his little kisses and telling me that he felt differently about me all last week.  Maybe he just needed someone to try.  The only girl who had ever really tried continuously to stay with him was Claire, and she just wanted the sex. Maybe if I showed him that I was willing to try for him, he would come back to me.  Right then, I saw the SUV speed past the gas station.  Without hesitating, I wheeled out of the gas station and ran a red light to keep up with Harry.  As he got onto the highway, I followed him but stayed far enough away to where I knew he wouldn’t see me.

We drove for not too long before Harry signaled that he was exiting the highway.  I laughed when I figured out where he was going.  I kept a good distance as he pulled into the parking lot of the old diner and got out of his car, slamming the door and walking into the empty place.  I drove up and parked next to his car and watched through the window as he sat down at the same booth that we had chosen a few weeks before. A new waitress walked over and introduced herself flirtatiously but Harry took no notice.  He ordered many things, judging by the amount of writing that the waitress did, and then buried his head in his arms on the table as she walked away.  I texted Louis before I got out of my car.