slow down.

= chapter 22 =

Louis and I are finishing getting ready to go to Niall's party. I'm wearing the third dress Harry had gotten me from Top shop. The top is yellow and he bottom of it is a floral skater skirt with gray Vans. Maybe if I wear it he might actually notice that I still exist. Louis is wearing jeans and a T-shirt with black Vans.

We get in the car and I start thinking but before you know it we show up. Louis parks next to the rest of the cars. We get out and Niall runs up to me.

"Ariel! You're here! I didn't know if you'd still be coming. You know since you and Harry aren't together anymore!"

"Oohh is that right! I mean.. umm ..right I knew that! Anyways, this is Louis! He's one of my best friends! Of course you're one!" I try to lighten the mood by giggling a little.

"Well everything's over ..so just do what you want. And if you need anything I'll probably be over there!" He points at a patch of trees where they are playing music and I'm guessing thats also where the cool kids are.

I walk over to the drinks with Louis and grab a coke. I go over to where a bunch of people that are talking and Louis follows. We are sitting in a circle on the grass and just talking. Although Louis and I mostly introduced ourselves to everyone since we don't know anyone. That's the great part about this. Louis is new to the town and its people just like me so we can relate to our shitty highschool lives.

I hear someone shuffle through the grass and sit down on the other side of the circle and I don't think anything of it so I proceed to tie knots with strands of grass.

Louis nudges my shoulder and I look up to find Harry giving me intense eye contact. He won't stop and I get really tired of it really fast.

"What's your name, love!" Harry asks. What. The. Fuck.

"My name is Ariel, Harry."

"How the hell do you know my name, creep." Oh. Ok. He wants to do this. I can do this too. I can play the same game.

"Actually one of my new friends told me who you were when you sat down."

"Whatever." He picks a girl up off the ground and pushes her against a tree right in front of me, making out with her very aggressively looking at me the whole time.

I'm in shock and I spontaniously do the first thing I think of that could be just as bad. I wrap my fingers around Louis cheeks and I press my lips into his, staring at Harry the whole time. Harry gasps and his face get red. He pushes off of the tree and starts to walk down a part through the woods.

"Excuse me a second." I quietly whisper to Louis and get up. I head towards the path and to be quite honest I have a splitting headache. I don't even know what just happened. This is so confusing. I just found out from Niall that Barry and I aren't together anymore. Harry pretended he didn't even know me and then tried to make me jealous. What the fuck did I do?

The fall leaves crunch under my shoes. Its getting darker so its hard to see anything.

A hand grabs my wrist and pulls me behind a tree.

"Be quite." its Harry.

"No. Why the fuck would I be quite after you just acted like you didn't even know me." he sits down on blanket that was on the ground behind the tree. I join him, taking a deep breath. He stays silent and just looks at me.

"Do want to speak up now and explain to me what the hell that was?"

"You cheated on me."

"What!? No!"

"And now your fucking lying to me. Damn it Ariel."

"Ok. I am not lying."

"Yes you are! The mother fucker you cheated on me with is here with you.!" I push my forehead with my palm.

"That's Louis. He is my friend, nothing more."

"Then why is he here with you?" he questions.

"He was my ride since my 'ex-boyfriend' wouldn't answer my texts or my calls. But that's okay. I already know that all you wanted was sex I guess I'm not useful anymore so I'm just going to leave."

"Wait!" he grabs my arm and pulls me down as I start to lift off the ground.

"WHAT!?" I'm tired of his shit. He needs to figure out what the hell he wants and decide on that.

"Do you really think of me like that? That all I wanted from you was sex?"

"Um yea. Haven't I made that clear enough."

"Leave me the fuck alone. Go away I never want to see your slutty ass face ever again." The words hit me like a mound of rocks. I get up and start walking. I never stop walking.

My heart stings and my mouth hangs open. Tears form in my eyes and I walk past Louis car. I just keep walking.

I get home and stumble through the door. I probably look like a raccoon. My mascara and the rest of my make up is smeared across my face and my legs hurt from the long walk. But I was too much in shock and too embarrassed to even contemplate explaining to Louis why I kissed him like that. I was emotionally exhausted.

I stumbled up the stairs and was figuring out my plan for the night since my mom wasn't going to be home until late. So I order pizza to be delivered for dinner and pick out some movies to watch. I get changed into pajama pants and a white crop top with vintage style lettering of coke printed across it. I walk down stairs and the door bell rings.

I grab theomey off the counter and run to the door. When I open it I am shocked to see Louis standing there holding a box of pizza.

"Delivery" he has a cheeky smile.

"Wha-?"

"I payed the guy. He already left. So do you want to explain to me what that kiss was about."

"Louis you know how much I love you as a friend but I think I just need a to be alone tonight. I just need alone time but I'd be happy to quickly explain."

"Go ahead then."

"My boyfriend Harry thought I was cheating on him with you. So he was being a jerk and pretended not to know me. Then he saw me with you and he tried to make me jealous by kissing another girl. And so I did the first thing I thought of which was to kiss you. After that I found him and we talked so now he hates me for everything I'm worth. So I ended up walking he because I was to embarrassed by what I did to confront you."

"Wow. Very brief but very confusing. I think I understand so here's your pizza and I will text you. How about that?"

"Sure that'd be great."

As soon as he leaves I plop onto the couch and stuff my face with pizza and soda and watch movies for the rest of the night until it is about 11:00pm. I have school tomorrow so I decided to go to bed.

•••

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