AMBIVALENT {h.s} [ON HOLD]

Chapter 12.

Its nine p.m and all I can think about is Harry: the first time I met him and how he touched me in the bathroom stall, our time in his car, the time he tied my hands together with his bandana, the time he cuffed me to his bed and blindfolded me, managing to give me the best orgasm I'd ever felt, the time he kissed me, and the time we'd slept in his bed together.

His words from four days ago repeat over and over again in my head. "Don't come here again. Don't even call me. Ever." I still don't understand why he acted the way he did over something as simple as me leaving without telling him. I don't need to tell anyone every little thing. The whole situation still irritates me, though.

I decide to give Harry a call, just because, just to see what happens.

"What do you want?" Harry's deep voice says through the phone.

"I don't really know." I say honestly. "I guess I just wanted to talk." There's music and other male voices in the background from Harry's end.

"Talking is for losers. Who wants to just talk?" He slurs, clearly drunk off his ass. "Come over and get wasted with us. But only that. No talking, just drinking."

I roll my eyes at him, even though he can't see it. I hope I don't sound this stupid when I'm drunk. It's embarrassing, really.

Twenty minutes later, I'm knocking at Harry's front door. I had not planned on coming here but my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know who was here with him. He claims not to have friends, but I think he just doesn't want to admit that he does. Maybe it's hard for him to admit he enjoys the presence of another human.

A guy with light brown hair and a cute smile opens the door. A cigarette is perched behind his ear and he's wearing a T-shirt with adidas gym shorts. He moves out of the way to let me inside.

"Harry was right, you are hot as hell." He says and starts towards the basement.

I follow him. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing. That's it."

I am relieved and slightly deflated at the same time. At least, Harry didn't tell them about all the intimate acts we had done, but he also hadn't said anything about me other than calling me hot. That's what I wanted, though. Right? No feelings, no strings? Trina's speech about me pushing everyone away and not letting anyone in comes back to me. I try to ignore those words but my mind is relentless in torturing me.

When I enter the basement Harry is perched on a bar stool with five or six empty plastic cups in front of him. There's a few other guys sitting at the oak table and a girl standing next to Harry. My chest falls slightly, but I push the feeling away. Why would I care if Harry was with someone else?

"Elena." Harry greets me coldly.

"I thought you didn't have friends." I say back.

"These are my boys, I've known them for a long time. I suppose I can call them my friends, and this is Kelsey. She's Niall's girl."

"Kelsey!?" I ask.

Kelsey turns around and my mouth falls open. What the hell?

"Elena!?" She asks, matching my shocked tone.

Harry stares, seemingly just as shocked as we are. His green eyes dart back and forth between us and he doesn't say a word. The others in the room walk to join our little circle and the awkward tension grows even stronger.

"You two know each other?" Harry asks. He turns to my best friend. "You're the Kelsey that Elena told me about?"

Kelsey nods silently. A blonde guy, the one from the club who must be Niall, throws his arm around her and she nestles into him.

"Elena. . . This is Niall." Harry says. "This is Louis." He points to the one who let me inside. "And this is Liam and Zayn." He gestures to the buff one with a sweet smile and the olive skinned one with lovely brown eyes who stand to my left.

"Hi," I say, looking around the circle at them. They nod and greet me back.

"Elena, can we talk?" Kelsey asks. I follow her away from the group over near the back wall.

"You didn't tell me you knew Harry." Kelsey says. "Are you two going to get together?"

"I didn't really tell anyone. We just hung out a few times." This is the understatement of the year. We hung out as in he gave me earth shattering orgasms. Kelsey doesn't need to know that, though. No one does.

"He looks at you in that way, the protective way. . . the I-want-you-in-bed way." She says, wiggling her eyebrows up and down. If she only knew.

I laugh at her. "He's drunk."

Ten minutes later, I make myself a few shots and try to talk to Harry who sits at his bar stool, away from all his guests. Kelsey is with everyone else, seeming to be in the middle of a heated conversation about some tv show.

"Why aren't you interacting with everyone else?" I ask.

"Didn't I say no talking?" Harry grumbles, taking a long swig straight from a bottle of Jack.

I don't answer, deciding that it's best to just walk away before I say something stupid back to him. As I turn to join Kelsey, Harry's hand is on my arm, pulling me back towards him. I twist around to face him with a roll of my eyes. He's so confusing.

"What?" I snap.

"Come upstairs with me."

"No," I say but I want his body so badly.

"Please, come up stairs with me."

"You're so drunk. It wouldn't even be worth it, honestly."

Harry jerks me towards him, squeezing my arm so tightly that it might leave a mark. My body is now flush against his and the intoxicating scent of mint and whiskey takes over my senses. Harry's mouth moves down to my ear, nipping at it. A shudder runs down my spine at the feel.

"I can make it worth your while, love." Harry whispers.

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