Fool Me Again | Harry Styles

1 | December

A shrill ringing made my head shoot up from my pillow, startled. I was barely awake, but felt around for my phone in the sheets, and answered it with a grumbled, "What are you calling this early for?"

"Noon is hardly early, babe," said my best friend Laurel from the other end of the line. "Late night last night?"

I sighed. "Couldn't really sleep."

"Still indecisive about how to spend your Christmas Eve?"

I only sighed again in confirmation and pushed myself up into a sitting position against the pile of pillows.

"Look, Em," Laurel said, "you already know my opinion on this: That asshole broke your heart, and he might be Harry Styles and all, but you have no obligation to still go to that thing at his house tonight."

"Yeah, but I RSVP'd–"

"You RSVP'd a month ago before he cheated on you, Em."

"It was just a kiss–"

"But still you broke up with him about it, so it couldn't have been that insignificant, could it? You don't owe him a thing, Emily. In fact, he doesn't deserve you showing up to his party. But all that aside – I didn't call to fight, just to try and convince you again to come out with me and the girls instead. You'll enjoy that a million times more, won't you?"

I didn't know what to say. There was no denying that going to Harry's house that night would be awkward, since we'd hardly seen each other in the month we'd been broken up, despite agreeing to try to stay friends – but there was also no denying that I missed him terribly, however pathetic that made me.

"I'll think about it," I said half-heartedly.

"That's what you've been saying every day for the past two weeks." I could practically hear Laurel roll her eyes. "And time is sort of running out to think about it. Just let me know before six tonight what your decision is, okay babe?"

I resisted the urge to sigh again. "Okay."

"Hope I see you later. Love ya."

After ending the phone call with Laurel, I lay in bed for about another twenty minutes, my brain working overtime to try and wake up and make a decision about my Christmas Eve plans simultaneously. Eventually I gave up on reaching any rational conclusion, and headed to the kitchen to get some cereal for, well, lunch.

Only a few minutes later my phone started ringing again, and I rushed back to my flat's small bedroom just in time to catch a glimpse of the call screen before it went blank and silent: Louis Tomlinson.

I picked my phone up, smiling and frowning at the same time, and answered it the second it started ringing again. "Hey, Lou."

"Hey love, how are you?"

"Alright, I guess."

"Glad to hear that. I'm just calling to make sure you're still coming tonight? To Harry's party?"

"Wow," I sighed, shaking my head. "My friend Laurel actually just called to make sure that I wasn't going to Harry's party."

"Well you are, aren't you? He really wants you there."

My heart missed a beat. "He does?"

"Of course he does. You two're still friends, right?"

"Well, I mean, that was the plan, but..." I bit my lip nervously. "I don't even have a date for tonight."

"What do you need a date for?" Louis sounded confused.

"I don't want to show up alone to my ex's Christmas Eve party looking all sad and pathetic!"

"You won't look sad and pathetic. It's not like Harry has a date either."

"Yeah, but he's the host, so that doesn't count... Wait – he doesn't?"

"Of course not. He still has the hots for you, you know... But anyway, you're more than welcome to come with me and Danielle if you don't want to arrive alone? We'll pick you up around six?"

I was speechless for a few moments, my mind still stuck on Louis' nonchalant he-still-has-the-hots-for-you comment, and then I spluttered, "Uh, okay, yeah, thanks, that'll be great, I guess," before really thinking about it.

"Shot! See you then, Em."

The phone call was over in no time, and then I was left standing gobsmacked next to my bed. He still has the hots for you, you know...

I was more confused than ever, and starting to feel very nervous, but it appeared as though my decision had been made, so I sent Laurel a quick text to let her know that she wouldn't be seeing me that night.

Then I headed to the bathroom to fix myself a decadently pampering bath – because if I was going to be seeing Harry in a few hours, I had better be looking drop-dead gorgeous, and drop-dead like I hadn't spent the better half of December crying myself to sleep. 

+++

Okay, so I've literally started this fic today and planned out each chapter. I really just love Christmas-themed fics, but struggle to find many worth reading, so I decided to write my own.

This story won't be very long – only twelve chapters – and I'll be posting one every day. The very last chapter will thus be posted on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day (depending on where you are in the world.)

I really hope that you enjoy this story if you happen to come across it, and that you'll stick with it for some cute, romantic holiday vibes xD

Please comment (those would make my day) and vote to get this story more visible.

I'm excited!

Xxx