Forever and Always

Chapter 32

April's POV:

At times I would think back to my last visit with Harry and smile. He was funny and we were joking around and just having a good time. Until we had to be separated again, for some reason I didn't cry though. Maybe it was because I knew he was doing okay and knowing that he wouldn't come out as an even bigger asshole. 

I was meeting Troy today and I knew he would have tons of questions about the visit, and how I was handling being away from Harry. So far things have been good being away, but how long would that last? I haven't, or heard, of any relationship that has lasted 10 years without each other. Yes there was the visiting days but those were only 30 minutes, defiantly not the amount of time I would want with him. 

"April?" Courtney waited in the door way of my room. There was some tension with me and all my friends because they didn't really support me in my decisions with Harry. I looked up but didn't say anything to her. I didn't want to be in a bad mood when Troy came to pick me up. He would hate it. 

"C'mon April, you can't hate us forever." she urged.

"I don't hate you guys, I just don't understand why you can't support me?" I shrugged not looking up at her. Sometimes these people I've known as my friends seemed foreign.

"April, Harry is in prison. You're engaged and you're waiting ten years for him. What if you meet someone that's better, what if he comes out a different person that you won't be able to recognize?"

"We've asked ourselves these things, and we're both going through with this."

"How are you going to plan your wedding it he's not able to help? He's not going to like everything you'll want." she had a point, but I've already got an idea.

"I'll just take a big book that we can look through together when I visit him." I could tell that Courtney was rolling her eyes, fine be that way, I don't care.

"Whatever." she turned around, and for some reason that really pissed me off.

"I don't think you should be yelling at me the way you are. You're married!" I raised my voice, I knew she wouldn't. Courtney didn't yell often, being a psychiatrist and all. 

"My husband isn't in prison." she said and left before I could say anything. 

I huffed with frustration and collected my things to meet Troy outside my dorm building.

I marched out there, and as I was standing there I began to cry. The first time I've cried since Harry was in prison. It may sound strange, but I've been calm with him gone, and now my friends were being bitches.  That night they took me out for a girls' night out they seemed so supportive, but for some reason over the past weeks they have switched sides.  Every friend except Troy, and I know Claire would't do this to me, she would fight by my side. At times like this I really missed her, and I wish Troy would hurry up and save me.

Finally his car pulled up. I climbed in the seat and whipped my tears.

"Sorry, me and Courtney just got in a little fight." I apologized, he didn't say anything at first.

"Do you want to talk about it? Or just avoid it for now?" he asked.

"Let's avoid it, I don't want this to turn into a therapy session." I said, he nodded and began driving, not really talking which really bugged me. 

"Alright, not talking at all doesn't really help either." I stated, he smiled a little which I guess was a good sign.

"I have a girlfriend." he blurted a few seconds later. I knew something was up. Finaly, he's finaly moved on from Claire. He has loved that girl since the day he met her, it was really sweet, but after Claire died I didn't know if he would ever be able to move on. 

"That's great!" I said, he was smiling really wide, I haven't seen that big of a smile on him for a while. I guess both of us are finally getting stuff worked out. It's about damn time too.

"Thanks."

"What's her name?"

"Marie." oh no. That was Claire's middle name, of course he would like this Marie girl!

"Troy! C'mon! Are you serious?" he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Hey, if you don't want to talk about Harry then why do I have to talk about Marie." he was right I guess, but we needed to talk this over at one point. He needed to move on with his life or else he'll be stuck in love with a dead girl for the rest of his life.

"Fine." I said, he sighed with relief and we went back into silence.

We went to one of our favorite restaurants. When Claire, Troy, and I were in high school we would go here all the time. Pretty much every Friday night. Of course he would choose here to go out for a little fun. I didn't say anything though, he must know what I'm thinking, right?

A waiter led us to our table, in the corner, where we would always sit. Ugh, how are we ever going to move on if we keep looking back at our old traditions. Troy didn't seemed bothered, it obvious he reserved the table because he didn't want to sit anywhere else, or go to any other place. Right now I am seriously considering taking him to my next therapy appointment. No, I am, it's decided my dear friend needs some serious help.

"So, what are you going to get?" he asked, I rolled my eyes knowing exactly what he wanted me to say. When we were here with Claire we would order two appetizer trays with all the appetizers on it and then order three different kinds of milkshakes. Troy would get vanilla, Claire would get chocolate, and I would get strawberry, then we would each switch every couple of minutes. I missed it, but I needed to move on with my life, and so did he. I feel bad that Troy isn't ready yet, but he needs to be, or else nothing will get better.

"I know what you want me to say, but I don't know if it will be able to work......." I began to say when Troy looked over at the door.

"Marie! Over here!" he called, oh my god. She looked almost exactly like Claire. Troy got out and let her sit in the corner of the booth like Claire always did. 

"Hey, I'm Marie." she said, holding out her hand. It killed me to be polite to Claire 2.0.

"Hello, I'm April, nice to meet you." she nodded and then looked back over at Troy.

"So, what are we getting?" she asked.

"Um, well we are going to order two appetizer trays, and milkshakes, you can pick whatever kind you like." Troy said, I glared at him. Her favorite milkshake must be chocolate or else he would never say that. 

Finally our waitress came over. "Good evening, I'm Rebecca and I'll be serving you tonight. So can I start you three off with some drinks?" she asked. I looked over at Troy, waiting for him to order everything for us, but Marie started, just like Claire always did.

"We'll have two appetizer trays and I'll have a large chocolate milkshake." she looked over at Troy, "I'll have a vanilla." then over to me, "I'll have a strawberry please." I said with my brightest smile I could possibly pull off right now. The waitress nodded and walked away with our order. I couldn't believe Troy right now, he was being ridiculous.

I don't know how, but I'll have to figure out how to get through tonight without exploding on Troy, or crying because of all the memories we had on these Friday nights.

Hello everyone! I hope you liked this chapter, and I know things are kind of boring right now but please stay with me! 

I would really like it if you guys promoted this story, its not getting as many reads or votes as I would like so please help me out! And it would also mean the world to me if you also promoted my completed Louis fanfic "Hold My Hand"!

Also, I think I might but my other Louis fanfic "For You" on hold for right now just so I can concentrate on this book instead of having to jump around all the time.

Thank you!:)xx