Friend zone?

Chapter 8

Cheshire, England 2010

(McKenna's POV)

I watch as he stomps his way to his front door and goes inside, slamming the door behind him and leaving me alone in my car. Ouch. I didn't expect that to hurt as much as it did.

After much conflict with myself I decide against going inside after him and pull out of the driveway. For a few minutes I drive aimlessly not even sure where I'm headed until I park in the driveway of my tiny home. I hit my hands on the steering wheel viciously and begin to cry. I don't understand why this is hurting me so much.. It's just Harry I tell myself over and over in my head.

"Then why is it hurting me so bad?" I ask myself between sobs. I look in the mirror and wipe at the black makeup streaking my face and fan myself, taking deep breathes. "I need to pull myself together," I groan and bite my lip to force myself to stop sobbing. After about twenty minutes of sitting in my car, I finally manage to calm down and stop crying. I drag myself out of my car and trudge up the walkway to my front door and unlock it.

I hobble into the kitchen and dump my car keys and my jacket onto the table. I look in the cookie jar and sure enough there's money in it. My mum must've left for her night job at the strip club already. Looks like it's another night of eating take out alone I think to myself.

"Great," I sigh, and start searching through the drawers in the kitchen for the menu to my favorite Chinese take out place. When I finally am successful in finding it, I reach for the house phone and dial the number.

"Hello, Blue Dragon Chinese Buffet, how may I help you?" A monotone girl says as soon as she picks up.

Suddenly, I hear the sound of feet moving around, coming from my room. I stop dead and drop the phone onto the table.

"Hello? Hello? is anyone there?" I hear the girl call from the phone. I hang up quickly and listen more closely. When I hear the same rustling of feet I know it's not my imagination.

My instinct makes me grab my mum's pocket knife from the drawer. We've been robbed before but I've never been home alone when it happened. I creep to my room slowly holding the knife in front of me. I open the door swiftly and jump at the sight of Edwin standing in my room and drop the knife to the floor.

"Oh my god, you gave me a heart attack," I say out of breath, clutching my chest . "what are you doing here, how did you get in?" I add when he stays silent.

"I know where you hide your extra key McKenna," he says his lips in a hard line.

"Um... Okay then," I mumble walking past him and laying down on my bed.

"Why did you lie to me, McKenna?" He asks arching his brow.

"What are you talking about? I didn't lie to you," I mutter, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh really because I went to the spa today to visit you and you weren't there, in fact the lady working the front desk had no idea what I was talking about when I asked about you," he says his voice dead calm but his face saying otherwise.

" I - We went to another spa outside of Cheshire." I stutter.

"Oh really? So if I were to call Gemma right now she would back up your story?" He says inching closer to me until his face is only an inch from mine.

"Yes of course she would," I reply wishing I could pull away because the close proximity of his face is making me uncomfortable.

"Alright," he says his eyes barely leaving mine as he dials her number.

(Gemma's POV)

"I'm really sorry again Harry, about McKenna, she shouldn't have ruined your big day like that, it was completely out of line," I apologize about my best friend for about the fifteenth time since we've gotten home.

"It's fine Gem, please stop apologizing, let's just watch the movie," he pleads as he takes the big bowl of popcorn from my lap and places it on his. I really am genuinely surprised at how well he's taking this if it had been any other time he would've cried by now.

...

I get lost in thought for a while it seems but I get pulled back to reality when my phone starts vibrating on my lap. I look down to see who could possibly be calling me and my jaw drops when I see that the caller Id reads Edwin.

I swiftly pick it up and immediately feel Harry's eyes on me.

"Hello?"

"Hey Gemma, it's Edwin."

"Hey... What's up?" I ask, as Harry nudges me

"Who is it?" He whispers. I hold a finger to my lips to silence him.

"I was wondering, did you and McKenna go to the spa today?" Edwin asks inquisitively.

I look at Harry and he raises an eyebrow at me. Despite everything that has happened, I know he's going to be pissed off if I don't back McKenna up on her story, but my simmering anger gets the better of me.

"No, we went to my brother Harry's X Factor try out," I reply. Harry widens his eyes at me and tries to reach for my phone. I swat his hand away and get up from the couch, and walk away, Harry begins to chase after me.

"Thanks, that's all I needed to know." He curtly remarks and I hang up.

"OKAY GEMMA, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT," he yells at me as soon as he's sure I not on the phone with Edwin anymore.

"What do you mean?" I ask nonchalantly.

"Don't you play stupid with me you know exactly what I'm talking about.." He seethes.

"I don't understand way you are defending her, she deserves it for the way she was treating you," I say calmly despite my growing irritation towards him.

"No, she doesn't deserve to be in trouble with him because of me," he says shaking his head.

"you heard her, there's nothing going on between us," he adds with a blank expression but his voice betrays him by cracking.

"Harry..." I sigh.

"No Gemma, just stop, I'm going to her house to go talk to her,"

"Harry, I don't think-"

"It's just to talk to her Gem, I need to tell her I'm sorry about everything I caused her." He says taking my car keys and walking to the door.

"Harry, listen to yourself, you did nothing to her, I love her to death and everything but if anything she's the one who is causing you pain," I say following after him trying to stop him from leaving.

"I have to do this Gem, I'll be back later," he says walking out the door and closing it behind him.

(McKenna's POV)

Edwin hangs up the phone briskly and shoots me a glare that sends chills down my spine.

"I knew you were fucking lying," he growls.

I get up from the bed, and try to create distance between us but he pushes me up against the wall.

"Edwin please it's not what you think," I whimper helplessly.

"Oh but I think it is," he says his voice barely a whisper.

"You know what I think? Hmm? I think you were a dirty little slut while I was away," he says pressing his hips against mine. I try to push him away but he grabs both of my wrists and pins them over my head. A soft whimper escapes my lips as I keep struggling against his grip.

"It's no use, stop struggling," he whispers into my neck before kissing it roughly.

I begin to cry silently and helplessly..

"HELP SOMEONE PLEASE HELP,"

I scream,