Marvels Of Fate

Try Harder

Harry's POV

"What happened?!" I exclaim, rushing out of the car. Mus is already taking her bags out from the backseats. She continues to stare furiously at the ground, regardless of the fact that I'm tugging on her arm like a little child. "Mus, what...did I hurt you?" She shakes her head, and that's when I notice the tears rushing down her cheeks. "Hey...shh, what happened? Look at me." I cup her cheeks and turn her head to face mine. I tip her chin straight so that I can see the emotions in those beautiful irises.

"Harry, you know we can't. And by kissing me and trying to make," hiccup. "Us work, you're killing me."

"But you said if we weren't in relationships you and I would be one. I broke up with Rain and now it's your turn, Mus. Do it. Break up with that bastard," I urge. She shakes her head.

"It's not that simple." Mus argues, adamant as always.

"Oh, but it is," I croon. "It's so simple. Just say the word and we're back together and everyone else is out of the picture."

"And then what, Harry?" Mus asks, finally staring at me with her own free will. "Another blackmailer? Another family problem? Another sacrifice? And we're broken all over again."

"Babe-"

"You and I, Harry, are cursed. We're not meant to be. And one doesn't go against the odds." Mus turns around, stepping out of my hold. She grabs her bag and marches toward the entrance of the airport, like a woman with a mission. A mission to get away from me. To run away from her feelings. I rush after her.

"But you do! We have to go against the odds and succeed," I insist. "Come on, Mus. Please." I'm begging now. Even if she asks me to get down on my knees and plead, I'll do it.

"We tried that once and see how it all worked out." Mus shakes her head, wiping her cheeks furiously because the flow of tears isn't ending.

"We'll try again! And a third time if we have to. After all, third's a charm." I try smiling, but fail.

"No. Harry my heart can't take two blows. And it'll definitely not survive 3." The entrance of the airport is nearing and I'm nowhere near accomplishing my goal.

"I'll protect it. Just please say the word. Say yes and I'll be your shield. I promise Mus. Have faith in me," I assure her.

"That's the only thing I can't give you Harry; my trust. It's broken. Shattered and I can't find it myself." Mus breaks into a jog, but I'm relentless.

"Everything can be glued back together. No matter how long it takes. No matter how many pieces there are. I'm ready for the challenge Mus." I grab her hand, stopping her. "I'm ready to do whatever it takes."

"Don't make this harder like always." And just like that, she's gone through those bloody glass doors that won't let me follow her. I sink down right outside. Right in the center of the path. Because I don't have the energy to go back to the car or chase her. Or do anything for that matter. It feels like New York all over again and I've lost her. All over again.
*******
Somehow I manage to pull myself off the ground and drive myself back to Liam's house. When I enter, no one's hanging around in the kitchen or the lounge. But just so I can be completely alone I make my way up to the room Mus' stayed in. As I shut the door behind me, my phone rings. And just like that, hope ignites inside me. Hastily, I fish it out of my pocket but the caller id blocks out all rays of hope.

"Jeff-" I begin, ready to end this call right now. But before I can even string one sentence, Jeff interrupts.

"Harry, what the fuck!?" Jeff yells. "I come back from my trip to find you all over the tabloids shaming yourself. And now you've been photographed on your knees outside LAX. What the fuck has been going on, man? And who's Mus?" I count till ten, trying to reign in my temper. I cannot and will not blow up on my best friend.

"Jeff, not now." I warn, my tone stern. "We'll talk later."

"No, I want to talk right now! Your reputation is already down in the dumps and now this?"

"Fuck you, Jeff! Let me just be human for once and cry in a corner, without having to care about the paps or what the tabloids will say." My voice cracks towards the end, and I sink down onto the floor.

"Harry?" Jeff asks, concern coating his tone. "Are you okay?"

"No," a choked sob escapes my lips. "I'm not and I don't think I'll ever be if I keep getting myself hurt."

"What happened, Harry? Did someone beat you up?" Jeff asks frantically, panic and concern echoing through his words.

"No. But it feels worse," another sob. "I'm sorry. Just please, let's not talk about fame related fucking shit for a bit."

"Harry, I'm coming over. You're at your place, right?"

"No, Liam's."

"I'm coming." And the line goes dead. I let the tears flow, not having enough energy to stop them and I don't think they wanna stop anyway. Minutes, seconds or maybe hours later, the room door is shoved open and in walk Liam and Jeff. The latter immediately slides down next to me, but Liam shuts the door and then leans against it. He crosses his arms across my chest and simply stares at me.

"Harry. Stop," Jeff cooes. "Your eyes are bloodshot." I shrug his hand off my shoulder and shift towards my left, so that he doesn't have to keep staring at my tear stained face.

"I'm fine. Just go," I mumble.

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine Jeff, trust me." Liam says, practically glaring at me. "He'll retreat into a little shell made up of sex, liquor and cigarettes."

"What?" Jeff questions, his eyes flitting from Liam to me and then landing back on Liam.

"That's what he always does, right? Cry to himself. Feel bad for himself. But he never tries. Not once has he made an extra effort to fix things and that's his problem." Liam goes on, cocking an eyebrow at me. "You've never chased that woman properly. One try. One failure and you're through. You give up too easily, Harry. But guess what? Life isn't like that! Sure, we got our fame and money easy, but not everyone gets everything through the easy route. And now you need to learn the hard one, if you want that woman to be in your life instead of that dick's."

"What?" I rasp. "I tried, Liam, I did."

"Not hard enough. I bet you begged her to stay and get back together with you, and she said no. And then what, Harry? Did you press further? Did you think about getting on that plane with her and convincing her throughout the flight?" Liam lets out a bark of laughter. "No, you didn't. Because you're here, curled up into a ball, bawling your eyes out."

"Liam, don't you fucking dare say I didn't try!" I yell, anger boiling inside me. "I did! I begged and begged, but she left. Like always."

"And you let her leave, like always." Liam rolls his eyes, looking at me like I'm a piece of filth. "Kate has taught me one thing, Harry and that is to love. And if she ever tried to leave, I'd put my heart and soul into convincing her not to. I'd follow her no matter where she heads and make sure she sees just how badly I want her and that I cannot live without her." Liam's eyes soften a bit. "And that's what I see in you, Harry. Mus taught you to love and laugh without a care in the world. Heck, you didn't have sex for so long! And I can guarantee you that by not trying harder you're throwing your whole life to waste. And you're letting her do the same with that poor excuse of a man." Liam shakes his head. "Try harder, is all I'm saying." Try harder. What if I had gotten on that plane with Mus? What if I had weighed out all the pros to her during the flight? What if...no! I don't want to be left with what ifs. In the end, if Mus is still not in my arms, I want to know that I gave it my all and that there was nothing more that I could've done. Liam's right. I'm not giving my 100% because I'm used to things coming easy to me.

"Guys, can you help me pack?" I ask, wiping the tears off my face and jumping off the floor. Jeff's face is stricken with confusion, but Liam's grin is ear splitting.

"We'll get it all sorted in no time. Jeff, you arrange a plane. Harry, you and I will go back to your house, pack and we shall remove all signs of Rain, so that when Mus comes to live there, it's only her and you." Liam waves me over and we both rush out of the room.