Addicted (Harry Styles)

Chapter 1- Forgive and Forget

"Maddie, you can't keep taking this from him." Effie snaps on the other line of the phone. I've been listening to her pick apart everything about my relationship with Harry, for the last twenty minutes. But she always did this, so I was beginning to get used to it. "He's just a low-life drunk. You could do way better than him."

"Eff, I'm fine seriously." I whisper into the phone. My head swerves cautiously to see if Harry was back from the bar yet. But I didn't hear the door open, so I was assuming that he wasn't.

She gasps on the other side of the line. "Are you whispering because you're scared he's going to hear you?"

My best friend did know me well; I gave her credit for that. But it wasn't something that I was willing to admit... Not even to her.

I imagine what she is thinking right now, and I know it's not good. Effie isn't the type to judge, but she is the type to hold grudges. I hated getting on her bad side because no matter how many times I apoligized, she still wouldn't forgive me.

"No, Effie." I murmur in the phone. "I just... Have a sore throat."

"You're lying to me!" She exclaims. "You can't lie to me! I know you are under a lot of stress because of Harry, but you shouldn't do this to me!"

I wasn't sure what to say. Yes, I knew keeping this from Effie was a terrible thing to do, especially since she's my best friend. But at the same time, I knew that I had to.

There wasn't much of a choice in this situation. Yes, sometimes Harry did get out of control. Yes, sometimes he did hurt me. But that didn't matter, because I knew he didn't mean it.

"Effie, please." I let my voice grow a little louder than it was before. "You don't understand."

She sighs, in an irritated manner. But I keep telling myself that it will pay off in the end. Telling Effie would only get in me in a worse situation.

"You're right!" She exclaims, the aggravated edge was still caught in her voice. "I don't understand, because you barely tell me anything!"

I don't say anything. First of all, I know she's right. We used to tell each other everything, and now that's gone. And second of all, even if I did know what to say, I wouldn't know how to say it. Knowing myself I'd probably screw up my word process.

"Why do you do that?" She inquires, dropping her voice a bit.

I frown into the phone. "I just... can't. Will you please understand Effie, that it's for a good cause."

There was complete silence on the other end of her phone for the longest time. That is probably why I was able to hear the car door slam shut, in the garage. And I knew exactly who it was.

"No, Maddie. I can't." She replies bluntly. "Why do you let him do this to you? You could leave him-"

I interrupt her swiftly. "-I'm sorry Effie, but I have to go."

I hear stifled footsteps in the garage. There was a small crashing sound, which is what I had expected. I have gotten used to this routine. He always tripped on the first step of the stairs. He then curses and laughs a bit, before coming up the rest of the stairs, to greet me.

I couldn't have Effie hear Harry drunk. I wouldn't allow it.

"No, I wasn't done. You can't let him control-"

"- I have to go! I'm so sorry, bye!" I announce, pressing the hang up button. I feel really bad but I knew there was no other way to get of the phone.

I regret telling her about what Harry has done to me in the past. Yes, I want her to be concerned for me, but at the same time I want her to kind of keep her distance from our relationship. She doesn't understand how perfect Harry is when he is sober. She doesn't understand that I do love him.