Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 13

"I think we need to talk, Julie," Harry said letting go of her elbow.  He looked up at her.  She was standing at the top the small staircase leading to the exit and he was a couple of steps down.

"Why?  Just because I wrote a few songs doesn't make us have to have a conversation.  I'm tired, Harry, and I don't want to do this anyway.  And I REALLY don't want to do it right now," she said while still remembering how she was disappointed that the arms around her waist earlier was Daniel and not Harry.  She let her eyes wander his face for a few seconds.  He was so handsome.  There was no one who could come close.  Her physical attraction to him would never be topped.  But her emotional one was strained to the breaking point.  The hurt she experienced when he broke up with her was made worse by his running back to Kendall.  There was something about her that Julie just could not accept.

"A few songs that will let the world in more than you ever let me in.  Things you never let me see."  Harry said trying to take her hand, but she wouldn't allow it.  "Julie, please."

"Whose fault is that?  You wouldn't let me work slowly into it.  You ended it before I even got that far."  She turned away.  "I don't want to do this.  You shouldn't expect me too."

"You will never want too.  And we need too."  Harry said to her quietly.

"No, Harry, we don't.  We're not together, we're not friends, we aren't even acquaintances anymore."  She said putting her hand on the door knob.  "I can't ever forgive you.  Even if you asked."

"You said you love me.  Julie.  We should talk about that.  Can't you just stop being so damn stubborn right now?"  He asked.  He was starting to get frustrated.  He understood he fucked up, he understood she was hurt.  More so than ever right now.  After those songs, he felt it even more.  He wanted to talk to her about them.  About everything.

"No, stubborn is the way that I've managed to get through the last six years of my life.  And stubborn is the only way I'm going to get through the rest of it.  You gave me a moment of clarity in an otherwise fucked up existence.  And I will be forever grateful for that.  But that's all it was."  She said through the tears caught in her throat and turned and opened the door.

"That is not all it was.  It really hurts for you to say that."  He ran his hand through his hair.  That one got him.  That's not all he was to her, not with the feelings they shared and what they went through.

"Ask me if I care right now."  She said closing the door behind her.  Why?  Why did he have to do this?  Why couldn't he just leave her alone?  Why did he insist on pushing this now, when she finally had other things good in her life that she accomplished?  It wasn't fair.  She knew she would regret telling him she still loved him.  This was the longest day.  She just wanted to go to bed and sleep away the problems.  She knew she would never forget them, but at least the short time she slept she didn't have to think about Harry, or her past, or her struggles.  She just hoped the dreams stayed away.  She sighed and turned to walk towards the hotel.  The only thing worse would be for it to start raining before she got there.  Just like a scene from a depressing romantic movie, the rain started to fall before she made it down the first block.  "Well played," she said to the sky.  "Well played."

Julie woke with a start and sat up quickly in the hotel bed.  She looked around and realized she was in the hotel room.  She had no idea what woke her.  She lay back down on her pillow when she heard the knock on the door.  Who would be knocking?  That's probably what woke her before.  No one but Amanda and Niall knew where she was.  They booked the room for her when she insisted she wasn't going to go back to Niall's.  A sudden feeling of dread ran through her body.  She couldn't explain it.  The little hairs on her arms stood up.  She hadn't had a feeling like this since she casted Johnny from her life months ago.  Why would she think about it now?  There's no reason he would come find her.  Is there?  Oh god, she was alone, completely.  She stood on her toes, took a breath and looked through the peep hole.  She sighed, why?  She slowly opened the door and saw Harry leaning against the door frame.  He obviously hadn't gone home after the party.  She opened the door slowly.  "Harry, what are you doing here?"  She put her hands on his waist when he stumbled towards her.  Great.  Drunk, again.  She took a deep breath.  Niall or Amanda must have mentioned where she was staying.  "You should go home to bed."