~ It Never Should've Been ~ One Direction Fan Fiction ~

~ Chapter 22 - He Did WHAT!? ~*

Harry looked at us, his lips set in a straight line.

"Harry," I said plainly.

He just looked at me, his gaze never leaving mine.

"Harry," I said again taking a step towards him.

He watched me and looked me up and down and finally spoke, "So this is how it is? I just come into Hollister ready to try on some clothes and what do I find in the dressing room? You two making out."

My eyes narrowed, "For your information, we weren't making out. We didn't even kiss."

"I don't believe you," he retorted.

"Oh, yes, because I'm obviously a liar."

His hands curled into fists and his gaze traveled over my shoulder and to Niall who was standing behind me, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Ellie, go change."

"Don't tell me what to do."

He looked at me, "Ellie. Go. Change."

"No. I'm good in this dress. A little scratchy, but it'll do," I said.

I could tell that was his breaking point. He grabbed my wrist way too roughly and tossed me back into the dressing room. "Change. Now."

I rubbed my wrist and twisted it from Harry's hard grip. I thought I might as well change anyway, though if I had a choice, I wouldn't just to make Harry mad.

While I was changing, I was thinking.

This is not the Harry Styles I heard about. This is not the way he treats bandmates or a girl for that matter. Is this normal behavior for him when he likes a girl? The 'if I see her, she's mine' sorta thing?

After I was finished, I loaded my arms up with dresses; the right arm filled with ones I wanted, the left with ones that go back on the rack.

I opened up the door and said, "Let's just go-" right as something smashed into my cheek and I fell to the floor, dresses flying from my hands.

"Harry!" I heard Niall's voice scream as he dropped down next to me, pulling me into his arms.

"Oh my god," Harry whispered before running out of the dressing room.

I opened my eyes and looked up at Niall's face in a slight daze. "What the hell just happened?"

His face got concerned real quick. "Ellie, Harry just hit you."

My face fell and I scrambled to my feet. "He WHAT!"

Niall raced up with me, keeping his hands on my elbows, "He was aiming for me but got you instead when you opened the door. Ellie, I'm so sorry."

I stood still for a moment before muttering every curse I could think of. I started pacing.

Niall stopped me and looked at where Harry's fist had grazed my face, "Oh god, Ellie, it's realy noticeable."

"No surprise," I snapped and he looked a little hurt. He let me go and I started pacing again.

I walked back and forth a few times before stopping in front of the mirror and examining my face. Niall was right, there was already a raised bump forming just under my eye.

I glared at my reflection and walked back over to Niall who was standing where I left him, watching the ground. "I'm leaving," i muttered and grabbed my purse and stalked out of the store.

"No!" Niall grabbed my hand, "Please don't."

"Yes, I am!" I said turning to face him. "I know I've said this before, but this time I mean it. The only thing that's happened since I entered your lives, was trouble."

"You're wrong!"

"Oh really? Let's just go over what has happened, shall we?" I snapped. "Let's see, Harry called you fat, Harry hit you, I've called Harry out twice, we got stuck in an elevator, I was bombarded by the paparatzi, I had a concussion, went into a coma, I had a nurse that almost killed all of you, a concert where both you and Harry were trying to fight for me, Harry refusing to be nice, Harry sending death threats to you, and then Harry punching me? Yeah, that's obviously normal."

He looked at me with hurt eyes, "I'm not saying that it's normal, but I'm saying that it's been worth it, Ellie. Have you noticed almost all those things you've listed involves Harry?"

I looked at him, "Your point?"

"I don't have one. I'm just saying that even though you fel like leaving, don't. Everyone here loves you. Liam, Zayn, Louis, Paul, and even though it might not seem like it, so does Harry. He just has a hard time showing it."

"But isn't he the flirt?"

Niall snorted, "Yes, yes he is. But when he sets his eyes on a girl, he will get her no matter what. How do we know? Exhibit A, Caroline."

I groaned, "Are we seriously bringing her into this?"

Now, Niall groaned, "Okay, now I have a point. It's just that, Ellie, like I said earlier, you are an amazing girl and Harry wants you. And at the moment, I don't want to take his side since he did hit you and all, but I don't blame him for that. Ellie, he wants you just as bad as I do, and neither of us are going to give up the fight."

"What fight?" I asked.

"The fight over who gets you."

I turned and faced him with an expressionless look. I pointed to myself, "Me?"

He nodded and slightly blushed. "You."

I felt tears burn at my eyes, but they weren't plesant ones. "Niall, you know I love you, but I don't think-"

"You're choosing Harry after he hit you!" he yelled, bristling.

"No!" I screamed back, tears falling, "I just don't think that it can happen, me being here. I'm tearing you boys apart. That's not what a friend does."

He looked at me and his face turned sad, "Ellie, don't believe that. All  bands have problems-"

"But have they ever had a problem like this? Niall, when bands have big problems, they break up and never have contact with each other again."

He just looked at me, with my tears falling and I could see his eyes getting watery. "So, is this goodbye?" he whispered.

I wiped at my eyes, "Yeah, Niall, I think it is."

He raced up to me and pulled me into his arms, craddling me tightly to his chest. "God, Ellie, I wish it never had to come to this."

"Me too," I mumbled against his chest and pulled away. I took a few steps backwards, watching Niall just stand there, crying, and watching me walk away.

He raised his hand in a slight farewell.

"I'm sorry," I whispered before taking a few more steps backwards and running out of the store.