Ambivalence [H.S]

Chapter 23

"Thanks for coming to get us. I can't believe I got lost." I thank Reese again as we exit his bedroom where Laney is placed comfortably on his bed sleeping.

"Stop thanking me, I said it was no problem. I just can't believe Declan left you like that." He grabs my hand pulling me to the living room.

"He was upset," I shrug taking a seat on the couch. He sits next to me hand still connected with mine.

"So what? He let you get lost. What if I didn't answer? What would you have done with a sleeping toddler and a dying phone?" Reese is clearly angry about Declan leaving me more than I am. But it wasn't like he left me, I guess he just thought I already knew where I was going, that I just wanted him to come with me.

"Reese I let him go. It's okay honestly. And if you didn't pick up when I called I would've probably hailed a taxi or called the girls to come get me or something. And just for the record my phone wasn't dead." I protest hoping to crack a grin out of him, just letting me know he believes me when I say I'm honestly okay with what happened.

"When I got you it was on ten percent, tell me that it wasn't dying." He chuckles and I smile in relief.

"It lasts for like thirty minutes on ten percent so..." I giggle swatting at him with my free hand.

"And after those thirty minutes? You would've had a sleeping child, a dead phone, and no place to go."

"Not if I called the girls before it died." I say shaking my head.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Why did you leave them in the first place? You said you left and Declan was angry but you never said why." He asks genuinely curious. I pull my hand out of his, pushing some loose strands of hair out of my face, behind my ear.

"Um...we went iceskating with El's boyfriend and his friends. After we left the rink we went to this cafe to hide out from the paparazzi and one of them said—"

"Wait that Harry guy?" He interrupts with a glare. I shake my head instinctively.

"No uh...Harry didn't come. He's too cool to ice-skate apparently." I feel the blood draining from my face. Why did I just lie?

"Oh. So who was it? What did they say I'll take care of it." I smile at his over protectiveness.

"I don't know his name, it wasn't one of the guys in the band." Another lie.

"Why were the guys there in the first place? You told me you haven't known them long. I thought you were just going to spend the day with your family. I would've joined if I knew the plans." He frowns.

"There wasn't really a plan. The girls wouldn't stop harassing me to do something fun for my birthday instead of staying in so I picked iceskating. And you're right, I haven't really known the guys long but they're actually pretty cool so when April asked if they could join I said yes. I'm sorry I didn't invite you, I knew you were working and it was so last minute—." I hear myself rambling, I feel terrible because I really didn't think to invite him.

"It's fine babe. You're here now. I still got to be with you for your special day." He tells me calming my nerves. "So who was it that got you all upset?"

"Some friend of theirs, Sean Something. It was really stupid what I got upset about really. He was just really rude all day and I didn't like it. He called me boring and stupid and I know it's not something I should feel so insulted by but i was tired of it so I left." I make up something else along the lines of what Harry and I have argued about in the past few days and what Declan said to me earlier. He seems to believe me so I go with it.

"Well then I'm glad you did. He sounds like a prick. You aren't boring. Point him out to me next time and I'll show him what'll happen if he messes with you again." Reese says.