Thursday, fourth week of school--after the last bell
"Wheeler!"
Oh hell, he's noticed me.
"Wheeler!"
Maybe if I just keep walking, he'll go away.
"Hey! Are you going to talk to me?"
Crap, I guess I have to face this now. Once Harry reaches me at the end of the hallway, he grins widely. I smirk back and his face falls, covering the captivating dimples I think are so adorable. I almost feel bad, but I don't.
"Did you sleep with someone?" his face completely falls into a frown at my question.
"The night before we talked in the classroom, I--" I know what he's going to confess to, and I don't even want to hear it.
"You slept with someone, congratulations," I mutter, turning to walk away.
"You need to let me explain!" he's pleading now, but I don't pity him.
"Wheeler....it was before we dated, and you had to know I'm not a virgin! You used to make jokes about it all the time!" he yells, clearly frustrating with me as I walk closer and closer to the exit doors. I turn around when he's finished talking and his face lightens a bit. I know I've given him false hope, and a part of me feels bad, but most of me thinks it's funny.
"The jokes aren't funny now. Don't feel bad though, it's not like we would've worked out anyway, we're just too different." I start to open the door, but his voice stops me.
"We're not that different!" he repeatedly runs his hands through his hair, making his tiny ringlets a complete mess. When he lifts his head, I can see the tears brimming in his eyes, and for a moment I pity him. I pity myself even more.
"I used to think that, too...in fact, I thought so this morning. But in between lunch and now I figured something out. For the longest time I thought that I was too juvenile and immature for you, and that you had a level of thoughtfulness and maturity that I could never reach. Now I realize that it's completely the other way around. Go home, Harry." I know my words have struck a chord when he turns around and walks toward the teacher's parking lot, leaving me standing by the door in the hallway to contemplate our conversation. That's when the tears come.
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"You ended it without even giving him a chance to explain?" Louis and I are discussing the events of the day in my empty living room. I have no idea where my parents and sister are, but of course they didn't bother to tell me.
"He didn't deserve one...all I needed was a yes, and I got one," I mumble, staring at my shoes.
"You didn't even get a true yes...you didn't let him finish!" Louis exclaims, shaking his head wildly and staring at me like I'm on something.
"It doesn't matter, we wouldn't have worked out anyway," I say matter-of-factly, throwing my head back onto the soft couch.
"So, let me get this all straight...you're going to give up a relationship with a guy you've been into for like EVER just because he made a mistake BEFORE you dated and now you feel like it won't work out." he nudges me, clearly trying to figure out what's going on in my mind.
"There are other fish in the sea," I shrug.
"What is wrong with you?" there's that honest Lou I love. I'm not so sure I love him at this very moment, though.
"He and I are just too different, and today he helped me realize it," I run my hands through my hair, wishing everything could just go back to the way it was a few months ago.
"If you say so. Want to go get some ice cream?" I glare at Louis' ice cream suggestion and he laughs heartily. It echoes across my quiet living room.
"What? It's typical break up food, I don't know why you're so against it!"
"My mascara has been running down my face for two hours, Lou."
"Aw, c'mon Wheels! Go wipe your face and we'll head to the ice cream shop!" Louis' eyes go wide when I immediately begin to bawl into the arm of the couch.
"What did I do?"
"You called me Wheels."
"So....?"
"He called me Wheels..." my muffled voice cracks and I sob for what seems like the hundredth time in the last couple of hours.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Lou softens, putting his hand on my shoulder and making small strokes.
"Go clean up, we're definitely getting ice cream now."
I groan at his statement, but I do what he says.
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Harry's POV
I find myself at the grocery store after having some wine at my apartment. This was the only distraction I could think of that wouldn't get me into more trouble, and I definitely didn't need any more wine. Getting drunk obviously doesn't do me any good, so I silently vow to myself that I won't do it anymore, no matter what happens.
"Excuse me, I need to get something on the shelf you're blocking," an elderly woman taps me on the shoulder, clearly annoyed.
"So sorry ma'am," I walk away quickly with heat rising to my cheeks, hoping no one saw that.
After buying a few pointless items, I make small talk with the check out girl and bag boy before taking my stuff and beginning the slow walk to my apartment. I could've driven, but I needed the distraction, and I'm a bit buzzed.
I miss her already...I lost her before I even hardly had her, all because I'm a freaking idiot. Even so, I can't help but wonder what jerk told her about my night with Isa. I was going to tell her the truth, I really was, but I was so afraid of losing her. I really need to get her back somehow, any way I can.
Just as I'm about to call Redd and beg for advice, I pass the Ice Cream Shoppe and can't help but recognize the familiar laughter coming from inside it. I peek in the glass door discreetly, and there are Wheeler and Louis sharing a banana split and giggling all the while, looking like a couple. I cringe, balling my fists together and using every bit of restraint I have to keep myself from storming in there and yelling unspeakable things.
Suddenly, I realize something, and I get even angrier. What if Louis is the one who told Wheeler? What if he told her because he wants her for himself? I ball my fists again, still staring in the window. She looks so put together, and it hurts me so badly. Why isn't she at home bawling? Why isn't she missing me like I'm missing her? Maybe it's because she's meant to be with him. As much as it sucks, maybe he'll be better to her anyway.
After standing there a few more minutes, I decide that Louis can have Wheeler. She looks so happy with him, so carefree, so delighted...even when I thought she'd be in pain. Without her I'll be in pain...but clearly she'll be fine without me. She's got him.
A/N: I can't stress this enough....if you read this, PLEASE VOTE! I would love to have your comments as well, but if you'd rather not, that's fine, just please vote! Last chapter has fifteen reads and only three votes...and that's really disappointing. I love you all and I appreciate EVERY single read, vote, and comment, so please just take a moment to push that button, it would mean a lot to me!
