Lights (2019)

Canada

Harry looks at me with alarm in his eyes; he swiftly removes Jane's witch-like hand from his chest. Louis' hand goes to my shoulder, tugging lightly, trying to get me away from whatever hell hole I have found myself in.

"Tell me what?" I ask weakly. Jane's mouth curls into a sinister smile.

"See, Haz, she wants to know," Jane coos, once more.

She waits for him to say something and so do I. His eyes can't seem to focus on one thing, but when they do it is on me and I can see all the torment that is going on inside him. He reaches for my hand and I allow him to take it, my mind going to the worse possible assumptions of what Jane could be dangling over us.

Harry pulls us away from that mess, and leads me outside into the night. I lean against the side of the warehouse, and I can already feel my insides choking themselves. He stands two feet away from me, running his hand through his curls. Oh God, please don't let this be what I think it is.

"Baby—"

"Why did you take me out here, Harry?" I choke out.

"I—I thought it would be better to talk in private," he admits.

"So talk," I whisper. Whatever it is I need to know...ignorance maybe bliss, but I don't want to live in ignorance. I don't want us to be a fabricated lie.

"Um," he stutters. "I just need you to know, first, that I was just trying to protect you."

"Okay," I murmur, trying to convince myself that whatever was coming would be all right.

"That night when I didn't answer my phone," he grumbles, his voice scratching against the dryness in his throat. "We were having a boys' night at a bar... watching games and shit. I was having fun, for a little while at least. That is, until Jane showed up."

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep the tears from rushing to my eyes. I knew where this was going... there was no turning back. I lock my jaw, and release it again and again. He just needs to say it—to ripe off the Band-Aid.

"She was drunk," he whispers, I involuntarily wince. "All the other guys were being dicks, and I offered to take her home. She told me she got locked out and her roommates weren't home, so I told her she could sleep on my couch. That is all I intended, I swear."

That was all he intended. I'm so stupid. Everyone already knew.

"She just kept talking...and pushing, and threatening." He continues. My heart seems to drop straight down to my feet. The pain of his words almost is enough to rip me apart. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

"You slept with her." I say as more of a statement rather than a question. But why question when I already know the answer. He looks at me with wide green eyes; the emeralds are encased in red. He nods softly, and I let out the breath that I had been holding.

I inhale deeply, tears finally fleeing my eyes. I wipe them away with my arm. My brows furrow together and keep my lips pursed tight to keep my sobs from escaping. I press my hands to my face, pushing the heels of my hands into my eyes.

"So that's it then?" I say quietly.

"Blair," he says softly, reaching for my arm.

"No," I say firmly. "Please, don't touch me."

"Baby," he says softly.

"Harry, you don't get to do that... not anymore." My voice breaks. He looks at me like I have broken his heart, but in truth he has already broken mine. "Did you really think that I would never find out?"