Second Chance

Just Kidding

A few days had passed, and to be honest I’d kind of been avoiding the guys only because I wasn’t quite sure where Harry and I stood. Not to mention I needed to focus on my work.

I had been putting in extra hours at the office and Mildred and some of my other superiors were really happy with my work. Thursday afternoon I got home around 8pm and was cooking up some quick dinner before going back to the work I’d brought home when I heard a knock at my door. 

Confused, I looked into the peephole and cursed at myself when I saw who it was. Anyone would recognize those luscious curls anywhere…

I opened the door and Harry smiled at me while muttering hello.

I said hello back and let him in.

We sort of stood there for a second and, as per usual, we both decided to break the silence at the same time. Once again, I motioned him to go ahead. 

“Look Ava, um… I don’t know what happened the other night, but I don’t want you to think anything of it, ya know? I mean we’re just friends and I don’t think we should ruin it and, let’s face it, I’m too busy to have to care about someone that way.”

Ouch.

“I mean, that came out wrong. I just don’t have time for someone, if you know what I mean”, he attempted lamely to correct himself.

“Yeah, I get it”, I played it off like I didn’t care. “I had already forgotten all about it, so honestly no worries. I know you don’t have time for that. Me either, so we can just pretend it didn’t happen. Actually, it never happened. There. See?”

“Yeah….” Harry responds. “Okay.”

And he trudges towards the door to leave. “Okay, well I’ll see ya around Ava.”

“Yep, see ya later Harry”, I bit my lip as soon as he left and I’d closed the door. I turned, pushing my back against the door and sliding down it until I was sitting on the floor against it. I don’t know why I was so bothered by him saying that. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the tears coming on. No Ava, I told myself, none of that.

I wasn’t crying over boys, even less reason to cry over a boy that didn’t mean anything to me. 

Because Harry meant nothing to me, right? He was just a friend. That’s all, nothing more.

Right then I saw the pot of water boiling/overflowing and I rushed to clean it up and finish making dinner.

-Harry’s POV-

I get in the cab and the whole drive back to the house all I keep replaying in my head are those seven words…. I had already forgotten all about it.

She couldn’t really mean that could she? She had to be lying. I mean, I had been lying but I’d felt pretty turned down when she didn’t kiss me and it had been all I could think about the last few days. 

I walked into the house and immediately Louis and Niall came up to me. “Hey mate, where you been?” Niall questioned.

“Just at Ava’s.”

“Ah… Sooooo how’d it go?” Louis asked, being a bit nosey, but hey he’s my best friend. What more can I expect from him?

“Fine. I don’t want to talk about it.”

The boys understood and we continued on our evening hanging out and playing video games. 

Before I headed to bed, I heard a knock on my door. “Yeah?” I answered.

Liam’s head peaked in. “Hey man. Can I talk to you real quick?”

“Of course”, I responded. 

“Well…. Here’s the thing. I don’t know how to bring this up because I don’t want to overstep, but what’s going on with you and Ava? You guys just seemed to get along really well Sunday night and I was just wondering what was going on.”

I weakly smiled. “Liam, I’m losing it over here. Sunday I almost kissed her, but at the last minute she stopped it and just left. Today I went over and basally pretended like I didn’t mean for it to happen, to see where she was about it all, and she agreed. I think I like her, but she’s so stubborn. I mean, she acts like she likes me, but she never does anything to really show she does. It’s so annoying. I’ve only ever felt like this once before, and your first loves always feel that way. But everyone since that hasn’t really stood out to me. Here I am living the life. A great career. anything I want at my fingertips, amazing fans and I could date whoever, but here I am wracking my mind over a girl who works in our office. I just can’t handle it.”

Liam sat and listened patiently, when I realized I had just admitted everything and kind of obnoxiously rambled on for a while. “Sorry man”, I said. “I just haven’t felt like this in a while. I don’t know what to do.”

Finally Liam spoke up.

“I knew something was up. Two people don’t look at each other like that for nothing. I’m convinced she cares for you Harry and I don’t think it’s only as a friend. But she seems shy and keep in mind she’s in a brand new place and she’s all alone. What you need to do is slowly get to know her and just take it from there. I’d make my feelings evident, but not be too forward. You don’t want to scare her. Keep in mind what kind of life you have. Yeah, we could date a load of people, but dating someone not famous is difficult for them. Keep it in mind. Sophia deals with a lot of hate and whatnot, so you have to remember that, should this go anywhere serious.”

He was right, I hadn’t thought about that……

“Thanks Liam. I appreciate you giving me advice. I really needed that.”

“Anytime”, Liam responds, “I just want to see all my mates happy, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Liam left me alone in my room with my thoughts. I stripped down and got in bed only to drift off into a wonderful dream about Ava and I being together. She was everywhere and I wouldn’t want it any other way..