Ever since, New York [h.s] AU

15 || CRAMPS

There was knocking on the front door making my head pound and a thousand needles to stab my face, the light alone coming from the half open curtain burned my skin.

More knocking. "I'm going." I groan, sitting up from the couch - when did I sleep on the couch? I could've sworn I went upstairs last night. I wasn't even that drunk.

When I open the door, I see Harry standing before me much taller and different than the last time I saw him. His hair was no longer flopping around his head in curls but rather almost slicked back, a few curls peeking out to his forehead.

"What are you doing here?" He looked like shit, though for some reason his presence made my stomach erupt in butterflies. If we were much younger, I would gag right in front of him. Though I'm pretty sure it's my period, I started getting horrible cramps just yesterday.

He picks at the paint on the wall. "I came to talk, can I come in?" He says, his face in a monotone expression. I simply nod and step aside, allowing him space to come in.

I close the door and an even bigger cramp makes me take in a sharp intake of air. "You okay?" Harry asks as I turn around.

I nod. "I'm sure it's just my period cramps." I say and motion for him to sit down making me do the same. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Okay, I have something to tell you and I don't know where to begin." He says pushing his hair back. He looks down to me and his face goes blank and when I follow his gaze, I see he's looking at the ring in my finger.

Shit, I forgot to throw it in Ethan's face, that would've been a dramatic exit.

"Is that an engagement ring?" He asks with furrowed brows. He takes my silence for an answer. "Since when?"

I know I'm going to regret this later, but I'm still mad at him for basically abandoning me for his fiancé. God, what the hell is wrong with me? This isn't his fault -

"Last year." I say before I could stop myself. He nods in understanding. "Yeah, Ethan and I met during class - we're both studying to become doctors." Okay you need to stop talking now.

"Really?" He sits up. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you were engaged? I had to hear it from your mum than my own best friend." I say childishly.

Harry and I have only ever had two fights in our entire life of friendship. In the fifth grade when he punched my then boyfriend Jack because he supposedly was "holding hands with Grace Bennet during break time" which turned out to be true.

And then this.

Was this a fight? Considering I'm lying to him, it might be.

He shakes his head. "I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing and I proposed to her in front of people and unfortunately, I had to go through with it. It was a mistake and we've been apart for over a year now." He says.

Now I feel pretty stupid. "Oh." I say. There's no turning back now. If I tell him I caught Ethan cheating on me I don't know what he'll do. He's always been like a protective older brother to me. "Would you like something to drink?" I quickly stand up and before he can answer, I head towards the kitchen to put the kettle on.

I got myself into a mess and the pain in my stomach wasn't helping all one bit. I go back to the living room to see Harry with a piece of paper in his hand.

The eviction notice. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"What's this?" He raises his eyebrows. I try to reach for it but he pulls back. "You're getting evicted? For fucks sake Kate, what else have you not told me?"

"We've got it under control okay?" I lie. It's all a big giant mess.

"It doesn't look like it." He says. "Why don't you tell me these things? You know I would help!"

"Exactly! You would which is why I don't tell you."

He scrunches his eyebrows. "What the fuck does that even mean?"

"For gods sake Harry. You're a celebrity, of course you can pay for things, you can buy the whole neighborhood if you wanted!" I raise my voice.

"Look, Kate." He grits. "I know your stubbornness and your pride won't allow anyone with a bigger bank account and status help you out because they really wanted, I know that for a fact. But I am not going to sit back and watch my best friend struggle and put her dreams on hold because she chooses not to get help. You and I basically grew up here, my house is right down this road and I will not let them take this away from you or your mum. I am not asking for your permission."

The kettle was piping by now. "We don't need your charity Harry." I glare.

"Don't misinterpret my intents here. I'm helping wether you like it or not." I'm about to say something else before a huge pain makes my legs wobble and before I fall on my knees, Harry quickly catches me. "You are not okay, what did you eat?" He asks while holding me.

"I haven't." I say. "I came home yesterday and found out about my mother going bankrupt, and the eviction notice, and Ethan cheating on me I just got so stressed and went to the pub for a few drinks." I admit making Harry look at me.

"Ethan cheated on you? So did you just lie to me about the engagement?"

"No, it happened a year ago - I just found out last night he was with some woman at the bar and he kissed her." I groan at the pain.

"Let's get you to the ER right now." He says and helps me out.