Perfect | Harry Styles

Chapter Three

"Wait up," I heard the soft thud of Harry's boots crunching the gravel.

I shuffled my feet as fast as I could to my car and pinched my eyelids shut to stop the sting of the tears that threatened to overflow. The knot in the pit of my stomach intensified and jealousy welled in my throat.

"Can you at least let me explain?" He huffed. I could see the sparrow tattoos on his chest peeking through his crisp white top.

I didn't answer him. I chewed my bottom lip and shot a glare straight into his green eyes.

"Come on, El. Don't be like that," he reached for my arm.

I snatched it away as quickly as he grabbed it.

"What is there to explain? You've been my friend for almost 10 years. You defended me against the same girl you're letting wrap her hands around the back of your neck like she owns you."

"It's complicated," he hesitated. Wringing his fingers through each other. "I don't even know where to start."

"The beginning might be a good place," I sarcastically retorted.

He sighed before speaking.

"We ran into each other in a pub in Cheshire. It was on spring break. She'd been studying abroad in Manchester and...," he let his words trail off.

I nodded at him to urge him to continue.

"She convinced me and my mates to have a pint with her. We hadn't seen each other in so long and things just felt different."

"I just don't get it, Haz."

He pursed his lips and shoved his hands into his pocket. He knew it was better to let me get out.

"So you magically forgot about all those years I spent crying in your room after school?" I dramatically swung my free arm in the air. The other had the pink box of pastries tucked firmly against my chest. I just wanted to drop them at his feet and leave. "I can't believe that you would even begin to think this was a good idea. I don't know if I'm more hurt over the fact that you decided to do whatever it is you're doing with her or that you didn't tell me. You had three months to say something and you didn't."

"I didn't forget anything, Elodie. What she did to you was messed up, but we were kids. When she first came up to me, I told her to piss right off. When I saw her again two days later, she sat right down at the table and wouldn't leave until I heard her out."

The words stung a little as they left his lips. We were kids, but it didn't make a difference to me. I wanted to scream out to him that those wounds left the deepest scars. I bit my tongue and swallowed my words.

I listened to him tell me the story of how she apologized to him for everything that went on. Apparently Christa thought he was always attractive, but never wanted to talk to him because of what everyone else would think. He swore to me that she was changed because she regretted treating us like outcasts instead of getting to know us. I could picture her batting her eyelashes and tracing his tattoos with her fingers while she fed him her lines. Her talk was cheap and I didn't buy it. I didn't think anyone could change that much.

"I thought you didn't date anyway."

"Nothing's changed. I still don't."

"So, are you guys just like messing around?"

He scratched the back of his neck and I knew what he was implying. They were friends with benefits. That was all he was emotionally able to give her. Sex and a good time. He told me about every girl he dated. He would bed them and then leave when they wanted more than he could ever give them. He was always upfront about his intentions from the start, but they all took it as a challenge to change him.

"When you were with that douchebag Liam, I never gave you this much of a hard time."

"Liam never cut your hair on the school bus or lied to your prom date about you having mono."

"But I  was your prom date."

"After he stood me up and my mom begged you to come get me so I wouldn't wallow around the whole night," I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I've gotta go."

The weight of the day crept up on me and I was exhausted. I didn't want to get into a shouting match with Harry on my first day back. It wasn't supposed to be like that. I creaked open the driver's side door and put my things down in the passenger seat before hopping in. I needed to salvage the rest of my night.

"Fuck," Harry pulled at his hair in aggravation at the same time I slammed my door. "El, I don't wanna fight with you tonight. You just got back."

"You know what?" I started my car and rolled the window all the way down to make sure he could hear me. "I just expected better, Haz."

No minced words.

He reached for my elbow through the window and I didn't pull back. The sun had mostly set and what was left of the twilight cast a halo around his hair. I was reminded of the times we laid on the beach until it got dark and see who could name the most constellations.

"That isn't the reason that I wish you would have called," he squeezed my skin in reassurance.

"Then what is it?"

"I wanted to plan something for you. One of those old school sleepovers where we stay up way too late," he leaned his head into the car and pressed his forehead against mine. "I haven't seen you in a year. You know we're overdue to veg out and be emo together."

"You don't have plans with Christa?"

"I'll figure it out. I fuckin' missed you, dude," he chuckled and I could feel his minty breath on my nose.

"Forever?"

Every time I found myself crying into his shoulder, he would always reassure me that we would be there for each forever. No matter what. 

"Forever."