Perfect | Harry Styles

Chapter Fifteen

Harry's POV

"Staring at the phone isn't going to make it ring," Niall loomed over my shoulder.

"I know," I shoved it back into my pocket and grabbed another slice of pizza before sinking into the couch.

Elodie hadn't said a single word to me in a week. In her defense, I never responded to any of her calls and texts from Saturday night until I had the courage to say something 3 days later on Tuesday. It's been a week since we kissed and every time I closed my eyes I still remember everything about the moment. The way she smelled like cotton candy. The way her lip gloss tasted like watermelon. The way she softened in my arms like I'd never seen her before. The way I couldn't face her after she kissed me again in the room.

"Have you stopped by her house yet?" Zayn plopped down next to me.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I admitted. "When she came to Nan's and got her usual order, she looked right past me like I wasn't even there."

"What did you do to her anyway? You haven't told us," Niall inquired, passing a quick glance at Zayn.

"Long story short: I fucked up," I raked my fingers through my hair. "I'm fucked up and I don't know how to fix it."

"We all are, but you don't do shit like that to people like Elodie."

"You've known her for one week."

"Yeah, but you really haven't shut up about her in 10 years though. If she was anything like Christa, you wouldn't have been around her all this time," Zayn sat up defensively. "Now that girl, is a piece of work."

There was nothing I could say.

The silence that loomed in the air stuck around for most of the day. When nightfall hit, we decided to head to Dottie's. I needed several drinks to unwind and possibly a chance to bump into El.

The dark pubhouse was packed before 11 pm. It took me less than a minute to find her after scanning the room. She was huddled in our usual booth with Natalia and Louis. I suggested we sit somewhere else, but Zayn had already made a beeline to the table. Elodie was up on her feet in seconds to hug him. Something panged in my chest when she looked up at him with her berry red lips plastered into a smile.

"Zayn! Niall!" she squealed. Practically knocking them over as she embraced them both. I resented my name being left out of the equation.

"Hey El," I cleared my throat, my voice was unusually small.

"Harry," she clipped before sitting down in between Niall and Zayn. She made it clear she still didn't have anything to say to me.

Natalia looked between me and Elodie before throwing me a glare.

"I think I'll go grab a round of shots for the table," I announced before trotting off the bar and pulling my phone out.

"Good idea," Nat yelled out after me.

Me: you're still gonna ignore me when i'm 3 feet away from you?

El: yes.

At least she responded to me this time. It was more than I'd gotten from her in days.

Me: -_-

Me: i'm sorry i dipped on you and i wanna talk about it

El: well I don't.

Elodie was already gone on the dance floor with Zayn and Niall by the time I got back. I wasn't sure where Louis and Nat had run off to. I settled down into the booth alone and looked at all 6 shots in front of me.

"You weren't planning on drinking all of those by yourself, were you?" Natalia emerged and slid down next to me. Louis was close behind, adjusting his pants from who knows what the hell they were doing.

I slid four of the glasses toward them. It was enough for two shots for each of us.

"A toast?" Natalia raised her glass and Louis followed suit.

"To what exactly?"

"Love and forgiveness."

"Cheers then," we clinked our glasses together and took a swig. The clear harsh liquid burned on the way down. I could use a little forgiveness tonight from a certain someone.

I glanced over at the dance floor and saw Elodie hanging all over Zayn. His hands hovered above her hips and her hands never left his face. I felt the heat swelling in my chest.

"Harry!" Nat half yelled my name, snapping me out of my trance. "What happened between you and my sister?"

I shrugged and took my second shot.

"Don't bullshit me. She already told me about the kiss. The fact that you didn't let me know that it's bothering you too," she waved her perfectly manicured hand in my face. "And not to mention, you haven't stopped staring at her and Zayn for the past 10 minutes."

"I'm not staring at them," I scowled at her. "I'm just...making sure she's alright."

"Yeah, we know you're El's great defender," she said with air quotes. "But you said you've known him since you were in nappies or whatever you guys call them. Do you think he'd really hurt her?"

"No."

"Exactly. The faster you admit you're jealous, the faster you can admit you might just be in love with her."

I couldn't say that I didn't love her, because that would be a lie. I do with every fiber of my being. I just didn't know which way I loved her.

I looked to Louis for help to avoid this lecture.

"I'm staying out of this one," he threw his hands up and took his second shot.

I sighed before beginning. "I don't even know how to begin to fix it, Nat. I've already fucked up so much this summer and it's barely started. She won't talk to me no matter what I say or do. I would have to beg on my knees soon enough. It's almost like I don't exist in her world anymore."

"I don't think it's that. I just think that you rejected her in a big way. All she does is stay in her room and listen to The Cure at an obscene volume like it's gonna drown out her sobs. You've always been a safe space for her and when you couldn't tell her if she did something wrong, she broke," she nodded her head over to Zayn and Elodie still dancing. "And you're letting someone else pick up those pieces."

"All we've ever been is just friends," I picked at a napkin on the table. "For argument's sake, let's say I did have feelings for El. What if it ruins our dynamic or I can't give my heart to her the way she needs it? El has been my constant for a long time. Why mess with what works?"

"For argument's sake, just stop screwing around with her head, Harry. If you love her, you have to tell her. From this perspective, it looks like you both know you have feelings for each other. One of you is just burying them deeper than the other."

"What do we even do that makes you say that?"

"For starters, platonic friends don't cuddle and touch each other as much as you guys do. I know that you guys are the touchy-feely type naturally, but it's always extra with each other. You're always tapping on her and she's always touching you like your skin is her life force," Nat leaned in closer. "Not to mention all the spooning you guys do in her room during your alleged sleepovers."

"That happened one time," the laugh that escaped from me sounded more like a bellow. "And it was an accident."

"Was it?"

I looked over at Elodie one more time. The dim fluorescent overhead lighting made her honey brown skin glow. Her perfectly round hips swayed back and forth to the tune of Fleetwood Mac's Dreams that was oozing from the speakers. My feet moved faster than my brain and before I knew it, I was standing behind her. My fingers dragged against her skin. I needed to touch her.