Palas

32. "I heard vinegar and baking soda work magic."

As I run back to the flat almost everyone turns around to give me a second look. My cheeks flush at the thought of how it must have looked when I ran to the cliff and forgot about my attire. It must have looked ridiculous yet perfectly suited for Palas. While I run I can't help but hope that Harry will forgive me. I saw a little twinkle in his eyes before I jogged off again. The thought of sitting next to him all day at work terrifies me if he's still angry. The words coming out of his mouth are as poisonous as venom.

But first things first. I have to make sure Ava and Louis are okay with me and then I should probably call back James.

It does slip in my mind that James is the last on my list of people to make sure they're fine. Harry is very high up on the list and I'll even run half naked on a busy boulevard next to a packed beach. I just pretend I don't hear the whistles coming from my left. This things I do for Harry... or my own peace of mind.

Ava is still sitting on the sunbathing bed when I arrive back, lying down. Her body is glistering in the sun as Louis massages her legs with sunblock. I swallow when I walk up to them again. They look so perfect together it pains me.

"Did you found him?" Louis asks when I reach them and stand awkwardly besides them.

"Yeah," I say sitting down again. It's almost as if he's still sitting behind me, haunting me.

"And?" He's very inpatient.

"Well I found him, that's about it. He didn't really say much. Still angry."

"Well, it was about goddamn time. I thought he changed for good," Ava surprises me by laughing and I lean in.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Look girl, there have been two years here without you. It was just Harry and his first instinct is that people don't like him. He wasn't the maddest boy in town, just someone you know has baggage and well, hurts you if you get too close." She flinches when she probably thinks back to a time he hurt her. "Last year was better, but of course shit went down and turned bad for him. Real bad. But they made some sort of deal and he was allowed to come back this year. And surprise, surprise. Just like last year it started off good, but now he's just himself again."

"That's what I'd meant with that I didn't wanted you to hurt him. It was so great to see him so alive around you, but seeing him like this reminded me that he's the dick. Not you," Louis adds and for a moment I think of going along with that but I have to be honest.

"That's not true though. Almost all our fights are because of me. You don't hear me say he's the easiest, but I had this coming and you," I direct myself to Ava, "you were just in the way. He knows how to hurt me."

I blush when I say it. I've let him come so close, close enough that he knows my weak spots. Somehow he found out about my fears and he must have figured out how I want to be friends with everyone. Most of all to not be alone, but also because I want to be liked. I want Ava to like me and he tried to ruin that for me. A dick move, but I'm no better. I have figured his fear out as well and I used it, not knowingly, against him so he would stop nagging.

"And you know how to hurt him. Sounds so familiar," she says and looks in to Louis's eyes who grins to her. "Let's not dwell on the complicated soul that is Harry the whole afternoon. Do you want Louis to oil you up as well?"

I gulp and it makes them both laugh and lie down with such an ease. A character trait I lack, because my mind is still spinning when my back hits the sunbed.

****
Three cocktails later, the jungle has turned into a private party and my eyes can't seem to adjust to the dark. I desperately need to eat, but can't seem to leave my sunbed. Ava and Louis are wrapped up into each other and Niall has joined me, sipping from a cup. He's still fine which gives me an idea.
"Niall?" I make sure to sound my whiniest.
He looks up from over the magazine he's reading. In the dark.