Complete

Harper sat by herself on the empty dock. She always came to this spot when she needed time to herself. After her first break up, when her mother died, when she dropped out of college; the dock was always the first place she went too. It was no different now. People always told Harper that she needed to face her problems but it was hard for her. Harper wasn’t confrontational. She hated drama; arguments and fights were the worst. She had to deal with them constantly growing up, so she tried her hardest to stay away from it. It was easier to run. Running was drama free. Most of the time you can leave unwanted problems behind you. That wasn’t the case this time. She lied and hurt people who were her friends and she crushed her boyfriend. When everyone found out she left it felt like a slap in the face. No one expected Harper to do anything that would purposely hurt someone. It seemed selfish of her to leave knowing how it would have such a big impact on everyone. If anyone found out the truth they would be so disappointed in her. This situation couldn’t go away. This was something that Harper had to face. No one would be able to help her. She had to do this on her own.

“How did this happen?” Harper said quietly.

Harper suddenly heard footsteps walking towards her from the other side of the dock. She didn’t turn to look though. The Connecticut sunset had her full attention. A body sat down next to hers and she finally looked over. Her sky blue eyes looked into his and she felt her heart break. She could see the hurt, anger, sadness, and confusion flowing in his eyes. He was the one person she never wanted to hurt or disappoint but she did, and that broke her. Even though she thought she was doing the right thing for both of them it still hurt. He moved his eyes from her to the lake. His hair sat messily on his head. She could picture him running his fingers through it anxiously. That had always been his most annoying habit. Harper remembered always grabbing his hands and holding them when he was nervous or anxious to prevent him from messing with his hair. She looked at him and saw the facial hair that covered his face. She noticed the bags under his eyes. He showed all the signs of heartbreak. The last time she spoke to him he said he hated her. He hated her for putting him in a situation that would make him choose. That she knew how much he loved music but that didn’t mean he didn’t love her. Why she wanted to give up on them. He told her if she didn’t want to be with him she could leave. He didn’t care. He sounded so serious and confident when he said he didn’t want to see her anymore. She didn’t understand why he looked like his world had been destroyed. He had no idea what she had been through. Harper had been through hell.

“Why are you here, Josh?” she asked looked ahead at the lowering sun.

“Do you really have to ask me that?” He said as his British accent cut through the silence.

“Yes. I do. The last time I saw you, you told me that you hated me and that you never wanted to see again.” Harper said seriously

“I didn’t mean that Harp. You know I didn’t.” Josh said looking over at her.

From the moment Josh laid eyes on Harper Scott he knew she was going to be important to him. He thanks Max everyday for introducing them. She was the merch girl for The Swellers on a tour they had done two years ago and they immediately clicked when Max forced her to meet him and the rest of the band. He never thought he would fall for a girl so fast but he did. He couldn’t deny that Harper had his heart completely. She still did.

“I thought you did, Josh.” She said sadly looking down at her hands.

Josh sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“I was just so mad at you Harper. You tried to make feel guilty for not being with you more. You knew that I toured a lot. I asked you to come with me but you had school. You always told me that you understood that I couldn’t be with you all the time. So when you said that you were leaving me because I was never home, I got angry. I felt like you were making me choose. I tried to convince you to stay and you wouldn’t budge. You had your mind made up that you were leaving, two years out the window because you wanted to give up. You didn’t even want to work it out. I begged you to explain to me where your head was at but you wouldn’t talk to me. All you said was that you were leaving. Do you know how much that killed me? You broke my heart when you left me Harper.”

Harper felt her eyes water as she heard how broken Josh sounded. Before she could say anything he began talking again.

“Then you leave England and come back here. You don’t answer my phone calls or Max’s or any of the guys. So I call Hayley hoping that maybe she’s talked to you because you two are so close and she doesn’t know anything. I just want to know the truth. I know the fight hurt us both and that you think everyone hates you but they don’t. I promise. The fight is in the past. Just tell me why. Why did you leave?” Josh asked desperately.

Harper wiped away a stray tear from her face and sighed. She looked into his blue eyes and spoke.

“Your band is everything to you Josh. I know that. Its so obvious how much you love being up on that stage. I didn’t want to be the reason why you couldn’t be.” She said

“Harper…just tell me.” Josh said seriously.

Harper played with her fingers before speaking again.

“I left because I found out was pregnant.” Harper said simply.

Josh looked down at Harper with a shocked face. He looked down at her stomach and when he didn’t see any sign of a growing stomach. His eyes clouded over with anger.

“Are you fucking kidding me Harper?” Josh said standing up and pacing. “You didn’t think I deserved to know that? We made that baby together.”

Harper stood and tried to grab Josh. He pulled away roughly.

“I can’t believe you Harper. I never thought you’d do something like this. I always told you how much I loved you. You always knew. Did you think I wouldn’t be there for you? I would have. Me, the guys, my family, I would have taken care of you and the baby. But no, you go and get an abortion?!.” Josh yelled looking at her stomach again. “I don’t see anything there, Harper. You left four months ago. You should be showing. You know how much I’m against that. I thought you were too. You shouldn’t have made that decision without talking to me. I had just as much say in that as you did. I can’t believe you fucking killed our-”

“JOSH!”

Josh shut his mouth as Harper yelled at him. He looked at her still breathing heavily because of his anger. Harper looked down and pulled up the loose fitting sweatshirt. Josh immediately saw the small baby bump that graced her tan stomach. He looked back up at Harper to see her staring at him.

“I would never do that Josh.” She said

Josh walked closer to her and placed his cold hands on Harper’s warm stomach. He smiled realizing that there was a baby in there. His baby. He was having a baby with the girl he was madly in love with. He was on cloud nine. He placed his forehead against Harper’s as he rubbed her stomach.

“Come back home Harp. I need you with me. I need both of you with me.” He said including their growing child.

Harper simply nodded before standing on her toes and pressing her lips to his. She hadn’t kissed Josh in four months but now that she could she didn’t want to stop. If she hadn’t run away none of this would’ve happened. She swore at that moment she wasn’t running anymore. She didn’t think she would have to though. Harper knew that her and Josh were going to be fine. Josh pulled away reluctantly and looked into his girlfriend’s eyes.

“We’re having a baby.” He said breathlessly with a goofy grin.

Harper laughed lightly before nodding.

“We’re having a baby.”