Secret Love Affair

"Megan go away. I don't want to see you." Dougie said unemotionally as Tom, Danny, Harry and Arabella crowded into the room. Dougie was in the center and all eyes on him. He felt heat rise up his neck.

"But Dougie-" Megan begins.

"Leave Damnit! I don't like you and I never will."

"Dougie-" Arabella protests.

"Shut up Poodle!" And she does. Megan glares daggers at Dougie and storms out of the room. Dougie looks around half hoping Lara didn't really run away.

“I should have ran after her.”

This is Arabella's fault…Dougie sighs and sits on the sofa, watching everyone else act confused. Except Arabella. Her face was cold and dark. She stood in the corner, arms folded.

"I'm guessing you want and explanation?" Dougie asks them.

Harry says, "Well yeah. You're snogging Megan-"

"Whom we've never liked" Tom adds.

"-and Lara walks out like someone just died." Danny finishes. Dougie gives Arabella a dark look, and then faces his best friends.

"When we met Lara and her friends on the plane, I was drawn to her but she refused to even get pretty close to me because 'someone'" Dougie glares at Arabella "forbade her to have fun. And then it just happened- we kissed and that’s how the mess started."

"On the plane?" Harry asks amazed.

"Yeah and once we landed, she tried her hardest to stop it. For god's sake she cried once because she felt so guilty and sad. But I couldn't let her just go and leave okay?" Dougie looks at Arabella "and then Lara decided to be with me and we've kept it a secret until now." Dougie takes a breath.

"I knew it!" Tom yells, "I knew it for the longest time but I could never find proof!"

"But we're always touring. How could you have time to see each other?" Harry asked.

"For the first three weeks of their stay, we snuck around and then when we started touring she would drive up to where we would stay and we'd hang out then. I'm surprised you guys didn't realize I'm always out when we're in London."

"Aw dude..." Danny said dazed, "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Dougie said, "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys. I should have but Lara begged me to not tell.

"What now?" Tom asked.

"Tell Richard. And nothing can leak out to the public." Harry suggested.

"Do whatever." Dougie said. The concert hasn't even started and he was already tired.

Arabella coughs. Dougie looks at her. He had forgotten about her.

"Uh let’s give them some privacy. Cousins here need to talk." Danny suggested and everyone walked out. Now it was just Dougie and Arabella.

Arabella walked out of her corner. She felt rage. Her best friend betrayed her.

"You!" she raises her voice.

"I blame you!" Dougie stands up.

"Blame me?!" Arabella seems affronted "What the hell did I do?!"

"You brought the slag called Megan here! You ruined it!" Dougie screams.

"I had nothing to do with it!" Arabella stammers, blinking a lot.

"AND you forbade us to date! If you hadn't been a hag and forced Lara to promise you that she wouldn't do what she pleases, none of this would have happened!"

"You-"

"No! You don't realize that Lara and I actually have feelings for each other. Strong feelings!"

"Oh rubbish! She could never like something like you!" Arabella gets up in his face.

"If Lara never liked me then she definitely hated you! She wanted to tell you so many times! But she was scared! She was afraid she might lose your friendship!"

"And she bloody well did!" Arabella screams, "I trusted her!"

"Why do you not want her to date me?!" Dougie's pulse raced and his raging feelings mirrored his cousins. He couldn't see Tom, Danny and Harry peeking in to watch, "And don't deny that you were involved with Megan being here! I bet you put her up to kiss me!"

"Oh bull Dougie! You kissed her back! I was not involved in this nightmare and even if I wasn't involved, I'd protect Lara anyways because I don't want you hurting her like you did Megan!"

"I thought you were ending your friendship with Lara?!"

"I am! But before dumbass!!!"

Dougie gets threateningly close to Arabella's face and clenches his fists. Last time they had gotten in a row like this, Arabella fell in a pool and Dougie was sporting a black eye. Dougie secretly admitted that Arabella could punch well.

"Megan went and snogged another bloke in front of me! I called it off! And she obviously didn't tell you that because if she had, we wouldn't be in this fucking mess!" Dougie throws a beer bottle at the wall and Arabella slaps him hard on the face.

"I HATE YOU!" She cried.

"And by the way! I LOVE LARA! I'm in love with her!!! You obviously wouldn't understand that you poodle!" and Dougie walks out with his bass guitar.

I hugged the toilet bowl, just finished from throwing up my McDonalds. Tears stung my eyes as I replayed that scene in my head for the thousandth time. It was like I was watching it in slow motion.
He kissed her. His hands around her waist and eyes closed, mouths connected. That’s kissing right? And I'm not going to believe that lame "something on her mouth" excuse.

My mind buzzed. My palms were sweaty. Eyes puffy from tears. He said he wanted to be with me. He WAS with me. He said so every day, every night, outside, inside, in the car, in a room, in the street, in the park, in the bed, everywhere. I was his girlfriend. He cares about me! Right?

I took deep breaths and sat against my bathtub. Toes sinking into the bathroom rug. Hands running through my messy hair. I was cold.

Oh no not again...

I'm...

heartbroken.

Heart-broken? I dissect the word. Then I relapse into silent tears. As I calm down, I find Arabella standing in the doorway, watching me.

"Arabella!" I hiccup, "I didn't hear you come in."

"I had my suspicions for awhile. But ignored them because I thought you were my friend. I was wrong." She bends down to level with me. I look at her wide-eyed.

"What?" I'm losing my best friend too?

"I called Tom one night to see if Dougie was in around three in the morning."

My heart sank more. Well if it could. It was shattered so...

"And I had woken up to you quietly sneaking out around the same time."

"I'm-" I began.

"And you left a picture of you and Dougie in your room back in New York."

"You went through my things?" I whisper. Arabella stands up and looks down at me. Like I'm a disgusting bug.

Just squish me!

AND she snooped around my room!

"Nice jacket. Chanel design I see." Arabella throws a tabloid at me. I look at it and bite my lip hard from screaming. There was the back that was part of me hugging Dougie.

"I'm sorry Arabella." I look at her, "I'm so sorry! I tried at first..." I can't finish the sentence, "But please Arabella. I couldn't...I just...I'm sorry." I cry again.

"No I'm sorry." she says. I look at her. I have this miserable face like I have a tummy ache. I also had a really bad head ache.

"I'm sorry I wasted my life around you Lara." she says coldly.

Another blow at the heart. It shatters all over again.

Dougie and Arabella in two hours.

Sickening.

"I'm sorry." That all I whisper as she walks out, "I'm Sorry."