Somebody That I Used to Know

Lisa pulled into the driveway and shut the engine off, it was silent between the two of us for a few moments before Lisa spoke.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” I lied.

“So that’s why Prince Charming was yelling at you and calling you those god awful things.”
Her usage of the word ‘Prince Charming’ made my stomach lurch and I uttered a response, “He’s not Prince Charming.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, I lifted my gaze and stared deeply into her eyes she had a stern look on her face.

“I was just kidding myself thinking that I could get over him so quickly, I thought I was getting better I thought there was a chance that Harry and I…” I trailed off and pulled my eyes away from Lisa heat forming in my cheeks at my stupidity.
My humility.

“And then I saw him Lis, I saw him and all those feelings I had tried to suppress and scream out came flooding back… they came back as soon as I saw him, I remembered everything.” I closed my eyes and the image of Niall and I on a lazy Saturday afternoon danced in the darkness. Opening my eyes I turned and looked at Lisa grabbing her hands and pulling her so she was facing me her eyes locking with mine. “Lisa I found out the truth as to why he left me… it wasn’t because he stopped loving me, yes, it was hard, but he never stopped loving me. He only left me because of the pain I was facing everyday I logged onto Twitter, what people wrote on Tumblr, I couldn’t escape from it. It hurt him so much to see me in pain, so he thought it would be best if he left me… he did it for me, he did it to protect me and not because he wanted a new squeeze.” I paused and scanned her eyes for anything.

“And?” she asked a smile spreading across her face.

“And, that’s what caused the fight with Harry.”

“What caused him to become so angry though?” the heat in my cheeks worsened and I tore my gaze away from my friend. “Charlotte?”

I squirmed at the usage of my full name before confessing, “I kissed him.”

“WHAT! WHEN?”

“Last night,” my voice was light there was silence. “I thought I was over Niall, I honestly did but last night I dreamt about him, a memory and this morning another memory hit me and I can’t forget the one in the hospital,” pulling my hands away I buried my face into my hands, “I am a horrible person, I need to get out of here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I need to go home,” I turned and looked at Lisa again as her eyebrows rose quizzically.

“You are home,”

“I mean I need to go home and see my family, I need to go back to Australia, I need to clear my mind, I need to sort myself out and I can’t do that here, not with those two here.” Lisa’s face dropped and she looked hurt, “No Lis, I don’t mean it like that but it’s just… they can help me, they have helped me through everything else in my life, you have done everything you can and for that I am grateful, but, there is nothing else you can do…” I looked at her and saw the way her eyes were glazed over with unshed tears making mine fill instantly, “Oh, come on,” I grabbed her and pulled her against me hugging her tightly. She broke down and started to cry, I tried to sooth her but in the end my tears fell and all we could do was cry. “I love you Lisa, you are one of my best friends don’t you ever forget that, you mean so much to me.”

“I love you too Lottie,” she sobbed squeezing me tightly, taking a deep breath I pulled away from her and looked intently in her eyes.

“I promise I will bring you something back and I will text, email, write, Skype, Facebook everything until I come back.” I promised she nodded her head and a sorrowful sob left her lips as she sniffled and wiped her eyes.

“You better.”

I laughed lightly before speaking again, “But you have to promise me something, do you promise.”

“Pinky Promise,” she stated holding out her little finger, I wrapped mine around hers and spoke.

“Niall and Harry can’t know about this, I don’t want them to come after me, I will write to them when I am in Australia and tell them everything but please, none of the boys can know.”

She nodded her head slowly as she processed what I had just asked, “Alright, but you had better write the them.”

“I will,” I promised, I pulled her into a tight hug once more before letting go and stepping out of her car. I waved as she pulled out, she waved, we were both smiling through our tears.

Turning I walked into the house, Mum and Dad were cuddled up on the couch, I took a deep breath and entered sitting down on the foot rest in front of them.

“How is he?” Mum asked sitting up a little.

“He’s good.”

“Where’s Mop-Head?” Dad asked not shifting his head from the TV screen in front of him

“He’s left the hospital before I did.”

“How did you get home?” Dad questioned.

“Lisa dropped me home.”

“Well that was nice of her,”

“Charlotte, what’s wrong?” Mum asked as she reached out and touched my damp cheek, “Why have you been crying?”

I took a deep breath and told her everything, I told her what happened between Niall and I, I told her about Harry and the almost kiss, Niall and his anger, the mirror, the cuts, the kiss, the memories and Niall and I in the hospital then the fight outside the hospital Harry and I had.

As I was telling the story I broke down and my tears resurfaced falling down my cheeks, the pain in my chest returned and when I finished I had buried my head in my knees and covered my head with my hands.

“Maybe Harry’s right, maybe I am just a tease, a girl who doesn’t really know what she wants,” that was when the TV was shut off and Dad jumped to his feet sitting next to me and wrapping his strong arms protectively around me.

“No, he has no idea what he is talking about, you aren’t a tease…”

“You were just confused.” Mum finished for Dad. I felt Eddie curl up on my feet little whimpers leaving his lips every time a sob left my lips.

“I want to go home…” I sobbed, “I want to get out of here, I need to get out of here.” Dad pulled me too his chest and hugged me tightly as I cried harder.

“Alright…” Mum spoke her voice soft. “Alright we’ll get it ready.”

“I think you had better get some rest Squirt.” Dad whispered in my ear, I nodded my head pulling away from him I looked at him and Mum and smiled a watery smile before bending down and grabbing Eddie. He licked my cheeks ridding the tears, biding Mum and Dad goodnight I walked toward my room, entering I kicked my shoes off and slipped out of my clothes, jumping under the blankets and burrowing down Eddie held close to my chest, I fell asleep to his breathing and the warmth radiating from him.