Learn How to Play the Game

“So you’re friends with her.” I said to Ed and he sighed.

“I am.” He nodded.

“So do you know if it’s true?” I asked and he shook his head.

“No I don’t B, she hasn’t said anything and neither has he.” He stopped walking and looked at me, “she knows you are here B, she wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“He’s coming today.” I said, “he’s coming here and I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you mean you don’t know what to do?” Ed asked and I shrugged.

“What if he is getting back with her?” I asked and Ed shrugged.

“Then I guess you took too long making your decision.” Ed told me and I growled, “what?”

“You’re not being nice today.” I pouted and he rolled his eyes laughing softly.

“I don’t have any advice for you B. Not any new advice anyway.” He threw an arm around me, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what he says.”

“I guess.” I nodded and smiled up at him, “I’ve had a great time being here with you.”

“Can I persuade you to drop out of One Directions tour and get you on mine?” he grinned and I laughed shaking my head.

“That’s my tour as well.” A voice said behind us.

I knew that voice anywhere. Taylor Swift was here, just hours before Harry got here and suddenly it all fell into place. He was getting back with her.

“Taylor.” Ed smiled glancing down at me awkwardly.

“Ed,” she smiled before turning to me, “Blair.”

“Hey.” I nodded and bit my lip.

“Is Harry here yet?” she asked and I shifted uncomfortably.

“No.” Ed shook his head, “he’s meant to arrive in like an hour.”

“Ed, I said I’d meet Harley. I’ll catch up with you later.” I told him before reaching up and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“She’s a very tactile person isn’t she?” I heard Taylor say as I walked away. I clenched my fists together and tried to push all my angry thoughts out of my head.

“She’s Blair.” Ed chuckled, “Blair and I are close.”

I ran a hand through my hair walking over to where the tea was. I made myself a cup of tea and turned around to see Taylor standing there.

“Hey.” I nodded and went to walk past but she stepped infront of me.

“You’ve never liked me.” Taylor stated and stared at me, I rolled my eyes, “you hate me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I shook my head, “that would require feeling something for you and you aren’t even worth my hatred.”

“They all warned me about you.” Taylor pursed her lips, “I knew you were trouble when you walked in.”

“Wow, quoting yourself!” I said in fake awe, “how inventive.”

“It’s about you, you know.” She told me and I raised an eyebrow, “it’s as much about you as it is him.”

“You wrote a song about me? I didn’t know you cared so much Tay.” I bit my lip grinned as I shook my head before glaring at her, “get over yourself Taylor. I couldn’t give a crap if you write songs about me. But you have another thing coming if you drag Harry’s name through the mud. I will personally destroy you.”

“Is that a threat?” she asked and I chuckled.

“It’s a promise.” I stepped closer to her, “you really don’t want to test me.”

“You’re a bitch you know that right?” Taylor asked and I took a deep breath.

“I’m not as big of a bitch as I thought I was.” I told her, “normally I’d have punched your face in by now. You’re fucking lucky you’re Ed’s friend.”

I turned around and walked away towards where Harley was standing, he was watching with amusment.

“You can be pretty scary.” Harley laughed and I chuckled, “she’s the girl that dated Harry right?”

“Yea.” I nodded glancing over at her as she spoke to one of the crew with that sickly sweet smile on her face, “she is.”

“Why is she here?” Harley asked, “are they getting back together?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.” I shrugged.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pressed a kiss to my forehead, I rested my head on him and sighed.

“I hope they aren't.” Harley said quietly.

“Why?” I asked curiously looking up at him.

“Because I think you’ve made your mind up.” He looked down at me and my breath caught in my throat, “otherwise you wouldn’t be the way you are right now.”

“I guess.” I bit my lip, “we still have so much to talk about but this is the first time since we broke up that I can see us back together again. Like that its possible.”

“Go get him girl.” He grinned and I laughed.

“I have to go sing some songs for soundcheck,” I told him, “Ed wants me to perform tonight cause it’s the last show before I leave.”

“Have fun.” He grinned as I walked away.



I sung softly to myself pacing back and forth backstage, I hadn’t seen Harry yet but I was too nervous to care. I looked down at my dress and smoothed it out again, I felt like I was going to be sick and couldn’t stop shaking.

“Blair?” Ed asked and I looked up, “have you seen Haz?”

“No.” I shook my head, “I know his flight got delayed but I thought he’d be here by now.”

“Same.” Ed bit his lip, “I’m going to go check the green room, want to come with?”

“Sure.” I nodded and he chuckled, “what?”

“Stop being so nervous, you’re amazing.” He told me and I sighed.

“I feel sick.” I told him and he grinned.

We walked down the hallway and I heard Taylor laughing as we neared the doorway. I looked at Ed who shrugged before opening the door revealing Harry and Taylor laughing together, his hand was on her arm and she was twirling her hair around her finger as she spoke. I suddenly felt even more sick than I had before. I stopped walking and the door slammed behind us causing Harry to look over at us, he pulled his hand off Taylor like he’d been burnt. It all felt so familiar, this was what he had been doing just days before he cheated on me. Except this time we weren’t even together.

“Harley.” I smiled walking over to my new friend.

“Hey B.” he looked up from the sofa.

“Blair.” Harry said behind me.

“What are you up to?” I asked and Harley shrugged.

“Just playing temple run on my phone.” He showed me the screen and I nodded. He looked uncomfortable that I was ignoring Harry.

“Blair.” Harry put his hand on my shoulder.

“Get off me.” I said quietly.

“Come on Blair.” He sighed running his hand through his hair, “come talk to me?”

“Why?” I asked, “why would I do that?”

“Blair, please?” he asked, “out in the hallway?”

“I’m going on soon.” I told him standing up again.

“I know.” He nodded a small smile on his lips, “I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

“What do you want to talk about?” I crossed my arms after we walked down the hallway stopping in a little alcove.

“I should have come and found you.” He started, “but Taylor was just there and…”

“And you’re getting back together.” I finished for him and he shook his head, “I read the news Harry.”

“You know better than to believe it though.” He shook his head, “Blair, Taylor and I are just talking again.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Why do you care?” he countered

“Because I do.” I shook my head, “trust me I don’t want to.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with you. All I know is that Taylor wants me Blair. She wants me.” He pointed to his chest, “she tells me she wants me.”

“So you’re just going back to her?” I asked and his jaw tightened.

“For fucks sake Blair, I don’t know.” He threw his hands in the air, “I don’t know what the fuck I am doing.”

He looked so angry and I could see Taylor loitering down the hallway with a grin on her face.

“That’s it you win.” I threw my hands up sighing, “whatever fucking game you’re trying to play with me Styles I can’t play anymore. I’ve tried but I can’t. You win. I’m finally done.”

“What do you mean?” Harry questioned furrowing his eyebrows together.

“You win.” I shook my head, “I’m over this. I’m walking away not because I don’t care about you but because I care about me. I can’t keep letting myself get hurt by you.”

“Blair.” He started and I held my hand up.

“I know I haven’t been a saint Harry.” I tightened my jaw, “I know that. But this is it. This is me giving in. I’ve tried hating you and god knows I’ve tried loving you but I can’t do either sufficiently it seems.”

“Blair what do you want?” he pressed, “you are incapable of telling me what you want.”

“Blair you’re on.” A guy said behind me.

“I have to go.” I told Harry and he nodded. Both of us staring each other down.
I finally shook my head before walking away from him and onto the stage. I was playing the set I had planned until the end.

“I have a song I’m going to play that I’ve never played for anyone before.” I told them and they screamed, “it’s one I wrote. I hope you like it.”

I bit my lip before picking up the guitar that I had used previously. I could see Harry standing at the side of the stage with Ed and the Rizzle Kicks boys. I sighed before I started to play.

“I bet this time of night you’re still up.
I bet you’re tired from a long, hard week.
I bet you’re sitting in your chair by the window, looking out at the city
And I bet sometimes you wonder about me” I closed my eyes, it was so personal and I briefly wondered if it was a mistake to sing it when it would be so obvious who it was about.

“And I just want to tell you
It takes everything in me not to call you
And I wish I could run to you
And I hope you know that
Every time I don’t,
I almost do, I almost do.

I bet you think I either moved on or hate you
‘Cause each time you reach out there’s no reply” I looked at the crowd who were hanging off every word I was singing.

“I bet it never, ever occurred to you that I can’t say hello to you
And risk another goodbye,” I looked to the side to see Harry paying attention to each word I said, processing it slowly. As I sung the chorus again I noticed a small smile on Ed’s lips as he listened to the song I had taken so much time to write.

“We made quite a mess, babe
It’s probably better off this way
And I confess, babe
That in my dreams you’re touching my face
And asking me if I want to try again with you
And I almost do,” This was me admitting it to Harry, that I was so close to being ready to be with him again. That I was teetering on the edge of wanting to be with him again. I finished the song similar to how I started. I gave the audience a smile before walking of the stage.

“You finally heard that heart wrenching Harry Styles song you’ve been waiting for.” I said to Ed as I walked past and he gave me a soft smile.

“Blair!” Harry yelled from behind me and I spun around.

“What do you want Harry?” I asked.

He crashed his lips down on mine and I gasped pushing him away.

“Please just let me in again.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and I leant away from him, “let me in Blair.”

“I don’t know if I can.” I whispered softly looking up at him, he had a desperate look in his eyes.

“I will do whatever it takes to take that hurt out of your voice.” He promised pressing his forehead against mine, “that hurt in your voice as you sang, that hurt look in your eyes and the way you look at me when you think I won’t notice. I want to take it all away, I just want to make you happy Blair.”

“Harry.” I sighed.

“Please.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “just let me try.”

“What about Taylor?” I asked quietly and he sighed.

“I never wanted her.” He told me.

“Why?” I scrunched my eyebrows together.

“Because she wasn’t you.” He leant down and kissed me again.

The kiss was soft and I couldn’t help but kiss him back. I felt him smile into the kiss and a wave of happiness flowed through me. I didn’t know if we were officially back together but I felt happy in his arms. I pulled him closer, it hadn’t been dramatic and it certainly hadn’t been some big romantic thing, we were just stood in the hallway at the back of some dirty venue that smelt like stale sweat. His ex girlfriend was feet away and I felt dirty from performing on the stage but it was okay. It was okay because none of it mattered. All that mattered was that Harry still wanted me, Harry was kissing me like he never wanted to stop and I didn’t want him to. I wanted him to hold me like he was right now forever, I never wanted him to leave my side again and I wanted to move past what had happened. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I knew that I was still going to get angry at him and that it would take awhile for me to fully trust him again but we were worth another shot. Hell, we were worth another 100 shots. Harry and I made sense together in a way that left me feeling empty when we weren’t. We might not be perfect but we were Harry and Blair and that had to count for something.