Still the One

LXXII.

Harry’s Point of View

Here was this strange ass woman sitting on the sofa demanding some sort of explanation from Libby. I grip Libby’s hand trying to remain calm as she stared at her in the ugliest way. Libby looks everywhere in the room except for the woman’s face. The nerve of her but then again she did lose her child no matter how screwed up Lana was.

‘Ma’am,’ I start respectively, ‘I get that you’re hurting and seeking closure but Libby’s hurting too,’ I point down towards the girl who was bound to crumble any second, ‘Lana was supposed to be her friend after all.’

‘Young man,’ she clears her throat as she looks at me, ‘I really need to hear from her. Not you.’

Excuse the hell out of me. This is my place you’re sitting in. I should’ve kicked her to the curb as soon as Libby told me who she was. I mean the nerve of some people.

‘I don’t know what you want from me.’ Libby sighs, ‘your daughter was trying to kill me.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Well do you believe the stack of police reports?’ I growl getting angrier and angrier the more she talked.

‘Of course the police would turn things in your favor. You are a celebrity and they’ll do anything to keep you people pleased to save their own tails.’

‘Your daughter – used me. She leaked several private moments in my life. Such as telling the entire world about my mother’s illness. She pretended to like me and be my friend just to get close to my boyfriend. She wanted to do an interview for some project she had. I told her no after finding all of this out. In retaliation, she trashed my home, broke my things, slashed my tires, and pointed a gun to my head. I’m not going sit here with you all night trying to convince you otherwise. It’s pointless. Just like talking to a brick wall.’ Libby tells her and I wanted to give her a standing ovation.

‘Delusions fall under the symptoms of schizophrenia.’ The woman says and I feel my body tense instantly.

‘What did you just say?’ I stand up from the sofa and Libby grabs a hold of my arm.

‘All I did was state the facts. Did you know that it can be hereditary?’

‘Alright, time to go. Now.’

‘How do you live with yourself? Knowing that you took the life away from someone who had so much waiting for them. Knowing that a young girl is never going to get to grow up because of something you could’ve prevented. She’ll never have kids, a husband, a career she loves. Knowing that her blood is on your hands. Knowing that you are a murdered Elizabeth White.’

‘Get the hell out of our house before I call the police and have you arrested.’ I swing the door open and slam it closed as soon as her feet touched the concrete steps outside. ‘You know none of that shit is true, right?’ I turn to Libby and immediately push her into my arms, ‘Don’t worry about people like that. They’re just looking for someone to blame, okay?’

‘Okay.’ Libby whispers clinging onto my shirt for dear life.

The fact that her hands were trembling tore me to pieces. Every single time we get a little inch closer to moving on something or someone pulls us back fifty. I pick Libby up easily and take her back to the bedroom. I sit her on my lap and wrap my arms securely around her waist.

‘Talk to me.’

‘About what?’ she wonders staring down at her hands.

‘About anything.’

‘You have to be more specific.’

‘Okay,’ I purse my lips, ‘tell me where you’re going to put your photo project up.’

‘I haven’t given much thought to it since I’ve been here. Where do you think it should go?’

‘I think it should go wherever you want it to and I think that you should do it now before we leave for Bogota.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah, I went ahead and put your pictures in the top of the closet when I was unpacking.’

‘But I don’t know where to put them.’

‘You figure it out,’ I smile going to answer the door, ‘be right back.’

Thank God it was the pizza guy this time. I pay him before closing the door and setting it down on the kitchen table. I take the time to call up the guys to invite them and their girls over. Niall agrees to pick up a few more pizzas on his way over.

‘Harry, is the food here yet?’ Libby calls from the other room.

‘Not yet babe.’ I call back attempting to surprise her, ‘they’ll be here soon.’

‘Okay, I’ll just finish this.’

Soon enough everyone started show up with drinks and extra pizza.

‘Where’s Lib?’

‘She’s in the back. Go ahead and see her.’ I tell the girls walking into the kitchen to get plates.

Libby’s Point of View

‘Oh Libby!’ A familiar voice singsongs as the girls all file into the room.

‘What are on Earth are you all doing here?’ I beam hugging each of them.

We hadn’t seen each other since we all went out to Funky Buddha. Perrie’s been getting ready for her upcoming tour. Danielle’s been dancing for several high profile people including Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry. Eleanor has classes and the internship so I rarely see her at uni anymore and Amy’s been working for some new event planning company.

‘Your boyfriend invited us.’ Eleanor explains, ‘the boys are out front.’

‘I’m so sorry I’ve been MIA lately.’ Perrie wraps her arms around me again.

‘We all are.’ Danielle nods in agreement, ‘we know it hasn’t been easy for you lately.’

‘I get it – you have lives. I don’t blame you.’

‘You are such a big part of our lives.’ Amy smiles, ‘you’re mental to think otherwise.’

‘I missed you guys.’ I throw my arm around Amy’s shoulder, ‘do you like the wall by the way?’

‘It’s lovely!’

‘Babe,’ Harry comes in and pulls me into his arms, ‘I love what you have done with the room.’

‘Thank you.’

‘I came in here to tell you that we’re about to eat all of the pizza from you girls if you don’t come quick.’

‘Come on!’ I grab a hold of Amy’s hand to pull them out of the room with me.

I grab a slice of pizza and plop down onto Harry’s lap in the small recliner.

‘Thank you for this.’ I smile settling into his lap.

‘Anytime.’

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ He whispers pressing his lips to my temple.

Late into the night everyone leaves to get some sleep before rehearsals in the morning. Harry’s large frame crawls into the bed beside me rocking it as he moved. He places an elbow behind his head to support himself.

‘What are you thinking about?’ I wonder resting my chin on his chest.

‘Stuff.’

‘What stuff?’

‘You, me, us, stuff.’

‘What about us?’

‘I know how I can’t be around all the time and how it’s just gonna get harder and harder. How are we gonna make this work?’

‘The same we have all along. It’s getting easier.’

‘Remember when we broke up?’

‘Please don’t remind me.’ I whine closing my eyes, ‘it was horrible.’

‘Let’s never do that again.’

‘We won’t.’

‘Promise?’

‘I promise.’ I nod kissing his lips.

Never again.