Still the One

Christopher and Melissa stare at me with identical expressions. The reality quickly set in that they had been caught making out in the guest room. Harry and I for sure thought it would be Max and Christopher, not Niall's girlfriend.

‘I better g-go.’ Melissa squeaks quietly as she scurries out beside me. Christopher silently heads down the stares not bothering to face me.

‘Max finally texted me!’ Eleanor speaks as I enter the kitchen where she stood, ‘he left a bit ago, wasn't feeling well. Thank you Harry and Lib. You have a lovely home.’

‘Thank you. Don't be a stranger.’ Harry replies in between saying goodbye to Paul, Tiffany, and Christopher.

‘That was a close one.’ Harry laughs sitting down on the sofa already turning on the television.

‘It was Christopher and Melissa,’ I blurt out sitting beside him, ‘upstairs.’

‘Wait what?’ Harry blinks over at me muting the TV, ‘that sound we heard was-...’

‘Melissa and Christopher.’

‘Niall's girlfri-...’

‘Yes, Niall's girlfriend!’ I speak exasperatedly, ‘in the room. Upstairs. Christopher and Niall's girlfriend, Melissa.’

‘Oh man,’ he covers his eyes with his large hand, ‘this is going to destroy him.’

‘I know,’ I sigh resting my head on Harry's chest, ‘how are you going to tell him?’

‘Wait, I have to be the one he hears it from?’ Harry sits up to look down at me to study my eyes.

‘Of course it has to come from you! You've known him longer and he's your best friend.’

‘Shit, fine.’ Harry groans, ‘you have to go with me.’

‘What why?’

‘Moral support.’

Harry and I make a decision that we would go to Niall's house tomorrow morning to tell him since it was getting pretty late and we were exhausted. Harry tried to tell him over the phone but I insisted that this was something Niall needed to hear in person. The two of us curl up in the theater room in one of the seats with Bandit resting in the corner of the room on a blanket.

‘What in the hell am I going to do without you, again?’ Harry frowns playing with my hair with his long, slender fingers.

‘Don't remind me.’ I sigh taking my eyes off of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling lying on the floor in the empty house wrapped up in one another. ‘You're always leaving me.’ I poke his bare chest touching one of the birds.

‘You know I wouldn't if I didn't have to.’

‘I know, I love what you do. You make millions of people happy.’

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too.’ I reply sealing the conversation with a kiss.

The next morning after breakfast Harry and I head over to Niall's flat to talk to him about Melissa. Unfortunately for us Melissa answered the door with Niall lying on the sofa. At first her expression was clear to read, she resembled a child that was just caught standing next to a wall with scribbles with the crayon in her hand. That quickly changed to a neutral expression as she ushered us inside. Niall straightens himself on the sofa taking his eyes off of that TV.

‘What do I owe this visit?’ He wonders looking from Harry to me. ‘Hello Lizabeth.’

I couldn't bear to argue with Niall about my name in that moment. I saw how much he cares for Melissa last night and I hated that we were about to ruin that.

‘Since you're here, maybe you want to tell Niall why you were kissing Libby’s co worker’s brother in law at the house yesterday?’ Harry immediately jumps in. Everything was about to blow up – I could feel it in the air.

‘What did you just say?’ Niall squints standing up from the sofa.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Melissa defends with a sudden wide-eyed doe expression written clearly over her face.

‘You know exactly what he’s talking about!’ I interject suddenly annoyed, ‘I saw you with my own eyes last night in the guest room with Christopher.’

‘Niall!’ Melissa shouts with a shaky voice, ‘are you really going to let them come in here and accuse me for things I did not do? You know that I left the party early because I wasn’t feeling well. I can’t believe that you are friends with people who are willing to jeopardize our relationship with a lie.’

‘I can vouch for Melissa,’ Niall starts taking both Harry and me by surprise, ‘she left before I did.’

‘Are you really going to believe someone you met five weeks ago over someone you met five years ago?!’ Harry hisses suddenly enraged with Niall defending his new girlfriend.

‘With all due respect, it was her that claimed she saw me correct? She’s still friends with Niall’s ex, is she not? I mean, she and her friends haven’t been inviting to me from the start? I wouldn’t be surprised if she made all of this up to benefit her friend.’ Melissa stands there with an arm wrapped around Niall’s waist with a smug look on her face.

‘Are you calling me a liar?’

‘Maybe you should just go. Both of you.’ Niall briefly leaves Melissa’s side to open the door to his flat.

‘All right just don’t call us when you realize she’s not the person you think she is.’ Harry walks in front of me with his fists bawled so tightly his knuckles turned a paper white. ‘Come on, babe.’

‘Coming,’ I reply while Harry’s already halfway out the door, ‘Niall think about it. We are two of your closest friends and she’s a girl you met in some city in Australia. Why would we of all people lie to you? It’s fine you think I have some motive behind this for Amy but Harry would never, ever lie to you about anything and you know that. Listen to what he’s saying instead of slamming the door in his face.’ I don’t wait for Niall to respond before walking away to catch up with Harry. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault,’ Harry replies wrapping an arm around my waist, ‘we can’t make him believe us.’

‘I just hope he realizes it before it’s too late.’

After going to Niall’s flat Harry and I head back to our house for the day before I was due at Glamour. I get dressed in a simple navy dress with nude flats while packing my purse for the day.

‘I’ll see you in a bit.’ I smile kissing Harry’s lips, ‘do you want to get dinner later?’

‘I would not miss it. Let’s meet at that Italian place we both like so much.’

‘That sounds amazing. I will see you tonight.’

‘All right, have a good day baby.’

‘You too babe, bye.’

Once I make it to Glamour I park the car in my usual space then head into the lobby. Tiffany waddles out to the front with her morning cup of tea as she slowly makes her way to her desk. Tiffany leaves a liquid puddle on the carpet as she attempts to sit in her seat.

‘Oh god,’ she gasps looking at me, ‘that can’t be right.’

‘Tiff, your water just broke.’