How Long?

Harry was going through pretty rough time. His heart was set on his impending deployment but after death threats coming from the Taliban and him being considered a risk for the whole squadron there was really a slim chance that he would be deployed anytime soon or at all for that matter. He was having a difficult time wrapping his head around that fact. He really wanted to go and be with the boys. They were his brothers in arms and he couldn’t just sit on his arse while they were down their risking their lives.

The thing about being in the military that resonated with Harry was that, it was the first time in his life he had seen glimpse of normalcy that he always craved for. In the army he was just like any other cadet. He dressed the same, was treated the same as others and was meant to do the same work as them. It was just so unfair for him to not go.

“I don’t get why do you want to in the first place?” Chelsy asked while slipping in her dress. They were going out celebrating. After years of dating, they both had decided that the best thing for them was for Chelsy to move to England to be closer to him. She had just started Law school at Leeds University.

Harry stopped himself from rolling his eyes as Chelsy asked the question again. For the life of him he couldn’t understand why his girlfriend didn’t get his commitment to his squadron or to his country.

“Because it’s the right thing to do, Chels” Harry said matter-of-factly. In honestly he was fed up with having the same conversation with her.

“But you don’t have to and now you even have an excuse” She said.

“I don’t want an excuse. I want to go. I have trained for it and I am ready” Harry said clearly
disappointed with Chelsy’s words.

“Baby” She said cupping his face in her hands. “I love you and I don’t want you go” She said kissing his lips lightly.

“Chels” Harry said sighing. “You have to understand it’s not even a choice”

“But you do have a choice” She chimed in.

“No I don’t. It’s my job. It’s something I have chosen for myself and I really do love it. All I want from
you is to support me” He said wrapping his arms around her waist just above her hips.

“I can’t do that” She said. “I can’t be okay with you willingly going to a warzone, Harry”

“But that’s what being in the military means. We discussed it before I enlisted” He said gently. He knew
she was only worried about him.

“I know, but I really didn’t think it would come to that”

“We knew it was always a possibility”

“What if something happens to you?” She asked with teary eyes.

“Then something happens to me. I won’t be the first one to be injured or die in a war nor will I be the last” He said shrugging his shoulders.

“But you are special” She protested.

“How? What exactly makes me so special?” He asked grinding his teeth. He hated being treated special just because of the family he was born into.

“You don’t see why I have a problem with this? You’re talking about possibly dying out there” She
asked now being angry and upset at the same time.

“Chels, I am no better than anyone else. There are people already out there putting their life on the line” Harry said. “I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this so did you and my family” He said losing his cool now.

“I still don’t understand why you would want to go when you don’t have to?” She asked again exasperated.

Harry hung his head this time. He knew this was a lost cause. It was something he couldn’t explain to Chelsy even if he tried she will never get it. She will never get the fact that he was in his element when he was in training. That his military career was his priority. It gave him a much needed purpose that was lacking from his life.

“There is no point of having this argument when my chances of going are so silm” Harry said trying to change the topic.

“I pray to god for it stay that way” Chelsy said smiling.

“Don’t. Just don’t say things like that” He said fisting his hands in a ball.

After grabbing her bag she planted a kiss on his lips with a smile. “I just want you to be safe here with me” She mumbled while kissing him.

He didn’t want this conversation to go any further so he just kissed her back.

----

It had been two weeks since Louise had been back from London and even though she knew better, she was still a little disappointed about not hearing from Harry. She wanted to kick herself in the butt for it because she really thought she was over whatever it was she had for him. She didn’t know what she expected when he had asked her if he could call her. That was a lie, she knew what she wanted. She wanted him to call because it seemed like he wanted to when he asked. He had taken an initiative to talk to her which honestly she didn’t expect after two years of not talking. She had already convinced herself that he had forgotten about her existence. But that look in his eyes had said otherwise but maybe she was just imagining things that she wanted to see.

Louise opened her apartment door coming back from walking Junior that night. She glanced at the door across from her apartment where Mandy lived. The door was close and lights were off showing no sign of Mandy being inside. She guessed Mandy must be out with her boyfriend. Mandy had been dating Zack a Poly Science major for almost a year now. Shutting the door behind her Louise collapsed on her couch flipping through channels on her television. Her phone vibrated in her pocket telling her she had received a text.

Max:: Christian throwing a 70’s themed party next weekend. Interested?

Louise:: Sure

Max:: Great! Can’t wait to see you in leather and lace. *wink* *wink*

Louise:: Sod off!

Louise typed smiling. She and Max had got a lot closer in the last year and a half they had known each other. They were great friends and hung out together all the time. There was insane amount of attraction between them. The sexual tension was so much that everyone of their friends were just waiting for them to hook up but Louise just wouldn’t get herself give into that. She was still fiercely protective of her heart.

She popped leftovers into the microwave feeling too lazy to cook anything. It was a weekday and she had a class early tomorrow morning so she didn’t have plans to go out tonight. She was sitting in front of television with a day old Thai curry watching Friends reruns when her phone vibrated again. She frowned when she saw an unknown number with a message that just said hi.

Louise:: Who is this?

Generally she avoided any kind of unknown numbers but the number was from the UK and it could be any of her silly friends especially Natasha who had a habit of changing her number after every break up.

Unknown Number:: I don’t know if I should be offended or sad that you don’t even have
my number.

Louise:: Harry?

Harry:: The one and only.

Louise:: Hi

Harry:: How are you?

Louise:: I am doing alright. Isn’t it too early for you to be up? It must early morning there.

Harry:: Couldn’t sleep much.

Louise:: Why?

Harry:: You near telly?

Louise:: Yes, sitting right in front of one.

Harry:: Turn to BBC.

Louise flipped her channels until she found BBC. A live press conference was on its way. The head of the British army, Richard Dannatt was addressing press announcing that Harry would not serve in Iraq. Harry had been deemed as a high-value target and that puts the soldiers around him in danger should any attempt be made on the Prince's life or to capture him.

Louise:: That’s a bummer.

Harry:: You could say that.

Louise:: On the plus side I feel much better now.

Harry:: How so?

Louise:: Come on, you defending our country. There is something wrong with that
statement right there.

Harry:: Hahaha! If I can say so myself I am rather good at my job.

Louise:: So good that they don’t even plan to use you.

Harry:: Oi! Behave yourself. I now know how to handle a gun properly.

Louise:: I am so scared now. Not!

Harry:: I have missed this.

Louise:: Missed what? Someone insulting you?

Harry:: That and talking to you.

Louise stopped typing, reading the last text again. She couldn’t believe they were actually sending each other texts. I didn’t seem real yet it felt so natural.

Harry:: Didn’t meant to make ya uncomfortable.

Louise:: It’s not that. I was making my bed. Its night here you know.

Harry:: Then I shouldn’t keep you up. Good night, Lou. It was nice talking to you.

Harry smiled as he placed his phone back in his pocket while lazing around in front of the telly. Like always Louise had been the only person he wanted to talk to since yesterday when they made it official that he was after all not going to be deployed. Actually he had been itching to contact her since the day after of the concert. He wanted to ring her every day since then but stopped himself remembering the awkward hug/hand shake situation they got into at the end of their last meeting. So he had texted her this morning not knowing how it will go. He was willing to take baby steps to get her back in his life. But she had responded better than he had expected. She had been her funny old self that he adored so much. It didn’t seem like they hadn’t been a part of each other’s life for two years. With everything shitty that was going on in his life at the moment this was definitely a silver lining.

----

Louise was enjoying with her friends Mandy, Zack Mandy’s boyfriend, Amber, Josh and Holly at Christian’s party. It seemed like they were transported to the seventies. At the top of the ceiling hung a huge Disco Ball. The walls were covered in 70’s style retro posters. There was Farrah Fawcett poster, black light posters, The Bee Gees posters, The Brady Bunch posters and loads more. There were Lava lamps, fog machines, strobe lights, beaded curtains, black lights and burning incense which really gave the whole thing an authentic seventies feel. And the only form of furniture was beanbag chairs or inflatable furniture. The drinks were served light-up glasses and a person was at the entrance was giving out glow stick bracelets and necklaces. Which all of them were wearing at the moment.

Louise felt his hot breath on her neck as he whispered “Dance with me” in her ear. Taking her hand Max took her to the dance floor. The song Disco Inferno by the Trammps was blaring through the speakers. They started moving to the music once they hit the dance floor. She took in the guy in front of her. She had to admit that he was a very good looking guy. He was wearing black pants with a grey t-shirt and black jacket. Anyone else in this attire would have looked ridiculous but Max was carrying it off with such ease that everyone girl in party was eyeing him up.

She must be drooling over him because next thing she knew he leaned over and said “Like what you see, huh?” with a smirk.

Blushing she shoved him a little.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist bringing her closer to him. She looked up to meet his eyes which like him were smiling down at her.

“You look fucking gorgeous” He said.

“Thanks” she said with another blush.

The song changed to Michael Jackson’s Don't Stop Til You Get Enough and soon the whole dance floor was flooded with people. They tried to keep dancing without bumping into people but when a guy almost fell on her, Max took her hand and guided her to the bar for drinks. Getting her a mock tail and a beer for himself they went back to their friends.

All through the night they kept exchanging secret glances and looks. That’s what always happened with them. For some reason they always found each other even in a crowded place. The party was going great. Louise was enjoying herself to the fullest when her phone beeped. She glanced at the phone and there was an alert. She was ashamed to admit it but her phone gives her an alert whenever there something new regarding Harry over the internet. Right now her phone informed her that Harry had gotten into a fight with some paparazzo outside a Chelsea night club last night.

She and Harry had been texting each other back and forth for a week now. She never texted him first though, it was always him who started. They haven’t been talking a lot but they had been talking enough for her know he was upset about the whole deployment situation though he never brought it up per say. They generally kept conversation light and humorous. This particular news made her want to reach out to him because he had been doing so well for so long. There hardly had been anything negative about him in press lately.

After that she couldn’t enjoy the party anymore. She still worries about him constantly. She actually never stopped worrying about him. Even after all this time she couldn’t bring herself not to care. Not long after that she slipped away from the party and went back home. She texted all her friends once she left otherwise they wouldn’t have let her leave.

She hadn’t even changed her clothes when she heard a knock on her door. She opened the door to find Max standing on the other side.

“Hey” She said.

“What happened?” He asked making his way inside her apartment.

“I texted” She said closing her door.

“I know” He said facing her while crossing his arms over his chest.

“I just didn’t feel like partying”

He shook his head. “Two steps forward one step back. We have been playing this game for over a year now Lulu”

Louise cringed at the nickname he insisted on calling her by. “I had a lot of work to do and I am really
tired…”

“You are afraid of me, of what is happening between you and me. Of your feelings for me”

Louise bit her lip. This was the first time he was confronting her.

“Max, you are a great guy and a great friend but I don’t date. I have told you that before. I don’t like dating”

He took two steps towards her and she took two back “I don’t know who he was or what he’d done to
you but Louise…”

“Max please don’t do this. There was nothing between him and me; still it is so complicated that I can’t even begin to tell you. Whoever he was I don’t think I am over him yet. I don’t think I am getting over him any time soon because I’ve tried but whenever I hear something about him I just couldn’t stop myself from thinking about him, from worrying about him. It wouldn’t be fair to you if something happened here between us because even if I don’t want to he is still on my mind all the time” She said first time being honest with him but moreover with herself.

Max stood there for a second looking at her with such admiration that she was taken aback by it.

“Let me in Louise. Give me a chance”

“You heard what I said. Why would you want to?”

“Because we don’t know what is going to happen between us. It can be the worst thing or it can be the best thing. But we do know one thing, that we like each other and you can’t deny that. I like you a lot more than I have ever liked anyone. I liked how you always wear a quirky little necklace. I like how silly you get when you are drunk. I like how you curse when you play the wrong cords on your guitar. I like how you laugh with all of your being. I like how you always have a smile on your face but even under all of that laughter and smile you seem sad and lonely”

Louise blinked dumbly looking at him as he continued.

“So Lulu just let me in and I can do my fucking best to make you a little less sad and lonely because
who ever that asshole was and whatever he has done to you, it already has been done, love” He took another step towards her, this time she didn’t move. He placed his hand on her cheek rubbing her cheek with his thumb in circles “So, maybe if you give me a chance I can be your fresh start that you came here looking for because you deserve someone who can make you happy Lulu. So please let me in”

She looked at him; he had such earnest eyes that bore into her soul.

“Okay” She whispered.

“Okay?” He asked tilting his head.

“Yes, okay” She said nodding her head this time.

Smiling he leaned in slowly and touched his lips with her softly.