You Make it Real {A Harry Styles Fan Fiction}
Chapter 69
LIAM’S P.O.V.
“Hey, why are you being so quiet?”
Harry nudged my arm in the close quarters of the back seat as we made our way to the airport. We Him and Piper had been in between blissful whispers for the past thirty minutes and I was perfectly okay with that. I could tell that he thought I felt left out or something, though.
“I’m just anxious to see Riley, s’all.”
Piper cooed from the other side of the car, peeking around Harry’s shoulder while playing with his hair.
“She’s really excited to see you, Liam. Don’t stress.”
I grinned shyly and nodded in agreement. I wasn’t nervous per say, but I expected it to be a little strange around her and Cory again. I didn’t hold a grudge toward either of them, but after the events from Halloween, I felt the need to be cautious. He really loved her and while I didn’t necessarily fear her leaving me, I didn’t like the fact that they still lived together. Especially since Piper hadn’t been there.
By the time we pulled up to the curb, it was nine o’clock in the morning and we had all received texts marking their arrival; one from Marie to Piper, Karen to Harry, and Riley to me. I glanced at the text again, unable to contain my smile.
*FROM: Riley
We just landed! Can we get our own cab so I can have you all to myself?*
Who was I to deny that request? Even though I was pretty positive she was being sarcastic, I requested a third town car to join our troupe. That left Piper and Harry with Karen, most likely, and Piper’s family all together in another car. I had a feeling that our personal car ride would be sexual torture, but it would probably force us to spend some quality time together before we made it to the bedroom and never left.
“There they are! Liam, go ahead and go the other car. We don’t need to make a spectacle at the
airport.”
I nodded in agreement with Harry’s words and opened the door, swiftly stepping onto the
pavement as the group approached.
“Liam!”
Riley ran to me, dropping her duffel bag on the ground as she enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug. I wrapped my arms around her waist and crashed my lips into hers, feeling as though it were impossible to express the immense passion coursing through my blood. Entirely preoccupied, I almost didn’t notice the crowd of fans and some paparazzi forming around us, littered with a few people who were probably just curious and had no idea who I was.
“Ri-“
She didn’t exactly let me pull away in order to talk, so I tried to break the kiss amicably.
“Riley, we need to evacuate.”
She giggled against my lips and pulled away, opening her eyes to finally realize how many people
were around us. Cameras flashed from every angle and I pecked her lips one more time before bending down and collecting her bag, holding her hand in mine. I led her to the last car in line, watching as Piper’s dad climbed into the middle car behind his wife and son. The car that Piper, Harry, and Karen were in had begun to pull away.
“C’mon babe.”
I opened the door for Riley and handed her bag to the driver so that he could put it in the trunk as I
climbed in beside Riley. As soon as I shut the door and we were behind the tinted windows, with the noise mostly drowned out by the barrier, I pulled Riley close to me, her head gravitating to my chest.
“I missed you so much.”
I kissed the top of her head as the car jolted forward, following behind the other cars.
“I missed you too, Li. Fill me in on New York.”
I grinned and spoke with my lips still pressed against her hair.
“Well, the shows have been great and I’m really enjoying the little break we’re getting. I’ve babysat
Andy quite a bit; she’s really becoming a handful. And I think something is going on with Piper.”
I had been telling myself for the past couple days that I would listen to Harry’s suggestion to keep Riley distracted from whatever Piper was going through. However, I was sincerely worried about Piper and I knew that Harry had a tendency to shut other people out when things went to shit. I obviously didn’t know what was going on so I had nothing substantial to tell Riley, but I wanted her to be able to help if that were possible.
She lifts her head up and looks at me, her hands resting comfortably on my thigh.
“What do you think it is? What’s she been acting like?”
I shrugged because her moods had been all over the place.
“M’not sure. I mean; I’ve been watching Andy at the last minute while Harry seems to be chasing
after her. Like the second time I watched her, Harry was literally in a state of panic because she ran after the room service attendant. But, he never mentioned it after. Just pretended nothing happened and came to get Andy. The night before, she did the same thing, but just like ran off down the hall for some reason. I guess they got in a fight. She talked to Niall but didn’t give any detail. Things seemed perfectly fine and then -BAM- next morning, all hell breaks loose. I wasn’t supposed to tell you... not that I even know anything, but if there’s some way you can help her, I feel like you should know that there might be a problem.”
Riley’s eyes were wide in shock and I could tell she was thinking about everything I had just said,
connecting missing pieces.
“She hasn’t acted like that in so long. Not since... since Matt died. Like, she was an emotional
wreck after he died, but then she became almost dead inside. She’s been practically normal since Harry, though. I wonder what happened. They don’t seem to be fighting?”
“No, it’s so strange. It’s almost like it has nothing to do with their relationship. Harry chases after her and they usually end up in bed together within a couple hours. It’s weird. I’m pretty sure I’m missing something big, but they’re being really secretive.”
Riley nodded and took a deep breath.
“Well, it looks like this Christmas will be anything but drama-free, but I don’t know what we expected.”
I chuckled and pulled her back to lay on my chest.
“How’s Cory?”
Her body tensed at my question, which made me a bit uncomfortable.
“He’s not too good. He’s been drinking, and god knows what else, every damn day. He never leaves his room and trust me, it has no positive qualities that make you wanna stay. It’s absolutely disgusting. Who knows the last time he showered. We talked last night for the first time in forever and he just seems so lifeless. He hates himself because of what happened to Piper. Nothing can change his mind. I’ve tried so hard to get through to him that James is insane and there was no way any of us could have known. It just makes me so sad to think that he’s been harboring this much self resentment for so long.”
Sure, I felt bad that Cory felt so negatively toward himself, but I was also still uncomfortable to think about them having private conversations. It shouldn’t, but it made me worry. I trusted Riley, but shit happens and I knew that there was always the possibility that she’d feel bad enough to sleep with him again.
“I hate that he thinks that way, but there isn’t really anything you can do about it. You’re just making him feel closer to you.”
I regretted my choice of words immediately. There was no way she would take that statement well and sure enough, she sat up straight, moving closer to the window on her side of the car.
“You don’t have to be jealous, Liam.”
“I can’t help it. I’m sorry. I really try not to worry, but when Piper isn’t even there, it just feels weird to know that it’s just you two at the dorm. It makes me uncomfortable.”
She didn’t think I could see her, but her reflection shone perfectly in the shadows as she rolled her eyes.
“I’m his only friend, Liam. I would think you could understand and trust me.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but I found that I had nothing good to say. I simply huffed and crossed my arms, bouncing my knee anxiously in the back seat of the now-uncomfortably silent car.
PIPER’S P.O.V.
The car ride was great and it was nice to catch up with Karen. She had enjoyed her time at the resort alone and spent the rest of the time me and Andy had been gone at my parents’ house. She was really anxious to see Andy and we filled her in on some of the things we had done with her since we arrived, leaving out the things we had done without her.
Once we pulled up to the hotel, the door was surrounded by paparazzi, much more than had been there when Andy and I arrived: probably since we flew privately and no one saw us leaving Florida. We filed out, harry and I staying close together and I kept checking behind us to make sure Karen wasn’t far behind or getting trampled. My family had exited their car already, though, and she stayed close to Cory. He kept his head down and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist. Riley and Liam followed behind them, holding hands, but not sporting the smiles I expected to see. There was tension and I could see it on Riley’s face from a mile away.
Once we made it to the elevator and the doors shut behind our group, we all let out a sigh of relief. I made my rounds, hugging each member of my family and kissing them on the cheek. I was so happy to see them because it had honestly been the longest I’d gone without them in a long time. Cory seemed more down than ever, dark bags under his eyes and a frown permanently glued to his face.
“You okay?”
I whispered in his ear so no one else could hear and he simply nodded solemnly, not even faking
a smile.
I glared at him and decided to deal with it later. I next pulled Riley into a hug; one that was meant to be comforting to her and myself. She smiled at me and squeezed tight.
“How are you, Piper?”
Her tone was low and concerned, drowned out by the conversations around us, and I tried to pick out why it would be.
“Of course, I’m perfect!”
Before she could protest, the elevator dinged and the doors opened on our floor. We filed out and I
found Harry in the hallway. He intertwined our fingers and we lead the group toward our rooms. We had already checked my parents and Cory into the suite two down from ours (I didn’t exactly want them to hear anything through our bedroom wall) and Karen into the suite between us. We had considered having Karen stay with us in the other bedroom, but it seemed a bit awkward. I handed my parents their key and they walked down to their door while Liam and Riley stood next to us at his door.
“I’ll come see you later, Piper. I need to talk to Liam right now.”
I nodded and noted Liam’s flush face. Harry opened our door and as soon as the knob turned, Andy was screaming and running toward us. We let Karen walk in front of us and she caught her daughter in a warm, emotional hug.
“Hello darling. How is my baby?”
“Great! How is my mummy?”
We all chuckled and watched their loving embrace from the door as Louise approached Harry and
I from the living room. Harry rested his large hand on her shoulder and kept me close.
“Thanks, Lou. You’ve been such a help.”
She smiled and gave Harry and I both a hug at once.
“I’m happy to help. Just ring me if you need anything; I’ve got to go feed Lux now.”
We nodded and thanked her again as she slipped out of the room.
“Alright, who wants brunch?”
Harry pulled away a little and clapped his hands together as we all cheered along with Andy.
“I’ll order something.”
I walked over to the phone and ordered plenty of options; breakfast and lunch foods, before hanging up to re-join the three of them in the living room. I stopped in my tracks between the kitchen and living room, watching them sit on the couch; Andy and her parents, as they chatted and laughed. Karen continuously shifted her gaze between Andrea and Harry, obviously enjoying both of their company. My heart clenched in my chest at the thought of them being a family; which in all honesty, they are. In all the time since the day I met her, I felt jealousy toward the woman who mothered Harry’s child. It made me feel as though I were the reason they weren’t a proper family.
I had to tell myself that, ‘no; Harry and Karen hated each other before I came into the picture’ and if anything, I had brought them closer together.
Maybe that would prove to be a problem, though. What if the two of them seeing each other in a different light would give them the idea to give their relationship another chance? For their daughter whom they both loved so much. What if I ended up just being the person who brought them back together?
“Baby, come sit with us.”
Harry glanced behind them and noticed me standing there awkwardly. I cleared my throat and nodded, walking into the living room and circling the couch. Harry patted his lap and held out a hand for me to take. I grinned in adoration and held his hand delicately as he pulled me onto his thighs. He caressed my arm with his thumb and pressed a chaste kiss to my shoulder. I tried so hard to push my negative thoughts aside and enjoy the moment. The way Karen looked at Harry kept nagging at my mind, though, and I knew immediately that I would always fear the worst and since Andy would always be there; so would Karen.
“Hey, why are you being so quiet?”
Harry nudged my arm in the close quarters of the back seat as we made our way to the airport. We Him and Piper had been in between blissful whispers for the past thirty minutes and I was perfectly okay with that. I could tell that he thought I felt left out or something, though.
“I’m just anxious to see Riley, s’all.”
Piper cooed from the other side of the car, peeking around Harry’s shoulder while playing with his hair.
“She’s really excited to see you, Liam. Don’t stress.”
I grinned shyly and nodded in agreement. I wasn’t nervous per say, but I expected it to be a little strange around her and Cory again. I didn’t hold a grudge toward either of them, but after the events from Halloween, I felt the need to be cautious. He really loved her and while I didn’t necessarily fear her leaving me, I didn’t like the fact that they still lived together. Especially since Piper hadn’t been there.
By the time we pulled up to the curb, it was nine o’clock in the morning and we had all received texts marking their arrival; one from Marie to Piper, Karen to Harry, and Riley to me. I glanced at the text again, unable to contain my smile.
*FROM: Riley
We just landed! Can we get our own cab so I can have you all to myself?*
Who was I to deny that request? Even though I was pretty positive she was being sarcastic, I requested a third town car to join our troupe. That left Piper and Harry with Karen, most likely, and Piper’s family all together in another car. I had a feeling that our personal car ride would be sexual torture, but it would probably force us to spend some quality time together before we made it to the bedroom and never left.
“There they are! Liam, go ahead and go the other car. We don’t need to make a spectacle at the
airport.”
I nodded in agreement with Harry’s words and opened the door, swiftly stepping onto the
pavement as the group approached.
“Liam!”
Riley ran to me, dropping her duffel bag on the ground as she enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug. I wrapped my arms around her waist and crashed my lips into hers, feeling as though it were impossible to express the immense passion coursing through my blood. Entirely preoccupied, I almost didn’t notice the crowd of fans and some paparazzi forming around us, littered with a few people who were probably just curious and had no idea who I was.
“Ri-“
She didn’t exactly let me pull away in order to talk, so I tried to break the kiss amicably.
“Riley, we need to evacuate.”
She giggled against my lips and pulled away, opening her eyes to finally realize how many people
were around us. Cameras flashed from every angle and I pecked her lips one more time before bending down and collecting her bag, holding her hand in mine. I led her to the last car in line, watching as Piper’s dad climbed into the middle car behind his wife and son. The car that Piper, Harry, and Karen were in had begun to pull away.
“C’mon babe.”
I opened the door for Riley and handed her bag to the driver so that he could put it in the trunk as I
climbed in beside Riley. As soon as I shut the door and we were behind the tinted windows, with the noise mostly drowned out by the barrier, I pulled Riley close to me, her head gravitating to my chest.
“I missed you so much.”
I kissed the top of her head as the car jolted forward, following behind the other cars.
“I missed you too, Li. Fill me in on New York.”
I grinned and spoke with my lips still pressed against her hair.
“Well, the shows have been great and I’m really enjoying the little break we’re getting. I’ve babysat
Andy quite a bit; she’s really becoming a handful. And I think something is going on with Piper.”
I had been telling myself for the past couple days that I would listen to Harry’s suggestion to keep Riley distracted from whatever Piper was going through. However, I was sincerely worried about Piper and I knew that Harry had a tendency to shut other people out when things went to shit. I obviously didn’t know what was going on so I had nothing substantial to tell Riley, but I wanted her to be able to help if that were possible.
She lifts her head up and looks at me, her hands resting comfortably on my thigh.
“What do you think it is? What’s she been acting like?”
I shrugged because her moods had been all over the place.
“M’not sure. I mean; I’ve been watching Andy at the last minute while Harry seems to be chasing
after her. Like the second time I watched her, Harry was literally in a state of panic because she ran after the room service attendant. But, he never mentioned it after. Just pretended nothing happened and came to get Andy. The night before, she did the same thing, but just like ran off down the hall for some reason. I guess they got in a fight. She talked to Niall but didn’t give any detail. Things seemed perfectly fine and then -BAM- next morning, all hell breaks loose. I wasn’t supposed to tell you... not that I even know anything, but if there’s some way you can help her, I feel like you should know that there might be a problem.”
Riley’s eyes were wide in shock and I could tell she was thinking about everything I had just said,
connecting missing pieces.
“She hasn’t acted like that in so long. Not since... since Matt died. Like, she was an emotional
wreck after he died, but then she became almost dead inside. She’s been practically normal since Harry, though. I wonder what happened. They don’t seem to be fighting?”
“No, it’s so strange. It’s almost like it has nothing to do with their relationship. Harry chases after her and they usually end up in bed together within a couple hours. It’s weird. I’m pretty sure I’m missing something big, but they’re being really secretive.”
Riley nodded and took a deep breath.
“Well, it looks like this Christmas will be anything but drama-free, but I don’t know what we expected.”
I chuckled and pulled her back to lay on my chest.
“How’s Cory?”
Her body tensed at my question, which made me a bit uncomfortable.
“He’s not too good. He’s been drinking, and god knows what else, every damn day. He never leaves his room and trust me, it has no positive qualities that make you wanna stay. It’s absolutely disgusting. Who knows the last time he showered. We talked last night for the first time in forever and he just seems so lifeless. He hates himself because of what happened to Piper. Nothing can change his mind. I’ve tried so hard to get through to him that James is insane and there was no way any of us could have known. It just makes me so sad to think that he’s been harboring this much self resentment for so long.”
Sure, I felt bad that Cory felt so negatively toward himself, but I was also still uncomfortable to think about them having private conversations. It shouldn’t, but it made me worry. I trusted Riley, but shit happens and I knew that there was always the possibility that she’d feel bad enough to sleep with him again.
“I hate that he thinks that way, but there isn’t really anything you can do about it. You’re just making him feel closer to you.”
I regretted my choice of words immediately. There was no way she would take that statement well and sure enough, she sat up straight, moving closer to the window on her side of the car.
“You don’t have to be jealous, Liam.”
“I can’t help it. I’m sorry. I really try not to worry, but when Piper isn’t even there, it just feels weird to know that it’s just you two at the dorm. It makes me uncomfortable.”
She didn’t think I could see her, but her reflection shone perfectly in the shadows as she rolled her eyes.
“I’m his only friend, Liam. I would think you could understand and trust me.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but I found that I had nothing good to say. I simply huffed and crossed my arms, bouncing my knee anxiously in the back seat of the now-uncomfortably silent car.
PIPER’S P.O.V.
The car ride was great and it was nice to catch up with Karen. She had enjoyed her time at the resort alone and spent the rest of the time me and Andy had been gone at my parents’ house. She was really anxious to see Andy and we filled her in on some of the things we had done with her since we arrived, leaving out the things we had done without her.
Once we pulled up to the hotel, the door was surrounded by paparazzi, much more than had been there when Andy and I arrived: probably since we flew privately and no one saw us leaving Florida. We filed out, harry and I staying close together and I kept checking behind us to make sure Karen wasn’t far behind or getting trampled. My family had exited their car already, though, and she stayed close to Cory. He kept his head down and wrapped an arm protectively around her waist. Riley and Liam followed behind them, holding hands, but not sporting the smiles I expected to see. There was tension and I could see it on Riley’s face from a mile away.
Once we made it to the elevator and the doors shut behind our group, we all let out a sigh of relief. I made my rounds, hugging each member of my family and kissing them on the cheek. I was so happy to see them because it had honestly been the longest I’d gone without them in a long time. Cory seemed more down than ever, dark bags under his eyes and a frown permanently glued to his face.
“You okay?”
I whispered in his ear so no one else could hear and he simply nodded solemnly, not even faking
a smile.
I glared at him and decided to deal with it later. I next pulled Riley into a hug; one that was meant to be comforting to her and myself. She smiled at me and squeezed tight.
“How are you, Piper?”
Her tone was low and concerned, drowned out by the conversations around us, and I tried to pick out why it would be.
“Of course, I’m perfect!”
Before she could protest, the elevator dinged and the doors opened on our floor. We filed out and I
found Harry in the hallway. He intertwined our fingers and we lead the group toward our rooms. We had already checked my parents and Cory into the suite two down from ours (I didn’t exactly want them to hear anything through our bedroom wall) and Karen into the suite between us. We had considered having Karen stay with us in the other bedroom, but it seemed a bit awkward. I handed my parents their key and they walked down to their door while Liam and Riley stood next to us at his door.
“I’ll come see you later, Piper. I need to talk to Liam right now.”
I nodded and noted Liam’s flush face. Harry opened our door and as soon as the knob turned, Andy was screaming and running toward us. We let Karen walk in front of us and she caught her daughter in a warm, emotional hug.
“Hello darling. How is my baby?”
“Great! How is my mummy?”
We all chuckled and watched their loving embrace from the door as Louise approached Harry and
I from the living room. Harry rested his large hand on her shoulder and kept me close.
“Thanks, Lou. You’ve been such a help.”
She smiled and gave Harry and I both a hug at once.
“I’m happy to help. Just ring me if you need anything; I’ve got to go feed Lux now.”
We nodded and thanked her again as she slipped out of the room.
“Alright, who wants brunch?”
Harry pulled away a little and clapped his hands together as we all cheered along with Andy.
“I’ll order something.”
I walked over to the phone and ordered plenty of options; breakfast and lunch foods, before hanging up to re-join the three of them in the living room. I stopped in my tracks between the kitchen and living room, watching them sit on the couch; Andy and her parents, as they chatted and laughed. Karen continuously shifted her gaze between Andrea and Harry, obviously enjoying both of their company. My heart clenched in my chest at the thought of them being a family; which in all honesty, they are. In all the time since the day I met her, I felt jealousy toward the woman who mothered Harry’s child. It made me feel as though I were the reason they weren’t a proper family.
I had to tell myself that, ‘no; Harry and Karen hated each other before I came into the picture’ and if anything, I had brought them closer together.
Maybe that would prove to be a problem, though. What if the two of them seeing each other in a different light would give them the idea to give their relationship another chance? For their daughter whom they both loved so much. What if I ended up just being the person who brought them back together?
“Baby, come sit with us.”
Harry glanced behind them and noticed me standing there awkwardly. I cleared my throat and nodded, walking into the living room and circling the couch. Harry patted his lap and held out a hand for me to take. I grinned in adoration and held his hand delicately as he pulled me onto his thighs. He caressed my arm with his thumb and pressed a chaste kiss to my shoulder. I tried so hard to push my negative thoughts aside and enjoy the moment. The way Karen looked at Harry kept nagging at my mind, though, and I knew immediately that I would always fear the worst and since Andy would always be there; so would Karen.
Notes
First of all, thank you SOOO much for your best wishes and such while I was applying at UCF. And, I GOT IN! Woohoo!! Now, I just have to get things in order financially, but I'll hopefully be transferring and moving on campus in August! :D I'm so so so excited.Secondly, I'm sorry for taking FOREVER to update. Things have been a bit crazy and I'm trying to balance a billion things at once.
THIRDLY AND MOST EXCITINGLY,
I TURN 21 ON FRIDAY (feb 28th) I'm literally so thrilled... I live in the States, so 21 is like HUGE. haha. I'll be partying this weekend, so I wouldn't expect an update until early next week, but there is a possibility that I will be sober for part of Sunday :P
Love you guys! Only 6 more chapters (and an epilogue) until the sequel!!! Can't wait to see your reactions to the ending!
@jasyjas18
awwww thank you so much! where is this awards nomination? lol I didn't know about it, but thank you so much!!!! :) I'm gonna start the sequel now ;) should be up today or tomorrow!
8/4/14