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Something Good Can Work: Book Two - ON HOLD INDEFINITELY-

Big fat liars.

“Low key, right.” I said as we pulled up to Liam’s. There were tons of people there and it was making me feel a little antsy. I felt Harry’s hand slide into mine, his face told me he didn’t realize it would be this big.
“You okay? I can drive us back home and we’ll just come get Louis later.” He offered, giving my hand a squeeze. I shook my head, this was fine. I could handle this. No worries.
“No, I’m fine. Come on.” I said before leaning over to give him a quick peck. We were out of the car and walking towards the door when Lucy popped out, screaming like a heathen. She ran up to me and hugged me so tight I thought I was going to hurl.
“Summer my love you made it, I’ve missed you so terribly.” She said as she shoved her face into my bosom. I stroked her hair and laughed, she was clearly drunk.
“You stink.” I said as I pushed her off of me, playfully of course.
“Sorry babes. I just missed you so, where is Louis? I didn’t see him come in.” She asked as she looked over my shoulder.
“I don’t know where he got off to, we all just got here.”
“Figures, he’s probably with Effy, OH have you heard about this trollop? She’s awful, just terrible.”
I looked back at Harry who was standing with Liam and Zayn, giving us space.
“I’ve heard bits and pieces, why don’t you like her?”
“She’s all over your man, that’s why. Every chance she gets ‘oh I’ve dropped me pencil, oh no look I need someone’s help climbing this stair, oh no I’ve tripped and somehow ended in your lap Harry how silly of mee’ she’s a fucktard okay, a little slaggy slag.”
I blinked. That would make sense as to why Harry had warned me, but was he into her too?
“Oh, well yeah.” I said, feeling the energy drain out of me. Nothing makes you feel hollow like hearing your boyfriend has been flirting with someone else.
“Oh, but don’t fret Sum, Har has been quite the gentlemen. He politely tells her to fuck off and it’s all good, but I know she’s plotting. She’s like…” She paused and looked around before leaning into me “Ali 2.0, total psycho this one is.” She crossed her arms and nodded as if she was dropping some intense knowledge on me.
I need a drink.
“I need water, is there water?” I ask, walking past Lucy and towards the kitchen. I didn’t know who to believe, I knew Harry cared for me… but I was long distance now and Effy was his first – of course I should be worried. I reached the kitchen, there were bodies everywhere. Drinking shots, smoking weed, I saw a baggy of pills. “Minimal drinking. Low key.” I said under my breath, hating Louis at that moment. I found a cooler near the door and opened it, no water. Just Vodka.
A nice full bottle of Vodka, cold as ice, beckoning me. I felt my heart pounding as if it were going to beat out of my chest. It was so simple, I could grab it and run outside – no one would ever know.
I placed my hand into the cooler, my eyes focused only on that clear poison. My fingers wrapped around the neck of the bottle. No one was watching, maybe even just a sip. Just something to take the edge off.
“Summer?”
Irish accent.
But it couldn’t be, could it?
I quickly stood up and looked around me. No one was paying attention to me, they were all wrapped up in each other.
I exhaled and turned to walk quickly out the back door and into the fresh night air. It was my subconscious, playing tricks on me to make me stop while I was ahead.
God I wish Niall was here.

“Where’d you get off to?” I heard Harry say as he walked up beside me. I had chewed my bottom lip raw, I could taste the blood.
“What happened?” He said, I obviously looked as bad as I felt.
“I shouldn’t have come…” I said reluctantly, I wanted to think I was strong and could take on the world. In reality, I was still a weak and scared little girl.
“Come on, let’s go home.” Harry said as he took my hand, he led me out the gate and towards Louis’ car.
“Could we walk?” I asked, the sight of a car made my stomach turn.
“Of course love, anything you want.”

We walked in silence for about fifteen minutes, I had overestimated how short the distance was.
“Maybe we should have driven…” I said hesitantly.
Harry gave me a smile. “No, I know a short cut. You don’t mind cutting through the forest do you?”
I inwardly cringed.
“No, not at all.”
He led me through a park and found a trail, he took his phone out and turned the flash light on so we could see.
“Harry…” I said slowly
“Summer…”
“Do you still have feelings for Effy?”
“What? Why would you ask such a thing?”
“It’s just, you’ve been distant and Lucy said that she was all over you constantly…”
He laughed and stopped, putting his hands on my shoulders and turning me to look at him.
“You know you’re everything to me, right? I would never. She’s a distant memory that won’t go away and that is all. She annoys me to hell and back and yeah, she likes me. It’s obvious, but I swear…I love you and only you. No one will ever come between us.”
“Then why are you being distant…?” I asked, feeling dumb and silly.
“Because… I don’t want you to think I’m clingy or co-dependent and I want you to do well and I don’t want to make you wish you were here when you’re doing so well at your new college and I don’t know, I’m being dumb.”
I dug the toe of my boot into the ground, looking down as I listened.
“Promise?” I said, feeling a wave of relief wash over me.
“On everything Summer, I promise.”
“I almost drank tonight.” I admitted.
“Almost?”
“I didn’t, I was so close…it was just there, calling to me.”
“What stopped you?”
“I heard…” I paused, was this really something I wanted to tell him? Would it hurt his ego?
“I heard a voice in my head telling me no, so I snapped out of it.” I improvised.
“Good, I’m proud of you. You’re getting stronger every day.” He smiled at me and pulled me into his arms, his lips pressing to my forehead as he comforted me.
“Harry…”
“Yes love?”
“Can we please get out of here, it’s giving me the creeps.” I said with a laugh.
“Yes, sorry. Come on.” He took my hand and we continued through the dense wooded area which came out at the opposite end of my neighborhood, near Harry’s house.
“What are the odds that your gran will be cool with you crashing at mine?” He asked, arching a brow.
“Slim to none, what are the odds your mom will be okay with that?”
“Slim to none as well, however she is out of town for a conference…”
“Are you trying to get me in bed, Mr. Styles?” I teased.
“I am, is it working?”
“I think we can work this out… race you.” I gave him a wink and took off towards his house, nothing better to take my mind off my woes than a nice shag with the boy I love.