Here it issss! Chapter 12! :) I hope you guys like it! 

~ Edited ~

*Charlotte's POV*

It was an adrenaline rush. 

That's the only way I could possibly describe it. I felt alive. I had a goal; one I was determined to accomplish. I don't remember the last time I had felt so driven, the control I felt surging through my veins a feeling I had not before been introduced to. Maybe that's why as I sat in the seat of my car, my hands clutching the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles began to resemble the fallen snow on the ground outside, I didn't stop myself. I didn't dare stop myself from doing something I never thought I would. For once, I was going to do something for myself.  Not for my parents. Not for the public. Not for the cameras. Myself.

I was going to confess my feelings for Louis Tomlinson. 

It started earlier in the day, the epiphany. Why it took me months to realize it? I wish I knew.

The butterflies in my stomach every time I saw him, the warm, accomplished feeling I'd get whenever I was able to make him smile, the way my heart would threaten to beat out of my chest every time we touched. I had developed feelings for Louis Tomlinson and with every passing second, they dug deeper into my heart. And earlier the same day, as I sat like an open book in front of Rose, my numb fingers wrapped around a cooling cup of tea, the thoughts had refused to flee my occupied mind.

 "Charlotte?" Rose had waved her hand in front of my face for what was probably the tenth time, snatching me out of my thoughts. Louis deviously planted himself into my brain, refusing to allow me to think of anything or anyone but him. He had invaded my life, my dreams, and now my thoughts. 

"What's got you smiling like an idiot?" She had questioned, her eyes boring into mine, looking for answers. I knew she had noticed my odd behavior a long time ago, but never brought it up. And now, when she finally did, I couldn't bring myself to answer.

"Nothing," I had muttered and eyed the tea that sat untouched in the cup. I could see my reflection in the surface of the liquid, the girl that was staring back at me seemed like a whole different person. Unlike the person she had been the past eighteen years, she had life in her eyes, her smile strong -- unfaltering, happiness being the only word to describe the novel look radiating off of her features. 

Rose's sharp, dramatic gasp was a sign that she had known exactly what was going through my head.

"Oh, it can't be!" she had whispered excitedly and leaned forward, the lighting in the room catching the glint of hope prominent in her wide brown eyes.

"It's that boy, isn't it?!" She clasped her hands together, her fingers intertwined. I grinned at her excitement. She was well aware of the answer by the way she jumped up and down in glee. She grasped my hands and pulled me up along with her. I had never seen Rose so happy, and she probably thought the same about me ever since I had met Louis.

 My mile-wide smile made her even more giddy. "Well, have you told him yet?" Rose squeezed my hands in anticipation. I sighed, the happiness being replaced by nerves. I slumped my shoulders and fell back into the couch. Actually telling Louis was a thought that had never crossed my mind.

 "My dear, you're obviously head over heels for this boy. You need to tell him!" Rose sat down next to me, her voice growing considerably soft with each word.

 I shook my head, spitting out one of the many excuses I could think of.

"No, I mean, what if he doesn't feel the same way?" Just the thought of getting rejected by Louis made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't think of a worse scenario. What made me think he would like me? Sure, he had been sweet, charming, but so had the others. It wasn't like they had feelings for me, too.

"You can't possibly let that be the reason! You've got to tell him, and if he doesn't feel the same way, then he's an absolute idiot. And what if he does like you? You're both gonna walk around pretending like you're not into each other, when you could be planning your wedding!" Rose was obviously getting way too stirred up about the idea of me liking someone. No one could blame her. It was the first time.

"Listen." She had said, taking my hand. "You're a wonderful girl, Charlotte. You deserve happiness and if that boy is the form it comes in, there's no way you can let him go. Sitting around isn't going to do anything for you. Life is about taking chances. Because without doing so, you will never know what could have been." Her voice was full of sincerity, and I couldn't help but have hope in her words. She was right. I had always asked for someone like Louis in my life, and now I had gotten him. How could I just sit there and not do anything about it?

"Now, when you get to that party, I want you to find that boy and tell him how you feel. And then report back to me." She smiled, patting my hair down with both hands. 

One Direction had just launched their newest single, so they were having a small party to celebrate. It was nothing big at first. But now, it seemed like my whole life depended on it. I suddenly felt too self-conscious. Was my dress alright? I eyed the blue cotton material that flowed down to my mid-thighs. I liked it, but the fact that I would be telling Louis how I felt about him made me doubt my choice.

Maybe I should change...

"You look perfect," Rose asserted. It was sometimes scary just how well she knew me. "Now go, you have a boy to woo!" She had clapped happily and handed me my beloved side bag. I slung it over my shoulder and thanked her profusely, before rushing out of the house with my new found hope and courage. Halfway down the path to my car, a good idea suddenly came to mind, so I made my way back into the house. Once Rose saw me inside, she shot me a disapproving look. 

"You can't chicken out, Lott--"

I shook my head, "I just need to get something!" Without further conversation, I sprinted up to my room and threw open my closet door. I reached back into the very corner and smiled when my fingers grazed the smooth velvet material. I pulled out the coat and hugged it to my chest. Louis' coat. Now was the perfect time to return it! I took the coat and explained to Rose before departing the house once again.

So that's how I ended up here. In my car, with my heart hugging my sleeve and my eyes glued to my phone's bright screen.

I dialed Danielle's number. My mind was racing with thoughts -- mostly worst case scenarios. What if he didn't like me? What if his management wouldn't allow him to date? What if he was secretly gay? I restrained from banging my head on the steering wheel after the last ridiculous thought and listened intently for Danielle's voice to come through the speakers. She didn't pick up the first time, so I crossed my fingers and dialed again.

"Hey, Charlotte!" She sang through the phone. "Sorry, I was in the shower getting ready for the party--"

 "Danielle! Is everyone else already at the hotel?" I interrupted the puzzled girl and inserted my keys into the ignition. With my foot tapping impatiently, I awaited her answer. I didn't want to wait until the party actually started. There would be too many people, and finding some time with Louis would become hard. It was really a now or never situation, and now seemed like the better option.

 "Woah Charlotte, slow down! Yeah, they got there just a few minutes ago. You know the party starts in an hour, right? Is everything okay?" she asked, her volume increasing as she rambled with worry.

"Yeah, of course everything's alright. Everything's great actually. Hey, I'm about to head down to the hotel now, there's something I need to do." I bit my lip in anticipation. At that moment, I didn't care if it was a good idea or not. I had never confessed my feelings for a guy, mainly because I never felt this way about one, but the adrenaline ceased to leave my body.

 "I guess they wouldn't mind if you got there a little early... but at least tell me what this is about!" Danielle's voice was sharp as glass, demanding an explanation. I guess she deserved one.

 I eyed the coat that laid in the seat beside me. 

"Okay, but I'm hanging up as soon as I say it, alright?" 

Danielle approved of the idea and I took a deep breath, before letting the words flood out of my mouth. 

"I'm going to tell Louis that I really like him."

Admitting it aloud was a whole different feeling. I wasn't only telling Danielle, I was telling myself.  I was proud of myself for going after something that I wanted, instead of only wishing I had it. I hung up immediately like I had promised and backed out of the parking lot.

*Danielle's POV*

 I struggled to get the chandelier earring through the hole pierced into my ear. Cursing to myself in agitation, I finally dropped it onto the dresser. It landed on the wooden surface with a loud clunk. I took my cell phone from where my shoulder was supporting it to my ear and listened to Charlotte as she asked question after question. I couldn't help but be worried about her frantic behavior. I fell down onto my bed, worry clouding my mind.

"Okay, but I'm hanging up as soon as I say it, alright?" She spoke after some silence. 

"Alright," I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. Something she needed to do? What did she have to do so badly that she had to go to the party early for? 

I heard Charlotte's shaky breath through the speaker before she finally spoke, her words stumbling over each other.

"I'm going to tell Louis that I really like him."

I all but choked on my own spit. I hopped off of the bed and panicked even more when the line went dead. My legs carried me to the other side of the room and back, as if pacing would actually help the situation.

She was going to do what?

 "Charlotte?!" I yelled into the phone, but it was no use because she had already hung up. I dialed her number time after time, but it was she repeatedly neglected to answer. I was originally planning on spending the hour I had to take the time to straighten my wild hair and work on getting ready. But all of my plans were thrown out the window by Charlotte's. I didn't care about getting ready anymore, I just had to get to the hotel. I cursed repeatedly and scurried around the room, throwing on my disassembled dress and shoes. I didn't bother to brush my hair before practically flying out of the building and into my car. How had I not seen it? Charlotte had liked Louis from the first day, the reality dawning on me much too late. Now, all I knew now was that I had to get to the hotel before she did

*Charlotte's POV*

I stared at the phone in my hands. It said I had six missed calls from Danielle. I hadn't answered because I was driving and later, when I tried calling back, I would get no reception. I sighed and threw it back into my purse. I would see her sooner or later. 

I folded Louis' coat so it was hung over my arm and with the receptionist's directions, turned right down the hallway and into a large room. The patter of my feet echoed off of the walls as I stepped into the empty room. It was set with tables and tables full of food, next to a door labeled "kitchen." Right across from me was a stage, which was decorated with balloons and streamers. On the stage sat an opened box of even more decorations. They obviously weren't finished preparing for the party. Maybe I shouldn't have came so early...

"Hello?" My voice bounced off of the fancy walls and right back to my own ears. I gulped and snapped my head towards the kitchen door, which someone had swung wide open. Out stepped Niall, a large box cradled in his arms. The only way I could tell it was him was by the tip of blonde hair peeking out from behind the box. He wobbled as his unsteady legs carried him to a table. I decided to get him back for the last time he scared me with the kidnapping. Sneaking up behind him, I brought my chin up to his shoulder and screamed the loudest I could into his ear. Niall screeched like a little girl and toppled over onto the tables, his hands flailing wildly. 

I stared, amused. "Hey, loser." 

Niall ran his hands down his face and I laughed before lending him my hand. He straightened his shirt from where it had ridden up, shooting me a glare.

"I guess I deserved that," he shrugged and wrapped me into a friendly hug. Niall pulled away and grinned down at me.

"What are you doing here? Party doesn't start until half an hour..."

I froze. What was I supposed to tell him?

"I -- I just needed to see Louis, so I kind of came early. I hope that's okay..." I mumbled, my cheeks flaming in embarrassment. My best option was to tell him the truth. Not only because I was a horrible liar, but because I truly felt stupid for arriving so early. They weren't even set up for the party.

"Of course it is!" Niall assured me, "you can help me set up now." His right eye dropped down into a wink. Niall let me go without further interrogation and directed me to the area back stage, where he said Louis was setting a few things up. I followed his directions and ended up in a room surrounded by speakers and other technological things I could never name. I snooped around for a bit, not really sure where to find him. As I was backing out from the room in defeat after several minutes of looking for him, my back collided with another person. I turned around and sure enough, there he stood. 

The sight of Louis made my confidence shrink by a ton, but I had promised to Rose and to myself that I would to this. A surprised smile made its way to Louis' lips as his wide blue eyes gazed down at me. 

"Charlotte? What are you doing here?" he repeated Niall's words, "Not that I'm not glad to see you, it's actually kind of the complete opposite." An unsure laugh escaped his lips, only adding to how cute he seemed right then. 

"Louis, I need to tell you something," I began. If I was going to do this, I was planning on just getting it over with. Ripping the band aid clean off. I was about to say it. About to tell him how I felt, when it seemed like the words had gotten caught in my throat. Louis urged me to speak, but I stood stunned like the idiot I was. My stomach churned with uneasiness.

After all I went through to get here, after all of the excitement, I was just going to choke?! I gulped down the nerves and met his eyes. "Louis," I sucked air into my cheeks, before finally exhaling. "I just want to tell y--you that I li--"

My blood boiled in anger when a high-pitched squeal cut me off. Really? Now? I glared at the door I had came through, planning on murdering whoever had disrupted me. It was so hard for me to bring myself to even admit to the feelings. And now, when I was about to tell Louis, this person just had to cut me short. 

Out of the door came a tall female with a wide smile on her lips. Her legs were bare, her body sporting a dress short enough to be considered a shirt. I watched in confusion as the slim brunette made her way towards Louis and threw her arms around his neck. I frowned. What was this all about? And why was she all over him?

Louis glanced my way, the look he shot me resembling an apology. My infinite questions were answered when the perky girl smashed her lips onto Louis', with no consideration of another person standing right in front of them. 

Anyone within a ten mile radius heard my heart shatter into a billion pieces and fall to the ground, unable to be put back together. I averted my gaze from Louis' as the two kissed. Out of all of the scenarios I had thought up, Louis having a girlfriend was never one of them, even though it should have been the most likely. It just never seemed like he was taken. He had been so open around me. Or maybe all of that was just in my own head. My mind had tricked into believing that Louis might actually like me how I liked him. How could I have been so stupid? Getting carried away into wanting to confess to him was one thing. But actually thinking that a guy like him would have feelings for someone like me? Pathetic.

All of the moments we had. To him, they were probably nothing. Mere dust in front of the love he seemed to share with his girlfriend. That night at the harbor? I fooled myself into believing that the old man at the ice cream shot was actually right. They way Louis looked at me. He had said that there was something there when he looked at me. And I had so naively believed him. 

I stared through my hazy eyes at Louis when he finally pulled away from the kiss. I felt like there was something there. Everytime Louis would smile at me, I felt like there was something special. The way the skin framing his eyes crinkled when I made him smile. It was solid proof that the happiness reached his eyes, and from there, traveled straight to his heart. So foolishly, i had believed that I was the only one capable of bringing him that smile.

 I couldn't help but feel like he had led me on. It was just hard for me to believe that Louis had been completely unaware of the effect he had on me. And just like that, the pity I was feeling for myself was replaced by anger. 

"Oh, hello!" The girl greeted as if she hadn't noticed me earlier, which all three of us knew she did. "I'm Eleanor, Louis' girlfriend. And you are?" She asked innocently, her over-friendly tone irritating me. She clung to Louis' arm, her head still rested on his shoulder. I glanced at Louis, who was smiling unknowingly at the two of us. My anger diminished at his oblivious look. He had no idea, did he? I had no right to be mad at him. He had so innocently captured my heart, with no clue of just the crime he committed. 

I plastered a smile across my trembling lips. No words came to my aid as I stared dumbly at the couple before me. Luck was for once on my side when Eleanor's phone blared from her monstrous leather purse. 

"Oh, I have to take this. Be right back babe," she pecked Louis' cheek before rushing off back into the stairwell. The fact that she was so intimate around him right in front of me only bothered me even more. I knew I had no right to be bothered, but it wasn't something I could help.

"What did you want to tell me, Charlotte?" Louis asked curiously, his eyes boring into mine. I looked away uncomfortably. My eyes were filled with tears that were threatening to spill any second. I had to get out of there. 

"I just," I eyed the coat in my hand and shoved it towards him, "I wanted to give you your coat back," I somehow choked the words out. The coat. It only reminded me of why I fell for him. He had been so kind, mysterious -- so charming. And a huge part of me wanted to believe that the memories were making their way to Louis also when a look of regret mixed with remembrance flashed across his solemn features.

"Charlotte," he whispered, as if he had realized just what was going on. I didn't wait for him to speak. Instead, I charged out of the room and tripped over my feet several times down the stairwell, the tears that blurred my vision becoming hard to contain. I felt numb. It was the perfect way to describe it. My mind was blank, and my heart aching. Sometime along my way down the stairs, I had scraped my arm on the edge of the railing, sending a pain to surge all the way up to my shoulder, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of that place. I wanted to go home. 

I tried going unseen from the same way I had arrived, but Niall was exactly where I had left him.

"Did you find him?" Niall asked from across the room without lifting his head. His eyes were glued in concentration down at a bag of plastic plates as he tried to open it. I couldn't bring myself to speak. I didn't trust myself to.

Yes, I had found him. But I wish I never did. 

When Niall received no response, he looked up to meet my eyes. His eyes bulged out of his head at the sight of me, and he threw the plastic bag aside before stumbling over to my side.

 "Charlotte? What did you do to your arm?" He gently rang his fingers along the grazed skin. I followed his gaze and sure enough, blood had pooled along my arm and began to drip down onto the floor. I never realized just how bad the wound was. The pain my heart was bearing overshadowed everything in that moment.

I failed to restrain from crying any longer. I felt lame -- pathetic for breaking down the way I did I had, but I couldn't hold the tears. I almost collapsed to the floor if it weren't for Niall catching me by my arms. 

"Hey..." He looked unsure of what to do, but made me lean on his shoulder for support as he led me down a hall nearby the kitchen. I didn't like the fact that Niall was seeing me like this. So weak and humiliated, crying over something that was never mine. But then again, it was Niall. He wasn't one that I felt uncomfortable around. I buried my face deeper into the soft fabric of his t-shirt, as he ran his hand through my hair and muttered condolences. I lifted my gaze when we stopped walking and was met by tiled walls and numerous sinks lined up in front of a large mirror. He had brought me to the restroom.

 "Here, sit down," he assisted me in hopping onto one of the low sinks. I tried wiping the shed tears from my face, but Niall held my arm securely, not allowing me to move it. I watched him examine it thoroughly before a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.

"It doesn't need stitches, but we still need to clean the cut. Just don't move this, okay?" 

I nodded. I had stopped crying, but the pain was still cutting through my heart like a knife. Why didn't Louis tell me he had a girlfriend?

You never asked.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, it was true. Why would Louis even feel the need to tell me he was dating someone? The feeling was far worse than rejection, but it would have saved me a lot of trouble.

The sound of falling footsteps alerted both Niall and I, as we stood frozen in place, his hand not moving from above my wound. 

"Niall? Is everything alright, mate?" Louis' voice rang crystal clear from the corridor and into the bathroom, making my heart lurch into my throat. Niall was about to reach for the door knob when I stopped him. 

"Don't tell Louis I'm here, please," I begged, my voice trembling, the look in my eyes desperate. Niall looked reluctant, but agreed. 

"Yeah, everything's okay." He yelled back, trying not to let the worry bleed through his voice. Niall was always the one who bugged me the most, but he was also protective at times. He was like my brother, and I couldn't think of a time I was more grateful to have him.

"Alright, well El and I are going out, we'll be back before the party." Louis' responded, awaiting Niall's response before the sound of his footfalls faded from my hearing.

Niall shot my a sympathetic look before tearing open a pack of alcohol wipes. Was he going to ask why I was crying? Surely he knew that it wasn't because of the cut on my arm, right? 

"This is going to sting," he warned. I nodded, numb, and he counted to three before placing the wet wipe on the skin. I know I should have felt the sting. I should have hissed in pain. But I didn't care. It was like all of my emotions except heartache had been ripped out of my body, jarred safely, and locked away. I allowed him to clean the blood and secure my arm with a bandage.

"There," he said, smiling to himself. "Good as new." 

I attempted a smile, but both of us knew it was hopeless. Niall seemed to notice my distress and hopped on onto the sink next to me. 

"Where did you learn how to do this?" I examined the cloth that hugged my forearm. My voice sounded dull, dead even. I couldn't bring myself to even speak right. 

"I scraped my arm just like that while playing football once. My brother was the one who cleaned the cut, and I remember watching him to see what he did," he explained. I smiled at the sweet story. 

"I'm sorry. I should've told you that Eleanor was in there with him..." Niall's chipper expression transformed to one of guilt.

 My eyes wide, I looked up at him. "It's not your fault! I'm just... I'm just an idiot," I laughed darkly. I was the only one to blame for this mess. 

"That's the reason you came here, isn't it? You wanted to tell him..."

I nodded and then asked, "How did you know?" I hadn't shared my feeling with anyone, which began to worry me. Was it that obvious?

 Niall grinned and looked over his shoulder in both directions before leaning in.

"Wanna know a secret?" He asked in a hushed voice. I nodded, confused and he whispered again, "The Irish can read minds." 

I let out a real laugh this time, one that wasn't forced, and a smile grew on Niall's face.

 "See? Just laugh it off..." Niall's ability to cheer someone up even at the worst times didn't fail me. "Things are going to be alright." He threw his arm over my shoulder and ran his hand along my arm in comfort, my head laid on his shoulder. Strangely, I believed him when he said that things were going to be alright. Maybe the feelings I had weren't as strong as I originally thought. I just had to learn to get over them. 

By the sound of loud chatter coming from outside the corridor, it was obvious that guests had begun to flood the hall. One sound stood out among the laughter and music: the loud clacking of heels that grew louder with each second.

"Liam? Niall?" It was Danielle's frantic voice, and it was growing as she neared us. 

"In the bathroom!" Niall shouted. He hopped off of the counter and tucked the first aid kit under back into the cabinet he had retreived it from. The door kbob twisted and in walked Danielle, her face pale with worry. I smiled feebly at the sight of her, willing myself not to cry again, but at the sight of Danielle, all of the emotions came rushing back and embraced me with full force.

  "Oh gosh, what happened?" She directed the question towards Niall and brought me into a tight hug, allowing some more tears to fall before asking any more questions.

***

"How long have they been dating?" I drummed my finger on the glass surface of the table, my eyes glued to the scenery before me. Niall had dragged Danielle and I up to the rooftop of the building to get some fresh air. He knew I wouldn't be able to go back into that party and face Louis after what had happened. The view from there was spectacular. The buildings of London lit up the starless sky, and the streets were busy as ever.

Niall looked to Danielle for assurance, before saying, "Two years, I think." 

"So you said that she walked right in, and kissed Louis like you weren't even there?" Niall leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. 

I nodded. That's exactly what she did. It was almost like she was marking her territory, which was just as disgusting as it sounded. 

"Sounds like Eleanor alright," Danielle scoffed, surprising me. Obviously, there was something about this Eleanor that Danielle didn't like. And Niall's deep chuckle told me that he was on the same page as her. 

"What do you mean? You guys don't like her?" My eyes flickered back and forth between the two, searching their faces for answers.

"Well, it's not that we don't like her," Niall began, speaking slowly so I could understand.

Danielle added, "She's a really nice person once you get to know her. Just a bit... possessive?" 

Somehow, their words made me feel so much better. Eleanor didn't seem like the perfect girlfriend for Louis, which brought my joy, but also guilt. I wasn't one to look for faults in others, so why was I feeling so negative towards Eleanor now?

"Listen Charlotte, I'm really sorry. I wanted to tell you that Eleanor was back today, but you hung up before I could even say anything." Danielle looked genuinely regretful, the look on her face telling me that she thought it was her fault. I shook my head. 

"It's not your fault, Dani. And Niall, it's not your fault either. I just got a little carried away with things." 

I then apologized to Niall for breaking down the way I had earlier. Just the fact that I had never felt this way about anyone before made the whole thing a bit hysteric. The three of us talked some more, Niall and Danielle bringing up any subject, no matter how ridiculous, just to get my mind off of Louis. I really appreciated them, but knew that no matter how hard they tried, the pain wasn't going to leave me any time soon. The part that angered me most was that I had allowed myself to get hurt. I was foolish; weak. I looked too much into Louis' actions and words, identifying feelings that weren't even there. 

Zayn, Liam, and Harry soon joined us on the rooftop. They said they had been looking all over for the three of us. Danielle explained to them that I wasn't feeling well, so they brought me out. 

I hoped that the tears hadn't stained my face. I didn't want to explain what had happened to anyone else. Niall and Danielle knew, and that was more than enough.

The quiet rooftop soon became a small party just between Danielle, me, and they guys. We talked and laughed and it was easy to say that they made me feel better about the whole situation. However, the fun wasn't bound to last forever. My head started to ache late into the night. All of the crying had sure worn me out. 

"Thank you guys so much for inviting me. And congrats again on your single!" I bid goodnight to Liam and Zayn, thanking Danielle and Niall especially when everyone was out of earshot, and headed towards the stairwell that had brought my up to the rooftop. Harry had left to greet some of his friends downstairs at the party, so I thought I would run into him and be able to say goodbye.

 I had only made it down the stairs and was about to enter the party hall when the sound of hushed whispers came from the door in front of me. Furrowing my eyebrows, I brought my ear to the door, panicking when it opened slightly. Thankfully, whoever was on the other side hadn't noticed because they just kept on talking. 

"What was she doing with your coat?!" I recognized the voice as Eleanor's, which meant she could only be talking to one person. I knew it was bad to eavesdrop, but they were obviously talking about me, so I listened intently for more of the conversation.

"I gave it to her a while ago, El, I don't know why you're getting so riled up! Charlotte's my friend, and I was only being nice!" Louis' agitated voice made my heart skip several beats. They were obviously fighting. But over me? 

Sadly, I wasn't able to hear more of the conversation because instead, the sound of footsteps growing closer to the door filled my ears. I jumped in my spot and hid behind one of the large pillars, praying that they wouldn't see me. The door swung open and Eleanor stomped angrily up the steps, and towards the rooftop. I watched Louis slug along behind her, finally exhaling when they reached the top of the staircase. 

I longed to know why they were talking about me. Was Eleanor really angry at Louis for giving me his coat? Jealous, perhaps? Whatever it was, I willed myself not to think about it any longer.

I slipped out from behind the pillar and into the door they had came out from. I was able to recognize it as the one NIall had brought me up and made my way down to the hall. Luckily, most of the guests were gathered around the stage, so it was easy for me to reach the exit without being noticed. Except by Harry.

He had spotted me trying to slip out of the building and caught up to me with ease. 

"Leaving already?" he pouted and slipped his hands into his pockets. His emerald eyes held their usual shine, and his lips were set in a chipper smile. 

I glanced away and met his gaze once again. "I wasn't feeling so well, so I decided to bail."

Harry nodded and I watched his eyes scan the party behind us. He looked like he was debating with himself, before he finally spoke up. "At least let me walk you out?"

I couldn't bring myself to say no to his sweet offer, so off we went, out of the crowded building and into the night. 

What was I going to tell Rose? More importantly, how was I going to tell her without crying like a baby? She felt so confident in me, in my feelings, but both of us failed to see the truth. There was one thing that did confuse me to no end. Why hadn't Louis ever mentioned Eleanor? She should have come up in at least one of the many conversations we had. Zayn brought Perrie up numerous times, but Louis never did talk about Eleanor.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry's deep voice startled me. His wondrous gaze was set on my face, which was set ablaze for no apparent reason. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear and stared at nothing in particular through the dark night. My thoughts were running a mile per second, and I would have loved to explain everything to Harry. The thing was though, I could barely explain anything to myself. 

"Have you ever wanted something so badly, that you don't think about the risks, the consequences,  you just want it with every ounce of your being?" I had no idea where the question had come from, but I was glad I had asked. The phrase, "careful what you wish for," had never seemed like one of great magnitude. Until that night. 

"Hm," I watched Harry hold his lower lip between his teeth in thought. "I suppose. It's kind of like when you see your sister get a better toy than you, so you get angry at her and take it. You don't even think about how it's going to hurt her or how you're going to get in trouble, you're just glad you have the toy."

What?

It's important to know that I was completely serious when I asked Harry that question. He wanted to know what I was thinking and I wanted to know if he would understand. 

The laughter that escaped my mouth did surprise me. What was Harry even talking about? His face  was completely serious, and he seemed like he was proud of what he had just said.

"Well, that's not really what I meant," I laughed at his deflated expression, "but that was deep." 

Harry feigned hurt and shook his head side to side in laughter. "That always happened between me and Gemma."

We came to a stop before my car, which was almost hid by the conquering darkness. I was exhausted. Maybe it was the crying, the fact that it had been a long day, or just thinking too much, I didn't know. All I knew was that it was going to be hard to face Louis after that day.

I'll see you later, Charlotte?" He asked hopefully, his hand placed on my open car door. 

I couldn't bring myself to lie and say that he might not see me as much. I didn't want to tell Harry out of all people that I wasn't planning on hurting myself even more by being with the guys, so I simply nodded. I thanked him for walking me out, before sliding into the vehicle.

I didn't drive away as soon as Harry walked off. I sat in my car, my thoughts running wild. Louis was never ever mine. But why did I feel so hurt, so betrayed when I saw him with Eleanor? It's not like he was obliged to tell me all about his love life, and it wasn't like I ever asked. I'd have to get used the fact that I shouldn't like him. And I had to get over it soon.

(A/N)

I M P O R T A N T DISCLAMER: I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ELOUNOR AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP! 

I didn't think this disclaimer would be necessary, but judging from the mulitple messages I got saying that I know nothing about Eleanor and her relationship and telling me to stop offending them... this needs to be said. In no way am I saying that I have any intention to offend Eleanor. This is FOR STORY PURPOSES ONLY. If it was a Zayn story, it would have been Perrie. If it was a Liam story, it would have been Danielle. But it's a Louis story. And his girlfriend is Eleanor. I'm sure she's a nice girl and whatever but it isn't I'm saying she's the way she has been portrayed in my story. None of the characters are exactly the same, I tweaked a few things.

Don't think that I'm trying to hate on them, because it's really my story and I am the one who makes the characters up. Nothing against Eleanor in any way! So, aside from that, how did you guys like Niall in this chapter? I like his friendship with Charlotte, they're sweet :D don't forget to vote/comment and all that jazz if you liked this chapter! thank you for reading!